Gossip in the First Decade of Victoria's Reign

The next event which occupied the public attention was the Queen's Coronation, which took place on the 28th of June. It was, like the "Half Crownation" of William IV., a much pl...

Death of Scott, "the American Diver"--Prince Albert's ducking--Monster cheese--"The Boy Jones"--"Tracts for the Times," Tract XC--Earl of Cardigan flogs a soldier on Sunday--Dis...

The most important event in the beginning of this year was the inauguration of the Penny Post on Jan. 10. At the end of 1839, an uniform postage rate of 4d. per letter was tried...

In a book, professedly of Gossip, politics should be strictly kept in the background--but at this time Ireland was seething with sedition. Still I should hardly have adverted to...

Probably nearly all my readers have heard of the "Chartists," but it is equally probable that few know when the agitation commenced, and the reason for its existence. The "Chart...

Story of an Irish informer--Steam Cars--Sale of Vauxhall Gardens--First Jewish Baronet--New Railways opened--High tide--Fire at the Tower--Birth of Prince of Wales--His patent a...

The Royal "Bal Costume"--The Queen shot at by Francis and by Bean--Duke of Cambridge's star--Chartism--Income Tax--Female Chartist Association--A gipsey trial--Closing of the Fl...

Although the collapse of the Railway Mania really began in 1845, its effects were not fully felt until the commencement of this year, when 10 per cent. on Railway Capital had to...

As a sad pendant to the Civic festivities at the close of 1837 comes the destruction by fire of the Royal Exchange on the night of the 10th of January following.

King William the Fourth was as sincerely fond of his niece, Alexandrina Victoria, as he cordially detested her mother, and he earnestly hoped that she might obtain her majority,...

As the length of time between this date, and the present writing is great, and our social habits have somewhat changed, it may be interesting to some of my readers to hear a Fre...

Thames Tunnel flooded--First mention of the Nelson column--Moustaches--Sale of the King's stud--Marriage by Registrar--Commencement of New Houses of Parliament--Lunatics and the...

_Times_, 25 Ap.--"The workmen engaged some time since in taking down an old public house adjoining St. Dunstan's Church, in Fleet St., discovered in one of the cellars the ancie...

On the 1st of May, the Post Office issued the long expected postal envelope designed by W. Mulready, R.A., and the opinion of _The Times_ may be taken as the expression of most...

MARLBOROUGH STREET.--On Saturday, Samuel Evans, better known as "Young Dutch Sam," a pugilist, was brought before Mr. Conant, charged with having committed an unprovoked and vio...

The last Post Office Bellman--The "Corn Law" Act--Sir Walter Scott's monument--The Irish famine--The Duke of Wellington's statue--Gun cotton--Introduction of ether--Model dwelli...

About this time the Earl of Cardigan made himself particularly conspicuous before the public, and the commencement of it was the famous "black bottle" question, and I well remem...

Murder by Tawell--Curious story--King William IV.'s Statue--Visits by the Queen--Testimonial to Rowland Hill--Breaking the Portland Vase--Sad end of William Austin--Sale of Van...

At this time, Gretna Green marriages were in full blast (they were only made unlawful in 1856), and we learn from the _Carlisle Journal_, copied into the _Times_ of 20 Feb., som...

Foundation of Royal Exchange laid--Medal connected therewith--Father Mathew's miracle--Christening of the Prince of Wales--King Edward VII.--Hard work of the King of Prussia--Th...

The Queen's Costume Ball--Copper Coinage of William IV.--New Oxford Street opened--Sale of Napoleon's relics--Story of Nelson's coat--Visit of King of the Netherlands--Railway s...

The year opened badly, with the assassination of Edward Drummond, Esqre., the private secretary of Sir Robert Peel. Walking quietly down Parliament Street, he was suddenly fired...

