Welcome to the Victorian Underground Project

As the weather began to heat up here in little England and then disappeared in style, the Fellowship began to talk about the approaching summer. We then remembered that we have a vast archive of beachside images to share with you.

Photograph #2, #4, #6, #8 and #10 are of a fascinating demographic of Victorians who had zero income and, to avoid workhouses and homelessness, went to live on the beach. The homes were built using sand, driftwood and whatever else got washed up on the beach.

Photograph #1 is of an anonymous man who has caught his supper and is defending it until he can figure out how to get it home. This was a common scene in the 18th century. Usually, after trying to work out the logistics for a couple of days, they would ask the local man with a donkey to assist them. In return they would receive several portions for their assistance and a carrot for the donkey.

Photograph #3 is a sand sculpture of an unkown person with a tiny penis, standing next to his creator Gilbert Wood. Photograph #9 is apparently of a man who had somehow eaten an octopus whole and then spent the rest of his life continuously walking around the southwest coast munching on molluscs and worms. When people tried to ask him what he was doing, he just made noises which reportedly sounded like an elephant dying.

We hope you enjoy these images and we will be back shortly.

TVUP