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A Visitor's Guide to Victorian England
An “utterly brilliant” and deeply researched guide to the sights, smells, endless wonders, and profound changes of nineteenth century British history (Books Monthly, UK). Step into the past and experience the world of Victorian England, from clothing to cuisine, toilet arrangements to transport—and everything in between. A Visitor’s Guide to Victorian England is “a brilliant guided tour of Charles Dickens’s and other eminent Victorian Englishmen’s England, with insights into where and where not to go, what type of people you’re likely to meet, and what sights and sounds to watch out for . . . Utterly brilliant!” (Books Monthly, UK). Like going back in time, Higgs’s book shows armchair travelers how to find the best seat on an omnibus, fasten a corset, deal with unwanted insects and vermin, get in and out of a vehicle while wearing a crinoline, and avoid catching an infectious disease. Drawing on a wide range of sources, this book blends accurate historical details with compelling stories to bring alive the fascinating details of Victorian daily life. It is a must-read for seasoned social history fans, costume drama lovers, history students, and anyone with an interest in the nineteenth century.
221 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 12, 2014
281 people are currently reading
1288 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
April 16, 2020
If I was ever to find myself in Victorian England, this is the book I’d bring with me! It’s a perfect guide for all things Victorian and prepares you for a Victorian life and all that comes with it. It feels like a truly personal experience to you as the author addresses you for what you are to do, what you’d expect, what you’d wear, eat, how you would travel etc ..
I also love the snippets from literature and guides of the time, such as the thoughts of an American traveller who penned his experiences of visiting London. It was great to read personal accounts and each chapter was centred on a specific topic e.g getting around, shopping, entertainment etc..
Fantastic book if you want an account or the times and a general overview of what you’d expect from this era :)
I also love the snippets from literature and guides of the time, such as the thoughts of an American traveller who penned his experiences of visiting London. It was great to read personal accounts and each chapter was centred on a specific topic e.g getting around, shopping, entertainment etc..
Fantastic book if you want an account or the times and a general overview of what you’d expect from this era :)
March 17, 2021
⭐️ 3.75 / 5 ⭐️
For the Victorian Enthusiast's 🥂
This one was most definitely educational, and not something you read for fun 😂 (unless you're a history buff). And while I am, in fact, a history buff, the execution of this one fell a little flat. I found the information really diverting, and it answered a lot of my questions about Victorian England, but the way it was presented was lacking for me. Maybe this is a sign that I need to pick up a fiction book since my recent reads have been non-fiction...Writing that feels like heresy 😂
Yes, definitely time for a fiction read! At the very least, this was an interesting and good beginner's guide to those who are wondering what it was like living in Victorian England.
Thank you to Pen & Sword for sending me an ARC copy of this book!
Book Breakdown
Writing Quality: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Quality Research: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Enjoyment Level: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
「 Overall: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆」
For the Victorian Enthusiast's 🥂
This one was most definitely educational, and not something you read for fun 😂 (unless you're a history buff). And while I am, in fact, a history buff, the execution of this one fell a little flat. I found the information really diverting, and it answered a lot of my questions about Victorian England, but the way it was presented was lacking for me. Maybe this is a sign that I need to pick up a fiction book since my recent reads have been non-fiction...Writing that feels like heresy 😂
Yes, definitely time for a fiction read! At the very least, this was an interesting and good beginner's guide to those who are wondering what it was like living in Victorian England.
Thank you to Pen & Sword for sending me an ARC copy of this book!
Book Breakdown
Writing Quality: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Quality Research: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Enjoyment Level: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
「 Overall: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆」
August 15, 2016
A Visitor’s Guide To Victorian England
There is often a romantic view of what it would have been like to visit England while Victoria was on the throne. We often hear commentators today asking for Victorian values to be brought back in to vogue. To the modern day person England was such a beautiful, honest place to visit the home of the world’s largest empire leaders in everything they did.
Michelle Higgs has written A Visitor’s Guide to Victorian England has written an honest account of what it would have been like to visit the cities and the countryside of our ‘green and pleasant land’. If anything the view is very much it was not a very green or too pleasant land to visit.
Anyone that has walked down Oxford Street in London or Deansgate in Manchester today would know what the hustle and bustle of the busy city street is like. If they were to do the same in Victorian times people would have been shocked and amazed at the streets would be just as busy but far louder, the noise of the horses on the cobbles and oh the stench. Higg’s quotes an American visitor to Liverpool who saw ‘the most disgusting sight was seeing women and young girls employed in scraping up street manure with their naked hands, and placing it in baskets or their aprons, so common as not to be noticed by the citizens’.
Higgs goes through everything you would have needed to know to be able to survive whether in the country or in the city. For those that are looking for the romantic England (that has never existed) may be shocked at some of the descriptions and advice. Whether it was food and drink or the health hazards, like avoid the Thames or don’t drink unboiled water.
To the descriptions of clothing of all sections and that included the working classes, which some today would recognise as chavs of their day. With advice of the day on how to deal with encounters with the opposite sexes, shopping and even more important on how to get around.
This is a fantastic guide that relives what life would have been like for the visitor during the Victorian era, she has not romanticised what it was like but given an honest account. This is an excellent background for any student of Victorian England.
There is often a romantic view of what it would have been like to visit England while Victoria was on the throne. We often hear commentators today asking for Victorian values to be brought back in to vogue. To the modern day person England was such a beautiful, honest place to visit the home of the world’s largest empire leaders in everything they did.
