Victorian London is associated with the time of the House of Hanover and stretched from roughly 1820 (Queen Victoria took to the throne in 1837) to 1914 (the start of World War I).
During this period, the British empire grew in strength and size. London was the largest city in the world from about 1825. Its population rose from just over 1 million in 1801 to 5.5 million by 1891.
It was the world's largest port and, linked to this, the heart of international finance and trade. Railways were built as part of the Industrial Revolution to connect London to the rest of Britain. The London Underground came into being, and major infrastructure such as new roads, tunnels and a modern sewer system were built.
London also experienced profound social change during this period. Whilst the city grew wealthy as Britain's standing on the world stage expanded, 19th century London was also a city of poverty, in which millions lived in overcrowded and unsanitary slums. Life for the poor was documented by the author Charles Dickens in novels such as as Oliver Twist and Bleak House.
This website piece provides 10 suggested places to see examples of Georgian London...
This piece from the Charles Dickens Museum (see details below) describes some interesting points you might not know about...
Learn about London's evolution as a new city in the Victorian period through the Britannica website...
This piece by The Londonist provides some fascinating photos of life in Victorian London from Charles Booth's London Poverty Maps...
This piece by The Guardian describes the Victorian London poverty maps that were produced by Charles Booth...
London in Victorian times was really quite a smelly place, as this 2-minute video clip from the BBC describes...
The Museum of London has produced a 3D virtual tour of the streets of Victorian London...
This website provides a large collection of historical facts and information about London. in Victorian times...
It's always useful to consult Wikipedia for facts and information...
Much has been written about Jack the Ripper. No one knows for sure who he really was. Take a tour, read about it, or visit the museum...
Have you heard of the BBC TV series, Ripper Street? It is set after the murders of Jack the Ripper and offers an insight into policing...
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created London's most famous detective. Take a tour, read about him, read the books or visit the museum...
Take your pick from a wide variety of walking tours looking at aspects of Victorian London, offered by the team at London Walks...
The team at London Guided Walks cover some interesting themes about Victorian London...
This website provides information about walking tours relating to the life and times of Charles Dickens..
My own walking tour of Victorian London passes through Embankment, Strand, Covent Garden, Holborn and the City...
Visit the permanent gallery about the 1850s to the 1940s at the Museum of London, as well as their various collections...
The Charles Dickens Museum is located at 48 Doughty Street, London (one of the houses where Dickens resided)...
This short article by Judith Flanders is well worth reading to picture what London's streets were like in Victorian times...
Many books about Victorian London exist.
This one by Judith Flanders is a must-read for any enthusiast...
This podcast by the team at London Guided Walks discusses the origins of the Tube...
This piece describes some of the differences between Georgian and Victorian architecture in London...