Rarely Seen Photos Capture Victorian London In All Its Gritty Glory

From mush fakers to ginger beer makers, Victorian London’s streets hosted teeming torrents of humanity. And we’re lucky that photography was widespread back then, because now we have a fascinating window into life in 19th-century England. But it wasn’t a place for the fainthearted; prosperity brought on by the industrial age rubbed along cheek by jowl with horrifying poverty.

40. London omnibus, 1865

Despite appearances, it wasn’t compulsory to wear a top hat on a London omnibus back in 1865 – as far as we know. The horse-drawn buses really got going in the 1830s. And when the 1840s dawned, the city had an extensive network. By 1855 more than 800 of these vehicles plied their trade on the streets of the capital, transporting as many as 200,000 people each day.

39. Paddle Steamer Rose, circa 1890

Paddle steamers might well bring the Mississippi to mind but here we see the Rose sailing on the River Thames in about 1890. It’s embarked from a jetty on the Embankment that was built during the 1860s to tame the river. Earlier in the 19th century, river passengers had been transported in rowing boats known as wherries, though at the time this photo was taken paddle steamers had long since dominated.

38. Free Russian Library, circa 1901

Aleksei Teplov opened the Free Russian Library in the East End of London during 1893. He was a Russian revolutionary who’d been exiled to Siberia for his activities. Teplov eventually ended up in London in 1893 after a prison spell in France for possessing explosives. It seems that he decided to swap bombs for books and so founded this library and reading room, which was apparently frequented by an admirably studious crowd.

37. Fruit seller, 1873

A woman stands by her donkey and cart selling strawberries on a London street in 1873. Street food was commonplace in Victorian London, with vendors offering everything from coked eels to baked potatoes. Costermongers, who sold fruit, vegetables and fish, numbered as many as 30,000 in London during the 19th century. Another 1,500 sellers offered ginger beer to wash your snack down.

36. The Angel Inn, Highgate, 1882

Highgate’s a London suburb about five miles from the city center. It was a major transport hub in the 1880s, sited at the junction of some important highways. The Angel Inn on Highgate High Street can trace its origins back to the 15th century, when a brewery operated at the same location. And if you happen to be in London, you can still pop into the bar for a beer – it continues in business.

35. Ripe for eviction, 1901

For many Londoners, life in Victorian times was tough indeed. This scene shows a street that’s about to be knocked down. However charming the brick houses and paved alleyway may look, we can be fairly sure that this was actually a typical London slum. As for the unfortunate occupants of the homes, they’d likely be evicted and left to fend for themselves.

34. The Tiller Girls , 1899

Live entertainment was the order of the day in Victorian London and a favorite theatrical act was the Tiller Troupe, founded by one John Tiller in the early 1890s. You can just about see their ankles in this photograph, which in the late 19th century would have been really quite daring. It may come as something of a surprise, but the Tiller Girls performed in a BBC Christmas special as recently as 2014.

33. Clapham Common tunnel construction, 1899

The Victorian era was one of fevered construction throughout London. One of the major works was the extension of the city’s railway system. That often involved complex tunneling projects through London’s subterranean chalk and heavy clay. Here, engineers are engaged in excavating a tunnel in South London under Clapham Common. And Clapham Junction remains one of the capital’s most used stations to this day.

32. Flower sellers at Piccadilly Circus, 1901

Among the many things you could buy on the streets of London were cheerful bouquets of flowers. In the background you can see an advertisement on a passing bus for something else that Londoners loved (and still love): tea. Here we see women selling blooms, though flowers were more often sold by young kids. Hundreds of them could be sen plying their trade on any given Sunday at the time.

31. St Marylebone Workhouse, circa 1901

The first St. Marylebone Workhouse was opened in 1730, but it was replaced by another building in 1776 that held up to 1,000 residents. The workhouse was the last resort for poor people who could no longer support themselves. But it was no soft option. Inmates were forced to work for their keep and the conditions were akin to jail.

30. The Strand, 1890

One of London’s main thoroughfares, The Strand links Fleet Street to Trafalgar Square in the center of the capital. Stroll along this broad street today and you’ll find it just as busy now as in 1890, though you’re unlikely to spot any horse-drawn vehicles. A street’s run along this route since at least 1185.

29. Cohen & Sons, grocers, circa 1890

London’s East End was home to a large Jewish community in the 19th century, many of whom were escaping from persecution in imperial Russia. Stores such as Cohen & Sons opened to cater for the newcomers. Words above the door proclaim the shop to be a “Smoked Salmon Dealer,” and Davis Cohen stands at the entrance with his children Jacob and Moses.

28. Piccadilly Circus, circa 1890

Undoubtedly one of London’s most famous locations, Piccadilly Circus was as crowded in 1890 as it is now. Dating from 1893, the winged statue that forms the centerpiece of the circus is almost universally known as Eros, the ancient Greek god of love. It’s actually a representation of an entirely different Greek god, Anteros. Close, though – Eros and Anteros were brothers.

27. Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, 1887

The year 1887 marked Queen Victoria’s 50th on the throne, her Golden Jubilee. The two days of summer celebration culminated in a tour through the streets of London that ended at Westminster Abbey. The Queen was displayed to her adoring subjects in an open carriage. Fittingly, since in 1876 she’d taken the title “Empress of India,” Indian cavalry escorted her on the grand parade.

26. Paddington Station, late 1800s

Paddington Station sits on the western edge of Central London and was used by Queen Victoria herself in 1842 for her inaugural trip by rail. The station as seen in this photograph was designed by the great Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel and began operations in 1854. Still a busy terminus today, Paddington’s had a recent taste of fame thanks to movies starring a certain bear, also called Paddington.

25. Mattress delivery vans, 1897

Horse-drawn wagons prepare to journey through London bearing mattresses. The seller in 1897 was the store Heal and Son. John Harris Heal founded the business back in 1810 selling “French-style feather-filled mattresses” according to the company’s contemporary website. That apparently brought about the end of straw-stuffed mattresses. And the name lives on under the brand Heal’s, a chain of upmarket furniture stores.

24. Building Holborn Viaduct, 1869

Holborn Viaduct was – and remains – a raised road connecting the Holborn district with the City of London. Queen Victoria herself oversaw its opening ceremony in 1869. Here we see some of the workers who created this major piece of urban engineering. They’re pavers wielding large vertical battering rams used to flatten road surfaces. Looks like back-breaking work.

23. Legging a canal boat, circa 1890

London’s network of canals was largely built just before the Victorian era. But throughout the 19th century they were a vital transport asset. Usually, the barges were pulled by horses, so the waterways were bordered by tow-paths. But some of the tunnels left no room for the horses. Leggers, as they were known, would lie on their backs and push the narrowboats through such tunnels with their feet. They must have had legs like pistons.

22. New recruits, circa 1900

Called to order by a smart looking recruiting sergeant, this motley crew of Londoners has signed up for the army. In his 1962 paper Recruiting the Army, 1870-92, Brian Bond pointed out that recruitment was often difficult in the Victorian years. Few in “a profoundly anti-militarist country” were attracted to army service. But Bond also quoted Field Marshal Viscount Wolseley’s words. He said, “We may not be a military nation but without doubt we are the most warlike people on earth.” A strange paradox.

21. Building Limehouse basin, 1869

Limehouse Basin’s a dock on the River Thames not far downstream from the Tower of London. This photo from 1859 shows the construction work that expanded the dock’s capacity. If you visit Limehouse Basin today, though, you’ll scarcely recognize it from this image. No longer a commercial port, it’s become a marina and tourist attraction. Times have certainly changed – in the late Victorian era its opium dens were notorious.

20. Salvation Army’s “Penny-sit-up”, Blackfriars, circa 1900

For the wealthy and even just the middle-class, Victorian London was a city of opportunity and pleasure. But for the poor, not so much. In fact, for those without resources, existence in the city could be a living nightmare. One of the few organizations trying to pick up the pieces was the Salvation Army. It ran this facility in Blackfriars for the city’s army of homeless people. For a single penny you could spend the night upright on a bench.

19. Houses of Parliament, circa 1890

Here in a glorious color is the Palace of Westminster sometime around 1890, then and now home to Britain’s two parliamentary bodies: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Building the splendid Gothic structure took 23 years, finally being completed in 1860. It replaced the previous parliamentary building, which had been almost completely demolished in a blaze during the 1830s.

18. Oxford Street, late 1800s

Today Oxford Street’s London’s premier shopping drag, and so it was during Victorian times – as this late-19th century photograph vividly illustrates. The street’s history stretches back long before that time, though. The thoroughfare, just over a mile long, was at one time a Roman road. It altered its name from Tyburn Road to Oxford Street in the early 18th century. Probably just as well, since Tyburn Road led to the infamous public execution ground of Tyburn Tree.

17. Public disinfectors, 1877

Victorian England wasn’t a healthy place, and London was no exception. Smallpox, typhoid, cholera and scarlet fever were everyday hazards. While medical science was progressing, it was still very much in its infancy compared to today. But London authorities did try to improve things, hence this team of public disinfectors, who were working during a smallpox epidemic in 1877.

16. Men and their dogs, circa 1900

According to the original caption of this photo, which was taken in the massive study the capital titled Living London and published in 1902, we see here a gang of dog sellers and buyers. Most likely many if not all of these dogs are working animals, perhaps kept for catching rats or rabbits. In any case, animals aside, this image offers a marvelously varied view of Victorian men’s headgear.

15. St. Marylebone Workhouse, circa 1901

If you were homeless and broke in Victorian London, the workhouse was often the only place you could turn to. It was an outcome much dreaded by the city’s poorer classes. Charles Dickens’ novels may be works of fiction, but they depict the grim nature of workhouse life with stark accuracy. The St. Marylebone Workhouse, seen here with men waiting in line for admittance, housed up to 1,600 unfortunates.

14. Albury Street, Deptford, 1911

Though the photo’s dated a decade after Victoria’s death, this interior of an ordinary home can hardly have changed much since the 19th century. Check out the various knick-knacks on the mantelpiece and you’ll see that minimalism wasn’t a Victorian fashion. Albury Street, in the South London district of Deptford, retains some of its Victorian terraced housing to this day. These houses are highly desirable now, though, with one selling for just short of $1.7 million in 2017.