Michelle Higgs has written A Visitor’s Guide to Victorian England has written an honest account of what it would have been like to visit the cities and the countryside of our ‘green and pleasant land’. If anything the view is very much it was not a very green or too pleasant land to visit.
Anyone that has walked down Oxford Street in London or Deansgate in Manchester today would know what the hustle and bustle of the busy city street is like. If they were to do the same in Victorian times people would have been shocked and amazed at the streets would be just as busy but far louder, the noise of the horses on the cobbles and oh the stench. Higg’s quotes an American visitor to Liverpool who saw ‘the most disgusting sight was seeing women and young girls employed in scraping up street manure with their naked hands, and placing it in baskets or their aprons, so common as not to be noticed by the citizens’.
Higgs goes through everything you would have needed to know to be able to survive whether in the country or in the city. For those that are looking for the romantic England (that has never existed) may be shocked at some of the descriptions and advice. Whether it was food and drink or the health hazards, like avoid the Thames or don’t drink unboiled water.
To the descriptions of clothing of all sections and that included the working classes, which some today would recognise as chavs of their day. With advice of the day on how to deal with encounters with the opposite sexes, shopping and even more important on how to get around.
This is a fantastic guide that relives what life would have been like for the visitor during the Victorian era, she has not romanticised what it was like but given an honest account. This is an excellent background for any student of Victorian England.
October 19, 2021
Higgs’ book is a travel guide to England—if you were able to time travel to Victorian times. Much of it is framed in the present tense, for instance, “when you go out on the street… .” It jumps tenses quite a bit and throws you out of the “I’m in Victorian England” mood. That doesn’t harm the information you get but doesn’t seem entirely right either.
Most of the information is already available to anyone who has an interest in this period, or who has read Victorian novels or seen any popular movies or popular English mini-series set in this period.
Higgs does discuss things I hadn’t really considered much before, such as mobility and travel advances due to the development of the rail system and not just the fact that travel was so much faster. Unpaid and then paid work holidays followed rail development. Hotels became more common. Ordinary people were able to travel to the beach. She does say that real hotels did not exist in London before the railway hotels. Actually, there are at least two hotels that I can think of that we’re in existence before the railway hotels and they are still in existence, Brown’s hotel favored by Stephen King and Claridge’s.
One of the most striking things to take away from the book is that travel was extremely difficult if you were a woman. Nothing was convenient—clothes, medicine, sanitation, etc.
Most of the information is already available to anyone who has an interest in this period, or who has read Victorian novels or seen any popular movies or popular English mini-series set in this period.
Higgs does discuss things I hadn’t really considered much before, such as mobility and travel advances due to the development of the rail system and not just the fact that travel was so much faster. Unpaid and then paid work holidays followed rail development. Hotels became more common. Ordinary people were able to travel to the beach. She does say that real hotels did not exist in London before the railway hotels. Actually, there are at least two hotels that I can think of that we’re in existence before the railway hotels and they are still in existence, Brown’s hotel favored by Stephen King and Claridge’s.
One of the most striking things to take away from the book is that travel was extremely difficult if you were a woman. Nothing was convenient—clothes, medicine, sanitation, etc.
April 13, 2025
Very good survey of daily life. Late Victorian mostly, as much comes from the 1870s to century's end. While my favorite subject, the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in 1851 originally, gets rather scant direct attention, the coverage of diet, etiquette, hygiene, transport, health or its lack, sex, wages, and amusements all gain satisfaction. Efficiently, but with a bit of wit, and free of tut-tutting, you plunge into the 19c.
This period of course persists today with its royal term being used in a nearly unfailingly pejorative sense. But surprising factoids abound to undermine our facile snobbery. For better or worse, for much of the Queen's reign, the age of consent was twelve. Attendance at service was likely at least in urban areas around half of possible worshippers. If an unaccompanied man, you're best cautioned to avoid sitting in any rail car near a similarly solo female, for she might blackmail you for a supposed "insult" and threaten to damage your reputation as a gentleman by calling the police, unless she's paid off handsomely. Same if in public, a girl approaches you in a park as you stroll, asking you for the time.
Lots of details arrange this in topics, and they're in turn ordered sensibly. What "curling papers" are (for ladies wouldn't ask in a shop aloud for toilet paper), what remedy for tuberculosis might supposedly be snatched from your sidewalk (eating garden snails), or the hazards of that appealingly vividly colored Bath bun to nibble (it might be tinted with arsenic) all number among advice on call for the unwary. It's a smelly age, where a ride in a jolting coach may overwhelmingly overpower you with body odor, queasiness, and being crushed by crinolines. It's a dangerous foray, for pickpockets of both sexes lurk to find easy marks who can be relieved of their valuables however secured in waistcoat, or within the voluminous folds of petticoat-burdened women. Everyone does wear a hat and umbrellas can serve as weapons against thieves.
Illustrated by period graphics, especially the lovely engravings of the tabloids (with one hideous exception of three generations at a holiday door having arrived looking ghoulish) enhance the well-written contents. Journals from Beatrix Potter and Nathaniel Hawthorne feature, but novelists you'd expect such as George Eliot, Dickens, or Gissing aren't. Instead, the handbooks which the people would've consulted take precedence. This works to the narrative's favor, for you become immersed in the first-hand thoughts of millions bustling and scurrying about.
