Cancer in the 18th century: a case from All Hallows, London

In 1999, AOC Archaeology Group excavated the cemetery of All Hallows by the Tower, London, prior to redevelopment. This provided an opportunity for analysis of an unusual group of burials by AOC Archaeology Group’s in-house human remains specialist, Melissa Melikian.

All Hallows by the Tower (also known as All Hallows Barking), is located in the south-east of the City of London. All Hallows lies immediately to the west of the Tower of London and is one of three parish churches in the Tower Ward. The close proximity of the church to the Tower meant beheaded individuals were often buried here. The church is thought to originate in the 7th century AD and it was one of only eight city churches to survive the Great Fire of London in 1666. A succession of demolition and rebuilding took place throughout the centuries with the present church building dating to 1949-58 after bombing during the Second World War destroyed the earlier structure.

In the 18th century the city was a highly populated, relatively high status area. The burial register includes both aristocracy and relatively low status individuals such as soldiers and immigrants. The church served the City of London and the seafaring men who worked out of the port. The churchyard was closed in 1853. 

During AOC Archaeology Group’s excavation approximately 335 burials were recovered, four of which date to the Saxon period. The remaining burials are post-medieval, dating from circa 1776 to 1835. Eighteen individuals were found with associated coffin plates, for these individuals their name, date of death and age at death are known. One such skeleton was buried with a lead coffin plate, which revealed that the skeleton was that of Anne Sumpter, who died aged 31 years on the 25th May 1794. The skeleton displayed pathology indicative of a metastatic carcinoma (cancer). A precise diagnosis is not possible but given the individual is female it is statistically likely that the secondaries originated from a breast or lung tumour. Breast tumours are thought to have been more common than lung tumours in the past and therefore the most probable diagnosis is a breast carcinoma. 

This is a presentation of an uncommon condition in young women. This is important as the case demonstrates that the disease occurred in young women as it does today. Skeletons of known sex and age at death provide valuable evidence, which can assist in the diagnosis of pathological conditions. In this instance the biographic data was utilised to pin point the disease which was subject to differential diagnosis.

AOC Project Manager: Melissa Melikian