Posted with permission of the transcriber, Ann Selchick. Geo SICKNESS & POVERTY IN Nineteenth Century Whitehaven. # 55. HARMLESS HILL. Harmless Hill is an open yard on a sloping ground, as it's name "hill" denotes; it is bounded by cottage tenements, the windows from which look over it; the yard accommodates a congregation of pigs, in sties ranged round or near the cottages, and over its surface are the open middens, the liquid refuse from which drains down against the walls of the houses, and into them. ****** ROSEMARY LANE. Rosemary-lane is a narrow lane which are many tenements without privy or water supply; the confined yards at the back are covered with human dirt, and the odour of the whole place is abominable. Amidst these scene of utter destitution, misery, and extreme degradation in Whitehaven, there are, however, instances of desire for cleanliness, even in some of the worst places; and it is most painful to contemplate the hopeless position of such persons, who are generally English, and have known better times and happier days, confined in narrow courts or crowded rooms, and surrounded with dirt and neglect, striving to keep their own particular place clean and neat. It is far otherwise, however, with many of the Irish residents, their only care appears to be, as much as possible, to block up all means of ventilation and light. The odour of their rooms is most peculiar and offensive. When I have spoken about the dirt and confined rooms to one of these families, I have had a string of complaints from the mother as to the rent being demanded for "Stich a dog-hole, your honour?" I have asked, "What rent do you pay?" "Tin pence a week, your honour, for this." "Why don't you keep it clean?" would be answered by a peculiar smile and shrug and the question, "How would I do that your honour?" and this I felt, under the circumstances I could not fully explain. __________________ To be continued.