Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (notably its founder William Holman Hunt, John
Everett Millais, and D. G. Rossetti), but he was also a poet, conservationist (influenc-
ing the founders of the National Trust), and social revolutionary—campaigning for free
schools and libraries. His home,
Brantwood,
near Coniston in the Lake District
(p. 618) was visited by luminaries such as Charles Darwin.
The fairytale version of the Middle Ages by the pre-Raphaelite painters led to
Gothic Revival architecture. Gothic “Revival” is a bit misleading, as its practitioners
usually applied Gothic features at random. The best example is the
Houses of Par-
liament
in London (1835-52).
Charles Barry
designed the wonderful seat of gov-
ernment and his clock tower, usually called
Big Ben
after its biggest bell, has become
an icon.
Victoria was only 18 when she became queen in 1837, and married her cousin
Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha 3 years later. Contrary to Victoria's image as a
gloomy killjoy, she was lively and independent when young, and very much in love
with Albert. The couple was not popular, though, until Prince Albert began to win
public recognition for his work on behalf of Britain.
His most impressive triumph was the Great Exhibition of 1851 in the huge glass-
built Crystal Palace in London's
Hyde Park
(p. 94). This showcased Britain's indus-
trial and technological achievements, but exhibits from colonized countries were
invited to make it an even more important global event. The exhibition's profits
funded the construction of the
Natural History Museum
(p. 100),
Science
Museum
(p. 101), and
Victoria & Albert Museum
(p. 102) in London. Albert was
finally given a title, Prince Consort, in 1857 in recognition of his growing popularity.
Tragically, 4 years later he was dead from typhoid.
Victoria never recovered from his death and retired to their favorite family home,
Osborne House
on the Isle of Wight (p. 308), which is still full of the personal
presents they bought each other. She wore black for the rest of her life, and withdrew
from public life. Her increasing unpopularity was only reversed by her new interest
in the British Empire—particularly India.
By the beginning of the 20th century Britain had the world's largest Empire, a
booming economy, and a growing middle class.
The Edwardians (1901-10)
The end of the Victorian era coincided with the start of the 20th century. Victoria died
in 1901 and was succeeded by her son Edward VI who, now 60, had spent most of
his adult life as the leading light of London society. He married Princess Alexandra of
Denmark in 1863 but had many mistresses, notably the actress Lily Langtry. The
Edwardian era was a glittering period of modernization:
Harrods
department store
(p. 158) moved into its building in Knightsbridge in 1901, and the American-inspired
Selfridges
(p. 159) opened in Oxford Street.
Since the 1880s Art Nouveau had been gaining popularity and was the forerunner
of Art Deco, which emerged in about 1908 to crystallize the modern style of the 20th
century. London's
Victoria & Albert Museum
(p. 102) and Eltham Palace in south
London are among the best examples of Art Deco interiors in England.
Although Britain was booming, the struggle for social equality continued, not least
by the Suffragette Movement—or Women's Social and Political Union—founded by
Emmeline Pankhurst in 1903 to win the right to vote for women. By the time Edward
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