Life in the Suburbs: Health, Domesticity and Status in Early Modern London, 1523-1720

UKDA study number:7244

Principal Investigators

Davies, M.
University of London. Institute of Historical Research. Centre for Metropolitan History
Harding, V.
Birkbeck College, University of London
Smith, R.
University of Cambridge. Department of Geography

Sponsor

Economic and Social Research Council

Distributed by

UK Data Archive, University of Essex, Colchester.

April 2013

Bibliographic Citation

All works which use or refer to these materials should acknowledge these sources by means of bibliographic citation. To ensure that such source attributions are captured for bibliographic indexes, citations must appear in footnotes or in the reference section of publications. The bibliographic citation for this data collection is:

Davies, M., Harding, V. and Smith, R., Life in the Suburbs: Health, Domesticity and Status in Early Modern London, 1523-1720 [computer file]. Colchester, Essex: UK Data Archive [distributor], April 2013. SN: 7244.

Acknowledgement

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Copyright:
M. Davies

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7244 . Life in the Suburbs: Health, Domesticity and Status in Early Modern London, 1523-1720

Depositor:

Merry, M. , University of London. Institute of Historical Research. Centre for Metropolitan History

Principal Investigators:

Davies, M. , University of London. Institute of Historical Research. Centre for Metropolitan History

Harding, V. , Birkbeck College, University of London

Smith, R. , University of Cambridge. Department of Geography

Sponsor:

Economic and Social Research Council
Grant Number: RES-062-23-1260

Other Acknowledgements:

Merry, M., Centre for Metropolitan History, Institute of Historical Research, School of Advanced Study, University of London
Baker, P., Centre for Metropolitan History, Institute of Historical Research, School of Advanced Study, University of London
Latham, M., Centre for Metropolitan History, Institute of Historical Research, School of Advanced Study, University of London
Newton, G., The Cambridge Group for the History of Population and Social Structure, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge

Abstract:

This project investigated the character and development of London’s eastern suburb by examining the life of the inhabitants of the extra-mural parishes of St Botolph Aldgate and Holy Trinity Minories from c.1550-c.1700. Covering just under 80 acres running south from the parish of St Botolph Bishopsgate to the Thames, this area experienced a population explosion during the early modern period, from c.3,500 inhabitants in 1540, over 11,000 by 1650, to nearly 20,000 by 1700. The area offers a population with a unique range of social and economic experiences which allow the greatest possible scope for studying suburban living in early modern London. Moreover, it also offers an unprecedented array of sources, including parish registers, records of poor relief, numerous taxation and household listings, and the observations of the parish clerks of St Botolph.

The project had three main aims. The first involves a full family reconstitution and demographic analysis of the area’s parish registers - the largest reconstitution yet attempted from English registers. Relevant issues here are seasonality of mortality across the period, and the impact of maternal feeding practices. The second area of research involved study of the status, wealth and arrangement of the domestic units within the two parishes. Major themes here concern the levels of poverty and overseas immigration, the impact of London’s growth on existing social structures and whether communities of wealth congregated in different areas of the suburb. Finally, the third project strand concerned the topographical development of the area, specifically the expansion of its housing stock. Subjects of interest here included the residence patterns and spatial characteristics of the population, variables such as housing quality and amenity, and rental values.

Main Topics:

The datasets in this collection are composed of data created from sources that fall into four categories:

1. The parish registers of St Botolph Aldgate and Holy Trinity Minories
2. Parochial records from the vestry of St Botolph Aldgate
3. Lists of inhabitants from local and national taxation records
4. Records of ownership and conveyance of properties within the parish of St Botolph Aldgate

Two principal approaches were taken to creating the data from sources in groups 1-3. For the parish register material, data was entered into a relational database, whilst for the parish records and lists of inhabitants ‘semi-structured’ transcriptions were made. These latter comprise verbatim transcriptions with core information – usually relating to named individuals or payments made and received – organised in a tabular structure, sometimes with (clearly identified) added analytical apparatus. In all cases all material has followed the original orthography. These source-specific datasets were subsequently processed and reconfigured for various research strands as required. The current data collection contains the pre-processed transcripts, subjected to editing and cleaning

Coverage:

Time Period Covered: 01 January 1523 - 31 December 1720
Dates of Fieldwork: 01 June 2008 - 31 May 2011
Country: England
Geography: London
Spatial Units: Church parishes of St Botolph Aldgate and Holy Trinity Minories
Observation Units: Individuals; Families/households
Kind of Data: Textual data; Numeric data; Alpha/numeric data; Image

Universe Sampled:

Location of Units of Observation: Subnational
Population: Individuals, taxation assessments, vital events in two Middlesex parishes

Methodology:

Time Dimensions: Time Series
Sampling Procedures: No sampling (total universe)
Method of Data Collection: Transcription of existing materials
Weighting: No Weighting Used

Language(s) of Written Materials:

Study Description: English
Study Documentation: English

Access:

Access Conditions: The depositor has specified that registration is required and standard conditions of use apply. The depositor may be informed about usage. See terms and conditions for further information.
Available to all users based in HE/FE institutions, for not-for-profit educational and research purposes only.
Availability: History Data Service, UK Data Archive
Contact: Help desk: hds@essex.ac.uk

Date of First Release:

10 April 2013

Copyright:

M. Davies

File last updated:

15 April 2013