Timeline

1837

Births registered

For the first time the country began to keep an official record of everyone in Britain. Registrars were given the job of trying to make sure that every birth, marriage and death was written down

Charles Dickens

Dickens' best known novel, Oliver Twist, was written in 1837 along with Pickwick Papers. Dickens' stories were popular and made people aware of the hardships of the poorer classes in Victorian times.

Houses of Parliament built

Work on a new building for the British Government began in 1837. Situated on the banks of the River Thames in London, the Houses of Parliament were designed by Charles Berry.

Telegraph messages

The electric telegraph, introduced by Sir William Cooke (left) and Sir Charles Wheatstone (right), used a cable to send messages and was installed on the railways to signal the arrival of trains.

Victoria takes throne

At the young age of 18 Victoria became Queen, following the death of her uncle William VI. She stayed on the throne for the rest of the century and became Britain's longest reigning monarch.

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1838

Grace Darling

Grace Darling was a lighthouse keeper's daughter in Northumberland. She was hailed as a heroine when she braved a storm and single-handedly rescued five survivors of a ship wreck.

Great Western

A huge steamship, The Great Western, completed its first voyage across the Atlantic in record time, just 15 days. It was a triumph for designer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a famous Victorian engineer.

People's rights

Life for poor people was very difficult. Their jobs were often dangerous with long hours. In May 1838, a group of working class leaders published the People's Charter, demanding improvements.

Victoria crowned

Queen Victoria's coronation ceremony took place at Westminster Abbey. Her full name was Alexandrina Victoria.

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1839

First photograph

William Henry Fox Talbot printed his first photograph using developing paper which could react to light. Photography and family portraits soon became important to the wealthier Victorians.

Propeller power

Experiments were carried out using propellers to power steamships. The ships became very important as oversea travel increased. Isambard Kingdom Brunel improved propellers for better efficiency.

Shelley

The poems of Shelley, a famous British poet, were printed.

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1840

In print

Better printing machines were invented making it cheaper and quicker to print books and posters. This led to more books being available and the arrival of advertising posters to sell goods.

Postal service starts

A national postal service was set up. For the first time people could post a letter to anywhere in the country if they bought a stamp for one penny. The stamps were called Penny Blacks.

Victoria marries

Victoria married her handsome first cousin, a German, called Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg, on February 10, 1840. Victoria loved Albert and asked him to marry her. They had nine children.

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1841

General election

Robert Peel was voted in as the new Prime Minister.

Railways boom

The Great Western Railway from Bristol to London was completed offering a journey time of four hours. Designed by Victorian engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, it was the first of many new rail routes.

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1842

Assassination attempt

A man called John Francis tried to shoot Queen Victoria with a pistol as she rode her horse in The Mall in London with Prince Albert. Francis was sentenced to death but later pardoned.

Disease control

A report revealed that half of all children in Britain died before the age of five. Scientists were starting to understand the link between disease and hygiene and the importance of keeping clean.

Libraries begin

Books were only available to people who could afford to buy them until Charles Mudie had the idea of letting people borrow books, with his Circulating Library. By 1850 public libraries were set up.

People pay tax

Workers were made to pay Income Tax. This meant that part of their wages were used to pay the people who worked for the Government, organising the running of the country.

Safety of mineworkers

A new law was brought in which banned women and children from the dangerous job of working in the coal mines. Coal was needed for heating homes and powering steam trains, ships and farming machinery.

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1843

Anaesthetic used

An understanding of strong pain killers called anaesthetics developed in the 1840s. Ether was used by Crawford Long and later James Young used chloroform to reduce pain during surgery.

Landscape painting

Artists returned to painting landscapes, a fashion encouraged by John Ruskin's 'Study of Modern Painters' which was published in 1843 and by William Morris's Arts and Crafts.

William Wordsworth

English poet William Wordsworth was given the title Poet Laureate - Britian's top poet. He lived in the Lake District and his best known poem is about daffodils.

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1844

Morse code

Morse code was developed and became more widely used to send fast messages over long distances.

SS Great Britain

The launching of the SS Great Britain took place on December 10, 1844. Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel it was the world¹s first large iron screw-propelled steamship, carrying 360 passengers.

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1845

Ghost stories

A book called 'Tales of Mystery and Imagination' was written by Edgar Alan Poe. There was a growing interest in ghosts. Sometimes dead bodies were stolen from graves for scientists to examine.

