The Brighton Herald paints a stark picture of life at Brighton in the first part of the 19th C. Small wonder that first the churchyard, then the northern extension (1825) then the Rest Garden (1841) were filled so swiftly.

“There are, no doubt, predisposing causes, some of which are bad food ; bad drinks ; bad, dirty clothing ; dirty bodily habits ; bad drainage ;bad, ill-ventilated houses ; stinking walls ; rotting roofs, rafters, plates, joists, floors ; bad bedding ; close, over crowded rooms ; filthy stairs, passages, back yards, &c. At this season of the year great care ought to be taken against butchers, fishermen &c. selling tainted meat or stale fish, both of which are absolutely poisonous to a high degree. The same precautions ought to be taken to prevent the sale of any kind of stale vegetables, especially fruits of all kinds, such as rotting strawberries, cherries, oranges &c.  The children of the poor will eat any kind of vegetable garbage, if they can get hold of it – such as pea shucks, rotting apples, plums or pears ; and it is very well known that several lives have been lost of late in consequence of such garbage being devoured.”

Brighton Herald Saturday July 21^st 1849