Famous Victorians
"On this page you will find a handful of the many famous Victorians who have helped shape our world today. Many have links to other web sites with more detailed information about them. See what else you can find out or other Victorians you may want to add to this page."
|
Queen Victoria (1819-1901)
Queen Victoria reigned from 20th June 1837 to 22nd January 1901, making her the longest serving monarch in British history (closely followed by our current Queen Elizabeth II). This period over which she reigned was known as the Victorian Era. Victoria was the first monarch to make Buckingham Palace their main residence. Queen Victoria came to the throne at the young age of 18. She married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (part of Germany) in 1840 and had 9 children.
Queen Victoria's real name was Alexandrina Victoria but was known as Victoria for her reign.
Queen Victoria reigned from 20th June 1837 to 22nd January 1901, making her the longest serving monarch in British history (closely followed by our current Queen Elizabeth II). This period over which she reigned was known as the Victorian Era. Victoria was the first monarch to make Buckingham Palace their main residence. Queen Victoria came to the throne at the young age of 18. She married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (part of Germany) in 1840 and had 9 children.
Queen Victoria's real name was Alexandrina Victoria but was known as Victoria for her reign.
Florence Nightingale 1820 -1910
Known as "The Lady with the Lamp" Florence Nightingale is famous for being the founder of modern nursing during her time at Scutari ( in modern day Turkey) during the Crimean War.
The conditions for the wounded soldiers was horrendous, no clean bandages, untrained nurses, rats running through the hospital to name but a few. Following a plea from Florence, the government commissioned Isambard Kingdom Brunel (another famous Victorian who was an engineer) to build a prefabricated hospital in England that could be shipped to Crimea. This resulted in a 90% decrease in the death rate of the soldiers.
On her return to England, in 1860 she set up the Nightingale Training School at St Thomas' Hospital in London. Today there is a statue of her outside the hospital.
Without her influence and determination to change nursing conditions and training, many more lives would have been lost..
Known as "The Lady with the Lamp" Florence Nightingale is famous for being the founder of modern nursing during her time at Scutari ( in modern day Turkey) during the Crimean War.
The conditions for the wounded soldiers was horrendous, no clean bandages, untrained nurses, rats running through the hospital to name but a few. Following a plea from Florence, the government commissioned Isambard Kingdom Brunel (another famous Victorian who was an engineer) to build a prefabricated hospital in England that could be shipped to Crimea. This resulted in a 90% decrease in the death rate of the soldiers.
On her return to England, in 1860 she set up the Nightingale Training School at St Thomas' Hospital in London. Today there is a statue of her outside the hospital.
Without her influence and determination to change nursing conditions and training, many more lives would have been lost..
Charles Dickens (1812-1870)
Charles Dickens was a famous author, penning some classic books that we still read today. As part of our topic we will read A Christmas Carol. Others include Oliver Twist, Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities.
Unusually, coming from a poor family, Dickens attended school where he learned to read and write. He had to leave school when his father was sent to prison for owing money.
In 1833 he became a reporter for The Morning Chronicle newspaper and in 1836, The Pickwick Papers in were published as a serial. He started to become famous and eventually published 15 novels and a number of short stories.
After getting married and having 10 children, Dickens died in 1870. He is buried in Westminster Abbey in Poets Corner, an honour confirming his fame.
A picture of Dickens is currently on the back of £10 note.
Charles Dickens was a famous author, penning some classic books that we still read today. As part of our topic we will read A Christmas Carol. Others include Oliver Twist, Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities.
Unusually, coming from a poor family, Dickens attended school where he learned to read and write. He had to leave school when his father was sent to prison for owing money.
In 1833 he became a reporter for The Morning Chronicle newspaper and in 1836, The Pickwick Papers in were published as a serial. He started to become famous and eventually published 15 novels and a number of short stories.
After getting married and having 10 children, Dickens died in 1870. He is buried in Westminster Abbey in Poets Corner, an honour confirming his fame.
A picture of Dickens is currently on the back of £10 note.
Robert Peel (1788 - 1850)
Robert Peel is most famous for introducing the modern police force to England. This is why the policemen are often called Bobbies as Bobby is a short form of Robert. The Metropolitan Police Force was set up just before Victoria reign in 1829.
Peel was also conservative prime Minister of England twice, for a short time from December 1834 to April 1835 and then from August 1841 to June 1846.
Income tax (which we all pay to the government out of our wages) was brought in by Peel as a temporary 5 year measure. Unfortunately it is still here today!
Robert Peel is most famous for introducing the modern police force to England. This is why the policemen are often called Bobbies as Bobby is a short form of Robert. The Metropolitan Police Force was set up just before Victoria reign in 1829.