This period of course persists today with its royal term being used in a nearly unfailingly pejorative sense. But surprising factoids abound to undermine our facile snobbery. For better or worse, for much of the Queen's reign, the age of consent was twelve. Attendance at service was likely at least in urban areas around half of possible worshippers. If an unaccompanied man, you're best cautioned to avoid sitting in any rail car near a similarly solo female, for she might blackmail you for a supposed "insult" and threaten to damage your reputation as a gentleman by calling the police, unless she's paid off handsomely. Same if in public, a girl approaches you in a park as you stroll, asking you for the time.
Lots of details arrange this in topics, and they're in turn ordered sensibly. What "curling papers" are (for ladies wouldn't ask in a shop aloud for toilet paper), what remedy for tuberculosis might supposedly be snatched from your sidewalk (eating garden snails), or the hazards of that appealingly vividly colored Bath bun to nibble (it might be tinted with arsenic) all number among advice on call for the unwary. It's a smelly age, where a ride in a jolting coach may overwhelmingly overpower you with body odor, queasiness, and being crushed by crinolines. It's a dangerous foray, for pickpockets of both sexes lurk to find easy marks who can be relieved of their valuables however secured in waistcoat, or within the voluminous folds of petticoat-burdened women. Everyone does wear a hat and umbrellas can serve as weapons against thieves.
Illustrated by period graphics, especially the lovely engravings of the tabloids (with one hideous exception of three generations at a holiday door having arrived looking ghoulish) enhance the well-written contents. Journals from Beatrix Potter and Nathaniel Hawthorne feature, but novelists you'd expect such as George Eliot, Dickens, or Gissing aren't. Instead, the handbooks which the people would've consulted take precedence. This works to the narrative's favor, for you become immersed in the first-hand thoughts of millions bustling and scurrying about.
June 28, 2021
Great book, especially if you like Victorian England like I do or just the Victorian era. It gave advice on how they dressed, how they mourned, how they gave birth and etc., Loved reading about how they lived and did things in that time period. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publishers of #AVisitorsGuidetoVictorianEngland for the opportunity to read and review with my honest opinion.
August 19, 2014
3.5
There's been quite a spate of these 'Visitor's Guides' to various periods in England's past history (including two excellent ones by Ian Mortimer on 'visiting' Medieval and Elizabethan England).
This is the first one I have read that guides you through Victorian England. It is divided up into chapters advising on such things as what to eat (and what not to eat), what to wear etc.
Some chapters I found more interesting than others but on the whole it is full of fascinating facts and is a really good background to how it must have been to live in those times. I liked the way it talked about living in the countryside as well as in the big cities.
However, there were a few things that I didn't like. On several occasions the source of a quote was given in full in the text which halted the flow. And the illustrations were so disappointing. A couple of photographs which were good but then just a series of somewhat mediocre prints that were too detailed for small pages.
Lastly there's an overuse of exclamation marks and somewhat silly remarks throughout which often give the book an almost childish feel and detracted from all the scholarship and research that has clearly gone into writing it.
There's been quite a spate of these 'Visitor's Guides' to various periods in England's past history (including two excellent ones by Ian Mortimer on 'visiting' Medieval and Elizabethan England).
This is the first one I have read that guides you through Victorian England. It is divided up into chapters advising on such things as what to eat (and what not to eat), what to wear etc.
Some chapters I found more interesting than others but on the whole it is full of fascinating facts and is a really good background to how it must have been to live in those times. I liked the way it talked about living in the countryside as well as in the big cities.
However, there were a few things that I didn't like. On several occasions the source of a quote was given in full in the text which halted the flow. And the illustrations were so disappointing. A couple of photographs which were good but then just a series of somewhat mediocre prints that were too detailed for small pages.
Lastly there's an overuse of exclamation marks and somewhat silly remarks throughout which often give the book an almost childish feel and detracted from all the scholarship and research that has clearly gone into writing it.
July 13, 2021
NOTE: I received a free preliminary, and likely unedited copy of this book from Netgalley for the purposes of providing an honest, unbiased review of the material. Thank you to all involved.
If only time machines were a real thing, I’d be packed and all set for a trip to Victorian England with this well-written and humorous travel guide at my side! Written in a manner identical to normal travel guides for contemporary settings, this has all of the information one would need to travel to Victorian England during this time, including prices, lodgings, rules for gratuity, and shopping guides with the extra flavor of what to expect during that time period that we only read about in things like Horrible Histories books. Want to know what the preferred insect powder is to combat bed bugs? Want to know how many handkerchiefs one would need to dodge the awful smells? How about how to spot the numerous types of pick-pockets and other thieves? It’s all here!
“HAVE YOU EVER IMAGINED what it would be like to visit the Victorian era? How would you find the best seat on an omnibus, deal with unwanted insects and vermin, get in and out of a vehicle while wearing a crinoline, and avoid catching an infectious disease? Michelle Higgs answers all these questions, and reveals the minutiae of Victorian daily life. Drawing on a wide range of sources, this book blends accurate historical details with compelling stories to bring the period to life. A must-read for seasoned social history fans, costume drama lovers, history students and anyone with an interest in the nineteenth century.”
This is yet another solid offering from Pen and Sword, a UK-based publisher which rarely lets me down. If you want solid history books for great value and a moderate, but not exhaustive size – they are a good choice. I think about half of my reviews since I really started blogging on here are by them, and that says a lot as to how much I like them.
