When was Joseph William Bazalgette born and where did he grow up?
Joseph William Bazalgette was born at Hill Lodge on the 28th of March 1819. The family moved to Hamilton Terrace in 1827 when Joseph was eight years old.
Questions about Joseph Bazalgette
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What caused the cholera epidemics that killed thousands in London during the 1840s and 1850s?
London faced a cholera epidemic in 1849 that killed 14,137 people and another outbreak struck in 1853 claiming 10,738 lives. Medical opinion blamed foul air known as miasma for these deaths while physician John Snow had proposed water contamination but his view lacked acceptance.
How did Joseph Bazalgette's sewerage system eliminate disease despite incorrect medical theories about its cause?
The basic premise that miasma spread cholera infection proved incorrect because new sewer systems removed the causal bacterium from water supplies instead. This unintended consequence eliminated cholera in areas served by the sewers and typhus and typhoid epidemics also decreased significantly across London.
Which major pumping stations and embankments were constructed under Joseph Bazalgette's supervision between 1864 and 1890?
Major pumping stations appeared at Deptford in 1864 and Crossness in 1865 with Abbey Mills station opening in 1868 within the River Lea valley. Albert Embankment opened in 1869 followed by Victoria Embankment in 1870 and Chelsea Embankment construction finished in 1874 along the river banks.
When did Joseph William Bazalgette die and what honors commemorate him today?
He died on the 15th of March 1891 and was buried at St Mary's Church in Wimbledon. A Greater London Council blue plaque commemorates him at 17 Hamilton Terrace while City of London Corporation named a new public space Bazalgette Embankment in July 2020.