What was wrong with the Victorians?

The Victorians, especially poor ones, were at high risk of catching some nasty diseases. Most of the common killers – measles, scarlet fever, smallpox and typhus – had blighted Britain for centuries.

What are 3 characteristics of the Victorian age in Britain?

It had a stable government, a growing state, and an expanding franchise. It also controlled a large empire, and it was wealthy, in part because of its degree of industrialization and its imperial holdings and in spite of the fact that three-fourths or more of its population was working-class.

Why was the Victorian era so creepy?

The Victorians were a little bit obsessed with death. Sounds messed up, but it makes sense when you consider the smorgasbord of diseases that stalked Victorians—measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria, rubella, typhus, and cholera. That gave rise to the seriously creepy trend of death photography.

What issues faced people living in Victorian England?

This lead to major problems with overcrowding and poverty. Disease and early death were common for both rich and poor people. Victorian children did not have as many toys and clothes as children do today and many of them were homemade.

Why were Victorian houses toxic?

The Times estimated that Victorian British homes contained 100 square miles of arsenic-rich wallpaper. Brightly coloured Victorian children’s toys were commonly painted with lead paint. Lead attacks the nervous system: even mild lead poisoning can cause encephalopathy and damage a child’s development.

Are any Victorians still alive?

On Friday, the last Victorian in Britain died. Ethel Lang was 114 and the last person left in Britain born in the reign of Queen Victoria. She was born in Barnsley in 1900 when Victoria was old and sickly.

What were the key themes or concerns of Victorian literature?

Victorian Literature Characteristics

• Serialization. It can be daunting to pick up a Victorian novel.
• Industrialization. Okay, so “industrialization” might sound more like economic development than literary history.
• Class.
• Science vs.
• Progress.
• Nostalgia.
• The Woman Question.
• Utilitarianism.

What were the punishments in Victorian schools?

Boys were usually caned on their backsides and girls were either beaten on their bare legs or across their hands. A pupil could receive a caning for a whole range of different reasons, including: rudeness, leaving a room without permission, laziness, not telling the truth and playing truant (missing school).

What were the most common crimes in the Victorian era?

Just as disease spread unseen, so the gaslit streets of Victorian cities hid their own dark truths. Crime was commonplace, from pickpocketing (as practised by Fagin’s boys in Oliver Twist) and house-breaking to violent affray and calculated murder. Vice was easily available from child prostitution to opium dens.

What was the Poor Law in the Victorian era?

The new Poor Law ensured that the poor were housed in workhouses, clothed and fed. Children who entered the workhouse would receive some schooling. In return for this care, all workhouse paupers would have to work for several hours each day.

What food did they eat in Victorian times?

Many Victorian meals were served at home as a family, prepared by cooks and servants who had studied French and Italian cookbooks. Middle and upper class breakfasts typically consisted of porridge, eggs, fish and bacon. They were eaten together as a family. Sunday lunches included meat, potatoes, vegetables and gravy.