13. Holloway Prison, circa 1901

The Victorians were rather keen on prisons and enthusiastically constructed many new ones in Britain. London was no exception and this photo shows Holloway Prison in North London, which opened for involuntary customers in 1852. Prisoners were required to work and the women here are laboring in the prison kitchen. The prison shut down in 2016 and plans are afoot to build housing on the 10-acre site.

12. The Old Curiosity Shop, circa 1900

The Old Curiosity Shop on Central London’s Portsmouth Street probably dates back to the 16th century. It shot to fame because of a Charles Dickens novel entitled The Old Curiosity Shop. It’s still there today, now a purveyor of expensive shoes and still with a sign painted on the front proclaiming “immortalised by Charles Dickens.” But researchers say that Dickens was thinking of another shop altogether when he wrote his novel. Even so, the store’s said to be the oldest in London.

11. Basket making, circa 1901

It was one Elizabeth Gilbert who founded the Association for Promoting the General Welfare of the Blind in 1854. The organization’s philanthropic aim was to provide work for blind people. In 1893 the charity created a workshop in Central London’s Tottenham Court Road where brushes, chairs and baskets were manufactured. Illustrious customers included Charles Dickens, Queen Victoria and prime minister William Gladstone.

10. Flower sellers, 1873

These flower sellers are in Central London’s Covent Garden Market in 1873. Established in the mid-17th century, Covent Garden became one of the capital’s most important markets. Housed in an impressive piazza, the market specialized in fruit and vegetables. Today its carefully preserved historic buildings and arcades house swish shops and stalls that attract hordes of tourists.

9. Paddle steamer on the Thames, circa 1890

A paddle boat steaming along the River Thames passes before Lambeth Palace, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s magnificent London home. Parts of the building date back to around 1200, though it’s been much altered and added to over the centuries. In fact, it was largely destroyed by angry Londoners in the Peasant’s Revolt of 1381. Much of what you see today dates from the 19th century.

8. Mush faker and ginger beer maker, 1877

“What on earth was a mush faker?” we hear you ask. Mush fakers created, sold and fixed umbrellas. They were traders who both went door-to-door and plied their business on the streets, as the man in this photo’s doing. His companion with the barrow’s a ginger beer maker, another popular trade in the capital. One estimate put annual sales of the drink in Victorian London as high as 300,000 gallons.

7. Hansom cab, 1877

The hansom cab was one way of getting around London. In their 1877 Street Life of London, John Thompson and Adolphe Smith vividly described the men who drove the cabs. They wrote, “Despite the traditional hoarse voice, rough appearance, and quarrelsome tone, cab-drivers are as a rule reliable and honest men, who can boast of having fought the battle of life in an earnest, persevering, and creditable manner.”

6. Leadenhall Market, circa 1901

Leadenhall Market’s site in the City of London’s financial district has been in business since as early as the 14th century. In Victorian times its cobbled streets were housed in a handsome, glass-roofed pavilion, despite the rather murky corner shown in this image. The good news is that the market’s been preserved in all its 19th-century splendor and you can still shop, eat and drink there today.

5. Waterloo Station, circa 1900

Waterloo Station’s especially busy on this summer’s day as crowds flock to the horse racing at the famous Ascot course some 25 miles west of London. You can tell it’s summertime because of the stylish straw hats sported by many of the men in the throng. Originally opened in 1848, Waterloo in South London remains one of the city’s most important railroad stations.

4. St. Paul’s Cathedral, circa 1870

At the center of this vista of London’s rooftops is the unmistakable dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, still of course a major city landmark. The magnificent building we see today was finished in 1710 to the design of Sir Christopher Wren. His work replaced the previous cathedral, which had been burned beyond repair by the Great Fire of London in 1666.

3. Dinner at St. Pancras Workhouse, late 1800s

This is a scene from a workhouse in St. Pancras, a district just to the north of Central London. Serried in tightly packed ranks, impoverished women eat dinner. The first St. Pancras institution was founded in 1731 but a new building was completed in 1809 with a capacity of 500. A stone-breaking area was included for the employment of the unfortunate inhabitants, and the workhouse had its own mortuary and cemetery.

2. The Vaudeville Company, 1886

Here’s a fetching photograph of the Vaudeville Company striking a set of dramatic poses. The image is from 1886 when the company was performing a play called The Road to Ruin. This comedy was written in 1792 and was revived in London as recently as 2002. The venue in 1886 was the Vaudeville Theatre, which opened in 1870 on The Strand – where it’s still in business today.

1. Match seller, 1893

It’s easy enough to see from the condition of the woman in this 1893 image that nobody got rich selling matches on the streets of London. She’s on Ludgate Hill in the City of London, not far from St. Paul’s Cathedral. Match manufacturing was an important industry in the East End, employing mainly girls and young women. The factories were notorious for grueling 14-hour days, and the workers were seriously endangered by exposure to toxic phosphorus.