Sources and enquiries
Local and national sources
| Source | Useful for |
|---|---|
| Who lived in each house, their ages, jobs and where they were born | |
| Charles Booth's survey and poverty maps | Poverty, street by street |
| Who was admitted, and why | |
| Police records and | Crimes, investigations and causes of death |
| Housing and employment records, council records | Housing conditions, work and wages |
| London and national newspapers | Events and public opinion, but often sensational |
| Old Bailey records | Trials at London's main criminal court |
| Photographs and | What places looked like; attitudes |
Key terms
Strengths and weaknesses of sources
Every source is useful for some enquiries, and less useful for others. Ask:
- : what does it tell me about this enquiry? What does it leave out?
- : who made it, when, and why? A newspaper wanted to sell copies; a police report was written for senior officers; a cartoon was meant to make a point.
- Typical or not: does it describe one case, or many?
Example: a is very reliable for who lived in a house, but tells you nothing about how they felt. A newspaper shows public opinion, but may exaggerate.
Key terms
Framing questions and choosing sources
A good historical enquiry starts with a clear question, then looks for the sources most likely to answer it.
| Question | Good source |
|---|---|
| How many people lived in one lodging house in 1881? | The census |
| How did police treat suspects? | Police records |
| How did the public react to the murders? | Newspapers, letters |
| How poor was this street? | Booth's poverty maps |
Method: match the type of source to the question.
Common mistake
Choose a source that could actually answer your question. A census cannot tell you how people felt, and a newspaper cannot tell you exactly how many people lived in a house.