SHEFFIELD.

2.5.1 THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE EPIDEMIC.

As was the case in most West Riding towns, cholera's arrival in Britain in 1848 was covered in great detail by the Sheffield newspapers.87 Public and official anxiety increased dramatically in early November, following reports that the disease had broken out. However, as the press was quick to point out, undue alarm was unwarranted as the cases were of

'English' rather than 'Asiatic' cholera.

Sheffield's next cholera scare occurred in July 1849, following the death of a local businessman who had returned from London suffering from what medical men said were the

unmistakable symptoms of the 'Asiatic' form.88 A further case was reported later in the month, when a local grinder

contracted the disease, although public concern diminished when he recovered.89 The incidence of diarrhoea was higher than usual and there was acute awareness of epidemics in other towns, yet there were no further reports of cholera cases

until the end of August. On 24 August 'a sudden outbreak [of diarrhoea] occurred over the whole town' and two days later, a medical man was summoned to treat William Fish, a silver

plater of Philadelphia, who was thought by his family to be suffering from severe diarrhoea.90 The doctor found him in 'a state of perfect collapse', his body 'was cold and presented a blue aspect and all the other symptoms of Asiatic Cholera'.91 Despite receiving prompt treatment, Fish died less than twenty

four hours later. Sheffield differed from the other three towns in .that medical opinion that cholera was present was immediately accepted despite the fact that late August marked the peak of the annual diarrhoea season. When medical men diagnosed further cases a cholera epidemic was immediately declared.92

Although the disease affected a number of different districts during the first week of September, the number of fatal cases mounted only slowly. But in the week ending 15 September cholera manifested itself, ’to an extent calculated to cause serious alarm’ in Attercliffe, and the total number of deaths rose to twenty.93 The three week period after this saw the Sheffield epidemic peak, but on a much smaller scale than in towns of a similar size. During this period, cases and deaths were reported in most parts of the Borough, yet were concentrated in the Attercliffe, Wicker and Park

districts. The total number of deaths in the Sheffield Union district rose to 33 by 22 September and to 53 and 67 in

successive weeks. A further six deaths were reported during the following week, bringing the total to 73.94 Only one more death occurred after this date and, by the middle of the

month, the Sheffield Times was able to announce that epidemic cholera had completely disappeared and rejoiced that the town had escaped so lightly.95

2.5.2 THE OFFICIAL RESPONSE, 1848.

Sheffield society at mid-century was still relatively homogeneous and was marked by close ties and empathy between the different classes. This helped to promote a radical

political culture in which the interests of the working class was often to the fore, not least because of their

participation in local politics. This was part cause and part effect of the growing influence of the radical Chartist

Democrat Party which by the late 1840s dominated the Town Council and was also in the process of gaining control of the local Highway Board. From the mid-1840s the Council became increasingly progressive, championing the cause of workers in Britain and abroad. Because at this stage the Council lacked real power there is a temptation to dismiss its radicalism as gesture politics. This would be unfair, as it did strive to achieve practical reforms. Whilst public health was not the main concern of the Chartist Democrats, efforts were made to improve sanitary conditions. Following the passage of the first N.R.A. in 1846, the Council responded to popular opinion and formed its own Health Committee. Although the Sheffield Times reflected in 1849 that the Committee had been

’vigorously promoting sanitary measures' since its inception, the leader of the Chartists, Isaac Ironside, backed by working men, found it necessary to found a local branch of the Health of Towns Association to speed reform. Ironside was successful in persuading the Council to undertake a comprehensive

sanitary survey in 1848 to provide the basis for future improvements. The significance of this was to increase

awareness of public health issues and help swing opinion behind reform. Thus when cholera threatened, the Guardians, who were themselves noted for having progressive and

enlightened views, acted with the utmost vigour and were supported in this by the Council, the town's other sanitary agencies and the public at large.

Cholera's presence in Europe did not attract much attention in Sheffield until the beginning of 1848 when a local medical man, Mr Boultbee, wrote to the Health Committee informing them of the disease's progress across the continent. Boultbee warned that as the disease was following an identical route to the one travelled in 1830-31, Britain and, more

especially, Sheffield, was unlikely to avoid the epidemic unless the local authorities and the public used 1 all the precautionary measures which past experience points out as essentially necessary for the maintenance of health'.96

'Cleanliness, pure air, ... general health, temperance, avoiding all excesses, bodily and mental' were, he warned,

'the weapons we must all employ'. The Health Committee's decision to pass Boultbee's letter on for publication in a local newspaper indicates that they took the threat of cholera seriously and shared his belief that 'to be forewarned is to be forearmed'.

Specific measures to avert the epidemic were not

initiated until cholera was first diagnosed in Britain in the autumn of 1848.97 Both of Sheffield's newspapers published the G.B.H.'s first and second Notifications, as well as

detailed advice.98 The local authorities were reminded of the obligations and powers accruing to them under the N.R.D.P.A., and were urged to put cleansing operations into immediate effect and to make preparations for providing medical relief should the need arise. Responsibility for implementing the Act lay with the town's two Poor Law authorities, the

Sheffield and Ecclesall Bierlow Boards of Guardians.99 By the beginning of November, both Boards had appointed Sanitary

Committees which both promised to undertake 'vigorous

operations', a move which met with the approval of the Health Committee

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