Certainly the greatest fictional detective of all time, Sherlock Holmes first appeared in the story “A Study in Scarlet” in The Strand Magazine in 1887. The creation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle appeared over fifty-six short stories and four novels (not counting works by other authors). Of course, while Holmes himself was fictional, many of the places he visited were quite … [Read more...] about Places to Visit in Britain for Sherlock Holmes Fans
Victorian Era History Articles
Brit History: Ten of the Most Important Events in British History from 1900 – 1910
In many ways, the 20th Century was an incredibly transformative period of British history. Each decade had moments that would shape not only the years to come but still influence us today. As we go forward in this new series of ten momentous events for every decade, we kick off the inaugural article with a bonus year of 1900, which is both the last year of the 19th Century … [Read more...] about Brit History: Ten of the Most Important Events in British History from 1900 – 1910
Great British Icons: Tate & Lyle Sugar
At one point the world’s largest sugar refiners, Tate & Lyle was formed in 1921 by the merger of two family businesses. One was founded by Henry Tate, who began as a grocer in 1839, and the other by Abram Lyle, who created Golden Syrup, an iconic British product still sold today in British grocery stores, in a tin with the original 1885 design. These businesses both ended … [Read more...] about Great British Icons: Tate & Lyle Sugar
The First Victorian Christmas Trees
Christmas trees are a practically essential part of Christmas. Whether you opt for a real or fake tree, color or white lights, a star or an angel, nearly everyone who celebrates Christmas has one in their homes. It seems inconceivable that there was ever a time when these decorations weren’t part of our holiday cheer, but in the history of the holiday, they’re fairly recent … [Read more...] about The First Victorian Christmas Trees
Great British Icons: Meccano – A British Christmas Gift Staple For Generations
Frank Hornby had no training as an engineer, but he had a natural talent for working with his hands, and an enthusiasm for trains and models. He created a system for his son of sheet-metal parts that could be bolted together to make different models of cranes and trucks. Giving up his job as a bookkeeper, he started a factory to sell these kits, and he built an industrial … [Read more...] about Great British Icons: Meccano – A British Christmas Gift Staple For Generations
Great British Icons: WHSmith – The Revolutionary British Bookstore Chain
Beginning in 1792 as a single shop in London selling newspapers, the firm begun by William Henry Smith has grown today into a corporation embracing a host of businesses in travel, DIY, music, cafés, and on-line retail, both in Britain and overseas. With 615 shops, and 713 travel agencies operating under the W.H. Smith name, the firm has revenues of over a billion pounds and … [Read more...] about Great British Icons: WHSmith – The Revolutionary British Bookstore Chain
A Dark and Stormy Night – Mary Shelley and the Origins of British Science Fiction
Now, I can already hear what some readers will say, that the first science fiction stories predate Shelley and go as far back as the ancient India and Greece and even up to the late 18th Century. Unbelievable journeys, impossible worlds, and even the earliest scientific theories were posited in fiction before the 19th Century. Even British authors such as Geoffrey Chaucer, … [Read more...] about A Dark and Stormy Night – Mary Shelley and the Origins of British Science Fiction
British Art: My Favorite Paintings by British Landscape John Constable
In case you missed the announcement over the weekend, we launched a new free resource over the weekend gathering as much British art as we could find in one location. One of the benefits of the site is that it makes it really easy for us to share the images pretty much anywhere (and you can too!). So, I thought it would be fun to pull over my favorite John Constable … [Read more...] about British Art: My Favorite Paintings by British Landscape John Constable
British Art: Stunning Faces and Pre-Raphaelite Places
By Kirsty Stonell Walker There has been renewed interest in the art of the Pre-Raphaelites over the last few years including some high profile exhibitions currently touring America. The paintings of this group of nineteenth-century young art rebels, who valued truth to nature in their highly detailed, vividly color paintings, inspire a fascination in the artists themselves: … [Read more...] about British Art: Stunning Faces and Pre-Raphaelite Places
Great Events in British History: The Great Exhibition of 1851 – Showcasing Empire
On 1 May 1851, the newly erected Crystal Palace flung open its doors for the very first time, revealing its casket of wonders to the 25,000 people that had gathered outside the doors. The Great Exhibition was an unprecedented event in British society, as for the first time in history, Britain’s treasures, from both home and abroad, were placed on display for all to see. The … [Read more...] about Great Events in British History: The Great Exhibition of 1851 – Showcasing Empire
BRITAIN’S SENTRIES OF THE SEA: The Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in Issue #11 of the Anglotopia Print Magazine in 2018. Support great long-form writing about British History, Culture, and travel by subscribing to the Anglotopia Magazine. Every subscription helps keep Anglotopia running and provides us to the opportunity to produce articles like this. You can subscribe here. The Royal National … [Read more...] about BRITAIN’S SENTRIES OF THE SEA: The Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Historical British Mysteries – The Bermondsey Horror
When most people think of atrocious murders in the Victorian period, they typically think of Jack the Ripper and his famous killing spree across Whitechapel. Less known is a particularly gruesome affair known as “The Bermondsey Horror”. The story centres around Marie Manning and her husband Frederick murdering an acquaintance for money and hiding him under the floorboards. … [Read more...] about Historical British Mysteries – The Bermondsey Horror
A Further History of Rebellion: Rebellions against the British Empire
This is a 'sequel' of sorts to a previous article on rebellions in Britain. Read the first one here. At its height, the British Empire was the largest in history and the United Kingdom was the world’s foremost power. It began with the Age of Discovery as European powers raced across the group to establish new trading posts that transformed into colonies. By the early 19th … [Read more...] about A Further History of Rebellion: Rebellions against the British Empire