I enjoyed this a lot because it takes material most already likely know about or can surmise, and dresses it up in a manner you don’t see a lot with these types of books. If you are worried about yet another dry history book, full of dates and boring asides, this isn’t it. Using things like excepts from first-hand sources of people that traveled to these places in that time period, Michelle Higgs weaves this information with top notch-wit to create something special. You’ll laugh, you’ll cringe, I bet you’ll start feeling itchy after reading certain parts of the book – but above all, you will gain an appreciation for many modern conveniences.
If only time machines were a real thing, I’d be packed and all set for a trip to Victorian England with this well-written and humorous travel guide at my side! Written in a manner identical to normal travel guides for contemporary settings, this has all of the information one would need to travel to Victorian England during this time, including prices, lodgings, rules for gratuity, and shopping guides with the extra flavor of what to expect during that time period that we only read about in things like Horrible Histories books. Want to know what the preferred insect powder is to combat bed bugs? Want to know how many handkerchiefs one would need to dodge the awful smells? How about how to spot the numerous types of pick-pockets and other thieves? It’s all here!
“HAVE YOU EVER IMAGINED what it would be like to visit the Victorian era? How would you find the best seat on an omnibus, deal with unwanted insects and vermin, get in and out of a vehicle while wearing a crinoline, and avoid catching an infectious disease? Michelle Higgs answers all these questions, and reveals the minutiae of Victorian daily life. Drawing on a wide range of sources, this book blends accurate historical details with compelling stories to bring the period to life. A must-read for seasoned social history fans, costume drama lovers, history students and anyone with an interest in the nineteenth century.”
This is yet another solid offering from Pen and Sword, a UK-based publisher which rarely lets me down. If you want solid history books for great value and a moderate, but not exhaustive size – they are a good choice. I think about half of my reviews since I really started blogging on here are by them, and that says a lot as to how much I like them.
I enjoyed this a lot because it takes material most already likely know about or can surmise, and dresses it up in a manner you don’t see a lot with these types of books. If you are worried about yet another dry history book, full of dates and boring asides, this isn’t it. Using things like excepts from first-hand sources of people that traveled to these places in that time period, Michelle Higgs weaves this information with top notch-wit to create something special. You’ll laugh, you’ll cringe, I bet you’ll start feeling itchy after reading certain parts of the book – but above all, you will gain an appreciation for many modern conveniences.
February 28, 2021
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
A Visitor's Guide to Victorian England is an interesting and layman accessible guide to the social mores, dress, dangers, and sights of Victorian England written by Michelle Higgs. Originally published in 2014, this reformat and re-release due out 28th Feb 2021 from Pen & Sword is 224 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.
I love the Victorian era in theory . I love the literature, the music, the dress, the civilized aspects. In short, I love the curated sanitised version provided in a modern BBC costume drama and would have in actual fact decried the squalid and desperately short lives of the actual reality of the time (and probably been locked up and/or beaten to death for my troubles). This interesting and fairly comprehensive guide gives a glimpse into the day-to-day lives of people who lived then, from the recollections and contemporaneous period writings.
The book is arranged in a format which will be familiar to readers of other tourist and "visitor's guides". Topics are arranged thematically: orienting oneself, accommodations, clothing, food & drink, travel, shopping, health hazards, interacting socially, entertainment, and customs & traditions. The information is relayed in plain language liberally interspersed with quotes and references to contemporaneous sources.
The text is not annotated and there are no footnotes or chapter notes included, however the author has provided a number of very useful appendices including a schedule of typical costs of daily life as well as wages and salaries during the period. There's also a cross referenced index and a succinct timeline. There are numerous illustrations and facsimile documents scattered relevantly throughout which I found illuminating. The extensive bibliography invites exploration and will provide useful avenues for further research.
Four stars. It would make a good choice for public or home library acquisition, as well as being a good resource for writers interested in background research for the period.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
A Visitor's Guide to Victorian England is an interesting and layman accessible guide to the social mores, dress, dangers, and sights of Victorian England written by Michelle Higgs. Originally published in 2014, this reformat and re-release due out 28th Feb 2021 from Pen & Sword is 224 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.
I love the Victorian era in theory . I love the literature, the music, the dress, the civilized aspects. In short, I love the curated sanitised version provided in a modern BBC costume drama and would have in actual fact decried the squalid and desperately short lives of the actual reality of the time (and probably been locked up and/or beaten to death for my troubles). This interesting and fairly comprehensive guide gives a glimpse into the day-to-day lives of people who lived then, from the recollections and contemporaneous period writings.
The book is arranged in a format which will be familiar to readers of other tourist and "visitor's guides". Topics are arranged thematically: orienting oneself, accommodations, clothing, food & drink, travel, shopping, health hazards, interacting socially, entertainment, and customs & traditions. The information is relayed in plain language liberally interspersed with quotes and references to contemporaneous sources.
The text is not annotated and there are no footnotes or chapter notes included, however the author has provided a number of very useful appendices including a schedule of typical costs of daily life as well as wages and salaries during the period. There's also a cross referenced index and a succinct timeline. There are numerous illustrations and facsimile documents scattered relevantly throughout which I found illuminating. The extensive bibliography invites exploration and will provide useful avenues for further research.
Four stars. It would make a good choice for public or home library acquisition, as well as being a good resource for writers interested in background research for the period.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
March 28, 2021
This book is an overview of various aspects of life in Victorian England. It's written as if you're going to time travel back to visit England and need advice on how to fit in. The author covered various topics like temporary lodgings (inns, hotels, etc.), men's and women's clothing, food and drink (from street vendors, inns, etc.), transportation (taking the stagecoach, railway, etc.), shopping and making up clothes, hazards to the health (from food, disease, etc.), courting customs and marriage laws, sports and entertainment (theater, horse racing, etc.), and customs around mourning the dead, going to church, different holidays, and such. At the end, she also gave a timeline of significant events and examples of costs and of wages.
