By the end of the Victorian era almost all British towns and cities had at least one public drinking fountain. Thousands of these survive as part of our modern townscape yet, since few of them still work, they are easy to walk past and ignore. Kathryn Ferry has made a particular study of these fountains and will share her findings with us in this talk.
Victorian drinking fountains were not just functional sources of clean water: they were symbols of public health, urban growth and charitable endeavour. Many were paid for by philanthropists, local governments and even royalty. Many can still be found in London where they remain a useful and symbolic reminder of how access to clean drinking water transformed the life of London and other cities of the Industrial Revolution.
Kathryn Ferry is a historian specialising in Architecture, Design and Seaside Culture. Her list of publications ranges from the history of beach huts, through Victorian homes and 1950s kitchens, to the official history of Butlin’s. She shares her research through magazine articles, radio and television, podcasts and social media. She also lectures to a wide range of audiences from national museums to local history groups.