VictorianLondon
@victorianlondon.bsky.social
Lee Jackson, Victorianist, historian, author of 'Dirty Old London' (Yale, 2014), 'Palaces of Pleasure' (Yale, 2019), 'Dickensland' (Yale, 2023)
cute item in the archives today, largely sale particulars of a house in Henrietta St Covent Garden in 1750s. toilet in the back garden sounds particularly nice with its 'beautiful doom [dome]' lined with lead and 'enriched with stucco'.
December 6, 2025 at 4:07 PM
cute item in the archives today, largely sale particulars of a house in Henrietta St Covent Garden in 1750s. toilet in the back garden sounds particularly nice with its 'beautiful doom [dome]' lined with lead and 'enriched with stucco'.
Police notepaper!
December 6, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Police notepaper!
Bit weird reading police reports on prostitution in 1860s Haymarket at National Archives while their kids carol concert vaguely audible in background. Also donkey petting zoo by main entrance.
December 6, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Bit weird reading police reports on prostitution in 1860s Haymarket at National Archives while their kids carol concert vaguely audible in background. Also donkey petting zoo by main entrance.
Reposted by VictorianLondon
The Lewis Chessmen
These 12th-century chess pieces are packed with personality, and have such charmingly expressive eyes! ♟️ 👀
From a large gaming hoard discovered on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, in 1831.
📷 by me
#FindsFriday
#Archaeology
These 12th-century chess pieces are packed with personality, and have such charmingly expressive eyes! ♟️ 👀
From a large gaming hoard discovered on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, in 1831.
📷 by me
#FindsFriday
#Archaeology
December 5, 2025 at 11:39 AM
The Lewis Chessmen
These 12th-century chess pieces are packed with personality, and have such charmingly expressive eyes! ♟️ 👀
From a large gaming hoard discovered on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, in 1831.
📷 by me
#FindsFriday
#Archaeology
These 12th-century chess pieces are packed with personality, and have such charmingly expressive eyes! ♟️ 👀
From a large gaming hoard discovered on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, in 1831.
📷 by me
#FindsFriday
#Archaeology
Reposted by VictorianLondon
what Herman Melville did after witnessing one of the 1840s' most infamous public executions ...
December 5, 2025 at 1:41 PM
what Herman Melville did after witnessing one of the 1840s' most infamous public executions ...
I was decrying 'Starlight Express' to @wychstreet.bsky.social yesterday but at least you can say Webber was the first to ... waaaaaaaaaait a minute ...
December 5, 2025 at 6:56 PM
I was decrying 'Starlight Express' to @wychstreet.bsky.social yesterday but at least you can say Webber was the first to ... waaaaaaaaaait a minute ...
Reposted by VictorianLondon
'The Shirland.' (c1950) The Shirland Arms on Shirland Road in Maida Vale, London was a mere 350 yards (320 metres) from Edward Ardizzone's front door so consequently he was a frequent visitor.
December 5, 2025 at 2:42 PM
'The Shirland.' (c1950) The Shirland Arms on Shirland Road in Maida Vale, London was a mere 350 yards (320 metres) from Edward Ardizzone's front door so consequently he was a frequent visitor.
game of cat and mouse (literally sitting on my hand)
December 5, 2025 at 2:25 PM
game of cat and mouse (literally sitting on my hand)
Can I just point out that Melville penned this "prince of whales" gag about Prince Albert two years before he published Moby Dick. if he hadn't been in the park that day ...
Herman Melville spots Victoria and Albert in Windsor Park. bit harsh, Herman.
December 5, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Can I just point out that Melville penned this "prince of whales" gag about Prince Albert two years before he published Moby Dick. if he hadn't been in the park that day ...
Reposted by VictorianLondon
Once again, in July and August I'm teaching some summer schools at Brasenose College: this time, I'm doing Oxford in detective fiction, Agatha Christie, and on the Gothic imagination from Shelley to Andrew Michael Hurley. Book here: lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/about/inspir...
Inspiring Oxford Summer School
Introductory level. A newly-expanded summer programme offering weekly courses aimed at non-specialists. Held at Brasenose College, Oxford.
lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk
December 5, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Once again, in July and August I'm teaching some summer schools at Brasenose College: this time, I'm doing Oxford in detective fiction, Agatha Christie, and on the Gothic imagination from Shelley to Andrew Michael Hurley. Book here: lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/about/inspir...
Herman Melville spots Victoria and Albert in Windsor Park. bit harsh, Herman.
December 5, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Herman Melville spots Victoria and Albert in Windsor Park. bit harsh, Herman.
