The Parliament's Order
It took the parliament quite a long time to agree upon a master plan for solving the sewage problems, due to criticism in terms of the high costs of a new sewage system. But on 8 July 1858 the discussions came to an end: Benjamin Disraeli forced a bill through Parliament which gave the Metropolitan Board of Works (MBW), the principal instrument of London-wide government, powers to levy rates and borrow money to build a new sewage system. Just before the Commission was replaced in 1855 by the MBW. The MBW accepted a scheme to accomplish sewers proposed in 1859 by its chief engineer, Joseph Bazalgette. Parts of his inventions based on the ideas of the former painter John Martin who developed a fascination with solving London's water and sewage problems, involving the creation of the Thames embankment, containing a central drainage system. The plans, along with railway schemes, an idea for ‘laminating timber’, lighthouses, and draining islands, all survived.
The intention of Bazalgette's very expensive plan was to resolve the epidemic of cholera by overcoming the stink which was believed to cause it. Over the next six years the main elements of the London sewerage system were created.
As an unintended consequence the water supply stopped to be polluted; this resolved the cholera epidemic.
The intention of Bazalgette's very expensive plan was to resolve the epidemic of cholera by overcoming the stink which was believed to cause it. Over the next six years the main elements of the London sewerage system were created.
As an unintended consequence the water supply stopped to be polluted; this resolved the cholera epidemic.
The text on the left hand side shows a satirical comment on the "Great Stink" and the resulting Parliamant's decision.
It was published in the Punch, or the London Charivari, a British weekly magazine of humour and satire, on the 10th of July in 1858.