Katharine Buildings, London

The Katharine Buildings are represented by the Charlotte Buildings in the novella A City Girl. The Katharine Buildings were the first model apartment buildings made by the East End Dwellings Company. Harkness briefly lived in the Katharine Buildings in 1888. The buildings operated on a rent-collection system that was run by women-collectors that ventured out of their societal gender roles in regard to occupation, dress, behavior, and more.

East End of London

The East End of London is the traditional core of east London. From the early onset of the Industrial Revolution, the area has been known for deep poverty and overcrowded urbanization. By the 1870's, efforts were made to clean up the unsafe housing and combat the desperate poverty. Philanthropic trusts such as the Peabody Trust were formed to help raise funds for better housing, and the Housing of the Working Classes Act was passed in 1890 that gave the government power to develop new community buildings.

Lourdes, France

Lourdes, France became popular in 1858 after someone claimed to have seen a vision of the Virgin Mary. Catholics flocked to the city to take water flowing from the spring in Lourdes. The water was thought to have healing properties by the Catholics. There were still many Roman Catholics in London and in A City Girl. Nelly Ambrose and Susan believe that the water has healing properties if the Virgin Mary chooses to allow it.

The Crystal Palace

The Crystal Palace was a structure made of glass and iron and built in Hyde Park. In 1851 this palace was built to house the Great Exhibition. It often was the building to host numerous exhibits and concerts for the public. In A City Girl, the young children get the chance to sing at the Crystal Palace for a service. The palace was moved and rebuilt in a southeast called Sydenham Hill. Unfortunately, the palace burned down in 1936 and was never rebuilt.

 

A City Girl ~ Related Locations Map

This map will pinpoint the actual locations referenced in the plot of Margaret Harkness's A City Girl and that are mentioned in the novel. Some locations are exactly the same in the novel as they were/are in reality. Other locations have been given ficticious names but are based on actual places. Please use your footnotes to discern these and write your accompanying text for your entries accordingly.

Please add your contribution as you identify important locations in the novel yourself and/or as we collaboratively identify them in our class discussions.

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