“Beer was safer than water?” Can you believe that was the reality in London before this Victorian drinking fountain? This is London’s first ever public drinking fountain. It stands rather incongruously at the very eastern end of Holborn Viaduct. Look closely. It is dug into the railings of St Sepulchre-without-Newgate church.
In the mid-19th century London’s water was incredibly dirty and diseased. Rapid population growth and under-regulated water companies caused this. Cholera outbreaks were common. In 1852, the Metropolis Water Act tried to improve water quality. It stopped water companies from taking water from the tidal Thames. Sewage companies often dumped waste there. The Act also made water filtration compulsory.
In 1859, Samuel Gurney MP and Edward Wakefield founded the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association. They wanted to provide free water for people and animals in London. This Victorian drinking fountain was their first project. It opened to great fanfare. Around 7,000 people used it daily. The fountain was only moved once during the construction of the Holborn Viaduct.
The association built 85 more fountains in the next six years. Many still exist today. The association also built cattle troughs with the RSPCA. These were important around Smithfield market. Horses, dogs, and cattle came from surrounding counties. People called these water troughs filling stations.
Charles Dickens wrote about the association in 1879. He noted that they maintained nearly 800 fountains and troughs. An estimated 300,000 people used the fountains on a summer day. A single trough supplied 1,800 horses in 24 hours.
The Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association still exists today. It is now called the Drinking Fountain Association. They still build new fountains. They also restore and maintain old ones. The clean water supply was sometimes paid for by the association. Local parishes also helped. This Victorian drinking fountain represents a time when clean water was a luxury. It highlights the importance of public health. Take a moment to appreciate this piece of history. It quenches thirst and reminds us of London’s past struggles.