Peel was also conservative prime Minister of England twice, for a short time from December 1834 to April 1835 and then from August 1841 to June 1846.
Income tax (which we all pay to the government out of our wages) was brought in by Peel as a temporary 5 year measure. Unfortunately it is still here today!
Dr Barnardo (1845-1905)
As we learned in our book "Street Child" Thomas Barnardo started homes for street children, first in London and then further afield. Originally he studied to be a doctor of medicine with the plan to become a missionary in China. He abandoned this plan when he became aware of the number of children in need in England.
"One of his pupils, a boy called Jim Jarvis, took Barnardo on a walk of the the East End, showing him the sheer number of poor children sleeping rough. Barnardo was so moved by the sight that he decided to do something about it."
He opened his first home for boys in 1870 in Stepney Causeway and later The Girls Village Home which looked after 1500 girls in a small "village" of cottages.
The Barnardos charity is still up and running today, helping needy children, following the start made by Thomas Barnardo. You can visit their website at http://www.barnardos.org.uk/
As we learned in our book "Street Child" Thomas Barnardo started homes for street children, first in London and then further afield. Originally he studied to be a doctor of medicine with the plan to become a missionary in China. He abandoned this plan when he became aware of the number of children in need in England.
"One of his pupils, a boy called Jim Jarvis, took Barnardo on a walk of the the East End, showing him the sheer number of poor children sleeping rough. Barnardo was so moved by the sight that he decided to do something about it."
He opened his first home for boys in 1870 in Stepney Causeway and later The Girls Village Home which looked after 1500 girls in a small "village" of cottages.
The Barnardos charity is still up and running today, helping needy children, following the start made by Thomas Barnardo. You can visit their website at http://www.barnardos.org.uk/
Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
Charles Darwin was a British naturalist and geologist (scientist).
Before Darwin and his theory of evolution, most people believed that God made the world and all its creatures. Darwin challenged this way of thinking proposing that animals evolved over thousands of years and the possibility that humans had evolved from apes.
In 1859 Darwin published his most famous and arguably most important book " On the Origins of Species by Means of Natural Selection". He published a number of scientific books during his career, some giving more about the theory of the evolution of man and some on the evolution of other animals.
He died in 1882 and is buried in Westminster Abbey.
Charles Darwin was a British naturalist and geologist (scientist).
Before Darwin and his theory of evolution, most people believed that God made the world and all its creatures. Darwin challenged this way of thinking proposing that animals evolved over thousands of years and the possibility that humans had evolved from apes.
In 1859 Darwin published his most famous and arguably most important book " On the Origins of Species by Means of Natural Selection". He published a number of scientific books during his career, some giving more about the theory of the evolution of man and some on the evolution of other animals.
He died in 1882 and is buried in Westminster Abbey.
John Cadbury 1802 - 1889
John Cadbury is famous for being a chocolatier. In 1824 he opened his first retail shop in Bull Street, Birmingham, selling drinking chocolate powder which he made himself.
In 1831, Cadbury started producing drinking chocolate on a larger scale and brought a warehouse to store the powder.
John Cadbury retired in 1861 due to ill health, whereby the business was taken over by his sons, George and Richard.
They produced the first chocolate Easter Egg in 1875.
Visit the Cadburys website for lots more interesting information (and lots of pictures of chocolate!)
John Cadbury is famous for being a chocolatier. In 1824 he opened his first retail shop in Bull Street, Birmingham, selling drinking chocolate powder which he made himself.
In 1831, Cadbury started producing drinking chocolate on a larger scale and brought a warehouse to store the powder.
John Cadbury retired in 1861 due to ill health, whereby the business was taken over by his sons, George and Richard.
They produced the first chocolate Easter Egg in 1875.
Visit the Cadburys website for lots more interesting information (and lots of pictures of chocolate!)
Henry Isaac Rowntree (1837 - 1883)
In 1862 Henry Rowntree bought part of a company dealing in chocolate and cocoa. It was not from this though that the now renown Rowntrees company made its fortune. It was from pastilles and gum.
Today Rowntrees still produce fruit pastilles along with other well known varieties of sweets and chocolate such as Smarties, KitKat and Randoms.
In 1862 Henry Rowntree bought part of a company dealing in chocolate and cocoa. It was not from this though that the now renown Rowntrees company made its fortune. It was from pastilles and gum.
Today Rowntrees still produce fruit pastilles along with other well known varieties of sweets and chocolate such as Smarties, KitKat and Randoms.
Mrs Brown says:
|