LVP Trivia

[Howard Brown]

Question Number One...March 13,2009.....

What was the number one cause of death in 1887 in Whitechapel?

A. Run over by horse drawn carriages
B. Bronchitis
C. Alcohol poisoning
D. Cholera

[Robert Linford]

I don't know, but I'll plump for bronchitis.

[Paul]

I'd say cholera. There were widespread cholera epidemics in 1887.

[Howard Brown]

Jeez...its a sad day when I have to tell Mr. B that, ahem, even Robert Linford got that one right.

Yes. it was bronchitis. In Bruce Paley's "Simple Truth" there is a chart which lists the diseases and causes of death.

Cholera, off the top of my head, had very few victims...but bronchitis had nearly 200.

Murders? One.

[Paul]

Er, well, you know, er, of course I knew Robert was correct. You were just so tardy in telling him that I though you needed a little push. (cough)

[Howard Brown]

Mr. B:

Who would enter LVP study or the study of the Whitechapel Murders and even give the thought to bronchitis being the number one killer in the East End?

These fascinating little bits of London history are why I enjoy Ripperologist Magazine so much...since The Rip has always focused on Victoriana as well as the WM. I wish Adam Wood had been able to continue that great series he started back in 2006 on the various "slices of life".

Next question is...and no cheating,Mr. B....

What does "wind the barra" mean...and who would do such a thing????

[Robert Linford]

Well, continuing with my sage and judicious policy of guessing, I'd say it sounds like an organ grinder to me.

[Howard Brown]

Thats correct...nice guess..although I know you probably paid someone for the answer.

Thanks for the 10 bucks,Bob

[Chris G.]

Who would enter LVP study or the study of the Whitechapel Murders and even give the thought to bronchitis being the number one killer in the East End?

Hello Howard

Actually knowing of the smog of British urban areas through the Fifties and into the Sixties, when I was living in the UK, I would say that bronchitis probably remained the number one killer through that period.

People up north called the London area "The Smoke" and the area around Birmingham was not called "The Black Country" for nothing.

Liverpool's iconic buildings, the Liver Buildings at the Pier Head, and St. George's Hall, the Parthenon-like building where Florie Maybrick was tried, remained smoke black throughout my childhood, because of the smoke from coal fires, steam engines, and steamships. The price of the Industrial Revolution. . .

All the best

Chris

[Robert Linford]

How, it was a guess although I suppose the organ-grinding Viscount story that Joe did helped it spring to mind.

BTW, How, I can imagine you in the LVP as an organ grinder :

"That old boy's organ may be very rusty, but it just about manages to grind."

[Howard Brown]

Dear C.G.

Thanks for the reference to Brummy and why its called the "Black Country". I didn't know that until just now. Much appreciated.

I'll tell ya...for someone who is very fond of British culture and even the Welsh...I've been finding out a lotta stuff lately that I had not known.

Bob:

If I was an organ grinder in the LVP, I wouldn't use monkeys...because I hate 'em. I'd rather have a African honey badger helping me out on a street corner than a damned monkey. Monkeys, although they have meat on 'em, are the last animals I would eat in this lifetime. Why, I'd rather eat gerbils and sea gulls ,a.k.a. flying rats, than monkeys. I'm down on monkeys and I shant be happy until they all get ripped....

[String]

London smog of 52:

http://hubpages.com/hub/Th-London-Smog-of-1952

[Sam Flynn]

I'm down on monkeys and I shant be happy until they all get ripped....

Anti-simianism!

[Howard Brown]

Oy vey Sammy ! Thats not true !! Why,"some of my best friends are Simian"@ ! Its those "bad monkeys" that I'm down on...

This is Rabbi Aperaham Rhesusinky, from two doors down.

[Howard Brown]

By bad monkeys.....I of course meant "low class Proboscis Monkeys" and that its a definitely ascertainable fact that their women are of low moral character and are constantly on the make for shekel,shilling and salted nuts in shells,even in broad daylight.