London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom with history stretching back to Roman times. At its centre stand the imposing Houses of Parliament, the iconic ‘Big Ben’ clock tower and Westminster Abbey, site of British monarch coronations.
As of Season 18, London is where Dr. Julia Ogden works and lives with her daughter Susannah Murdoch.
History
Although London was one of the most iconic cities, it faced many problems during its history. In 1348 and 1665, London was overrun with two cases of the plague, also known as The Black Death. Several thousand inhabitants were killed during both epidemics, especially in 1665, where up to 100,000 people died from the epidemic in such a short time.
In 1666, London was faced with a fire that broke out in Pudding Lane after a baker's oven set alight, and caught onto the main structure of his bakery. The fire spread rapidly, and consumed 13,200 houses, 87 parish churches, St Paul's Cathedral, and most of the buildings of the City authorities. It is estimated to have destroyed the homes of 70,000 of the City's 80,000 inhabitants. Although the effects of the fire were devastating, only six deaths were registered from the fire.
In Victorian times, London was known as the largest city in the world from around 1831 to 1925. But the city was also very overcrowded, and at the time, raw sewage was pumped straight into the River Thames. The polluted drinking water also brought disease and epidemics to London's populace. The 1866 cholera epidemic was the fourth and the worst in the city's history, but also the last one because a modern sanitation system came into place soon after.
Lots of citizens in London were poor, facing poverty every day and struggling to make ends meet. People lived in slums, sometimes on the streets, and families were usually quite large during those times. One of the worst slums in London was a slum called the Devil's Acre, located in Westminster. The population in the Devil's Acre was not measured in terms of persons per acre, but persons per room because it was so cramped together. The area had a high rate of mortality from diseases such as typhoid and in 1848 Great Peter Street, Perkin's Rent, Duck Lane and Old Pye Street were the most densely populated streets in the district. The streets were mostly made up of old, irregular and run-down houses. In streets such as Duck Lane, roughly 10 to 12 people lived in one room and the houses along the streets were mostly occupied by criminals, prostitutes and costermongers.
Since Season 9, London is home to Emily Grace after she moved there in Double Life, and was previously home to Penelope Marsh, Elizabeth Atherly and Lady Suzanne Atherly.
At the end of Season 17, with Susannah, Julia Ogden travels to London where she will live and work, indefinitely (ep.1723).
Appearances and Mentions
Mild Mild West (mentioned)
Snakes and Ladders (mentioned)
Houdini Whodunit (mentioned)
The Murdoch Identity (mentioned)
Love and Human Remains (mentioned)
Kommando (mentioned)
Murdoch of the Klondike (mentioned)
Evil Eye of Egypt (mentioned)
Stroll on the Wild Side (Part 1) (mentioned)
A Study in Sherlock (mentioned)
Murdoch in Ladies Wear (mentioned)
Artful Detective (mentioned)
Nolo Contendere (mentioned)
Double Life (mentioned)
Up From Ashes (mentioned)
For the Greater Good (mentioned)
- Julia Ogden accepts an offer to establish a Women's Hospital in London.
Trivia
- In September 2024, Murdoch Mysteries returned to Kingston to film scenes for it 300th episode; Varies parts of downtown Kingston stood in for London as Julia and Murdoch celebrate their wedding anniversary together.