There were some quotes from people who lived during that time period (especially from the late 1800s). The author also referred to information found in other books about life in Victorian England. I've read many in-depth books about the period, so not a lot of this information was new to me. This book was more of a survey of a variety of topics about the time period and would be a good introduction to the subject.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
There were some quotes from people who lived during that time period (especially from the late 1800s). The author also referred to information found in other books about life in Victorian England. I've read many in-depth books about the period, so not a lot of this information was new to me. This book was more of a survey of a variety of topics about the time period and would be a good introduction to the subject.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
March 1, 2021
3 stars
An approachable tone & a flair for fun bits of historical trivia
[What I liked:]
•Brief, conversational in tone, and easy to read.
•I appreciated the variety of primary sources drawn upon for quotes and interesting tidbits.
[What I didn’t like as much:]
•Sometimes quotes from the primary sources are quite long, with little synthesis or comment provided. In those sections the book feels like a bunch of quotes strung together without anything much linking them together or providing context.
[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]
An approachable tone & a flair for fun bits of historical trivia
[What I liked:]
•Brief, conversational in tone, and easy to read.
•I appreciated the variety of primary sources drawn upon for quotes and interesting tidbits.
[What I didn’t like as much:]
•Sometimes quotes from the primary sources are quite long, with little synthesis or comment provided. In those sections the book feels like a bunch of quotes strung together without anything much linking them together or providing context.
[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]
June 4, 2020
This was an enjoyable read! I've read a lot of books about Victorian England, and this was one of the more entertaining ones. It's quick and easy to get through, highlighting all the main things that someone from a modern age would need to know to navigate Victorian life. It's by no means an in-depth look at all the nuances of Victorian life, but if you're looking for an overview, this is the perfect book for you.
March 30, 2021
I love this series because I always learn something new and have lot of fun in reading it.
This "Visitor's Guide" is no exception as it's well written, witty, informative and highly entertaining
It's strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
This "Visitor's Guide" is no exception as it's well written, witty, informative and highly entertaining
It's strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
September 24, 2022
Loved this! Really informative and interesting to read. The writing style as if you are a visitor to Victorian England is an imaginative way of writing non-fiction.
March 12, 2021
Michelle Higgs, Visitor’s Guide to Victorian England, Pen &Sword Social, 28 February 2021
Michelle Higgs has written a guide to Victorian England that provides a colourful and accessible addition to information about that era. Links to literature depicting the period, assist the reader to do as the book asks – imagine that you are in the Victorian world. The reader is encouraged to feel drawn into both the realties and the way in which fiction addresses these in essentially romantic interpretations of the past. The clash of reality and romance is an interesting approach to a book such as this, helping readers make connections between characters with whom they already have a relationship. I would have liked to see this device used more frequently, although the non-fiction accounts are useful. In contrast there is good use of the personal touch with the reader being called ‘you’ and being invited to see the world through their own eyes.
That criticism apart, this book is informative, interesting, and at times, arresting in its provision of information about England in the Victorian world. This takes places though chapters on: Getting Your Bearings, Accommodation, Clothing, Food and Drink, Getting Around, Shopping, Health Hazards, Encounters with the Opposite Sex, Amusement and Entertainments, and Customs and Traditions. The information is bolstered by several appendices: Timeline, Currency and Coinage, Cost of Accommodation, Wages and Salaries, What You Could Buy With… and The Cost of Living. It is in these appendices that Higgs excels – they are an important addition, and I could not be more appreciative of the way in which they improve understanding of the way in which people lived. There are also some marvellous photographs that are attractive reminders of what life was like.
Early in the book the Victorians’ attention to invention is noted – cameras, telephones and bicycles. Those readers who have enjoyed Michael Portello’s train journeys, with his references to the Victorians’ contributions to knowledge and invention, this comes as no surprise. And later in the book, the role of trains is described, again familiar territory for the television audience. However, with the space to make the most use of her information and freedom to deliberate about events and lifestyles Higgs can take the reader further into the world of Victorian transport, and the variety of available accommodation. This latter topic makes awful sense of the insect powder with which a traveller should not venture into most, if not all, accommodation.
The blending of information about rich and poor; male and female; professional attitudes and behaviours and those of the tradesperson, or domestic worker makes for a richly woven narrative that is accessible, fascinating, and realistic. Higgs has made a worthy contribution to the way in which writing history can accomplished to relate to a wide range of readers. This book can be a beginning to further study through literature and the sources listed at the end of the book. There is also a fine index. However, the book is also a worthwhile standalone read which takes the reader into England’s Victorian world.
Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with this copy for review.
Michelle Higgs has written a guide to Victorian England that provides a colourful and accessible addition to information about that era. Links to literature depicting the period, assist the reader to do as the book asks – imagine that you are in the Victorian world. The reader is encouraged to feel drawn into both the realties and the way in which fiction addresses these in essentially romantic interpretations of the past. The clash of reality and romance is an interesting approach to a book such as this, helping readers make connections between characters with whom they already have a relationship. I would have liked to see this device used more frequently, although the non-fiction accounts are useful. In contrast there is good use of the personal touch with the reader being called ‘you’ and being invited to see the world through their own eyes.
