What year did Oliver twist take place?

The novel Oliver Twist was actually published as a serial between 1837 and 1839.  The book was really meant to be a commentary on workhouses in Britain during that time period.  The Poor Law was meant to help out England's poor by giving them a means to help themselves--the Poor House. These Poor Houses were horrible places with cramped conditions, meals eaten in silence, and same-sex accommodations.  There was also scarcities in food and good clothing.  The Poor House was not a place people wanted to go--it was meant to be an encouragement for people not to go there.  Dickens created the character Oliver Twist to show the side of London that no one wanted to see--poor children, beggars, and pickpockets and to hopefully encourage real social change.  Since Dickens was widely read by members of Parliament, this was a good strategy.