*Postage stamps, matches, refrigerators, lightbulbs, antiseptic, inflatable tyres, cars, buses, telephones, iron bridges, railways, cameras, bandstands and promenades are all Victorian inventions.
*After the death of Prince Albert (1861) Queen Victoria dressed in black and had fresh clothes and a wash-stand prepared for Albert every day.
*She also spoke of “the mad, wicked folly of women’s rights”. No comment.
*Only two British monarchs have reached their Diamond Jubilee. Victoria celebrated hers in 1897.
*Britain and China went to war… over Opium trafficking!
*A large part of the world still speaks English today because of Victoria’s empire.
*The Commonwealth is made up of countries which were once under British rule.
*The River Thames was so thick with sewage that paddle-steamers could hardly move. After 30 years of work a new improved sewage system was completed in 1875. It is still in use today.
*Victorian architecture favoured Medieval Gothic and Classical Roman or Greek styles.
*The first Victorian computer was called the “analytic engine”.
All facts borrowed from The Victorians by Robert Hull.
I think Queen Victoria was as mad as a hatter.
LikeLike
Such a fascinating period of history! x
LikeLike
Yes, I agree, although the Victorians are responsible for an awful lot of mess still haunting us today. Like the extinction of animals hunted purely because some aristocratic idiots wanted to “collect them” for their display cabinets.
LikeLike
So much good and bad. Empire building was a terrible thing, but poor conditions lead to public reforms. It’s as though everyone went crazy for a while!
LikeLike
Because of Prince Albert Queen Victoria did a lot of Public Works Projects. Fun post.
LikeLike
Yeah, such an amazing era. Some terrible things and some brilliant things but game-changing the world over. You’ve got to love the Victorians 🙂
LikeLike
Thank God they sorted out the sewers!
LikeLike
Oh yes 🙂
LikeLike