Imagine a London long ago. Water wasn’t the clean, readily available resource we know today. Cholera outbreaks were rife. The Drinking Fountain stands as a testament to change.
This Drinking Fountain marks a pivotal moment in London’s history. It highlights the fight for clean water. The Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association built it. They sought to provide free drinking water in a time of dire need.
Samuel Gurney, a Member of Parliament, and Edward Thomas Wakefield founded the association in 1859. They were responding to London’s dirty water crisis. Private water companies offered inadequate and often contaminated supplies. Population growth strained the existing infrastructure.
The association’s first fountain appeared on Holborn Hill. It stood outside St Sepulchre-without-Newgate church. Gurney paid for it. The Drinking Fountain opened on April 21, 1859.
The fountain’s popularity was immediate. Around 7,000 people used it daily. Within six years, the association built 85 fountains. Funding came largely from Gurney himself. Donations alone weren’t enough.
The Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association gained wider acceptance. It benefited from links with Evangelical Christianity and the Temperance movement. Many fountains became known as temperance fountains. Beer was often safer than water. The temperance societies embraced the fountains. Tea and coffee were too expensive for many.
The association also collaborated with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. They built troughs for horses, cattle, and dogs. These troughs were vital for animals arriving at markets. Hansom cab drivers used maps showing trough locations. They were like Victorian filling stations.
Charles Dickens Jr. noted the association’s impact in his 1879 Dictionary of London. He wrote about the numerous fountains and troughs maintained by the association. He estimated that 300,000 people used the fountains on a summer day. One trough served 1,800 horses in 24 hours.
Over time, the association evolved. Local government began providing more public services. The association became less radical.
Today, the Drinking Fountain Association continues its work. It restores old fountains. It builds new ones. It also supports water projects in developing countries.
Consider the Drinking Fountain’s legacy. It represents a time when access to clean water was a struggle. It stands as a symbol of philanthropy. It reminds us of the importance of public health.