In the Victorian era, maintaining good health was challenging due to limited advancements in medicine. With medical practices still in their early stages, people often faced numerous difficulties. Tuberculosis, a highly contagious disease, reigned as the leading cause of death during this era. Seeking treatment meant entering workhouses rather than proper hospitals, where conditions were far from ideal.
The fortunate few who managed to reach a hospital were subjected to surgeries performed without anesthesia or painkillers, making the experience excruciatingly painful. The absence of modern medical advancements and the primitive state of healthcare during that time makes it difficult to imagine a more daunting scenario for those seeking medical assistance.
Kitten Parties
Victorian enthusiasts found delight in the peculiar hobby of taxidermy. A house adorned with an array of preserved animals became a source of fascination and conversation. However, for those creatures forever frozen in stillness, their presence sparked the creative imagination of their owners. In an effort to breathe life into their stuffed companions, Victorians ingeniously transformed them into characters of whimsical tea parties and make-believe scenarios.
Walter Potter, a renowned taxidermist, and artist, gained fame for his extraordinary creations, such as miniature rabbit schoolboys, kittens elegantly sipping tea, and squirrels engaging in the indulgence of smoking cigars. With a meticulous blend of real stuffed animals and meticulously crafted miniature props, these peculiar tableaus ignited the imagination and captured the public's attention, becoming a bonafide craze in Victorian society.
The Class Gap
During the pre-industrial era, the United Kingdom was divided into three distinct societal classes: the upper class, the middle class, and the working class. With the advent of the industrial revolution, the nation's wealth began to expand, triggering a consequential shift in social dynamics. As the population burgeoned, the middle class, composed of individuals engaged in successful business ventures, started accumulating wealth, bridging the gap between themselves and the upper class.
This transformation shattered the notion that prosperity was solely reserved for those born into noble lineages. Instead, the rise of entrepreneurship and economic success meant that anyone with astute business acumen could amass wealth and ascend the social ladder, redefining the criteria for financial prosperity and establishing a newfound sense of upward mobility within Victorian society.
Dim lit Dinners
In the Victorian era, a peculiar belief circulated that dining in dimly lit rooms aided the process of digestion. As a result, many families had their dining rooms constructed in the basement, conveniently close to the kitchen. This practice might help explain why English cuisine, notorious for its lack of aesthetic appeal, didn't prioritize visual presentation.
For years, the diners scarcely caught a glimpse of their food. Over time, dining rooms gradually shifted to the first floor, but according to depictions in literature and film, it was common for servants to have their meals in the basement, reflecting the social hierarchy and class divisions prevalent during that era.
The Freak Show Phenomena
Driven by a morbid curiosity for the macabre and unusual, the Victorian era also saw the rise of freak shows as a popular form of entertainment. Showmen, often referred to as "circus freaks," who possessed various physical or medical abnormalities, would travel around London and rural towns, captivating audiences nationwide.
Among them, P.T. Barnum, the iconic American showman, gained immense fame and recognition as the most successful figure of his time. Fortunately, societal attitudes have evolved, and such exploitative forms of entertainment are no longer prevalent in today's more compassionate and inclusive society.