Cholera Comes to the Black Country in 1832

Join historian Kevin Goodman for a gripping and illuminating account of one of the most dramatic public health crises to hit the industrial West Midlands — the Cholera outbreak of 1832.

As the Black Country’s population exploded during the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, rapidly expanding towns and poor living conditions created fertile ground for disease. In 1832, cholera swept through the region with devastating speed, leaving fear, death, and social upheaval in its wake.

In this richly researched talk, Kevin Goodman explores:

• The background of the 1832 outbreak and how cholera reached the heart of the Black Country

• The experience of ordinary people — workers, families, and communities — confronting a terrifying and poorly understood disease

• How local authorities and medical practitioners responded amid confusion and limited scientific knowledge

• The wider impact of the epidemic on public health reform and the emerging understanding of disease transmission

Using contemporary documents, eyewitness accounts, illustrations, and maps, Kevin paints a vivid picture of how cholera changed lives and reshaped attitudes to health, sanitation, and urban living in one of Britain’s most industrialised regions.

This talk will appeal to anyone interested in social history, medical history, the Industrial Revolution, and the human stories behind epidemic disease.

About the Venue

Our monthly events are based at Penn Bowling Club, 10 Manor Road, Penn, Wolverhampton, WV4 5PY. The venue is fully wheelchair accessible, has good parking, toilet facilities and a bar. For users of public transport, the 15/16 bus routes along the Penn Road can be followed by a short walk up Manor Road to the venue.