Potato famine

The potato crop failed in Ireland causing famine and hunger among the country's poor. Many Irish people left for America to try to find a better life.

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1846

Corn laws

On June 25, after years of arguments, the government finally changed its laws on the price of corn. The Corn Laws had kept many farm workers poor and it was a great victory for them.

Rubber tyres

A man called Robert Thomson discovered that rubber tyres filled with air (pneumatic tyres) gave a far more comfortable ride for passengers than solid tyres, but they were too expensive at this time.

Sewing machine invented

Elias Howe invented the sewing machine.

Woman writer

George Eliot began her writing career. Her real name was Mary Ann Evans, but she wrote under a man's name because women found it harder to get their work printed. Her novels included Silas Marner.

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1847

Bronte sisters

Two sisters from a small Yorkshire village caused a sensation when their novels were printed. Emily Bronte wrote Wuthering Heights and Charlotte Bronte (pictured) Jane Eyre. Both were instant hits.

The ten hours act

New rules were brought into force to stop employers from making children work more than 10 hours a day in their factories. Many children got injured through working when they were tired.

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1848

Cleaner houses

A new Public Health Act stated that every house should have good levels of cleanliness, starting a demand for toilets (invented by Thomas Crapper, pictured) and a greater interest in keeping clean.

Communism

The beginnings of a new political idea called Communism started this year. The main thought behind these new ideas was that everyone should have equal shares in a country's wealth.

More railways

The London to Glasgow railway opened. At the beginning of Victoria's reign there were 500 miles of railway tracks in Britain; by 1850 there was 6,000 miles of track. People could now afford to travel.

Queen buys Balmoral

The Royal family acquired the Balmoral Estate in Scotland. This started a new fashion for Scottish styles popular among the wealthy classes.

Revolutions

In parts of Europe many 'ordinary people' were fighting against their rulers. They wanted more power to decide how their countries should be run. For many years the king or queen made the decisions.

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1849

Cholera epidemic

Toilet and household waste was often emptied straight into rivers and diseases spread quickly. In 1849 a cholera epidemic claimed thousands of lives. Around 2,000 people died in one week.

Concrete developed

Monier developed reinforced concrete. Up to now most buildings would have been made of brick or stone. Concrete was cheap to make and opened up new possibilities for building.

Early athletics

The first modern athletics meeting was held at the Royal Military Academy, an army school in Woolwich. This event helped to bring interest in the re-launching of the Olympic Games in 1896.

Gold rush

The discovery of gold in California, America, started a Gold Rush. Many Britons left to try to earn their fortunes. Throughout the century thousands of people emigrated to live in other countries.

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1850

Bridge building

The high level bridge in Newcastle was completed, carrying the London to Edinburgh railway line over the River Tyne. The impressive Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol was also being built.

Friendly societies

Friendly Societies were set up to try to help the many less well-off people to manage their money.

Petrol developed

Through most of the Victorian era coal was the main fuel used to power transport, such as trains and ships. It was burnt to produce steam. The use of petrol would eventually change all that.

Poet honoured

Alfred Lord Tennyson was named as the best living poet in Britian when he became Poet Laureate.

Sewing machines

Isaac Singer produced a sewing machine which could be used in the home.

Workhouses opened

Workhouses were opened to try to help the poorest citizens who had no money and nowhere to go. In return for their labour, the workers would be given a bed and basic food.

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1851

Australian gold

Many people from Britain took the long trip Down Under when gold was discovered in Australia. The journey by sea took several weeks but people thought it was worthwhile.

Cigarettes appear

The first cigarettes were sold in Britain. The dangers of smoking to people's health were not known about in Victorian times, and pipe smoking was already common.

City living

By 1851 half of the population of Britain lived in cities. In 1801 over one million people lived in London but by 1901 it had reached over six-and-a-half million. Cities became smelly, dirty places.

Great Exhibition

The Great Exhibition was held in the Crystal Palace a huge glass construction built in Hyde Park in London. It was designed by garden expert Joseph Paxton.

Link to Europe

An underwater telegraph cable was successfully laid under the English Channel. This allowed the British people to communicate instantly with Europeans, rather than waiting for letters to arrive.

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1852

Flushing toilets

The first men's flushing toilet opened in London. Before the 1850s most people had used an earth closet, which was a toilet outside the house with just soil in it and no water.

