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Cartoon “The Great Social Evil” and the meaning of the word gay in 19th-century England
Ah, Fanny! How long have you been gay? In nineteenth-century England the word "gay" was used of those working in the sex trade. In the background is a poster for La Traviata, an opera about a courtesan, for the especially slow on the uptake
NB! · Art · London · Science · Mores · Nature · Humour
The squirrel in women's portraits of early modern England and the spread of leprosy by rodents
In Early Modern England the squirrel symbolised prostitution, so this rodent in a woman's portrait augurs nothing good. Though it has recently been proved that squirrels also spread leprosy
Art · London · Monarchies · Mores · Humour
Satirical image of the Prince Regent George with a gouty sandal and a hint at Lady Hertford
In the background, Frederick, Duke of York, has gone down as well, having tripped over a stone inscribed "darling from Windsor". Georg's depiction contains several curious details, the enormous backside aside: on his right foot, for instance, one can spot a strange piece of footwear, a
London · Society
Empty Treasury and the Luxury Tax Tripled by William Pitt in England in 1793
In 1793 England found herself drawn into the French Revolutionary Wars. Meanwhile, the country had been saddled ever since the previous great war, the Seven Years' War, with a colossal debt of 200 million. For the past several decades the state of the nation's finances had been
Aristocracy · London · Society · People · Humour
The ailing Duke of Portland headed the British government in 1807
In 1807 the Duke of Portland was appointed First Lord of the Treasury for the second time, thereby becoming, to all intents and purposes, head of the British government. The 69-year-old premier was, by all accounts, an exceedingly worthy man and a model aristocrat. But he was also
London · Observations · Society
The post of Prime Minister in Britain before 1917 and the First Lord of the Treasury
Until 1917 there was, strictly speaking, no such office as Prime Minister in Great Britain; moreover, Parliament at various times expressed doubt that a first and sole minister could exist in Britain at all, going so far as to call the office of prime minister dangerous to the liberty of
Archive · London · Observations · Mores · Nature
Byron's 1813 visit to Chunee the elephant and the animal's killing in 1826
On 14 November 1813 Byron paid a visit to Chunee, London's celebrated elephant. The seven-tonne giant was the star of the menagerie at Exeter Change. The elephant would take off visitors' hats, accept a coin and hand it back, and open doors. Byron was delighted by
NB! · London · Monarchies · People
On 5 November 1605 the plotter against James I, Guy Fawkes, was seized; his name became a byword for conspiracy and, in time, a word for young men
On 5 November 1605 the plotter against James I, Guy Fawkes, was seized; his name became a byword for conspiracy and, in time, a word for young men. The word "guy" derives from the name of Guy Fawkes
Archive · London · Observations · Mores · Humour
An 1860 Ladies' Guide to Beauty offered Englishwomen a curious recipe for reducing the size of the bust
An 1860 Ladies' Guide to Beauty offered Englishwomen a curious recipe for reducing the size of the bust. Ladies who were not troubled by any general plumpness of constitution, yet suffered from an excessive development of the bosom, might resolve the difficulty by means of a surgical operation. The
NB! · London · Museums · Science · People · Humour
The Mummified Head of Jeremy Bentham, a Man Who Owned a Sacred Teapot Named Dickey, a Walking Stick Called Dapple, and a Favourite Cat, the Reverend Doctor John Langborn
NB! · London · Museums · Science · Mores · People