Born in 1819, Victoria was an only child of Edward, the Duke of Kent. In 1837, she ascended to the throne and became Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. She was only 18 at this time, and the Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, served as her educator in political decision-making. However, Victoria soon displayed her iron will, which allowed her to effectively rule by her own power. It was in June of 1840 that the Queen married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. They happily raised nine children, who were to become important figures in the major monarchical states of the 20th Century. Still, the Queen's loss of the Prince Consort in December of 1861 drove her into prolonged mourning and depression. Her policy-making seemed to change substantially from the time prior to Albert's death. However, this prolonged mourning kept her occupied for the rest of her life and played an important role in the evolution of what would become the Victorian mentality. Eventually Victoria became one of Great Britain's most popular and prominent monarchs. She was named Empress of India in 1876, which was an event that showed the interest of the Queen and Great Britain in world colonization, throughout the 19th Century. Victoria's long reign witnessed an evolution in English politics and the expansion of the British Empire, as well as political and social reform on the continent.  Queen Victoria died of natural causes in January of 1901.

SCHOOLMany children in early Victorian times never went to school at all and more than half of them grew up unable to read or write. Children from rich families were luckier than poor children. Nannies looked after them, and they had toys and books. A governess would get paid to teach the children of rich families at home. Then, when the boys were old enough, they were sent away to a public school such as Eton or Rugby. The daughters were kept at home and taught singing, piano playing and sewing. Slowly, things changed for poorer children, by the end of the Victorian age all children under 12 had to go to school. Now everybody could learn how to read and write, and how to count properly. The teachers in schools had a cane used to punish children by hitting them on the hand. They didn’t write on paper but on slates.

Children had it hard in the time of Queen Victoria's reign over England. The children in poor families had to work from getting up in the morning to going to sleep in the night. They worked in caves, coal mines and as chimney sweepers and many more hard jobs, at what would now be two pence a day!! And that goes to their parents to pay for the family. But most children didn’t live long because there was no medicines or equipment to help with diseases. Children had to go to the workhouse, it wasn’t nice there at all it was cold, wet and smelt badly. Victorian children didn’t have good clothes.

WORKHOUSE. The word alone was calculated to send a shudder down the spine of any honest 19th century worker. It signified the end of the line, the final indignity.

It said: Abandon hope, all ye who enter here. The mental picture of the gaunt, forbidding workhouse is one of the abiding

impressions of Victorian England. Charles Dickens painted the best-known picture of it in his Oliver Twist, but even the great novelist's vivid descriptions of the

repressive, soul-destroying workhouse regime don't tell the whole story. Just what was the workhouse? Put simply, it was a public institution which housed

and fed people who were unable to support themselves. If these people were otherwise fit, they were put to work. But these simple facts hide a tale of horror and

despair. Until the 16th century, there was no state provision for the welfare of the poor. What relief there was, was provided by the church, but the Dissolution of the

Monasteries ended much of this charitable work.

1837In 1837 Queen Victoria was crowned at the age of nineteen. Many people thought the responsibility was too great for her but she was a determined woman and reigned for 64 years.

1840 In 1840 the Penny Black stamp was issued. This was the first stamp in the world. People wrote a lot of letters at this time, as this was the only way to communicate over long distances.

1841 In 1841 the first railway excursion was organised by Thomas Cook. At the museum you can see some of the very first train tickets used for such excursions.

1854 In 1854 Florence Nightingale went to the Crimea to organise nursing during the war. There she saved the lives of many injured soldiers.

1855 In 1855 the famous Victorian artist, Ford Madox Brown, painted the 'Last of England'. It shows a family emigrating, possibly to Australia, to find work, like many people did in Victorian times. You can find this painting at the Museum in Gallery 18.

1860 In the 1860's the 'boneshaker' appeared on the roads. This was one of the first bicycles to have pedals, which directly turned the front wheels. School visits to the Museum can see examples of Victorian bicycles in the classroom.

1864 In 1864 boys under the age of 10 were banned from being chimney sweeps. At Birmingham Museum you can see a Victorian fire place similar to the ones the boys would have cleaned.

1874 The '10 hour Factory Act' was introduced. This meant that people could only be made to work for up to 10 hours per day. Can you think of any laws that protect workers today?

1880 In 1880 children up to the age of 12 were made to go to school. In Gallery 30 at the Museum you can see a writing slate that was used for sums, Victorian schools books and even an old classroom desk!

1884 In the mid 1880's the 'Safety Bicycle' was built. It was much easier to ride than earlier models, with both wheels the same size and a chain. This finally gave ordinary people the freedom to travel. You can see one of these bikes at the Museum in Gallery 30.

1885 In 1885 the Prince of Wales opened the Birmingham Museum Round Room and Industrial Gallery. This part of the Museum still looks much the same today. You will notice from the columns and pillars that Victorians liked to copy Greek and Roman architecture.

1901 In 1901 Queen Victoria died and Edward Vll was made King. She had ruled longer than any other British Monarch.

During the Victorian age, there were some very rich and many very poor people in Britain.

The very rich, or upper class people did not have to work. They lived in big houses and had many servants; maids, gardeners, butlers and cooks to look after them and their homes.

Middle class people, the families of doctors, lawyers or well-off tradesmen would also have servants, but not so many.

Middle class women did not work, they were expected to stay at home and run the house.

Most people in Britain were very poor and lived in small and overcrowded houses. Everyone had to work, often even children. Families with no money either starved or went to the workhouse. It was very

hard for poor people to improve their lives, they had little education, wages were low and few would help them.

The resources show how both rich and poor people lived in the Epping Forest District. Take a look to see if life in our area has changed over the last hundred years.

Rich FamilyPoor Family

The nineteenth century revolved around a revival of religious activity unmatched since Puritan times. The bible was taken as the literal truth and was

the foundation of moral behaviour which became known as "Victorianism". During this period, textbooks and games were based on religion and morality. It was believed that if religion be accepted by all, that morality would become the

"end all" to crime and poverty.While advancements in science and technology became the order of the day,

religion began a down-hill slide. Its theory/belief remained strong until the middle of the century, when in 1859, Charles Darwin published his Evolution of the Species theory. Many, including the clergy, began to question the beliefs of

the church.

When a woman entered a room, it was considered rude for a man to offer his seat to her because the cushion might still be warm.

People thought food digested better in the dark, so a dining room located in the basement was considered the best spot in which to eat.

A glance into a bedroom was considered improper if viewed by a visitor, so bedrooms were located on the second floor.

People were shy about having water closets, so they disguised fixtures as dressers and cabinets.

Tubs were enclosed in wooden boxes that resembled large chests. People went to great lengths to hide toilets from view.

In some homes, they were behind a curtain or screen, or even in a room of their own.

Children rarely saw their parents. A special trip was made to the nursery each evening, and the visit lasted about an hour.

Women made pictures, wreaths, and bouquets from their own hair or the hair of a family member to be framed and displayed in the parlour.

Some rocking chairs were designed to disguise a chamber pot. People had to be careful not to rock too quickly!

A lot of men used macassar oil to slick back their hair.

Crocheted doilies, called antimacassars, were put over the backs of chairs to keep this grease from staining the furniture.

For a lady to show her ankles was considered very risqué!

Victorian Ballroom

A wealthy persons house

Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria’s husband (Prince Albert)

Writing slate

When was Queen Victoria born?

1815

1819

1817

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When did Queen Victoria become queen?

1837

18241901

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What religion did the Victorians believe in?

Christian

Protestant

Judaism

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What year were boys under 10 banned from being chimney sweeps?

1865

1860

1864

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