Dottings of a Dosser

by Howard Goldsmid, Peter Stubley (Introduction)

In 1886 a 19 year-old journalist disguised himself as a tramp and visited the worst lodging houses of London to 'see things as they really are.' Dottings of a Dosser is an account of his experiences and an attempt to come up with a solution. Howard Joseph Goldsmid (1866-1895) warned that if something was not done to improve the situation of the poorest in society then the country might end up confronting a revolution. Two years later 'Jack the Ripper' murdered five women in Whitechapel and Spitalfields. His victims were mostly middle-aged and lived in the similar common lodging houses to those that Goldsmid described. They were people 'who have neither house nor room that they can call their own, and who night after night, week in, week out, for many a weary year, ''doss'' in the nearest lodging-house, and hardly dare to dream of any other or better accommodation. While they live their principal care is to find the necessary fourpence each night, together with a few coppers more for food, or at all events for drink. When they die they depend upon the kindly feeling of their chums and fellow-dossers for the means of burial, or upon the scantier, if more certain, mercy of the parish sexton and the workhouse hearse.' 'Are you prepared, reader, to meet such company? If so, come with me round some of the places I have visited. You will have the advantage that, while my tour was made in the flesh, yours may be completed in the spirit. And much is to be learned from such an expedition, even if made only in imagination, by those who have but very dimly realized the fact that there are dens of misery unutterable, and of vice indescribable, in some quarters of this wealth-teeming, yet poverty-producing, metropolis.'

Genres: History

85 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 15, 2012

Reviews

[Connie.Calvertoutlook.Com · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is more explanation than novel. It’s a true Account of a man who went into the London doss houses to experience what it was like for people in the slums of east London in the late 1800s.
Since I am fascinated with London and that time period It was a good read.

[Insidebooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

An inside view of the Victorian lodging houses

A good insight into the world of poverty and exploitation that existed in the lodging houses in London. Goldsmid goes undercover to expose the true nature of these establishments and then dishes out some advice for law makers. The reason for three stars is the slight repetition that perhaps makes this slightly longer than it needs to be.

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This account is a by a young journalist who bravely went out in Victorian London and spent as many nights in doss houses as he was able. The conditions he encountered were horrific. He has a very sympathetic narrative as he understood that the poor did not chose a life of poverty. The writing is very readable and has a suprisingly contemporary feel. Any one with an interest in Vicorian era fiction or non fiction would find this brief account rather interesting.

[Susan Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

With our world in today's state of moral, health, economic, political, as other sources of unrest, this book will show history is repeating itself.

Take a mental trip with a 19 year old journalist as he visits the poor section of England during the year 1886.
I'm sure I won't be alone finding parallels with today's world.

I recommend it.aa

[Michelle Delaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an interesting and quick read. The book details the different doss rooming homes. I did not give it a higher review only because it was repetitive after a while. I suppose if you were reading it back in the 1850's it would be more compelling, but in this century it is just "ok".

[Alf Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent time capsule

I really enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone interested in Victorian tines. Very, very very very very good.

[Caitlin Streit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done!

A good recounting of England’s dark past of Victorian poverty & workhouse misery.keeps you page turning through each chapter .highly recommend .