That criticism apart, this book is informative, interesting, and at times, arresting in its provision of information about England in the Victorian world. This takes places though chapters on: Getting Your Bearings, Accommodation, Clothing, Food and Drink, Getting Around, Shopping, Health Hazards, Encounters with the Opposite Sex, Amusement and Entertainments, and Customs and Traditions. The information is bolstered by several appendices: Timeline, Currency and Coinage, Cost of Accommodation, Wages and Salaries, What You Could Buy With… and The Cost of Living. It is in these appendices that Higgs excels – they are an important addition, and I could not be more appreciative of the way in which they improve understanding of the way in which people lived. There are also some marvellous photographs that are attractive reminders of what life was like.
Early in the book the Victorians’ attention to invention is noted – cameras, telephones and bicycles. Those readers who have enjoyed Michael Portello’s train journeys, with his references to the Victorians’ contributions to knowledge and invention, this comes as no surprise. And later in the book, the role of trains is described, again familiar territory for the television audience. However, with the space to make the most use of her information and freedom to deliberate about events and lifestyles Higgs can take the reader further into the world of Victorian transport, and the variety of available accommodation. This latter topic makes awful sense of the insect powder with which a traveller should not venture into most, if not all, accommodation.
The blending of information about rich and poor; male and female; professional attitudes and behaviours and those of the tradesperson, or domestic worker makes for a richly woven narrative that is accessible, fascinating, and realistic. Higgs has made a worthy contribution to the way in which writing history can accomplished to relate to a wide range of readers. This book can be a beginning to further study through literature and the sources listed at the end of the book. There is also a fine index. However, the book is also a worthwhile standalone read which takes the reader into England’s Victorian world.
Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with this copy for review.
March 8, 2021
This is a well written and extremely informative short history book by Michelle Hicks published in 2014. It is a comprehensive and in-depth summary of Victorian England that covers a lot of subjects The book is also concisely written and moves fast so it is not boring to read.
The book is divided into 10 chapters, each covering one aspect of Victorian England. The 10 chapters are: (1) Getting your Bearings, (2) Accommodation, (3) Clothing, (4) Food and Drink, (5) Getting Around, (6) Shopping, (7) Health Hazards, (8) Encounters with the Opposite Sex, (9) Amusements and Entertainments and (10) Customs and Traditions. Within each chapter, Hicks divided them into multiple sections, each describing a different topic. For example, in Chapter 5 (Getting Around), Hicks has a section on the hansom cab, one on the omnibus, one on railway, etc. Since the Victorian period is very long (from 1837 when Queen Victoria ascended the throne to 1901 when she died) and it is a period of great change, Hicks also describes how things change over time within the Victorian period. For example, she would describe how a certain aspect of Victorian life would be like by 1850, then go on to say that by 1870s it has changed to something else because of an event, law, or invention. While the book is mainly text-based, it contains a number of good illustrations and period advertisings and old magazine plates.
For people who want more in depth information, Hicks provides in the end of the book some very useful appendices, including (1) a Timeline showing key events in the Victorian Era (1837 to 1901), (2) pre-decimal period English currency and coinage, (3) costs of accommodation, etc. The one I find most interesting is Appendix 6, which is a reprint of a 1901 article showing suggested budgets for four families with four very different income levels. It shows the readers how people spend money on what things at that time. Also useful is a very detailed bibliography with a lot of both old and modern books on Victorian life.
The book is divided into 10 chapters, each covering one aspect of Victorian England. The 10 chapters are: (1) Getting your Bearings, (2) Accommodation, (3) Clothing, (4) Food and Drink, (5) Getting Around, (6) Shopping, (7) Health Hazards, (8) Encounters with the Opposite Sex, (9) Amusements and Entertainments and (10) Customs and Traditions. Within each chapter, Hicks divided them into multiple sections, each describing a different topic. For example, in Chapter 5 (Getting Around), Hicks has a section on the hansom cab, one on the omnibus, one on railway, etc. Since the Victorian period is very long (from 1837 when Queen Victoria ascended the throne to 1901 when she died) and it is a period of great change, Hicks also describes how things change over time within the Victorian period. For example, she would describe how a certain aspect of Victorian life would be like by 1850, then go on to say that by 1870s it has changed to something else because of an event, law, or invention. While the book is mainly text-based, it contains a number of good illustrations and period advertisings and old magazine plates.
For people who want more in depth information, Hicks provides in the end of the book some very useful appendices, including (1) a Timeline showing key events in the Victorian Era (1837 to 1901), (2) pre-decimal period English currency and coinage, (3) costs of accommodation, etc. The one I find most interesting is Appendix 6, which is a reprint of a 1901 article showing suggested budgets for four families with four very different income levels. It shows the readers how people spend money on what things at that time. Also useful is a very detailed bibliography with a lot of both old and modern books on Victorian life.
February 26, 2021
The Victorian era is endlessly fascinating to read about. As a little girl I wanted to be whisked away to the late 1800s, little knowing about its dangers, diseases, poverty and class distinctions. This book positively sizzles with information as the author plunks us right into the thick of things when merely crossing the road is taking your life into your hands, probably akin to modern Rome. As long as people are properly attired for their station and fashion trends...with hats...they will surely be ok.
But no. Water may be crammed with bacteria. Etiquette for all circumstances must be learned including hotel stays where bugs are so thick they "fall like peas" from ceilings. Another reason for that hat. Men may share a bed with another man in accommodations. Beatrix Potter humorously likens hotel stays to having "too much Natural History" in beds! Women may die in childbirth due to a life of corsets. Feet may get soaked when inside many forms of horse-drawn transportation. Doctors are likely to kill rather than heal. But thankfully one can hold hands with his or her fiancé.
