alternative history
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The Bromley Society of Animal Lovers Collection #1
We have already shared images of the Victorians’ insatiable obsession with animals. However, none were so passionate as The Bromley Society of Animal Lovers. The society was founded in 1868 by the naruralist Kenneth Crabtree and survived until World War One. These images are only a handful of the ones we have in our archives.…
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The Importance of Cards During the Victorian Era Collection #3
Today we bring you another assortment of Victorian cards. These were submitted by the great grandson of a “white witch” called Godfrey Martin. Mr Martin told us that while they look like tarot cards, they are in fact ritual worship cards used by his grandmother and acquaintances. They were apparently used for taking control of…
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Victorian Hoax Photography Collection #2 (Ghost Edition)
Today we are sharing more Victorian hoax photography, except today the theme is ghosts. As with last time, photograph #1 is the best example of a ghost hoax we have in our archives. You can use it as a yardstick for how utterly terrible the other attempts are. We particularly like photograph #3; you can…
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Victorian Hoax Photography Collection #1 (Yeti Edition)
Hoax photography was once a lucrative industry. Most of us are familiar with the ‘fairies at the bottom of the garden’ photographs. To a modern audience they look ridiculous, but to many Victorians they were evidence of paranormal activity. So today we bring to you some hoax photography of the mythical yeti and take a…
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The Victorian Slop House Collection #2
Today we visit another slop house of yore called the Besel Blit. This establishment was a traditional slop house with all the trimmings. The menu had one course and two options: wet slop (photograph #3) or dry slop (photograph #4). People would often flip a coin with friends. Heads a friend would have to pay…
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The Rebel Artists Collection #3
The way we view Victorian England is often through a rose tinted lens of pomp and patriotism. While there’s a lot to enjoy through that lens, it’s also important that we look at the flip side of the era and give oxygen to the many Victorian rebels. To mark the King’s coronation we present to…
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Victorian Fancy Dress Collection #1
With the coronation weekend upon us, we thought it was the perfect time to look at some Victorian fancy dress costumes. These images were taken on Halloween night in 1877. No background stories today. Have a pompous weekend everyone. TVUP
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Chinatown in Victorian England Collection #1
England has traded with many countries over the years, both near and far. One of the most iconic is perhaps China which has set up shop in many parts of England using the ports to bring quality goods and produce. The photographs in this collection were taken in Liverpool’s Chinatown around the 1890s. While they…
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The Strange World of Victorian Taxidermy Collection #1
Today we bring to you the first collection of Victorian taxidermy which was kindly photographed and sent to us by a collector. Taxidermy was accessible to anyone who could find an unwilling subject. Oftentimes poorer Victorians would hunt or steal animals and then turn them into strange objects. They would then be sold or kept…
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The Siblings of Saint Rupert Collection #2
A few people have contacted us since we published our first Siblings collection, asking us for more images of this obscure secret society/ cult. We are only too happy to oblige. The Siblings are a fascinating Victorian subject and we just and so happen to have reams of photographs at our disposal. Today we are…
Welcome to the Victorian Underground Project 