19C literary folk - who was Mrs Lawrence? it's all good humour up until this point. she made quite an, erm, impression.
December 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM
19C literary folk - who was Mrs Lawrence? it's all good humour up until this point. she made quite an, erm, impression.
Melville's London diary is great. He visits publishers trying to sell his stuff, incl Edward Moxon who is "stiff cold clammy and clumsy" until Melville gets him gossiping -- "He said he had often put [Charles] Lamb to bed -- drunk." I feel this is a common publisher/author story through the ages.
December 5, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Melville's London diary is great. He visits publishers trying to sell his stuff, incl Edward Moxon who is "stiff cold clammy and clumsy" until Melville gets him gossiping -- "He said he had often put [Charles] Lamb to bed -- drunk." I feel this is a common publisher/author story through the ages.
what Herman Melville did after witnessing one of the 1840s' most infamous public executions ...
December 5, 2025 at 1:41 PM
what Herman Melville did after witnessing one of the 1840s' most infamous public executions ...
I had half a crunchie with my cup of tea at lunch, and I am saving the other half for later in the afternoon. This will form the basis of my forthcoming six-week online seminar series on the triumph of man's will over weak mortal flesh.
December 5, 2025 at 1:01 PM
I had half a crunchie with my cup of tea at lunch, and I am saving the other half for later in the afternoon. This will form the basis of my forthcoming six-week online seminar series on the triumph of man's will over weak mortal flesh.
Reposted by VictorianLondon
The Houses of Great Chesterford
December 4, 2025 at 10:07 PM
The Houses of Great Chesterford
looks like rowing tricycles were briefly a thing in the 1880s (tricycles generally were definitely a thing)
December 3, 2025 at 7:35 PM
looks like rowing tricycles were briefly a thing in the 1880s (tricycles generally were definitely a thing)
1881 Covent Garden Opera House introduces electric light, in a Japanoiserie decor scheme created by Liberty and Co.
December 3, 2025 at 7:05 PM
1881 Covent Garden Opera House introduces electric light, in a Japanoiserie decor scheme created by Liberty and Co.
Reposted by VictorianLondon
Farringdon, London - December 2025.
December 2, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Farringdon, London - December 2025.
literally never enough computers in the world for these people.
“In a decade, Pichai said that it'll be normal to build extraterrestrial data centers”.
And he’s definitely not the only one speaking about the *necessity* of data centers in space. Apparently the planet is not big enough for their scaling “laws”.
www.businessinsider.com/google-proje...
And he’s definitely not the only one speaking about the *necessity* of data centers in space. Apparently the planet is not big enough for their scaling “laws”.
www.businessinsider.com/google-proje...
Sundar Pichai says Google will start building data centers in space, powered by the sun, in 2027
Google announced Project Suncatcher earlier this month. CEO Sundar Pichai now says it could begin building data centers in space as soon as 2027.
www.businessinsider.com
December 2, 2025 at 4:10 PM
literally never enough computers in the world for these people.
Reposted by VictorianLondon
magnificent contemporary illustration (1860) of Covent Garden's new Floral Hall in the NE corner of square, if you've ever wondered about the wider context to the Bow Street end (London Encyclopedia tells me that the dome bit was burnt down in 1956)
December 1, 2025 at 11:31 PM
magnificent contemporary illustration (1860) of Covent Garden's new Floral Hall in the NE corner of square, if you've ever wondered about the wider context to the Bow Street end (London Encyclopedia tells me that the dome bit was burnt down in 1956)
magnificent contemporary illustration (1860) of Covent Garden's new Floral Hall in the NE corner of square, if you've ever wondered about the wider context to the Bow Street end (London Encyclopedia tells me that the dome bit was burnt down in 1956)
December 1, 2025 at 11:31 PM
magnificent contemporary illustration (1860) of Covent Garden's new Floral Hall in the NE corner of square, if you've ever wondered about the wider context to the Bow Street end (London Encyclopedia tells me that the dome bit was burnt down in 1956)
another in my occasional series of accidental Victorian superheroes
December 1, 2025 at 2:07 PM
another in my occasional series of accidental Victorian superheroes
Reposted by VictorianLondon
Katja Lang, contemporary German artist who focuses on stillness and spaces #WomensArt #December
December 1, 2025 at 6:38 AM
Katja Lang, contemporary German artist who focuses on stillness and spaces #WomensArt #December
Georgian wig shop www.britishmuseum.org/collection/o...
November 30, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Georgian wig shop www.britishmuseum.org/collection/o...