🕵️ INFORMATION FLOW — LONDON

Overview

Information in London does not move evenly.
It spreads through class, location, and control.

• Fast ≠ accurate

• Accurate ≠ accessible

• Controlled areas shape truth

• Lower districts distort it

Information is power, and access is restricted by status.

Primary Sources of Information

📰 Printed Word (Newspapers, Pamphlets)

• Origin: City of London

• Spread: City → Soho → West → outward

• Content:

  • politics

  • finance

  • major crime

  • public announcements

• Reliability:

  • high on facts

  • filtered by power

• Access:

  • elite / middle → regular

  • working → delayed

  • slums → rare

🗣️ Word of Mouth

• Origin: everywhere

• Spread: fastest method

• Content:

  • rumours

  • local events

  • crime

  • gossip

• Reliability:

  • low → medium

  • changes as it spreads

• Strongest in:

  • slums

  • East End

  • docks

🍺 Pubs & Taverns

• Origin: local hubs

• Spread: district-level outward

• Content:

  • local news

  • gossip

  • work opportunities

  • crime talk

• Reliability:

  • medium

  • depends on source

• Strongest in:

  • Southwark

  • East End

  • Soho

⚓ Docks & Trade Routes

• Origin: external (outside London)

• Spread: docks → East End → city

• Content:

  • international events

  • trade

  • arrivals

  • rare opportunities

• Reliability:

  • medium

  • often incomplete

🏛️ Private Circles (Elite / Clubs)

• Origin: Mayfair / Royal / elite networks

• Spread: slow, controlled

• Content:

  • high-level decisions

  • influence

  • private deals

• Reliability:

  • very high

  • but restricted

🧾 Professional Networks (City)

• Origin: City of London

• Spread: structured, controlled

• Content:

  • finance

  • contracts

  • legal matters

• Reliability:

  • high

  • formalised

District Information Profiles

👑 Royal Grounds

• Source:

  • internal only

  • controlled communication

• Type:

  • political

  • strategic

• Speed:

  • slow outward

• Reliability:

  • absolute (within circle)

🏛️ Mayfair / Belgravia

• Source:

  • private circles

  • elite gossip

  • filtered newspapers

• Type:

  • social power

  • influence

  • reputation

• Speed:

  • slow

• Reliability:

  • high but selective

🏘️ Kensington & Chelsea

• Source:

  • newspapers

  • social networks

• Type:

  • general news

  • social developments

• Speed:

  • moderate

• Reliability:

  • high

🏢 City of London

• Source:

  • print

  • professional networks

  • direct communication

• Type:

  • financial

  • legal

  • structured information

• Speed:

  • fast

• Reliability:

  • very high

🎭 Soho

• Source:

  • pubs

  • mixed population

  • performance / social spaces

• Type:

  • gossip

  • opportunity

  • secrets

• Speed:

  • very fast

• Reliability:

  • medium

🏭 Southwark / Bankside / East Southwark

• Source:

  • pubs

  • workers

  • word of mouth

• Type:

  • local events

  • jobs

  • crime

• Speed:

  • fast locally

• Reliability:

  • medium-low

⚓ Docks (North & South)

• Source:

  • ships

  • sailors

  • traders

• Type:

  • external news

  • trade

  • rumours

• Speed:

  • fast incoming

• Reliability:

  • inconsistent

🏚️ East End

• Source:

  • word of mouth

  • pubs

• Type:

  • local crime

  • gossip

  • survival information

• Speed:

  • very fast

• Reliability:

  • low

☠️ Slums

• Source:

  • direct word of mouth only

• Type:

  • immediate survival

  • local events

• Speed:

  • instant locally

• Reliability:

  • very low

Information Movement (How It Spreads)

• Top-down:

  • Royal → Mayfair → City → outward

• Bottom-up:

  • Slums / Docks → East → South → Soho → City

• Fastest routes:

  • docks → East End → Soho

  • pubs within same district

Information Control

• Elite areas control what is known

• City controls what is recorded

• Lower districts control what is spread

Key Rules

• Information changes as it moves downward

• Information becomes restricted as it moves upward

• Truth is shaped by:

  • class

  • distance

  • control

DM Use

• Slums → rumours first, facts later

• City → facts first, context controlled

• Mayfair → truth hidden behind presentation