People

The following notable and not-so-notable people pop up in the records from the time of the cholera epidemic.

Mr H. Bolding
John Bosomworth
Samuel Bowyer
Richard Grainger FRCS FRS
Mr R. Hall
William James Kite MRCS
William Shaw Mayes
William Home Popham MRCS MD
Mr W. Rebbeck
John Snow MRCS MD
Thomas Wakley MP
William Benson Whitfield MRCS

Mr H. Bolding (dates tbc)

Likely Henry Bolding, baker, of White Street, Borough. Supplied 'full-priced' bread to the Tooting home as he stated at the inquest into the Tooting tragedy.

Yorkshireman. Potato dealer in Borough market, lived in Lambeth. Supplied potatoes to the Tooting home and inferred that the potatoes were well past their shelf-life. Improperly stored potatoes would exhibit the black, watery and diseased look mentioned at trial.

He testified at the inquest into the Tooting tragedy.

Samuel Bowyer (c.1823-1858)

Corn dealer (or 'corn factor') born in Twickenham, Middlesex, son of a corn and coal merchant. Supplied flour and split peas to the Tooting home and stated at the inquest that he was paid a good price for it.

Richard Dugard Grainger (1801-1865)

Dr John Grainger played a significant role during the 1848–1849 cholera epidemic in London. His contributions, particularly in mapping the intensity of the outbreak, provide valuable insights into the spread of cholera in the city.

He testified at both the inquest into the Tooting tragedy and the subsequent trial.

Mr R. Hall (dates tbc)

Assistant Poor Law commissioner, testified at the inquest into the Tooting tragedy, had been inspecting the establishment since at least 1846. Possibly Richard Hall, solicitor (c.1829-?) of Kennington and Hampstead, but that's based only on his occupation and the area where he lived.

William James Kite (1823-1872)

Surgeon from Staffordshire, himself the son of a surgeon, testified at both the inquest into the Tooting tragedy and the subsequent trial.

Resident - and sole - medical officer at the Tooting home, having started there in late 1848.

William Shaw Mayes (c.1798-1867)

Builder and carpenter, Guardian at Holborn Union, testified at both the inquest into the Tooting tragedy and the subsequent trial, died in a lunatic asylum.

William Home Popham (1819-1871)

Surgeon and GP for St Pancras, London, born in Ireland, lived for a time on Judd Street, London, died in Australia.

Testified at the inquest into the Tooting tragedy, visited the home in January following the cholera outbreak.

William Rebbeck (c.1792-1857 tbc)

Guardian, Holborn Union. Information unclear, but possibly a licensed victualler and publican of the Black Boy and Still tavern, Hampstead.

Mentioned at the both the inquest into the Tooting tragedy and the subsequent trial.

John Snow (1813-1858)

Considered the father of modern epidemiology, in 1854, Dr John Snow conducted a groundbreaking investigation into a cholera outbreak in London's Soho district.

Thomas Wakley (1795-1862)

Founder of medical magazine The Lancet, Member of Parliament and high-profile coroner. Wakley presided over inquests into the deaths of children at the Tooting pauper farm and friend of Charles Dickens, who sat on some of some of Wakley's inquests as a juror.

William Benson Whitfield (c.1814-1889)

Medical officer, Holborn Union. A surgeon and son of a cheesemonger.