Last duel

The last duel - a fight to the death, usually with pistols - was fought in England at Priest Hill, in Surrey. Duels had actually been outlawed in the 1840s.

Livingstone explores Africa

Adventurer David Livingstone set off to explore East Africa. He was the first European to see the magnificent waterfall, Victoria Falls. He later wrote the story of his incredible three-year trip.

Museum opens

The Victoria and Albert Museum was opened in London for the public to visit.

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1853

British earthquake

A small earthquake was recorded in the south of the country.

Crimean war

The Crimean war began in 1853 when the Russians invaded one of its neighbouring countries. It continued for three years.

Killer disease

Diseases, which are easily cured or prevented today, caused thousands of deaths in Victorian times. In 1853, a cholera epidemic killed 11,500 people in London.

Royal anaesthetic

Patients trusted the benefits of anaesthetics after Queen Victoria used them during the birth of Prince Leopold in 1853. They became widely used in hospitals, especially when carrying out surgery.

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1854

Great fair closes

Bartholomew Fair, the last of London's great Mediaeval fairs, closed down.

Lady with the lamp

Florence Nightingale travelled to nurse soldiers injured in the Crimea and was distressed by the hospital conditions there. Her care was welcomed by the soldiers who called her 'Lady with the Lamp'.

Steel invented

Bessemer invented the steel converter. This meant it was far easier and cheaper to make goods out of metal.

War declared

Britain joined in the fighting in the Crimean War. In October the famous Charge of Light Brigade took place. Despite some notable victories, conditions were terrible for the soldiers involved.

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1855

Castle built

The building of the Royal residence Balmoral Castle was completed this year.

Cheaper newspapers

More people bought newspapers when they became cheaper with the ending of the Stamp Tax. This tax had been paid to the Government every time anyone bought a newspaper to find out what was happening.

Empire still growing

British Empire continued to take control of new lands, but it allowed Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania to start making some of their own laws.

New door lock

Burglaries were common and the invention of a cheap door lock by American Linus Yale Jr was greatly welcomed. The new Yale lock was based on an old Egyptian design and is still popular today.

Record-breaking ships

Steam ships got increasingly faster and more efficient. By 1855 the journey from Britain to America across the Atlantic Ocean could be completed in just nine days.

Study of mind

An interest in how the mind works was growing at this time as shown by the printing of new book called: Principles of Psychology, by H Spencer.

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1856

Colourful discovery

An 18-year-old chemistry student, William Perkins, discovered how to make artificial dyes. This led to brighter coloured clothes and furnishings. Plant and animal dyes had been used in the past.

Croquet arrives

Croquet was introduced to Britain and became popular among the wealthier classes.

Safer food

Louis Pasteur found how to make food safer to eat by pasteurising it. This killed bacteria in certain foods and reduced the number of people developing the killer disease tuberculosis (TB).

Steel produced

Henry Bessemer invented the blast furnace, which meant that steel could be made in big amounts.

War ends

The Crimean war ended with the Treaty of Paris and Florence Nightingale returned to England where she worked to improve hospital care in Britain. She taught others about how to become a good nurse.

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1857

Art for all

The National Portrait Gallery was opened in central London. Its paintings were for everyone to see. The poor could walk from London's East End and the rich could drive there by carriage.

Divorce allowed

Men were allowed to divorce their wives under certain circumstances thanks to a new law called the Matrimonial Causes Act. Women were not allowed to ask for a divorce until 1923.

Indians kill British

A number of British rulers in India were killed by Indian people who were angry about the British army being in their country. The British fought back and took many valuables from the city of Delhi.

School days

Tom Brown's Schooldays, a novel by Thomas Hughes, made people more aware of the bullying which went on in Britain's public schools.

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1858

Big ben

On April 10 Big Ben was cast. The bell was to be placed in the clock tower on the new Houses of Parliament and still rings out the hours to Londoners today.

Britain in India

Britain took control of India and made it part of its Empire.

Brunel's masterpiece

The last ship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, The Great Eastern, was launched. It was the largest ship ever built and the project led to the ill health, and finally the death, of Brunel.

The great stink

Millions of people moved to London during Victoria's reign looking for jobs, which paid better than farming. All their waste emptied into the River Thames and in 1858 it became very, very smelly!

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1859

Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin revealed his theories of how man evolved. He said that the world was much older than the Bible suggested. He upset many, especially when in 1871 his theories linked mankind to apes.

