London in the 1800s was a compact city where most people worked within walking distance of home. The narrow winding streets were often crowded with people, horses and carts,with only wealthy people able to travel by private carriage.
What was life like in the early 1800s in London?
London’s population grew rapidly during the 19th century. This lead to major problems with overcrowding and poverty. Disease and early death were common for both rich and poor people. Victorian children did not have as many toys and clothes as children do today and many of them were homemade.
What was life like in England in the 1800s?
Cities were dirty, noisy, and overcrowded. London had about 600,000 people around 1700 and almost a million residents in 1800. The rich, only a tiny minority of the population, lived luxuriously in lavish, elegant mansions and country houses, which they furnished with comfortable, upholstered furniture.
What major events happened in the 1800s in London?
1800 to 1809
- 8 January: The first soup kitchens are opened in London.
- 13 January: The Royal Institution is granted a royal charter.
- 22 March: The Company of Surgeons is granted a royal charter to become the Royal College of Surgeons in London.
- 15 May: George III survives 2 assassination attempts in London.
What was life like in early 1800s?
Many lived a hand-to-mouth existence, working long hours in often harsh conditions. There was no electricity, running water or central heating. With no electric lighting (or gas) the rhythm of life revolved around the hours of daylight, and therefore would have varied with the seasons.
What did London smell like in the 1800s?
In the 19th century, London was the capital of the largest empire the world had ever known — and it was infamously filthy. It had choking, sooty fogs; the Thames River was thick with human sewage; and the streets were covered with mud.
What did Victorians smell like?
By the middle of the Victorian era, bergamot and lemon oil had surpassed Eau de Cologne to become the most popular fragrance for women. According to Goodman: “Bergamot and lemon oil, sometimes employed separately but more often used in combination, was the signature smell of the middle years of the century.
What was expected of a woman in the 1800s?
Women did not have the power to make contracts, own property or vote. A woman was seen merely as a servant to her husband. By the 1830s and 1840s, however, that began to change when many bold, outspoken women championed social reforms of prisons, war, alcohol and slavery.
What did the British eat in the 1800s?
Meat was relatively expensive, though you could buy a sheep’s head for about 3d (£2.50 in modern money). Instead they ate plenty of omega-3-rich oily fish and seafood. Herrings, sprats, eels, oysters, mussels, cockles and whelks, were all popular, as were cod and haddock.
How did people make a living in the 1800s?
Many of the people that lived in Colonial America worked on a farm, and many of the people during this time owned large plantations. These plantations were a place where owners could grow crops and make cash by selling them.
Why did London grow so fast in the 1800s?
Railways were driven into the heart of the city allowing for a rapid urban sprawl; and London was knitted together by an ever-growing system of underground and overground transportation. Servicing two great masters – trade and governance – the city also witnessed the creation of a new infrastructure.
How were the poor treated in Victorian London?
For the first half of the 19th century the rural and urban poor had much in common: unsanitary and overcrowded housing, low wages, poor diet, insecure employment and the dreaded effects of sickness and old age.
What was the 1800s era known for?
The Victorian Era was a time of vast political reform and social change, the Industrial Revolution, authors Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin, a railway and shipping boom, profound scientific discovery and the first telephone and telegraph.
What did adults do for fun in the 1800s?
What sort of things might you do to have fun and be entertained? Theatre Halls were numerous and performances were regularly given by theatre troupes, ventriloquists, hypnotists, poets, comedians, choirs and orchestras. Circuses came to town and set up in parks and public places.
What did kids do in the 1800s?
Children learned to cook, bake, make soap and candles, sew and spin. “Young children did household chores together and then around the age of 9 or 10 they started to work in the field – boys and girls.” For girls, working alongside boys was a big change.
What were homes like in the 1800’s?
To us, middle-class 19th-century homes would seem overcrowded with furniture, ornaments, and knick-knacks. However, only a small minority could afford this comfortable lifestyle. In the early 19th century housing for the poor was often dreadful. Often they lived in ‘back-to-backs’.
What did Queen Elizabeth smell like?
Queen Elizabeth reportedly wears Guerlain L’Heure Bleue, a spicy citrus with a powdery dry down. It’s been a classic for the fragrance house ever since the scent was created in 1912.
When was the big stink in London?
1858
For centuries the River Thames had been used as a dumping ground for the capital’s waste and as the population grew, so did the problem. The hot summer of 1858 elevated the stench to an unbearable level and resulted in an episode known as ‘The Great Stink’.
Did the Victorians drink water?
Households had to use every tub and bowl they owned to hold the water they needed for up to 48 hours. This rationing of water meant that each household had to carefully work out how much to use for washing, cooking, cleaning, laundry, and drinking.
What did Victorian ladies do about periods?
The Victorian Period (And Beyond)
From the 1890s to the early 1980s, people used sanitary belts, which basically were reusable pads that attached to a belt worn around the waist – and yes, they were as uncomfortable as they sound.
Did Victorian ladies shave?
In the Victorian era, ladies with excess facial or body hair didn’t have the luxury of making an appointment at their local salon. Instead, women employed various methods of hair removal at home. There was shaving and tweezing, of course, but there were also more dangerous methods.