Holles Street, Clare Market

In this etching of Holles Street and Clare Market, seen on the right, a woman is depicted standing with a baby outside a building which is advertising 'Lodgings for Women'. Further down the street, a woman ( possibly begging) can be seen standing next to a well-dressed man.

Alfred Walter Bayes here addresses some of the main problems facing Victorian London at the end of the 19th century, including accommodation and the gulf between the rich and the poor, who are shown here in close proximity.

During the 19th century the city saw a huge influx of people and its population increased dramatically. Although people had moved to the city to find work, they were sometimes unable to find housing due to high demand and prices. If there were no rooms to rent then they turned to lodging houses for accommodation. The lodging house advertised here is for women only.