For hundreds of years previous to the Victorian Era many people in Britain and indeed other parts of the world would take part and enjoy a number of sports that we still play to this very day. The problem came that many people up and down the country were playing the sports by different rules and this was now becoming a problem for the Victorians. With more leisure time to take part in games and proper transport and travel to go and compete with other teams, the Victorians worked to make some of the most popular sports more organised.
Although there were basic railways of a sort in Britain before the Victorian times, they were simply tracks used for carrying wagons from quarries and mines using horses to carry them along the track. This was all to change though with the invention and introduction of the steam engine throughout Britain. Railway Mania In Britain alone 6000 miles of railways were opened between the years of 1820 and 1850. By the end of this time Victorian Britain had a basic network of railways in place that allowed for transportation around most of the country.
There were many inventions that came about during the Victorian era, both in England and across the globe. However, Victorian inventors lead the way for some key inventions, including significant advancements in transportation, engineering, industrialisation and technology. Inventions for Daily Life Electric Lighting After the invention of the light bulb by Joseph Wilson Swan and Thomas Edison, electric lighting and bulbs started to become the norm in homes and on the streets.
Any type of article worn in the Victorian era by a wealthy individual was hand made by a tailor, seamstress, corsetiers, or any small shop that specialized in a particular item of clothing. For those who were considered working class, their attire was often hand made by their families, or bought in a store and modified it themselves. However, the quantity of clothes was not as important as the quality of the clothes.
Theft In the Victorian Era theft was rife on the streets of the cities and towns. Children would often pick pocket and take food and goods from the street markets. Men and women would also be found shoplifting in the same way people do today. Gangs of thieves would be formed to make the thefts from shops, warehouses and homes easier and the spoils would be shared amongst them or sold on.
Clothing during the early part of the 19 th century consisted of simple lines and bright, Oriental inspired colors. But, by mid century, widespread use of the sewing machine started a revolution in clothing akin to the industrial revolution that brought it to the forefront. The stronger stitches and faster methods presented the possibility for more intricate details and trim. The poorer class still sewed the clothing by hand. But, for those with the means, Victorian clothing began to take on the fussy characteristics that we commonly associate with the era.
Did you know that the Victorians have highly influenced the way we celebrate Christmas in our modern society? The Victorian era started in 1837 and alongside the newly generated wealth and industrial revolution sparked the Christmas celebrations that we see today. Previous to this nobody had heard of Santa Claus, Christmas crackers were not pulled and no cards were sent to friends and family. The lives of the British were changing at a rapid pace and alongside this came a more commercialised Christmas.
Because of the way the Victorian society was growing, many artists were finding new subjects and ideas to express through art. Many people were becoming interested in art and this led to fantastic new arts and creations spreading through the Victorian period. Around the 1830s and 40s photography was becoming increasingly popular and gave artists a new form of technology to use in their works. The new found technologies also allowed for artists to reproduce and make prints of their works so that normal families could have these pieces of art in their own homes and magazines and publications could share the work among readers.
Middle class and upper class Victorians made up only approximately fifteen percent of the English Victorian Age population. There was an enormous gap between these two classes and the working and poor classes. Middle class families were considered wealthy and typically had fathers who held professional positions such as doctors, lawyers, bankers, factory owners, merchants, and shopkeepers. The upper class, or aristocracy, was composed of nobility and clergy and comprised only two percent of the population.