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Dr Bob Nicholson

@DigiVictorian

3 Mar

In 1891, the Illustrated Police News published these reactionary cartoons bemoaning what they regarded as women's growing power to accuse men of sexual/romantic misconduct. There are striking parallels here with more recent responses to movements like #MeToo and #TimesUp.

This panel, for instance, ridicules the idea of men being publicly shamed by women.

These panels remind me of men who now say things like, "you know, you can't even LOOK at a woman in public these days without being ACCUSED of something."

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Dr Bob Nicholson

@DigiVictorian

3 Mar

When notable Victorian murderers were sent to the gallows, the Illustrated Police News often printed vivid front-page illustrations imagining their tortured dreams on 'the night before the execution.'

Kate Webster was a maid who murdered & dismembered her mistress.

(1879)

The imagined dreams of Charles Peace — infamous Victorian burglar and murderer — on the night before his execution.

— Illustrated Police News (1879)

Another set of pre-execution dreams, this time attributed to Percy Lefroy Mapleton, who robbed and murdered a coin dealer named Isaac Gold on the London to Brighton train.
(1881)

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Dr Bob Nicholson

@DigiVictorian

20 Feb

Here's a page from the 'Matrimonial News' (1870) — packed with the Victorian equivalent of online dating profiles. It's fascinating to see how people from this period described themselves and articulated their desires.

Here's how the matchmaking process worked — a bit slower than swiping on tinder.

While some readers chose to initiate a correspondence with just one potential spouse at a time, others cast their net much wider!

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Dr Bob Nicholson

@DigiVictorian

16 Feb

If anybody out there still believes that the Victorians weren't interested in sex, allow me to present...

'PEEPING TOM' MAGAZINE!
(c. 1850)

Thread 👇👇👇

They opened the first issue with a portrait of Lady Godiva — whose story features the original Peeping Tom — and an address to their readers, outlining their intention to "peep into every hole and corner where a 'thing or two' of a spicy nature is to be learnt." /2

I love the opening editorials of a new paper, and this one is an absolute corker. They always proclaim such lofty and noble ambitions. Needless to say, all that peeping will undertaken strictly for the 'benefit of society'! /3

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Dr Bob Nicholson

@DigiVictorian

25 Sep 20

Blimey, here’s a useful source for historians and novelists working on the Victorian era. Typical incomes for various professions, “from the Queen down to Her Majesty’s meanest subjects.”

— Tit-Bits, 20 Oct 1883.

Let’s take a closer look. Here’s the alleged annual income of several government officials in 1883. Interesting that the PM didn’t receive more than his cabinet members!

It's hard to precisely compare the relative values of currencies over time, but it would appear that Boris Johnson's current salary of £155,000 is worth a *lot* less than Gladstone was earning in 1883.

(Not trying to drum up sympathy for Boris here)

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Dr Bob Nicholson

@DigiVictorian

25 Sep 20

For Christmas 1884, Tit-Bits magazine set readers a bumper series of 48 different competitions. This entry won the prize for ‘The Best Game for an Adult Christmas Party’!

I’m impressed — and slightly dizzy — after reading the winner of “The longest sensible sentence, every word of which begins with the same letter” competition.

Honestly, the Victorians were BUILT for stuff like this.

We reach competitions 25 and 26, and I think they *might* be starting to run out of ideas...

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