"A Slum Interior in Miller's Court"

[Chris Scott]

Many of the images in the famous Mary Evans Picture Library are available to be ordered on line as prints.
One of these intrigued me. It is a line drawing of an interior view and the caption reads as follows:-
SLUM SCENES WHITECHAPEL
A slum interior in Miller's Court, Whitechapel

My question is twofold:
1) Does anyone know the source of this image?
2) Does anyone know the date of this image?

For obvious copyright reasons I am not posting the image here but you can see it at
http://www.prints-online.com/slum_sc...t/4342827.html

[PaulB]

Many of the images in the famous Mary Evans Picture Library are available to be ordered on line as prints.
One of these intrigued me. It is a line drawing of an interior view and the caption reads as follows:-
SLUM SCENES WHITECHAPEL
A slum interior in Miller's Court, Whitechapel

My question is twofold:
1) Does anyone know the source of this image?
2) Does anyone know the date of this image?

For obvious copyright reasons I am not posting the image here but you can see it at
http://www.prints-online.com/slum_sc...t/4342827.html

The source is evidently the Illustrated London News, but I don't know the date. Maybe an email to Mary Evans?
Paul

[cats meat man]

Hello Chris. There is a cat in the bottom left of the picture so perhaps this could depict Elizabeth Prater's room in Millers Court. The man could be her husband, William Prater, although he had deserted her five years previously. It could be the sailor she was living with in 1892.
I developed these amazing observational skills by watching re-runs of ,'Through the Keyhole'-"Over to you Lloyd"

[miss marple]

The illustration looks as if it could be from Walter Besant's book on the East End published in 1908.
I have a copy of it, but it is at the moment in storage, I cant get to it till next weekend, I will get it out and post the interesting bits.

Miss Marple

[Chris Scott]

Tucked away lower right on the link I gave is a list a of keywords associated with this image:-
Tags
1891 • 19th • britain • candle • century • court • historical • history • interior • miller's • scenes • slum • social • whitechapel

This would seem to imply that the Illustrated Londond News image of Miller's Court is from 1891.

[Bridewell]

I've been trying to work out what the two people are doing. Twisting wire to make whisks & fly-swatters perhaps?

I'm also hoping the Impressionists don't read anything into the shadow cast by the female figure

Regards, Bridewell.

[ChrisGeorge]

Hi Chris

The print is also available through Amazon where it is stated:

Image Description: A slum interior in Millers Court, Whitechapel Date 1891
For any queries regarding this item please contact Mary Evans c/o Media Storehouse quoting Media Reference 4342827

The scene is even available on a mug from Amazon.

Chris

[Chris Scott]

Thanks guys for the feedback
I have had a trawl through the ILN archive for 1891 onwards using the serahc words slum, interior and Whitechapel in various combinations but haven't found anything so far.
I'd like to get a look at the original in the ILN to confirm the date and also that it specifically says it is Millers Court and not just a Whitechapel slum interior.

[Stephen Thomas]

If this is a genuine sketch done in Millers Court then I would suggest that it could only be either Kelly's room ie #13 or the room directly above ie #19. The clue is in the unusual window in the background which seems to match the left hand ones on the photo and a couple of drawings and can be seen to have no less than 20 single panes of glass. I doubt that such elaborate windows would have been present in the houses in the rest of the court.

[Rob Clack]

Hi Chris,

It is from the Saturday 10 January 1891 issue





Rob

[Chris Scott]

many thanks
Rob to the rescue again:-)
That is a much clearer image of it and it clearly says Millers Court - I wonder which house/room it was sketched in
Thanks Rob
Chris

Ive redone it in grayscale - sometimes helps with detail

[Wickerman]

So are we looking for a Millers Court resident, who had a cat?
:-)

[Rob Clack]

H Chris,

Going by the article which accompanied the illustration I believe the couple are William and Mary A Harrison who lived at 12 Millers Court in the 1891 census. If that's the case then it's the same room Kitty Roman was murdered in 1909.

The details are:
William Harrison age 65 Wire worker born Lambeth
Mary A Harrison age 65 born either Cornwall or Camberwell, it's not clear on the census return.

This is the article:




Rob

[Chris Scott]

Rob
Having had a look at the census listing for Millers Court for 1891 I am sure you are right. Both were 65 and wire worker would fit in precisely with the description and the drawing
Thanks
Chris

[Wickerman]

Didn't No. 12 (upstairs?) overlook Kelly's room from across the yard?
Somehow I envisaged this end unit as being where Catherine Pickell lived (in 1888), upstairs or down I'm not sure.
It does seem like Rob has the ID spot on here.

Thanks, Jon S.