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What were the living conditions like for the working class in Victorian cities?
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Victorian era
Queen Victoria, watercolour by Julia Abercromby, 1883, after a watercolour by Heinrich von Angeli; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
During the Victorian era, working-class living conditions in cities were often dire. Rapid industrialization led to overcrowded housing, poor sanitation, and inadequate public health infrastructure. Families frequently lived in cramped tenements with little access to clean water or fresh air, contributing to the spread of diseases like cholera and typhoid. Long working hours in factories and mines, often for low wages, left little time or energy for rest or recreation. This harsh environment contributed to widespread poverty and social unrest.1