The St Giles slum just north of Covent Garden was one of the very poorest parts of London. This letter to The Times, printed in the edition of Thursday 5 July 1849, was a joint endeavour by locals to try to draw attention to their plight. This was two years before Charles Dickens made his famous tour of the slum with Inspector Field (http://www.djo.org.uk/household-words/volume-iii/page-265.html)

“To the Editor of The Times
“Sur, May we beg and beseech your proteckshion and power. We are Sur, as it may be, liven in a Willderniss, so far as the rest of London knows anything of us, or as the rich and great people care about. We live in muck and filthe. We aint go no privie, no dust bins, no drains, no water-splies, and no drain or suer in the hole place. The Suer Company, in Greek St, Soho Square, all great, rich and powerful men, take no notice watsomedever of our cumplaints. The Stenche of a Gully-hole is disgustin. We all of us suffur, and numbers are ill, and if the Colera comes Lord help us.

“Some gentlemans comed yesterday, and we thought they was comishoners from the Suer Company, but they was complaining of the noosance and stenche our lanes and corts was to them in New Oxforde Street. They was much surprized to see the seller in No.12 Carrier St [see map above] in our lane, where a child was dyin from fever, and would not beleave that Sixty persons sleep in it every night. This here seller you couldent swing a cat in, and the rent is five shilling a week; but theare are grate many sich deare sellars.

“Sur, we hope you will let us have our cumplaints put into your hinfluenshall paper, and make these landlords of our houses and these comishoners (the freinds we spose of the landlords) make our houses decent for Christions to live in.

“Preaye Sir com and see us, for we are livin like piggs, and it aint faire we shoulde be so ill treted.

“We are your respeckfull servants in Church Lane, Carrier St., and the other corts.

“Teusday, Juley 3, 1849.”

John Scott; Emen Scott; Joseph Crosbie; Hanna Crosbie; Edward Copeman; Richard Harmer; John Barnes; William Austin; Elen Fitzgerald; William Whut; Ann Saunderson; Mark Manning; John Turner; William D Wyre; Mary Aiers; Donald Co.nell; Timothy Driscoll; Timothe Murphy; John O’Grady; Maria O’Grady; John Dencey; John Crowley; Margret Steward; Bridget Towley; John Towley; Timothy Crowley; John Brown; Catherine Brown; Catherine Collins; Honora Flinn; John Crowe; James Crowe; Thomas Crowe; Patrick Fouhey; William Joyce; Michal Joyce John Joyce; Thomas Joyce; John Sullivan; Timothy Sullivan; Cathrin Trice; James Regan; Timothy Brian; James Bryan; Phillip Lacey; Edward brown; Mrs. Brocke; Nance Hays; Jeryh Fouhey; Marey Fouhey; Jerey Aies; Timothy Joyce; John Padler.