‘Get Rid of that Stink!’ – How Bazalgette Cleaned up London

by Mike Trevethick (Thanet u3a). In 19th century London, everybody’s sewage, as well as the city’s commercial waste, was simply dumped into the river Thames. As a result, deadly diseases such as cholera were rife, and the river stank. Eventually, by the 1850’s, Parliament had had enough, so they appointed the engineer Joseph Bazalgette to find a way to clean it up. The brand-new sewage system he designed and built was revolutionary for its time, but did it really cure the problem?

To view the recording, click here… ‘The Great Stink of London’ video 

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