Brit History: British Film Institute Discovers Rare Film Footage of Queen Victoria
A researcher at the British Film Insitute has recently uncovered previously unknown footage of Queen Victoria that shows her rocking a pair of sunglasses and smiling - shattering our traditional image of the dour monarch. The amazing footage of Queen Victoria was unearthed after being discarded for decades in an archive at a New York museum. It shows the monarch being greeted … [Read more...] about Brit History: British Film Institute Discovers Rare Film Footage of Queen Victoria
Brit History: A Survey of The Height of the British Empire
We’ve covered how the British Empire grew as a result of Tudor influence and Renaissance-era exploration and advancements in technology. But for some bumps along the way and losing some of the American colonies, British influence stretched across the globe by the close of the 18th Century. The next 150 years would see the British Empire at its largest and most successful, … [Read more...] about Brit History: A Survey of The Height of the British Empire
Great Britons: Cecil Rhodes – Businessman, Politician, Imperialist
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in Issue #10 of the Anglotopia Print Magazine in 2018. Support great long-form writing about British History, Culture, and travel by subscribing to the Anglotopia Magazine. Every subscription helps keep Anglotopia running and provides us to the opportunity to produce articles like this. You can subscribe here. Cecil Rhodes was a … [Read more...] about Great Britons: Cecil Rhodes – Businessman, Politician, Imperialist
Ten Interesting Facts about Sir Richard Francis Burton
Not to be confused with the actor Richard Burton, Richard Francis Burton was a soldier, writer, translator, cartographer, poet, explorer—and if you haven’t guessed already—all-around badarse. It’s perhaps his work as an explorer for which he is best known, traversing whole regions is Africa, Asia, and the Americas, extensively documenting the lands and people as well as … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Facts about Sir Richard Francis Burton
More than Taunting: A Brief History of Anglo-French Relations
The history between the United Kingdom and France is one that has been fraught with conflict until the late 19th Century. If the term “frenemies” could be applied to countries, it would perhaps be the most accurate description of the relationship the two nations enjoy with one another. It could be said that it finally took threats to both countries to put the conflicts of the … [Read more...] about More than Taunting: A Brief History of Anglo-French Relations
An American Student Abroad: British and US Perspectives on Time – On Reveling in Britain’s Long Sense of History
A couple columns ago, I commented on the difference between the ‘100 years’ and ‘100 miles’ difference in US versus British life, in particular, talking about the trains and traveling. I’ve been thinking a lot about the other side of the equation, though, too. There are some very real differences in the perception of time, of history between the two countries, … [Read more...] about An American Student Abroad: British and US Perspectives on Time – On Reveling in Britain’s Long Sense of History
British Christmas: A History of How the Royal Family Has Celebrated Christmas Through the Ages
Every year we tune in to watch Queen Elizabeth II send her Christmas message out to the world. Oftentimes, she has discussed what the Royal Family does for the holidays. While a retreat to Sandringham is an annual event, other traditions for the Windsors include sharing Christmas gifts at tea on Christmas Eve, supper, a church service, and the giving of Christmas puddings to … [Read more...] about British Christmas: A History of How the Royal Family Has Celebrated Christmas Through the Ages
A History of Cadbury: Britain’s Favorite Chocolate
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in Issue #8 of the Anglotopia Print Magazine. You can support great long-form writing like this about British Travel, History, and Culture by subscribing to the Anglotopia Print Magazine. It costs just $65/year for 4 issues. Each issue is completely ad-free and features high-quality printing, making each issue a bookshelf … [Read more...] about A History of Cadbury: Britain’s Favorite Chocolate
From the Anglotopia Magazine: HOW THEY LIVED – English Social History at the Birmingham Back to Backs
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in Issue #8 of the Anglotopia Print Magazine. You can support great long-form writing like this about British Travel, History, and Culture by subscribing to the Anglotopia Print Magazine. It costs just $65/year for 4 issues. Each issue is completely ad-free and features high-quality printing, making each issue a bookshelf … [Read more...] about From the Anglotopia Magazine: HOW THEY LIVED – English Social History at the Birmingham Back to Backs
Through the Library: The Landscapes of Thomas Hardy – Beautiful Watercolors of 19th and Early 20th Century Dorset
Editor's Note: I'm changing the title of this semi-regular column from Through the Archives to Through the Library as that makes more sense and I wish I'd thought of that first! I'm literally going through old books in my library. I love Dorset. That's no secret around here. Out of all the places I've visited in Britain, I've visited there the most and a special connection … [Read more...] about Through the Library: The Landscapes of Thomas Hardy – Beautiful Watercolors of 19th and Early 20th Century Dorset
Brit History: British Occupations of the 1900s That Are Lost to History
The saying goes that “time marches on.” It’s meant to evoke the idea of progress, but underlying that meaning is what gets left behind. Many jobs become obsolete as technology takes over professions that once required work to be done by hand. Other jobs simply become unnecessary as technology replaced the need to put people in danger. We’ve identified ten jobs from the … [Read more...] about Brit History: British Occupations of the 1900s That Are Lost to History
Great British Brands: Twinings – A Very British Tea Company
Editor's Note: This article originally appears in Issue #7 of the Anglotopia Print Magazine in 2017. Support great long-form writing about Britain by subscribing to the Anglotopia Print Magazine. Tea is the most widely drunk beverage in Britain. Consumed from morning to night, the ‘tea-break’ is an institution in every home and workplace. The first tea was drunk in the late … [Read more...] about Great British Brands: Twinings – A Very British Tea Company
Anglotopia was founded by Jonathan and Jackie Thomas in 2007 in a closet in Chicago. Anglotopia is for people who love Britain - whether it's British TV, Culture, History or Travel - we cover it all. Join us as we explore Britain and everything it has to offer!
