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VictorianLondon

@victorianlondon.bsky.social

2.7K followers 270 following 1.3K posts

Lee Jackson, Victorianist, historian, author of 'Dirty Old London' (Yale, 2014), 'Palaces of Pleasure' (Yale, 2019), 'Dickensland' (Yale, 2023)

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VictorianLondon @victorianlondon.bsky.social · 41m

cold winter? frozen pipes? have you consider dung?

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Sardonicus @sardonicus.eu · 1h

The Ferry - wood engraving by George Mackley, 1951

several boats, a boat house and a large impressive house higher up on the land

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VictorianLondon @victorianlondon.bsky.social · 15h

ah, interesting!

VictorianLondon @victorianlondon.bsky.social · 22h

A letter from a pauper, 1828. The authorities said that she was a troublemaker and they had no other complaints.

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VictorianLondon @victorianlondon.bsky.social · 1d

an instance of workhouse kindness in 1814 and what is surely something like - mystifying to them - a case of depression? (my retrospective amateur psychological diagnoses are, of course, not to be trusted)

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Sardonicus @sardonicus.eu · 1d

Letter from the advertising department at The Lady magazine, 1977

Our Ref: Sit/QC
22nd March 1977
Mrs A. Miconi,
Flat 17, Lyncourt, The Orchard,
Blackheath,
London SE3
Dear Madam,
We thank you for your letter and payment of £3.80, received on 21st March.
Before proceeding, we must whether you would agree to a slight wording amenament of the wording in order that the advertising conforms to our normal style. The words "Socialist feninist" we would prefer to read "Friendly, motherly," thereby allowing the wording to conform.
We now look forward to your further instructions, whilst advising you that our next issue is 7th April for which we close for press upon receipt of the first post Tuesday 29th March.

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VictorianLondon @victorianlondon.bsky.social · 1d

my typo of the day,
"borrowing a friend’s child to pose as a needy single moth."

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This Is My Glasgow @thisismyglasgow.bsky.social · 1d

Some rather beautiful Art Deco enamelling from the foyer of the Scottish Legal Life Assurance Society building on Bothwell Street in Glasgow.

#glasgow #enamelling
#colours #design #architecture #glasgowbuildings #glasgowarchitecture #interiorsdesign #artdeco #architecturephotography #enamel

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VictorianLondon @victorianlondon.bsky.social · 21d

ladies from The Man of Pleasure's Illustrated Pocket Book, 1850

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VictorianLondon @victorianlondon.bsky.social · 1d

essence of 1980s

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Jasin Fayble @jasinfayble.bsky.social · 2d

#goodmorning!

Fuzzy medium length brown and white fur cat laying on his back with his front paws tucked around his chest.

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VictorianLondon @victorianlondon.bsky.social · 2d

enjoying the intense competition between Tom Daley's and Charlotte Church's cleavage on The Traitors

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Dr Lindsey Fitzharris @drlindseyfitz.bsky.social · 3d

Funeral Invitation, 1688.

Funeral invitations first appeared in the 17th century, and acted as an admission ticket to both the church and the funeral feast. Pallbearers were often assigned a number on the ticket to signify their position in carrying the coffin.

A funeral invitation from April, 1688. It has an ornate black border with various memento mori iconography around it - like skeletons, winged hourglasses, and scythes.

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C20 Society @c20society.bsky.social · 3d

Happy 60th Birthday to the BT Tower!

Built 1961-65 to the designs of Eric Bedford, Chief Architect at the Ministry of Public Works, the 582ft telecommunications tower is one of Britain's most distinctive post-war buildings and after being sold in 2024, is set to be converted to a destination hotel.

BT Tower, Fitzrovia, London - Eric Bedford, Chief Architect at the Ministry of Public Buildings, 1961-65
Image credit: James Burbs (@londonfromtherooftops)

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New-Cleckit Dominie @ncdominie.bsky.social · 7d

My dad has turned up this photo from a visit "many years ago" to the Forth Bridge. I think it's taken from what he calls the howff, just below track level, used by the maintenance workers.

I guess when you're engaged in a proverbially endless task, you need a wee cup of tea once in a while.

Black and white photo showing a kettle on the sill of a very dirty window. Immediately outside the window is the very recognisable steelwork of the Forth Bridge.

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Richard Fallon @richardfallon.bsky.social · 3d

A literary Iguanodon at the Earth Sciences Library. Do any other libraries have dinosaurs or other antediluvian creatures carved into the furniture?

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Postcard From The Past @pastpostcard.bsky.social · 3d

We have just come down from the top of the post office tower. It was very exciting being 499 feet up. The cars and buildings looked like dinky toys.

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NW London Time Machine @timenw.bsky.social · 3d

Final reminder that I will be presenting a talk about Hendon Aerodrome for the Pinner Local History Society tomorrow at 8pm.

More details here www.pinnerlhs.org.uk/forthcoming-...

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Alison Young @youngalison.bsky.social · 4d

Great ‘Spotlight on MUSIC HALL’ exhibition @thelondonarchives.bsky.social - small but perfectly formed!

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VictorianLondon @victorianlondon.bsky.social · 4d

lot of interest in this case the other day (1829) ... turns out there was a pamphlet archive.org/details/auth... warning, describes how they performed a post mortem to check on 'James's' sex. The publisher? J.S.Thomas, soon to become the first superintendent of the new Met police in Covent Garden.