The Victorian Era gets its name from Queen Victoria who ruled England from 1837 to 1901. During this long reign of 64 years, many changes were brought about in England. Victorian Era is known for the vast developments that took place changing the political and economic structure of England. The following timeline will enable us to understand this remarkable period.
| YEAR | SIGNIFICANCE |
| 1837 | Victoria was crowned as the Queen of Britain. This was the beginning of the Victorian period. The House of Parliament was built in this year. |
|
1840 |
Penny Black Stamp was issued. It was the first stamp issued in the world. Queen Victoria married her cousin, Prince Albert. London library was started. |
|
1841
|
The first ever railway excursion was arranged by Thomas Cook. Hypnosis was discovered. Prince Edward was born. New Zealand became a colony. The Great Western Railway from Bristol to London was completed. |
| 1842 | Queen Victoria travels for the first time in a train. The Opium war between Britain and China ceases and the Treaty of Nanking was signed. An attempt to assinate Queen Victoria. Mines Act was enacted to prohibit children below ten years to work in mines. |
| 1844 | The potato famine breaks out in Ireland. Morse telegraph was introduced. Factories Act was enacted to restrict the working hours of children between five-ten of age to seven hours a day. |
| 1845 &
1844-1845 |
The S.S Great Britain was built by Isambard Brunel.
8,000 km long railway line was built across Britain. |
| 1846 | Ether was used as an anesthetic. |
| 1848 | Queen’s College for Women was established. Marx and Engels issued Communist Manifesto. |
| 1849 | Disraeli became the head of Conservative Party. Bedford College for Women was founded. |
| 1850 | First post boxes were built. Telegraph cable-line was built to pass under the English channel. First Workhouses were started to help the extremely poor people by providing food and shelter in return of work. |
|
1851 |
The Great Exhibition was sponsored by Prince Albert and was help at the Crystal Palace. Sewing machine was invented. First free public library was opened in Winchester and London became the most populous city of Britain. |
| 1853 | The Crimean War began. |
| 1854 | Men’s Working College was started in London. Florence Nightingale joins the Crimean camp to nurse the victims. Out-break of cholera epidemic. |
| 1855 | Printing Telegraph was introduced. Famous Artist Ford Madox Brown painted the ‘Last of England’. |
| 1856 | The Crimean War ended. Anglo-Chinese war began. |
| 1857 | Victoria and Albert Museum was started in London. Mutiny of the soldiers in India, a British Colony. |
| 1859 | Charles Darwin published his book €˜Origin of Species€™. |
| 1860 | First book on nursing was published by Florence Nightingale. In the 1860™s the boneshaker was introduced. These were one of the first bicycles having pedals. |
| 1861 | Prince Albert dies of Typhoid fever. |
| 1863 | First underground railway was started in London. The Football Association was founded. |
| 1864 | Boys below the age of 10 years were prohibited from sweeping the chimneys. |
| 1867 | Disraeli introduces law enabling taxpayers to vote. |
| 1870 | Schools were established for children between the age group of five- ten years. |
| 1871 | Queen Victoria opens Albert Hall. |
| 1874 | The ten hour Factory Act was brought into force to limit the number of working hours to ten. Disraeli became the Prime Minister. |
| 1876 | Queen Victoria was crowned as the Empress of India. Primary education was made mandatory. |
| 1877 | Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. The world’€™s first recording of human voices after phonograph was invented by Thomas Edison. |
| 1878 | First public electric lighting was started on London streets. |
| 1879 | The First electric light bulb was invented by Thomas Edison. |
| 1880 | Compulsory education for children up to the age of twelve was implemented. |
| 1883 | First Electric Railway was introduced. |
| 1885 | Karl Benz built the first automobile. Prince of Wales opened the Birmingham Museum Round Room and Industrial Gallery. |
| 1887 | Gramophone was invented. |
| 1888 | Jack the Ripper terrorizes London |
| 1891 | Free education was proposed to every child between the age group of five to thirteen |
| 1901 | Queen Victoria died and her son Edward VII ascended the throne. |
