Extract from Newspaper report Nov.3rd 1870
Upon a recent visit ti the Barracks in Dudley, we found the houses in a miserably,delapidates condition, and some of them not fit for
cccupation. In close proximity to these places, are the workshops of the nailors. It will not be surprising then, that fever should be found
raging in the locality. There was one case of fever at a house which had some part of the roof off. In another hovel was a nailor, his wife and six children, all suffering from severe attacks of fever.At some of the houses, all the shutters were closed, in consequance of the
almost entire absence of glass to the windows, and in one of these, the only furniture was a bench, where lay four fever stricken
children, and a stool, upon which sat the mother suffering from the same terrible scourge, and leaning her throbbing head near to her mourning little children.
My Oakley ancestors(nailors) lived nearby at Snowhill, probably living in the same conditions. In 1841 there is an Ann Jewkes aged 20
living with my 3xg.grandfather + family.
Jackie