11 Fascinating Facts about the Victorians

Health professionals in the Victorian era were constantly innovating and suggesting new and interesting ways to fight illnesses. In 1875 one recommendation was to cover oneself in sheets of newspaper, providing a warm and comfortable night’s sleep while reducing the onset of pneumonia.

1)  Read All About It 

The Victorian period was a time of discovery, rebellion and exploration for those who lived through it. It was also a prosperous time for Sudeley, which saw many improvements under the watchful eye of owner, Emma Dent. As we prepare to host our annual Victorian May Day celebrations, read on find out 11 interesting things you probably didn’t know about the era.




2) An Everyday Poison 

Toxic arsenic was widely consumed by Victorians. Women believed it had qualities which made skin appear younger, and so it was a major ingredient in many cosmetics – whereas men would consume arsenic pills as a way of stimulating their libido. Unsurprisingly, these products caused extreme sickness and lead to many fatalities before people understood the true power of the substance.




3)  Curious Collections 

Many Victorians would specialise in collecting objects, from zoological and botanical to geological and archaeological. People devoted cabinets and spaces for their prized collections, which would often take up entire rooms in their home. During the era many towns and villages had a curiosity shop which sold an array of weird and wonderful objects to avid collectors.



4) Widow of Windsor

It’s well documented that when Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, died in 1861, she went into mourning and wore black until her death 40 years later. During this time she secluded herself from the rest of the world and was rarely seen in public, earning herself the name of the ‘Widow of Windsor’. But did you know, Victoria disliked black funerals and at her own funeral in 1901, ensured the streets of London were decorated in purple and white.

5)  Walk Like an Egyptian 

In the Victorian era, people were fascinated by ancient Egypt. Many historians believe this was down to the parallels that could be drawn from their relationships with death. In fact, Egyptian influences can be found in women’s mourning jewellery from the era. This obsession led to an unusual phenomenon whereby experts would unwrap mummies for an auditorium of curious men and women.

6)  The Penny Black 

The Victorian era has often been described by historians as the ‘Golden Years’ as it was a hugely important time for innovation. One of these innovations was the concept of the postage stamp, which first became available for purchase on 1 May 1840. The first stamps, The Penny Black and the Two Pence Blue, included the image of a young Queen Victoria, and to this day, the UK is the only country which uses the reigning monarch’s head for national identification rather than the country’s name.




7) Sprechen sie Deutsch? 

The British royal family is German in origin – in fact Queen Victoria’s mother, Victoria of Saxe-Coburg, was a German princess. The Queen was brought up by her German governess, Baroness Louise Lehzen, from Hanover, and as such, Victoria spoke only German until she was three years old. Even as an adult, German was spoken in Buckingham Palace and at all private occasions, with many of Victoria’s courtiers, including her husband, Prince Albert, being German.


8)  50 Shades Of Black

As well as mourning loved ones, there was another, more practical reason, why so many Victorians wore a lot of black – it was all down to pollution. Industry was booming in the Victorian era, and as such pollution was rife – particularly in the cities – meaning that women who wore light colours would find their dresses turn shades of grey, and so opted for darker clothing.



9)  Look Into My Eyes 

Victorians were big advocates of spiritualism and believed in the afterlife. Public events involving hypnosis, séances and fortune telling were popular occasions during the era, and it was big money for the people performing these acts. However, unsurprisingly many of these professionals were simply good actors maximising on peoples gullibility.




10)  Hostess With The Mostess 

If a lady was at home in the day she was expected to be properly dressed and prepared for visitors between the hours of 3pm and 5pm. The time visitors could arrive was dependent on how familiar an acquaintance they were, with closer friends and family permitted to visit later in the day. It would have been seen as poor taste for anyone to arrive earlier than 3pm.

11) Say My Name

Queen Victoria wasn’t actually called Victoria – she was in fact named Alexandrina after her godfather, Tsar Alexander I of Russia. Victoria was a middle name which she shared with her mother. However, until her coronation in 1838 she was known as Drina and many of the public at the time were never certain of her official name.





Article by Holly Jones ~ Castle & Gardens
April 26, 2017

The Subtlety of Poisons (Arsenic)

The Subtlety of Poisons.

 

--At a recent discussion before the Society of Arts, in London, on the detection of arsenical poisoning, Dr. Letheby traced the progress of toxicological research from the trial of Donald, in 1815, up to the present time. A little while before that period, ten grains of arsenic were required to make a metallic test satisfactory in a court of law. Afterwards, Dr. Black improved the process till he could detect the poison if he had one grain to operate upon. It was then thought a marvel of toxicological skill when Dr. Christison said he only required the 16th of a grain; but now we can trace the presence of the 250,000,000th of a grain of arsenic! It is to be feared that the detection of this particular poison has reached an almost dangerous degree of delicacy, and extreme caution is necessary in examination for its criminal administration. We live surrounded by means of unconsciously absorbing traces of arsenic; we breathe arsenical dust from the green wall papers of our rooms; the confectioners supply it wholesale in their cake ornaments and sweetmeats; the very drugs prescribed for our relief are tainted with arsenic; nay, more, even our vegetable food, as Professor Davy has lately pointed out, may be contaminated with arsenic; and there is probably no drinking water containing iron without a trace of arsenic as well. The poison may thus be stored up in the system till, in the course of years, the amount becomes appreciable.

