Events and Inventions

The events and inventions of the Victorian and Edwardian eras, from 1837 to 1914.

1830's

1837	Victoria became Queen at the age of 18.

1840's

1840	Victoria married Albert (they subsequently had nine children).
1845	Eliza Acton 'Modern Cookery for Private Families'
1848	Health of Towns Act

Wood-working machinery appeared, reducing the cost of many components of houses.

1850's

1851	The Great Exhibition was held in Hyde Park, London.
	The sewing machine was invented.
1852	Houses of Parliament in London completed
1854	The Crimean War began.
1855	The first daily morning paper ('The Daily Telegraph') was published.
1856	The Crimean War ended.
	Safety matches were invented.
1859	Charles Darwin 'Origin of the Species' was published.

Lending libraries began to appear.

1860's

1861	Prince Albert died.
	'Beeton's Book of Household Management' was first published.
1863	The first underground line in London opened, using with steam engines.
	The first London department store opened (William Whiteley's in Bayswater).
1864	The Chimney Sweep Act stopped children from being involved.
1867	The Parliamentary Reform Act extended the voting franchise to more men.
1869	Girton College, Cambridge was founded (the first women's college).

Tarmac on began to be used on city streets.

1870's

1870	The Education Act made education compulsory from 5 to 10 years old.
	The first woman doctor qualified.
1871	The first Bank holidays were introduced (initially for the banks only, but they became public holidays).
	Charles Darwin 'The Descent of Man' was published.
1872	Voting by secret ballot was introduced.
1873	Lawn tennis was invented.
1875	Public Health Act
1876	The telephone was invented.
1878	The light bulb was invented.

The typewriter was invented.

1880's

1881	Disraeli died
	The first electric streetlights appeared.
	The first houses were lit by electricity.
1882	The first trolley-bus was introduced.
1885	The first petrol-driven car appeared.
1887	Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee
	The incandescent gas mantle was invented by Carl von Welsbach.
1888	John Dunlop introduced the pneumatic bicycle tyre.
	The first cheap Kodak camera was available.
	The first electric tram ran.
1889	'Penny-in-the-slot' meter was introduced for gas lighting.

Greenwich Mean Time was introduced.

Bicycles were now allowed on the roads.

Paid holidays began; typically people received one week.

1890's

1890	Free elementary education was introduced.
1891	Board schools became free (no fees).
1893	The first hollow lead toy soldiers were sold.
1894	Tower Bridge opened.
1896	The first domestic electric lighting appeared.
	The first modern Olympic games were held in Athens.
	The 'Daily Mail' was launched, at ½d.
1897	Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee

Cars began to appear.

Electric underground trains were introduced.

1900's

This decade was called the 'Belle Epoque'. It was a time of great change - with sky scrapers being built, cars more numerous, early films, flight, and artistic endeavour from people including such as Picasso.

1901	Queen Victoria died
	The first vacuum cleaner was available.
1902	The coronation of King Edward VII.
1903	The first electric trams began running in London
1906	The first international rugby match was held, between England and France.
1908	The first Model T Ford was sold.
	WH Hoover produced the first electrically powered upright vacuum cleaner.
1909	Louis Bleriot flew across the English Channel.

Asphalt and tar macadam became common after 1900.