Oil find

Edwin Drake struck oil in Pennsylvania.

Petrol engine

Etienne Lenoir demonstrated the first successful gasoline engine, which would lead to big changes in transport, and the arrival of cars.

Women's education

Higher education was usually seen as for males only, but in Victorian times people realised that clever women had a lot to offer too. In 1859 the first women were admitted to Royal Academy Schools.

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1860

America at war

The American civil war began. The northern states of America were fighting against the southern states of America. One of the main aims of the northern states was to stop slavery.

Even more coal

Coal was in big demand. During 1860 a record 100 million tons of coal were mined in Britain for use in this country and abroad. Homes, trains, ships and farm machinery all used coal.

First tram

On August 30 the first English horse-drawn tram appeared in Birkenhead. By the 1870s some steam trams were running, but they were found not to be very useful.

Nursing books

Florence Nightingale published textbooks on nursing. In time this greatly improved cleanliness and how people are looked after in hospitals.

Prince dies

Prince Albert died of typhoid fever aged 42. Queen Victoria was heartbroken and went into a long period of mourning over her husband's death.

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1861

Fairy stories

Hans Christian Andersen published his book of Fairy Tales, many of which modern young children still enjoy as bedtime stories today.

William Morris

William Morris began his design firm, which produced popular wallpaper and furnishings in the home featuring birds and flowers. Morris liked designs based on nature.

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1862

Foreign goods

The International Exhibition held in London introduced the Victorians to goods from all over the world. It showed metalwork, cloth and pots from countries such as Japan, India, Egypt, and China.

River Nile

Speke (pictured right) and Grant (pictured left) discovered the source of the River Nile in Africa.

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1863

Dentist drill

Before the dentist drill was invented, many people had all their teeth pulled out before they went rotten, and wore false teeth. With the arrival of the drill and strong painkillers, dentistry grew.

Football kicks off

Growing interest in the sport of football led to the Football Association (FA) being formed and the football being organised into leagues.

Mental illness

Broadmoor criminal lunatic asylum opened on May 27. It was a prison for people who had broken the law but were also thought to be insane.

Prince marries

The Prince of Wales married Alexandra on March 10. The Prince was later to become King Edward VII.

Railways go underground

The London underground railway opened. The Metropolitan line between Paddington and Farringdon Street was the first line to run trains, powered by steam.

St Pancras station

The construction of St Pancras train station began in 1863 and was completed in 1865. It has a magnificent iron structure, which forms its roof.

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1864

Cafe Royal

The Cafe Royal was opened in London and became very famous, used mainly by the wealthy. It was eventually bombed in 1940 during the Second World War.

Photographs become art

Julia Margaret Cameron took unusual photographs of people, and proved that photographs can be a work of art as well as just a picture.

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1865

Alice in Wonderland

The unusual children's book Alice in Wonderland went on sale. It was written by Lewis Carroll, whose real name was Charles L. Dodgson. It has since been made into a Disney film.

London drained

Millions moved to London to find work, and the city became very polluted and smelly. After 10 years of work Joseph Bazalgette finally completed a proper drains system, which helped the problem.

Matterhorn conquered

Edward Whymper became the first person to reach the top of the Matterhorn, in Switzerland. It was a mountain in the Alps and very difficult to climb.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army was set up by a Methodist Church minister called William Booth. The idea was to help needy people and teach them about the Bible.

Suffragettes started

Women began to fight to have more of a say in matters such as the running of the country. They formed a group, which came to be known as the Suffragettes.

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1866

Cable success

The laying of a telegraph cable under the Atlantic Ocean to send messages between Britain and America was successfully completed. The task was carried out by Brunel's ship the SS Great Eastern.

Care for orphans

Dr Barnardo opened his home for orphans and waifs who had been abandoned. Many more Barnardo homes were opened over the years.

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1867

Boxing rules

Boxing had been around for many years. The Queensbury rules for boxing, to make the sport fairer, were laid down in 1867.

Dynamite invented

Alfred Nobel produced dynamite, the first high explosive which could be safely handled.

Let's vote

A new law called the Second Reform Act allowed nearly one million extra people to vote for the people they wanted in government. Only men could vote, and they had to be working and fairly wealthy.

Prisoners to stay

For many years criminals had been shipped to Australia as punishment and not allowed to return to England. 1867 saw the last shipment of convicts from England to Australia.