Source:  Richmond Daily Dispatch, November 2, 1860

A Young Lady Shot by Her Lover

Tragic affair in Boston.
a young lady shot by her Lover.

A tragic affair occurred in Boston on Tuesday, the chief actor being Jos. G. Hernandez, recently of Savannah, Ga., but for some time a storekeeper in Boston, and the victim was Miss Fanny May, a young lady of seventeen, whom he had met by appointment at a shoe store in Hanover street. The Herald says:

Miss May was the first to arrive at the store, and she was sitting at a desk in the rear part of the store, looking over some papers and doing some figuring. Hernandez entered the store and was observed by one of the parties in the store to be talking with Miss May, and the next thing that was noticed was the report of a pistol, and Miss May was heard to scream and then to stagger back and fall to the floor. After regarding her for a moment, Hernandez started to leave, but after taking a few steps he took a paper from his vest pocket, and swallowing the contents, threw the paper into the stove. He then again cocked his pistol, which he had all along held in his hand, and placing the muzzle to his left side, just under the breast, he fired and fell. At this time the young man in the store had in a measure recovered from the fright and agitation into which the shocking tragedy had thrown him, and he called lustily for assistance, which was soon at hand.

The scene in the store at the time was most tragic. The attendant was imploring assistance with horrified eagerness, while on the floor, weltering in their blood, lay the bodies of the apparently murdered woman and her murderer. Miss May was lifted into a chair, and it soon appeared that her hurts were not so serious as were feared. The ball had struck on her forehead, and, glancing off, had made but a flesh wound, from which she will recover. She was taken to the home of her relatives in a carriage. 

Mr. Hernandez, when raised, was bleeding very freely, and was taken to his residence at No. 32 Leverett street, where the doctors expect he will soon breathe his last. The wound made by the pistol ball is in the lower part of the abdomen, on the left side, and it is not believed that this alone will prove fatal. The physicians fear, however, that the poison may have a fatal effect.

It has been ascertained that he took a dose of poison, and that the drug was arsenic.--After taking a small quantity, he threw the remainder, with the paper, into the stove. A portion of this has been saved. Mr. Hernandez states himself that he took the arsenic, and that he purchased it in Fall River. It appears that four shots were fired, the first of which was directed to Miss May. He fired two across the room in rather a promiscuous manner, and the fourth he discharged with suicidal intentions.

Miss May is a second cousin of the wife of Mr. Hernandez, and for some years past has been befriended by her, and it was by her instigation that Fanny was employed by her husband to aid and assist him in his business. For the term of two years past, Mrs. Hernandez states that she has been well aware of an improper intimacy existing between Miss May and her husband, and though as a wife she has felt justly indignant and hurt at this state of facts, still she contented herself with earnestly remonstrating with her husband, and discharging Fanny from his employ, which discharge she paid no heed to, nor did Mr. Hernandez insist on the discharge. Thus matters have continued along until very recently, when Miss Fanny received the addresses of a young man in Lawrence, and became desirous of breaking her connection with her former employer, after having, as Mrs. Hernandez says, been the means of almost ruining him in a financial point of view.

The result of all this has been the terrible attempt at life which we have already detailed. Its cause is most immediately explained in his own language just before the attempted commission of the dreadful tragedy. It is stated in the following:

Dear Wife:

--Forgive me for what I do.--Live for your children. I have been as man and wife for two years with Fanny May. She has been the cause of this. If Mr. Hall had not interfered this would not have happened. May God bless you, my poor children. I cannot live long. I have been ruined in business by Fanny May. You will find some friends left when I am gone. You need not be ashamed of what I have done. Those who have ruined me will have to go with me. 

Friend Slater, see me decently buried. I am not afraid to meet my God. Keep me as long as possible, and bury May and I.

Good bye,

Joseph.

Boston,Oct. 30th, 1860.

He was a middle-aged man, of a dark complexion, and was well known on Hanover st., as a dealer in fancy goods, and an active man. He had just concluded a purchase of a bill of goods, at a fancy goods house a few doors above the scene of the tragedy, and we do not learn that at this time he showed any signs of excitement or insanity, or that he appeared any other way than in his usual manner.

Source:  Richmond Daily Dispatch, November 2, 1860