'Out of Darkness, Cometh Light': Life and Death in Nineteenth-Century Wolverhampton: Excavation of the overflow burial ground of St Peter's Collegiate Church, Wolverhampton 2001-2002

Adams, Josephine; Colls, Kevin

doi:10.30861/9781407301235

Cited by 10 publications

(13 citation statements)

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“…The published results for the second comparison sample were individuals from St Peter’s Collegiate Church overflow burial ground, Wolverhampton, England, (1819 to approximately 1900) [ 96 , 97 ]. Wolverhampton was originally a market town with a similar mix of agriculture and small industries to St Mary’s-on-the-Sturt.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health effects of European colonization: An investigation of skeletal remains from 19th to early 20th century migrant settlers in South Australia

et al. 2022

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The British colony of South Australia, established in 1836, offered a fresh start to migrants hoping for a better life. A cohort of settlers buried in a section of St Mary’s Anglican Church Cemetery (1847–1927) allocated for government funded burials was investigated to determine their health, with a focus on skeletal manifestations associated with metabolic deficiencies. Findings of St Mary’s sample were compared with those published for contemporary skeletal samples from two British cemeteries, St Martin’s, Birmingham, and St Peter’s, Wolverhampton, to explore similarities and differences. To investigate the changing economic background of the St Mary’s cohort, which may have influenced the location of their burial within the cemetery, the number and demographic profile of government funded burials and those in privately funded leased plots were compared. The study sample consisted of the skeletal remains of 65 individuals (20 adults, 45 subadults) from St Mary’s Cemetery ‘free ground’ section. The bones and teeth of individuals in this cohort showed evidence of pathological manifestations, including areas of abnormal porosity in bone cortices in 9 adults and 12 subadults and flaring of metaphyses (one subadult) and costochondral junctions of the ribs (one subadult). Porous lesions of orbital roof bones (Types 3 to 4) were seen on three subadults. Macroscopic examination of teeth identified enamel hypoplastic defects and micro-CT scans showed areas of interglobular dentine. Comparison of St Mary’s findings with the British samples revealed that prevalences of manifestations associated with vitamin C deficiency were higher at St Mary’s and manifestations associated with vitamin D deficiency were lower respectively. The location of burial pattern at St Mary’s Cemetery, from the mid-1840s to1860s, showed differences in the economic status of migrants. This pattern changed from the 1870s, which reflected improvements in the local economy and the economic recovery of the colony.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health effects of European colonization: An investigation of skeletal remains from 19th to early 20th century migrant settlers in South Australia

et al. 2022

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“…This corresponded to a period of rapid urban growth in Wolverhampton as it developed as a manufacturing centre. Many people were involved in ironmaking and other workshop activities [ 52 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A dental revolution: The association between occlusion and chewing behaviour

2021

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Dentistry is confronted with the functional and aesthetic consequences that result from an increased prevalence of misaligned and discrepant dental occlusal relations in modern industrialised societies. Previous studies have indicated that a reduction in jaw size in response to softer and more heavily processed foods during and following the Industrial Revolution (1,700 CE to present) was an important factor in increased levels of poor dental occlusion. The functional demands placed on the masticatory system play a crucial role in jaw ontogenetic development; however, the way in which chewing behaviours changed in response to the consumption of softer foods during this period remains poorly understood. Here we show that eating more heavily processed food has radically transformed occlusal power stroke kinematics. Results of virtual 3D analysis of the dental macrowear patterns of molars in 104 individuals dating to the Industrial Revolution (1,700–1,900 CE), and 130 of their medieval and early post-medieval antecedents (1,100–1,700 CE) revealed changes in masticatory behaviour that occurred during the early stages of the transition towards eating more heavily processed foods. The industrial-era groups examined chewed with a reduced transverse component of jaw movement. These results show a diminished sequence of occlusal contacts indicating that a dental revolution has taken place in modern times, involving a dramatic shift in the way in which teeth occlude and wear during mastication. Molar macrowear suggests a close connection between progressive changes in chewing since the industrialization of food production and an increase in the prevalence of poor dental occlusion in modern societies.

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“…The published results for a second Bristish skeletal sample were from a section of St Peter's Collegiate Church, Wolverhampton, England, referred to as the "overflow burial ground" (1819 to approximately 1900) [60,61]. Wolverhampton was originally a market town with a mix of agriculture and small industries.…”

Section: Comparison Of Observed Metabolic Deficiencies From St Mary's Samples With Those Of British Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Wolverhampton was originally a market town with a mix of agriculture and small industries. The industrial development of local mining activities, during the 19 th century, contributed to the increase in population size [60]. Published findings from St Peter's skeletal samples were considered an appropriate comparison sample to the St Mary's sample as some individuals in St Peter's sample could have been miners, and it is known that many migrants to the new colony were from mining communities [16,17,62,63].…”

Section: Comparison Of Observed Metabolic Deficiencies From St Mary's Samples With Those Of British Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health effects of European colonization: An investigation of skeletal remains from 19th to early 20th century migrant settlers in South Australia

Gurr

Kumaratilake

Ioannou

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Nineteenth century medical understanding of human metabolism was limited, therefore, the incidence of metabolic deficiencies was not fully recorded. In addition, the transition from agricultural based mode of life to the industrial one significantly changed the pattern of these metabolic deficiencies. They were further altered by colonization of distant continents. Palaeopathological study of skeletal remains from the early industrialized colonial-era allowed light to be shed on the metabolic stresses produced by this new mode of life. Aims of this study were to investigate manifestations of disease in skeletal remains from 65 (20 adults, 45 sub-adults) migrant settlers buried in the free ground of St Marys Anglican Church Cemetery (1847 to 1927). An area allocated for burials paid for by the South Australian Government. Skeletal manifestations were determined and interpreted in terms of their multiple aetiologies. Findings were compared with those published for two 19th century British samples. Skeletal manifestations, commonly related to metabolic deficiencies, were observed. Areas of abnormal porosity of bone cortices were seen in 9 adults and 12 sub-adults, flaring of metaphyses was seen in one sub-adult, flaring of costochondral junctions of the ribs was seen in one sub-adult. Porous lesions of orbital roof bones (Types 3 to 5) were seen on three sub-adults. Micro-CT scans of tooth samples located interglobular dentine in three individuals. Comparison of St Marys findings with St Martins, Birmingham, and St Peters, Wolverhampton, UK, showed more individuals from St Marys had areas of abnormal porosity of bone cortices possibly related to vitamin C deficiency. However, St Marys sample displayed fewer changes attributable to vitamin D deficiency as expected in a country with greater UV irradiation. This indicates that, although the early industrialization produced metabolic stresses, change of the environment through colonization of new continents altered the distribution of metabolic deficiencies.

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'Out of Darkness, Cometh Light': Life and Death in Nineteenth-Century Wolverhampton: Excavation of the overflow burial ground of St Peter's Collegiate Church, Wolverhampton 2001-2002

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

Health effects of European colonization: An investigation of skeletal remains from 19th to early 20th century migrant settlers in South Australia

Health effects of European colonization: An investigation of skeletal remains from 19th to early 20th century migrant settlers in South Australia

A dental revolution: The association between occlusion and chewing behaviour

Health effects of European colonization: An investigation of skeletal remains from 19th to early 20th century migrant settlers in South Australia

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