London 1900: The Imperial Metropolis

by Jonathan Schneer

London in 1900 was the greatest city on earth―the capital of an empire on which the sun never set. This book is the first to examine this powerful and influential city at the turn of the century and to investigate its relationship with Britain’s far-flung empire.

Jonathan Schneer focuses on the diverse, contentious, contradictory personalities of London and its inhabitants, showing the many ways that the empire impinged on them. He describes how a range of citizens―from architects to zoologists, from financiers to striking dockers―helped to define and shape the imperial metropolis. He also shows how the city was influenced by people other than native-born male Anglo-Saxons. Schneer traces the attempts of some of these overlooked peoples to delineate its four extraordinary women―two political hostesses, a journalist, and an explorer-ethnologist―as well as anti-imperialist Irish, South Asians, West Indians, and Africans living in London at this time. In a concluding chapter, Schneer examines the general election of 1900 in London, in which the ruling Conservative government successfully defended its imperialist policies. The people of London, says Schneer, made their city and continually remade and reshaped it―as they continue to do today.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, European History, London, Historical, British Literature, Read For School

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Dr. Jonathan Schneer, who received his BA from McGill University in 1971 and his PhD from Columbia University in 1978, is the modern British historian at Georgia Tech in the School of History, Technology, and Society.

Reviews

[Janice Liedl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This unfolds London at the turn of the last century as a complex city containing multiple identities. Schneer does a fabulous job of linking London to the wider British empire in ways that make the reader think about the interconnectedness of society, economy and politics, not just for the 1900 period he so richly evokes, but also for their own time. I also appreciated the chapters that delved into some of the aspects of London that don't get much play in mainstream stories - minorities and women, in particular, who experience the metropolis in very different ways. Ending the volume with a discussion of the Khaki Election that built on burning international and imperial issues of the day helps to cement the union between London's local politics and the broader world of Britain which is transforming the city at the time.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

London 1900: The Imperial Metropolis is an informative and well-researched look at a city at the height of its global influence. The book captures the energy, ambition, and contradictions of turn-of-the-century London, weaving together political, cultural, and social threads into a vivid portrait of the metropolis at its peak.

While it is a dense and detail-rich work, it offers readers a chance to step into the atmosphere of a pivotal moment in history. Those with an interest in the British Empire or the cultural landscape of London at the dawn of the twentieth century will find much to reflect on here.

[Gwilym Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as I'd hoped...

[Fraser Sherman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This focuses specifically on London's role as capital of the British Empire: the docks where the loot of empire was unloaded, the financial district where the looting was often organized, and the widespread assumption that the British Empire was, overall, a net gain for the world. Balanced against this, Schneer gives us a look at critics of Empire, including radical women reformers and Indian, African and Irish independence activists. It's a narrow picture—if you want an overall look at London, this isn't the book—but well executed within its range.

[Kaley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting and valuable read. It's important to keep in mind that Schneer is very determined to make everything fit his imperial narrative, though - not that he'll let you forget it!

[Jbondandrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such pervasive racism! It is sad to think even the Irish were so much the same and that most people wanted to still be apart of the Empire rather than independence.