Category Archives: Victorian era

Victorian Celebrity: Ada Lovelace, Lord Byron’s Daughter, English Mathematician, and First Computer Programmer

Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace (10 December 1815 – 27 November 1852), born Augusta Ada Byron and now commonly known as Ada Lovelace, was an English mathematician and writer chiefly known for her work on Charles Babbage’s early mechanical … Continue reading

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Victorian Celebrity: Joseph Livesey, Temperance Campaigner and Social Reformer

Joseph William Livesey (5 March 1794 – 2 September 1884) was an English temperance campaigner, social reformer, local politician, writer, publisher, newspaper proprietor and philanthropist. Early Life Livesey was born on 5 March 1794 at Walton-le-Dale near Preston, Lancashire, the … Continue reading

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Victorian Happenings: The Rebecca Riots in Wales

The Rebecca Riots took place between 1839 and 1843 in South and Mid Wales. They were a series of protests undertaken by local farmers and agricultural workers in response to perceived unfair taxation. The rioters, often men dressed as women, … Continue reading

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Victorian Happenings: The Bedchamber Crisis

The Bedchamber crisis occurred in May 1839 after Whig politician Lord Melbourne had resigned as Prime Minister. Queen Victoria invited Tory politician Robert Peel to form a new government. Peel realised that such a government would hold a minority in … Continue reading

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Victorian Happenings: The Formation of the Anti-Corn Law League

The Anti-Corn Law League was in effect the resumption of the Anti-Corn Law Association, which had been created in London in 1836 but did not obtain widespread popularity. The Anti-Corn Law League was founded in Manchester in 1838. Richard Cobden … Continue reading

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Victorian Happenings: March 26, 1839 ~ The First Henley Royal Regatta Is Held

Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held annually on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage. It should not be confused … Continue reading

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Victorian England: The Stockport Viaduct, One of the Largest Brick Structures in Europe

The Stockport Viaduct is a large brick-built bridge which carries the West Coast Main Line across the valley of the River Mersey, in Stockport, Greater Manchester (grid reference SJ89089030). It is the largest brick structure in Europe and was designed … Continue reading

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Victorian England ~ The Penny Black: First Adhesive Postage Stamp

The Penny Black was the world’s first adhesive postage stamp used in a public postal system. It was issued in Britain on 1 May 1840. Unfortunately, not all post offices in the UK received official issues of the new stamps. … Continue reading

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Victorian England: Sir Rowland Hill, Reformer of the Postal System

Sir Rowland Hill KCB, FRS (3 December 1795 – 27 August 1879) was an English teacher, inventor and social reformer. He campaigned for a comprehensive reform of the postal system, based on the concept of Uniform Penny Post and his … Continue reading

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Victorian Celebrities: Thomas Henderson, First Person to Measure the Distance to Alpha Centauri

A Scottish astronomer and mathematician, Thomas James Alan Henderson (28 December 1798 – 23 November 1844) was the first person to measure the distance to Alpha Centauri, the major component of the nearest stellar system to Earth, and for being … Continue reading

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