Jacob’s Island was located on the south bank of the Thames to the east of Shad Thames and the mouth of the former River Neckinger (St Savour’s Dock). It developed a reputation as the worst slum in London. It featured in the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, published shortly before the area was cleared during the 1860s.
Bermondsey had been a rural parish on the outskirts of London. During the 17th century, the area began to be developed as a wealthy suburb but by the 19th century, Bermondsey had experienced a serious decline as noxious industries such as tanning moved in. It became the site of terrible slums, especially along the river.
Of these, Jacob’s Island was the most notorious. It was described in 1849 by The Morning Chronicle as “the very capital of cholera” and “The Venice of Drains”.
The 19th-century social researcher Henry Mayhew described Jacob’s Island as a “pest island” with bridges crossing tidal ditches and house sewage drains from houses discharging directly into them. The water harboured masses of rotting weed and animal carcasses.
As a result of pressure from outsider reformers and local radicalism, Jacob’s Island was gradually cleared in the early 1850s. The tidal ditches were filled in and in 1861, the area was partly destroyed by fire. The dockside was redeveloped with warehouses.
Bermondsey Council in 1911 opposed a suggestion by the London County Council that George’s Yard should be renamed Twist’s Court – the site of the demise of Bill Sikes. G. W. Mitchell, a clerk with Bermondsey Council found a plan dating from 1855 which showed ’Bill Sykes’ house’ marked on Jacob’s Island.
In 1934, the Dickens Estate – a new public housing development called – was opened on the former Jacob’s Island. Its buildings were named after Dickens’ characters. The only Oliver Twist character to have lived and died, on Jacob’s Island – Bill Sikes – was not honoured.
