Fun Victorian factoids to delight and impress!

  

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As clocks and other timepieces were expensive, working class folk who could not afford to rise with the sun could employ a “knocker-upper” to tap on their windowpane at a scheduled time. Knocker-uppers would work through the night and into the early morning.

  

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— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. —

— graphics by lady ❤ —

While morning washes were the norm (particularly in the middle and upper classes), body odour was still a concern. Women could use detachable pads of fabric in the armpits of their dresses to absorb the worst of it—and save their dress from ruin!

Talc, ammonia, and vinegar could also be used on parts of the body prone to smelling.

  

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— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. —

— graphics by lady ❤ —

Night soil men were employed to go house to house carting away human poop in the dead of night! They would load it on all onto large carts and drag it through the streets. They were government employees, so even the poorest areas had the services, even if they couldn't always keep up.

For wizards I'd guess someone goes through poorer areas and vanishes the poop from a bucket at the back door.

  

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MJ is as talented as she is a cutie!

During the Victorian era, knitting became a staple of a well-bred woman. Queen Victoria is even reported to have been a fan of knitting herself. It was during this time that knitting wasn’t just restricted to plain yarn fabrics, but changed to involve bead and lace knitting.

- https://brownsheep.com/a-quick-history-l...-knitting/

  

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ANOTHER amazing signature from Bee <3

The first documented prank phone call was in 1884. And was done to undertakers.

  

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magical set by mj!

An infamous and secretive eighteenth-century duelling club, which called itself The Silver Spears, was reputed to admit only those who owned aspen wands. ...Aspen wand owners are generally strong-minded and determined, more likely than most to be attracted by quests and new orders; this is a wand for revolutionaries. -- wand woods, by J.K. Rowling

  

In the 19th century, almost 200 doctors in Britain alone were accused of homicide, many using poison to kill their victims. Unlike your average Joe, they could acquire large quantities of various poisons without arousing suspicion.

  

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— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. —

— graphics by lady ❤ —

A combo of Did you know's I discovered when looking up a thing for a thread! The Thermos!
"While we generally use them to keep our drinks hot, vacuum flasks were invented by James Dewar in 1892 to keep things very cold."
"Dewar was interested in cryogenics, the science of extreme cold and in 1898 he was the first person to make liquid hydrogen, which at the time was the coldest substance ever produced."

The following 1 user Likes Clarissa Cosgrove's post:1 user Likes Clarissa Cosgrove's post
   Aldous Crouch

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'I've got the morbs' - is a term from about 1880 referring to being under temporary melancholia

The following 1 user Likes Nephele Lestrange's post:1 user Likes Nephele Lestrange's post
   Lowri Dempsey

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After the Marriage Act of 1835, it was illegal in England to marry the sister of your deceased wife. This law was brought to Parliament for possible repeal in 1856, 1858, 1859, 1870 & 1871, but was not repealed officially until 1907.

  

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Beautiful Set by MJ!