Royal Albert Hall

A large circular concert hall, The Royal Albert Hall, was built in London from 1867-71, in memory of Victoria¹s beloved husband, Albert.

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1868

Antiseptic arrives

Deaths in hospitals, after surgery, fell from 45 per cent to just 15 per cent when surgeon Joseph Lister started using disinfectants after surgery. It was also to keep wounds clean.

Disraeli

Disraeli became Prime Minister but lost his post very quickly.

Public hanging ends

Public hangings were stopped after May 26, because of the crime and trouble among the spectators who went to see them.

Workers unite

Workers learned there was power in numbers. They formed Trade Unions in which workers fought for better wages. By 1900 the country's Trade Unions had over two million members.

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1869

Suez Canal opens

The journey time from London to India by boat now took just 15 days along the new Suez Canal. The canal offered a short cut across Egypt. It was built by Ferdinand de Lesseps.

University accepts women

Cambridge University set up the first college for women. In the past only men had the chance to go to university.

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1870

Cables to India

Telegraph links from Britain to India were laid with overland and undersea cables. This made it possible to have instant communications with the British rulers in India.

Charles Dickens dies

Charles Dickens died. His well-known novels included a 'Christmas Carol', based on the character of Scrooge and 'Oliver Twist', which described the problems faced by poor children.

Department stores

The first big department stores, selling a wide choice of goods, began to open this year. It was now possible to make large glass windows in which the goods could be displayed.

School for all

An Education Act was passed which made it law for schools to be available to all children up to the age of 11 for a penny a week. Many couldn't afford the payment.

Women's rights

A law was passed which gave married women the right to earn and keep money for their own use. Until now everything belonged to their husbands. The law was called the Married Women's Property Act.

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1871

Encyclopaedia completed

Publication was completed of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Work on it had started in 1768.

Enjoy yourself

People enjoyed paid holidays for the first time under new laws such as the Bank Holiday Act. Many travelled to the seaside by train or boat and piers were built as landing stages for the steam ships.

Health for all

The government accepted that it should take steps to improve sanitation and people's health in the Local Government and Public Health acts. Most waste had been emptied straight into rivers.

Mug shots

On November 2 the first mug shot of a prisoner was taken. Photographing people arrested on suspicion of committing a crime is still carried out by the police today.

New game

A new game called Rugby Football started to become more popular.

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1872

Cup final

The first FA cup competition was played in 1872.

Mary Celeste

A ship called the Mary Celeste was found without its crew, and adrift, in the Atlantic Ocean. The mystery of what happened to the crew was never solved.

Secret vote

Voting for the new government had never been secret before which meant that people could be bullied or bribed into voting for one party or the other. This was less likely with a secret ballot.

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1873

Mary Ann Cotton hung

Mary Ann Cotton was tried and hanged on March 24 at Durham County Gaol. It is believed that she used arsenic to poison almost 30 members of her family.

Typewriter invented

Christopher Sholes invented the Remington typewriter.

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1874

Comings and goings

From 1874, every birth, death and marriage had to be recorded by law.

Disraeli Prime Minister

In 1874 Disraeli became Prime Minister for the second time, and stayed in charge until 1880.

Factory act

New laws were passed which stopped employers using young children to work for them. The Factory Act introduced a maximum 10-hour day and raised minimum age of child workers.

Thomas Hardy

The well-known author, Thomas Hardy, wrote his novel 'Far from the Madding Crowd'. He wrote many books about country people in Victorian times and how they were affected by the growth of industry.

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1875

Britain leads world

Britain became the world leader in trading with other countries.

Channel swimmer

Captain Matthew Webb became the first man to swim the English Channel, swimming all the way from England to France.

Churches flourish

Religion had become very important to the Victorians and by 1875 over 4,500 churches of various different faiths had been built or put back into use in Britain.

Irish hopes

Charles Stewart Parnell became an MP and argued strongly for the Irish people to be allowed to be in charge of their own country, instead of the English. This problem still rumbles on today.

Suez Canal under British control

Britain takes control of the Suez Canal, which gives a fast route from England to its colonies, such as India and Australia.

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1876

Carpet sweeper invented

The first carpet sweeper was invented by Bissell.

Disease discovered

Robert Koch discovered the cause of anthrax, a serious disease. He showed how it caused disease after long periods of not being active.

Telephone invented

The telephone was invented by a Scottish scientist called Alexander Graham Bell. It quickly became very popular and, by 1877, it was possible for people to buy telephones for their homes.