Prices are included in this well-researched book such as accommodations, food, garments, transportation and occupations. The author also describes shopping, tipping, gazers, customer service, nightsoil removal, requesting "curling papers" due to propriety, all sorts of entertainment, feasts, religion and photography.
Readers of Nonfiction should absolutely read this highly-entertaining and informative book, chock full of historical details, wit and humour. I enjoyed it thoroughly and cannot recommend it enough. Talk about memorable! I was happy to see illustrations and photographs.
My sincere thank you to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reading this fabulous ARC!
But no. Water may be crammed with bacteria. Etiquette for all circumstances must be learned including hotel stays where bugs are so thick they "fall like peas" from ceilings. Another reason for that hat. Men may share a bed with another man in accommodations. Beatrix Potter humorously likens hotel stays to having "too much Natural History" in beds! Women may die in childbirth due to a life of corsets. Feet may get soaked when inside many forms of horse-drawn transportation. Doctors are likely to kill rather than heal. But thankfully one can hold hands with his or her fiancé.
Prices are included in this well-researched book such as accommodations, food, garments, transportation and occupations. The author also describes shopping, tipping, gazers, customer service, nightsoil removal, requesting "curling papers" due to propriety, all sorts of entertainment, feasts, religion and photography.
Readers of Nonfiction should absolutely read this highly-entertaining and informative book, chock full of historical details, wit and humour. I enjoyed it thoroughly and cannot recommend it enough. Talk about memorable! I was happy to see illustrations and photographs.
My sincere thank you to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reading this fabulous ARC!
April 10, 2021
What fun! A guidebook to Victorian England! Interspersed with period diary entries and quotes, this book is written as though the 1800's is a place the reader could actually go visit anytime. This guide covers just about everything you'd need to know in order to get by in Victorian England, from fashion to health to getting a good deal on lodging. It makes you feel a little bit like a time traveller!
Some portions of the guide were broad overviews (the pros and cons of taking a stagecoach) while others were incredibly specific (directions and menu prices for a specific restaurant in London). It became rather dry, but that's sort of how guidebooks are. Most importantly, I desperately wanted pictures. This visitor felt a little lost. Some things were thoroughly discussed, but assumed the reader already knew the definitions of the words, making them hard to imagine. This was especially noticeable in the clothing department.
If there's only one thing to take away from this guide, it's that Victorians had a sketchy notion of hygiene and safety. The food sounds especially suspect. Don't think I'll be making the trip to the 19th century anytime soon! Or if I do, I'll pack my own lunch.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Some portions of the guide were broad overviews (the pros and cons of taking a stagecoach) while others were incredibly specific (directions and menu prices for a specific restaurant in London). It became rather dry, but that's sort of how guidebooks are. Most importantly, I desperately wanted pictures. This visitor felt a little lost. Some things were thoroughly discussed, but assumed the reader already knew the definitions of the words, making them hard to imagine. This was especially noticeable in the clothing department.
If there's only one thing to take away from this guide, it's that Victorians had a sketchy notion of hygiene and safety. The food sounds especially suspect. Don't think I'll be making the trip to the 19th century anytime soon! Or if I do, I'll pack my own lunch.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
March 18, 2024
I really like the way the author writes the book. It's like you have somehow gone back in time and are in Victorian times. You need to learn your way around so you look at the various guides of the time with what is basically the rules and regulations of Victorian society.
The author starts off telling you what you need right away. This includes a hat, an umbrella, lots of handkerchiefs, indigestion pills and a load of other things.
She warns about the negative things, too, such as a lot of pickpockets, dirt, contaminated food, tipping, avoiding vermin, eating out, dinner parties, health hazards, shopping, the appearance of toilet paper and the manners and rules of good society.
She also discusses entertainment, customs, traditions and even church going and morning rituals. There's an appendix with a timeline, a bibliography and websites.
One of these which I looked at and which looks really, really good is victorianweb.org.
I really like this book especially since I like British shows about that time.
The author starts off telling you what you need right away. This includes a hat, an umbrella, lots of handkerchiefs, indigestion pills and a load of other things.
She warns about the negative things, too, such as a lot of pickpockets, dirt, contaminated food, tipping, avoiding vermin, eating out, dinner parties, health hazards, shopping, the appearance of toilet paper and the manners and rules of good society.
She also discusses entertainment, customs, traditions and even church going and morning rituals. There's an appendix with a timeline, a bibliography and websites.
One of these which I looked at and which looks really, really good is victorianweb.org.
I really like this book especially since I like British shows about that time.
March 9, 2021
Fascinating book: Really is written as a visitor’s guide
I loved this book. Although this is a history book, it is written unlike any other history book I’ve ever read as it is written like an instruction manual. This is a great way to learn history. The appendices are also very useful, containing information on currency and coinage, the costs of living, and wages. There are also some great photos. There were lots of anecdotes and contemporary accounts adding to the texture of the book. The book is objective, covering the best and worst of Victorian society. I recommend this book for anyone interested in history, for time-travelers, and for members of away missions (redshirts are directed to the chapters on health hazards). Thank you to Netgalley and Pen and Sword for the advance reader copy.
