1873 Keighley sanitation report revealed appalling toilet conditions

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 11 Oct, 09:19 · Archive

An 1873 health report found severe sanitary failures across Keighley, with multiple households sharing single toilets and filthy conditions at a school.

In summer 1873, Dr John Milligan, the Medical Officer of Health for Keighley, prepared a report on sanitary conditions in the town and surrounding villages that revealed deeply troubling problems.

In Oakworth, 25 cottages owned by wealthy worsted spinner John Haggas, who also owned Oakworth Mill, were forced to share only two privies. A butcher's shop and slaughterhouse at Oakworth Hall had a manure heap mingled with slaughterhouse offal that oozed into an open drain. The National School next to the church had only two privies, neither cleaned, with excrement covering the boys' toilet seat. The school yard was dirty, unpaved and undrained, with pools of stagnant water in front of both privies.

Conditions elsewhere were equally poor. At Lane Ends, one small privy served five cottages and contained a pit full of floating excrement. Another privy was built of rough stone with no seat or door, accessible only down a narrow passage. In Oxenhope, the situation was worse still, with open drains and gutters throughout the village and inadequate, poorly constructed privies given the number of houses.

How it is being reported

• 24 people from three houses shared one toilet...unsavoury story of Keighley ‘privies’IN the summer of 1873 Dr John Milligan, the Medical Officer of Health for Keighley, prepared a report on the sanitary conditions in the town and surrounding villages. Even for the times it made disturbing and unsavoury reading.Telegraph & Argus · 11 Oct, 09:00
• 24 people from three houses shared one toilet...unsavoury story of Keighley ‘privies’IN the summer of 1873 Dr John Milligan, the Medical Officer of Health for Keighley, prepared a report on the sanitary conditions in the town and surrounding villages. Even for the times it made disturbing and unsavoury reading.Keighley News · 11 Oct, 09:00

In this story: John Milligan · John Haggas · William Wright · Keighley · Oakworth · Oxenhope · Oakworth Mill

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