Victoria made empress

Victoria was given a special title, the Empress of India, which Britain was now in charge of. No other king or queen before or after Victoria has had this title.

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1877

Boots chemist

Nottingham chemist Jesse Boot started opening additional stores, creating the first chain stores. The shops sold medicines and pills over the counter, and they still exist all over the country today.

Music machine

American Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, and made a recording of the nursery rhyme "Mary had a little lamb." This was the first method of recording music.

Wimbledon begins

The Wimbledon All England Lawn Tennis Championship began this year and is still played once a year in June. The game of tennis became increasingly popular throughout the Victorian era.

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1878

Lighting up

Electric street lighting began in London, replacing the old gas lamps, which had to be hand-lit every evening.

Show business

Music Hall entertainment with comedians and singers had been popular since 1837. Safety laws, introduced in 1878, closed many small halls, but the bigger ones survived and performers became big stars.

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1879

British battle Zulus

A major battle took place between the British soldiers and a tribe of African natives called the Zulus.

Light bulb invented

Swan (pictured) and Edison each produced an electric light bulb for domestic use. Before this homes used gaslight and candles.

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1880

London newspaper

A newspaper called the St James's Gazette was launched in the London area. In 1905 this was taken over by the Evening Standard, which is still sold in the London area today.

School compulsory

A law was passed which meant all children must attend school.

Telephone directory

More and more businesses and private homes began to buy telephones and the first British telephone directory was issued on January 15, 1880.

Test match

The first ever test match was played between the English and Australian cricket teams. England lost!

War breaks out

The First Boer War began. The fighting started because Britain wanted to control the trade in palm oil, ivory, and later in gold and diamonds from Africa.

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1881

Godalming gets electricity

The first British town to have electricity in people's homes was Godalming in Surrey. Before that people had relied on gaslights and candles in their houses. Power stations opened.

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1882

Healthy find

Koch discovered the germ, which causes a killer disease of the chest and lungs called TB (tuberculosis). Teenagers are nowadays given an injection to prevent this disease.

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1883

Channel swimmer drowns

Swimmer Matthew Webb, the first man to successfully swim English Channel in 1875, died trying to swim across the top of Niagara falls in Canada.

Electric trains

The first electric railway was opened.

First skyscraper

Building skills improved. The first skyscraper (just 10 storeys high at this stage) was built in Chicago, and the Brooklyn Bridge opened. This large suspension bridge was a triumph of engineering.

Treasure Island

Treasure Island, the famous children¹s adventure book about pirates, was written by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Volcano darkens moon

The moon went dark after the Krakatoa volcanic eruption in Japan, due to the thick dust and smoke created.

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1884

Cholera discovery

Koch discovered the germ which causes cholera, a serious disease which killed thousands of Victorians. This was an important step in finding a way to prevent people catching cholera.

Huckleberry Finn

Mark Twain wrote the famous novel 'Huckleberry Finn' about a young boy's adventures on the Mississippi River in America. The book deals with the issues of racism and slavery.

Independent women

New laws improved the rights of women and they were no longer seen as 'belonging' to their husbands in the eyes of the law.

Industrial Revolution

For the first time the name Industrial Revolution was given to the period of history from 1760 to 1840. It was used by a man called Arnold Toynbee and has stuck ever since.

Machine gun invented

Maxim invented the machine gun. This changed the nature of war because it meant that hundreds of people could be killed at a time. Machines became increasingly important in warfare.

Trams catch on

The first British electric tram network opened in the seaside town, Blackpool. Most other British towns installed trams over the next few years and the networks survived up to the 1950s and 1960s.

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1885

Bicycles arrive

The launch of the safety bicycle meant that many people could now get about independently, without having to use a horse.

Dead bodies

The dead had usually been buried in graveyards, but this year the first crematorium opened in Britain, which meant that dead bodies could now be burned instead.

First cars

Karl Benz developed an engine for the first cars, bringing about massive changes in transport. The speed limit for cars was four miles per hour. It was increased to 20 miles per hour in 1896.

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1886

Crofters safe

New laws were passed to protect Scottish crofters or farmers from being turned out of their homes. Before that, many of them had been thrown out and sometimes even killed.

Gold strike

Gold was found in the Transvaal, in Africa. Many left Britain hoping to find gold and become rich. More 'gold rushes' took place, in Alaska in 1896 and in the Klondike in 1897.

