History Extra podcast The Great Stink: everything you wanted to know
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Mar 23, 2025 Join Rosemary Ashton, Emeritus Professor of English Language and Literature at University College London, as she delves into the notorious Great Stink of 1858. Discover how the stifling heat and pollution in the Thames led to public outrage and significant sanitation reforms. Ashton highlights the cholera outbreaks that plagued Victorian London and the groundbreaking work of engineer Joseph Bazalgette, who revolutionized the city's sewage system. The conversation also uncovers misconceptions about disease and the media's role in fostering environmental awareness.
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Parliamentary Escape
- During a parliamentary committee meeting, the Great Stink forced members, including Disraeli, to flee.
- Their hurried escape, clutching papers and covering noses, highlighted the severity of the stench.
Cholera and Miasma
- The prevailing miasma theory linked cholera to foul air, driving public fear during the Great Stink.
- Dr. John Snow's work on contaminated water as the source of cholera gained recognition amidst the crisis.
Faraday and Father Thames
- Michael Faraday's letter to The Times, describing the Thames as a fermenting sewer, heightened public awareness.
- Punch magazine satirized the situation, depicting Faraday presenting his card to a polluted Father Thames.