Medals for Army and Navy--Grenville library--Day of fasting--"Binding of Satan"--Suspension of transportation--New House of Lords--Jenny Lind--_Bunn v. Lind_--"Jenny Linden"--De...

The Earl of Eglinton had a "bee in his bonnet," which was none other than reviving the tournaments of the Age of Chivalry, with real armour, horses and properties; and he inocul...

The _Times_ of 19 Jan. copies the following from the _Worcester Chronicle_: "A CHILD FOR SALE.--The following extraordinary letter was received, a short time ago, by a gentleman...

Exhibition of cartoons--A duel--A monster--Gambling--The "Albert Hat"--Nelson's statue--Fun thereon--Soldiers' savings banks--A post boy and Lord Mayor's show--M. Jullien and hi...

From the earliest ages of Christianity _pseudo-Christoi_, or false Christs, existed. Simon Magus, Dositheus, and the famous Barcochab were among the first of them, and they were...

This year Chartism was rampant and very militant. On 1 April there were riots at Devizes, on 3 May, seven men were arrested at Manchester for drilling, and, on the 25th of that...

The accompanying illustration from _Punch_ (18 Oct.) justly holds up to ridicule the Railway Mania, which might then be said to have been at its height. It is called "THE MARCH...

1847 Medals for the Army and Navy--Grenville 307 Library--Day of Fasting--"Binding of Satan"--Suspension of Transportation--New House of Lords--Jenny Lind--_Bunn v. Lind_--"Jenn...

"A return of the number of Newspaper Stamps issued to the several Newspapers in London, from 1 Ap. to 29 June, 1839, inclusive; specifying each Newspaper by name, and the number...

1841 Death of Scott, "the American Diver"--Prince 152 Albert's Ducking--Monster Cheese--"The Boy Jones"--"Tracts for the Times"--Tract XC.--Earl of Cardigan flogs a Soldier on S...

1845 Murder by Tawell--Curious Story--Statue of King 256 William IV.--Visits by the Queen--Testimonial to Rowland Hill--Breaking the Portland Vase--Sad End of William Austin--Sa...

1842 Foundation of Royal Exchange laid--Medal connected 177 therewith--Father Mathew's Miracle--Christening of the Prince of Wales--King Edward VII.--Hard Work of the King of Pr...

The Queen's Costume Ball--Copper Coinage of 267 William IV.--New Oxford Street opened--Sale of Napoleon Relics--Story of Nelson's Coat--Visit of the King of the Netherlands--Rai...

The Last Post Office Bell-man--The "Corn Law" 296 Act--Sir Walter Scott's Monument--The Irish Famine--The Duke of Wellington's Statue--Gun Cotton--Introduction of Ether--Model D...

Story of an Irish Informer--Steam Cars--Sale of 165 Vauxhall Gardens--First Jewish Baronet--New Railway opened--High Tide--Fire at the Tower--Birth of Prince of Wales: His Paten...

The Royal "Bal Costume"--The Queen shot at by 187 Francis and by Bean--Duke of Cambridge's Star--Chartism--Income Tax--Female Chartist Association--A Gipsy Trial--Closing of the...

Thames Tunnel Flooded--First Mention of the Nelson 12 Column--Sale of the King's Stud--Marriage by Registrar--Commencement of New Houses of Parliament--Lunatics and the Queen--T...

Exhibition of Cartoons--A Duel--Gambling--The 220 "Albert Hat"--Nelson's Statue: Fun thereon--Soldier's Savings Banks--A Post Boy and Lord Mayor's Show--M. Jullien and his Orche...

1846 Collapse of the Railway Mania--Sheriffs' 284 Officers--Hudson, the Railway King--First "Ethiopian Serenaders"--The Nigger Minstrel Craze--Commencement of Irish Famine--"The...

1839 Death of Lord Norbury--Birth of 77 Photography--Experimental Street Pavements--Forecast of the Queen's Marriage--Sad Story of Lady Flora Hastings--Story of a Climbing Boy--...