Mapping Mars

Better telescopes made it easier to study the stars and planets and this year Schiaparelli was able to map out 'canals' on Mars.

Medical discovery

R.H. Fitz identified the appendix, an organ attached to our digestive system. Although no-one knows what it is there for, the appendix can cause health problems which now can be dealt with.

World art

A huge display of art and craft from all over the British Empire was held in London. The Colonial and Indian Exhibition showed the power Britain had over large parts of the world at that time.

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1887

Golden Jubilee

Queen Victoria celebrated her Golden Jubilee this year having spent 50 years on the throne. There was a grand parade through London to celebrate the occasion. A huge crowd greeted the Queen.

No young miners

More laws were brought in to protect young workers. Thanks to the passing of the Coal Mines Regulation Act, boys aged under 13 years were no longer allowed down the mines.

Sherlock Holmes

The first story about the famous detective Sherlock Holmes was written by Arthur Conan Doyle. Called 'A Study in Scarlet', it proved so popular the author wrote many more Sherlock Holmes adventures.

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1888

Box camera

Photography became even more popular with invention of the Kodak box camera. This made it much easier for the owner of the camera to take pictures and have them made into photographs.

Ice creams

The first ice cream cone or cornet was thought to have been sold around this year by famous Victorian cook Agnes Marshall. She ran her own cookery school in London and also published recipe books.

Jack the Ripper

Jack the Ripper claimed his first victim in the East End of London. Many women were murdered by him but he was never caught.

People Power

Ordinary people were starting to have more power over how the country was run. In 1888 county councils were set up for London and other areas to give more people chance to have their say.

Radio waves

Hertz discovered radio waves which meant that messages could eventually be sent through the air.

Tyres with air

Dunlop developed an earlier invention of rubber tyres filled with air (the pneumatic tyre). This provided a far more comfortable journey for passengers and the tyres were affordable.

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1889

Eiffel Tower

Each country was becoming keen to show off the achievements of their inventors and engineers. France decided to build a large viewing tower in its capital city Paris. It was called the Eiffel Tower.

First overs bowled

Games became popular in Victorian times, especially among the wealthy who had more spare time. Most counties had their own cricket team and a championship was set up between them.

NSPCC formed

Poorer children were often used as cheap workers. They could be treated badly, and were sometimes beaten. To protect children the National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children was formed.

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1890

Comics arrive

The first comic book to ever be published in Britain was printed. It was called Comic Cuts.

Electric tubes

The first electric underground train to travel on a public railway ran in London on December 18. It travelled on the City and South London Railway between King William Street and Stockwell.

Forth Bridge

The Forth Bridge, a huge steel bridge, was opened in Scotland on March 4. It spanned the Firth of Forth (a river estuary near Edinburgh) and was admired all over the world.

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1891

Free for all

Primary education was made free for all. Many parents struggled to pay the penny a week for their children's schooling and many farmers needed their children to work on the land.

Ghostly happenings

Sybil Corbet took a photograph which appeared to capture a 'ghost' in the picture at Combermere Hall.

Going for broke

Charles Wells 'broke the bank' with a massive win at Monte Carlo, a famous gambling resort.

Hydro electric power

The first hydro-electric power station, making electricity from fast flowing water, was put into action this year.

New Scotland Yard

The new headquarters for the police, New Scotland Yard, was completed by Norman Shaw.

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1892

African tribes

Mary Kingsley made two adventurous trips to West Africa to collect information about African tribes and their way of life.

Hypnotism cure

The British Medical Society announced that hypnotism was useful in helping patients with certain types of illness.

Modern art

Monet painted his famous picture of Rouen Cathedral.

Modern ballet

The Nutcracker, a ballet based on Christmas, was written by Tchaikowsky.

No operator

First automatic telephone switch board in use.

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1893

Art nouveau

A design style called art nouveau appeared in Europe and became popular. Scottish designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928) designed furniture and whole buildings in this style.

Cars on sale

The new type of transport caught on among the wealthy classes and Karl Benz and Henry Ford (pictured) started building cars.

Labour Party formed

The Labour Party was now one of the main political parties in the House of Commons.

Women's votes

New Zealand became the first country in the world to give women the right to vote for the election of a new government.

Zulus crushed

Zulu tribes people in South Africa rose up to fight the English rulers but were beaten down.

