An unconventional Victorian guidebook which vividly captures the atmosphere and vitality of what was then the largest city in the world, the heart, not just of the nation, but also of a great empire. Through a series of over 700 detailed entries contained in 272 pages printed facsimile from the original 1888 edition, we build up a living portrait of Victorian London, from the fashionable gentlemen's clubs of St James's to the markets and slums of the East End. The remarks on the principal buildings, the churches and the great railway stations, the banks, theatres and sporting facilities are informative and well observed, the comments of someone who obviously knew London like the back of his hand. Equally revealing and very entertaining are the wealth of tips on social behaviour. There is essential advice on everything from the hiring of servants (a parlour maid's recommended salary was 12 per annum), the benefits of cycling (most welcome in view of the saving of cruelty to horseflesh), how to cope with milk contaminated with diphtheria and typhoid, fogs (much appreciated by the predatory classes) through to avoiding the attention of carriage thieves. This very detailed guidebook, and its companion volume "Dickens's Dictionary of the Thames" (Old House Books) were published by Charles Dickens' son at the time of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee and is a mine of information for all lovers of London and its past.
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An unconventional guide to London in 1888
Dickens's Dictionary of London 1888 captures the atmosphere and vitality of what was then the largest city in the world, the heart not just of the nation but also of a great Empire.
Dickens's Dictionary of London 1888 captures the atmosphere and vitality of what was then the largest city in the world, the heart not just of the nation but also of a great Empire.
Through a series of over 700 detailed entries contained in 272 pages printed in facsimile from the original 1888 edition, we build up a living portrait of Victorian London, from the fashionable gentlemen's clubs of St James's to the markets and slums of the East End. The remarks on the principal buildings, the churches and great railway stations, the banks, theatres and sporting facilities are informative and well observed, the comments of someone who clearly knew London like the back of his hand, but equally revealing and very entertaining are the wealth of tips on social behaviour. There is essential advice on everything from the hiring of servants (a parlour maid's recommended salary was £12 per annum), the benefits of cycling (most welcome in view of the saving of cruelty to horseflesh), how to cope with milk contaminated with diptheria and typhoid, fogs (much appreciated by the predatory classes), through to avoiding the attention of carriage thieves. First published by Charles Dickens' son in the year after Queen Victoria celebrated her Golden Jubilee, this book is a mine of information for all lovers of London and its past. A companion volume Dickens' Dictionary of The Thames 1887 provides a similar look at the entire length of the Thames (except London) in the days when it was the world's most popular tourist resort and an annual season ticket on the railway between Windsor and Paddington cost as little as £18.00.
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28 of 28 people found the following review helpful
By T. A. Gordon
This excellent little book is a mine of information to anyone eager to study the background of London in the 1880's. In a gazeteer format classic for it's time, reproduced faithfully by the publishers, the reader can scan through it's pages to find out about the great capital city's institutions, monuments, schools, hospitals, societies, clubs - even to gain a greater understanding of the Police, the charities that existed, and the new 'craze' for reasonable restaurants that would serve something different from a pork-chop and a pint of porter.
If you are a student or writer and favour this historical period, it would be an invaluable resource to you - well recommended.
If you are a student or writer and favour this historical period, it would be an invaluable resource to you - well recommended.
49 of 50 people found the following review helpful
As the title suggests this isnt a sit down chapter by chapter book. It is a gazeteer of London in 1880, listing hundreds upon hundreds of locations and cross referencing everything back to the maps of london at the fron of the book. The level of detail the authors acheived is astounding, and I recommend it to anyone who would like to cross reference places, people or groups mentioned in other period works.
24 of 26 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
WRITTEN BY CHARLES DICKENS JUNIOR 18 YRS AFTER HIS FATHERS DEATH. THIS IS A VALUABLE COLLECTION OF FACTS AND FIGURES FROM THE ERA ADDING DETAILS SUCH AS THE COST OF MEMBERSHIP TO WIMBLEDON AMONGST ITS PAGES. GREAT TO DIP IN AND OUT, PERFECT FOR RESEARCH AND A VALUABLE TOOL FOR ANY CHILD, STUDENT ETC INTERESTED IN THE PERIOD.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
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A snapshot in time
Brilliant! I am attempting to write fiction in this period - this is a God-send! also fascinating just as a glimpse of life at the time.
Published 1 month ago by Whitelight
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Dickens dictionary of London
only glimpsed at it , very informative as I am researching my family tree , so tells you of many companies which have now disappeared , only critism is the writing is very small so... Read more
Published 6 months ago by EM Holland
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Old House Books series-Dickens Dictionary
This book is a part of a thoroughly entertaining and varied re-print series of original individual books long out of print,that explores,in this instance,all areas of the Victorian... Read more
Published on 25 April 2011 by Coniferleaf
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