I loved this book. Although this is a history book, it is written unlike any other history book I’ve ever read as it is written like an instruction manual. This is a great way to learn history. The appendices are also very useful, containing information on currency and coinage, the costs of living, and wages. There are also some great photos. There were lots of anecdotes and contemporary accounts adding to the texture of the book. The book is objective, covering the best and worst of Victorian society. I recommend this book for anyone interested in history, for time-travelers, and for members of away missions (redshirts are directed to the chapters on health hazards). Thank you to Netgalley and Pen and Sword for the advance reader copy.
April 7, 2021
I enjoyed this book and found it easy to read. It wasn’t my usual type of book (I prefer fiction) so I was worried it would be boring and difficult to get through, but once I started reading I had no problem.
I loved hearing all the history of Victorian England. This book answered a lot of questions I’ve had while reading some fiction books set in this era. If I was going to attempt writing a Victorian fiction book this would probably be helpful to refer to. I loved the part in the back that tells how much things cost, what wages were and how much their money is worth I've always wondered about that.
I think the only thing I wish was different with this book is that they have pictures of some of the things they’re talking about although I just looked them up online so.... that wasn’t even a big deal.
Thank you Netgalley for the copy of the book.
I loved hearing all the history of Victorian England. This book answered a lot of questions I’ve had while reading some fiction books set in this era. If I was going to attempt writing a Victorian fiction book this would probably be helpful to refer to. I loved the part in the back that tells how much things cost, what wages were and how much their money is worth I've always wondered about that.
I think the only thing I wish was different with this book is that they have pictures of some of the things they’re talking about although I just looked them up online so.... that wasn’t even a big deal.
Thank you Netgalley for the copy of the book.
March 10, 2021
Informative, fascinating and accessible, I really enjoyed this from cover to cover. I have read numerous books about this era but still felt I learned a lot and there was plenty to keep my interest. The topics were wide reaching and well chosen and all social classes were included in the narrative, in fact seeing the differences of how people lived in the same era was truly eye opening. It was an excellent balance of entertainment and education, which is perfect when reading a topic for pleasure but also opened up some areas of interest and whetted my appetite to now go and do further research.
I’d recommend this definitely.
I’d recommend this definitely.
March 17, 2021
The book is charmingly written like a travelers guide you d use for a holiday, drawing on quotes. newspapers and writings from the time, it provides great insight and information in more light hearted way, than the more traditional non fiction historical books. The text is divided into sections such as Traveling, Clothing and even Encounters with the Opposite Sex. A great, easily accessible book that covers a wealth of information (you even learn about the different names given to styles of mens facial hair) and answers many queries you may have about the lives of people in the period. A great addition to anyone library that has an interest in social history and this period.
Currently reading
March 8, 2021My favourite kind of history book is the kind that gives you a strong idea of what it really felt like to live in a different time. A Visitor’s Guide to Victorian England gives you lots of fascinating detail about daily life, evocative descriptions, and toe-curling facts. It’s full of quotes from primary sources. You’ll understand what it was like to really walk the streets, what food and clothing was like, and even some cues for social etiquette. It’s very readable, and especially good for readers new to the subject.
April 3, 2023
Interesting and intriguing guide to the times - it however somewhat assumes the reader is 'familiar' with what Victorian times look like via the media (like the streets, vehicles, clothing - you need a snapshot of those in your head to be able to really put the tidbits of this book into context). Still, rather informative, and I really liked the angle it took to showcase the times through correspondence and/or account receipts from the times. It's far from fictional though there is an amount of world-building to the pages as no one alive today knows the Victorian world first-hand, right?
May 10, 2018
A wonderfully entertaining read, written in the style of a travel guide, which made it very interesting to pour through. I learnt lots of new things about the Victorian era through this guide, and there were lots and lots of great sources, ranging from diaries, newspapers, books, and photographs.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone that is a fan of social history, or the Victorian era in general! I found it very useful for researching future writing projects.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone that is a fan of social history, or the Victorian era in general! I found it very useful for researching future writing projects.
March 8, 2021
This book is a historical fiction writer’s dream. Want to know how much a pair of gloves costs, or the rent on a hotel room? It’s in here. The specificity of giving information of what it was actually like to live in Victorian England is so incredibly helpful if you are trying to write a story set in that time period. By reading, you can tell it was meticulously researched and organized. I am sure I will be coming back to reference this book many times in the future.
March 28, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and Pen and Sword for granting my request for this book.
5 stars- a really informative, detailed and intriguing guide of Victorian England for visitors, it was so compelling and so interesting to know what it was like back then and how places to stay were like, to currency and much more, it was so interesting to read i loved this, if you love Victorian History or want to know more about Victorian England you must read this!
5 stars- a really informative, detailed and intriguing guide of Victorian England for visitors, it was so compelling and so interesting to know what it was like back then and how places to stay were like, to currency and much more, it was so interesting to read i loved this, if you love Victorian History or want to know more about Victorian England you must read this!
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April 15, 2021Much smellier and messier time period, but entertaining read! It's the history that history misses. I love reading about various other time periods and have always regretted not studying further social history, which was always my favorite aspect of history. This is a fun read for armchair historians and anyone else interested in how people lived in the 19th century. Nice research Ms. Higgs!
I received a Kindle arc from netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
I received a Kindle arc from netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
June 20, 2021
Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of A Visitor’s Guide to Victorian England. I love the Victorian era so I was excited to read this. Overall it was very engaging and fun. I appreciate the details that were included about all aspects of Victorian life. Now that I am educated in what type of food stalls to eat at, which shops to avoid, and to travel via locomotive, I feel that I can more clearly envision the daily life that the different characters I read about.
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