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1894

Blackpool tower

Blackpool tower opened for holidaymakers to view the popular seaside town. It was a copy of the Eiffel Tower in Paris but on a smaller scale and boasted an impressive ballroom.

Councils created

More councils were created in cities and country areas. Local people could now make their own decisions on what needed doing in their own areas.

Jungle Book

The Jungle Book was written by Rudyard Kipling. It reflected the Victorians' interest and knowledge of other countries such as the African jungle. The book was later made into a cartoon by Disney.

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1895

First night

The first public screening of a film took place in Paris, thanks to the Lumiere brothers developing cinematography.

Proms night

The first London Promenade Concert was organised by Sir Henry Wood on October 6. A Promenade Concert is still held once a year.

Science fiction

HG Wells wrote one of the earliest science fiction novels, 'The Time Machine', which explored what might happen if we could build a machine which could transport us through time.

Understanding the mind

Sigmund Freud started to become very well known for his study of the mind and how it works. He published a book called 'Studies in Hysteria', which changed our views on how the human mind works.

Wilde arrested

Oscar Wilde, a famous writer, was imprisoned for a crime that was considered too shocking for the people of the time.

X-ray discovered

W K Roentgen accidentally discovered x-ray, a method of viewing the inside of the body. It is now widely used to check broken bones, problems with the skeleton, and the progression of diseases.

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1896

First films

The public got its first view of moving pictures in London. The films screened included 'The Boxing Kangaroo' and 'Epsom Derby'.

Helium discovered

William Ramsey discovered helium, a gas which is lighter than air and is now often used to fill balloons to make them rise up to the ceiling.

Olympic games

The Olympic Games, a contest which took place in Ancient Greece, was started up again with the aim of getting many countries involved.

Peace prize

A new prize called the Nobel Prize was created. This prize was to be given to people who made an outstanding contribution to the world.

UFO spotted

A UFO (unidentified flying object) was spotted over California in America. This was the first time people had recorded seeing a UFO. People's interest in aliens and outer space grew.

Wireless communications

Guglielmo Marconi launched the wireless. It was now possible to talk without wires.

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1897

Diamond jubilee

Queen Victoria celebrated her Diamond Jubilee after 60 years on the throne. She joined a grand parade through London's streets in a carriage. Many souvenir items were made to mark the occasion.

Drunk driving

George Smith, a London taxi driver, was the first person to be charged with drunk driving. He was found driving after drinking alcohol.

Girl power

Women were becoming more important as workers. Some women clubbed together to form groups who were determined to improve women's rights. They were called Suffragettes.

Saving lives

R. Ross discovered the germ that caused malaria, a dangerous disease, which could kill.

Sudan war

The British Sudan War began this year and ended in 1898 when Britain defeated the rebels.

Vampires arrive

The story of Dracula was written by Bram Stoker whilst staying in Whitby, a northern fishing village on the east cost of England.

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1898

Gladstone dies

William Ewart Gladstone died having been Prime Minister on four separate occasions.

On disc

The first disc recordings were made.

Radium discovered

Pierre and Marie Curie discover radium and polonium, which could be used to fight illness, such as cancer.

Zeppelins invented

Count Von Zeppelin built a new type of airship.

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1899

Boer War

The second Boer War in South Africa began this year and continued until 1902.

New pain killer

A pain killer called aspirin became widely available this year.

Study until twelve

The legal school leaving age was set at 12 to try to improve everyone's level of education.

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1900

How old?

A frozen mammoth was discovered in Siberia, adding more detail to our understanding of Darwin's theories on the evolution of life.

New theory

A new major theory about how the world works was put forward by Max Planck. It was called the Quantum Theory.

Paris exhibition

A major exhibition showing goods from all over the world was held in Paris. It was called the Exposition Universelle.

Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill became an MP. Many years later he became Prime Minister and successfully led Britain through the Second World War.

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1901

First sci-fi film

The first science fiction film about the future was released by Meliers. It was called A Trip to the Moon.

Marconi sends message

The first transatlantic wireless transmission between England and America was successfully carried out by Marconi.

Postcards

Railways allowed people to travel to the seaside more easily and it became very popular to post picture postcards to friends at home, showing a view of the place visited.

Victoria dies

Queen Victoria died at 6.30am on January 22 aged 82. She had lived through many changes and died loved by her people. By the end of Victoria's reign the population of London had reached 6.6 million.

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