Dockers, Debtors and Doctors: Southwark in the 17th & 18th Centuries

Rita Cruise O'Brien is working on a book entitled Urban Crucible: The Modern Transformation of Southwark, which includes a long introduction detailing the fascinating history of the area.

This talk will focus on a period of great change. London became a world city in this period, while Southwark became a boisterous, overcrowded area, plagued by the first modern addiction – gin! The Pool of London was very congested with ships waiting months to be unloaded. Thievery was rife among the families who lived along the riverside. Southwark’s prisons were full to the brim with debtors. Yet, despite the problems and the poor reputation of the area, Guys Hospital was founded, serving incurables and mental health patients for the first time while ground-breaking medical research revealed the causes of many serious illnesses.

Rita is an American by origin who has enjoyed a professional career in Britain. As a social scientist she…