Episodes
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Just a (not so) quick and (mostly unscripted) explanation of why the show is going on hiatus until December, which ends with my reading of Edgar Allan Poe’s poem, “Spirits of the Dead.”
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References
Poe, Edgar Allan. “Spirits of the Dead.” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48632/spirits-of-the-dead
Wikipedia. “Poems by Edgar Allan Poe.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poems_by_Edgar_Allan_Poe#Spirits_of_the_Dead_(1827)
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter (or X, or whatever it’s called now): twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Threads: threads.net/@marisadf13
Bluesky: @marisadf13.bsky.social
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners! -
In the second episode of my 2-part examination of the life and career of Sir William Crookes (1832-1919), I explore events that inspired his interest in spiritualism, his unique methods of combining his studies in this area with his scientific background, and his work with some well-known 19th-century mediums, as well as the reception his work with mediums received from the scientific and spiritualist communities.
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References
Barral, Miguel. “The Ghosts of William Crookes.” https://www.bbvaopenmind.com/en/science/leading-figures/the-ghosts-of-william-crookes/
Crookes, William. Researches in the phenomena of spiritualism. https://archive.org/details/researchesinphen00croo/page/4/mode/2up
Doyle, Arthur Conan. “The Researches of Sir William Crookes.” https://worldspirituality.org/william-crookes-html/
Ghost Club, The. “The Ghost Club.” https://ghostclub.org.uk/history.html
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, The. https://hermeticgoldendawn.org
Magnet Academy (National MagLab). “William Crookes.” https://nationalmaglab.org/magnet-academy/history-of-electricity-magnetism/pioneers/william-crookes/
Psi Encyclopedia. “William Crookes.” https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/william-crookes#:~:text=William%20Crookes%20was%20the%20first%20British%20scientist%20of,continue%20to%20be%20widely%20cited%20and%20discussed%20today.
Society for Psychical Research. https://www.spr.ac.uk/about/our-history
Victorian Era. “Victorian Spiritualism And Spiritualists.” https://victorian-era.org/victorian-spiritualism-spiritualists.html
Wikipedia
“Allen Thomson.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Thomson
“C.F. Varley.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._F._Varley
“William Crookes.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Crookes
Relevant past TVVS episodes
“2 Sides of Sir William Crookes, Part 1: The Scientist.” https://anchor.fm/marisa-d96/episodes/2-Sides-of-Sir-William-Crookes--Part-1-The-Scientist-e295aad
“Victorian-Era Spiritualism, Part 1: The Fox Sisters.” https://anchor.fm/marisa-d96/episodes/Victorian-Era-Spiritualism--Part-1-The-Fox-Sisters-e187d57
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter (or X, or whatever it’s called now): twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Threads: threads.net/@marisadf13
Bluesky: @marisadf13.bsky.social
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners! -
Missing episodes?
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I first learned about British physicist and chemist Sir William Crookes (1832-1919) several months ago, while working on my episode on X-rays. Recently, while reading Violet Tweedale’s Ghosts I Have Seen and Other Psychic Experiences, I learned that Sir William had an interest in spiritual and paranormal matters in addition to the sciences. In this episode, I focus on some of his better known scientific discoveries (and will discuss his relationship to the paranormal next time).
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References
Barral, Miguel. “The Ghosts of William Crookes.” https://www.bbvaopenmind.com/en/science/leading-figures/the-ghosts-of-william-crookes/
Crookes, Sir William. On radiant matter [microform] : a lecture delivered to the British Association for the Advancement of Science, at Sheffield, Friday, August 22, 1879. https://archive.org/details/onradiantmatterl00croorich/page/7/mode/2up
Division of Chemical Education, Purdue University. “6.1 Crookes' Tube.” https://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/demosheets/6.1.htm
National MagLab. “William Crookes.” https://nationalmaglab.org/magnet-academy/history-of-electricity-magnetism/pioneers/william-crookes/
Sella, Andrea. “Crookes' tube.” https://www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/crookes-tube/8381.article
Travis, Anthony S. “Introduction: Food or Famine.” https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-68963-0_1
Tweedale, Violet. Ghosts I Have Seen and Other Psychic Experiences. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/39769/39769-h/39769-h.htm#Page_33
Wikipedia
“Atomic, molecular, and optical physics.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic,_molecular,_and_optical_physics#Optical_physics
“Crookes radiometer.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crookes_radiometer
“Organic chemistry.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_chemistry
“Phenakistiscope.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenakistiscope
“Robert Bunsen.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bunsen
“William Crookes.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Crookes
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter (or X, or whatever it’s called now): twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Threads: threads.net/@marisadf13
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners! -
If you spend any time learning about Victorian Era funeral and burial etiquette, chances are you’ll come across an illustration of a Fisk Patent Air-Tight Metallic Burial Case…and once you do, you’ll never forget it. I discuss the circumstances that inspired the creation of this unique coffin and some of its benefits, as well as how it’s often viewed from a modern perspective.
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References
American Civil War Medicine & Surgical Antiques. “Valentine Mott, M.D.” http://medicalantiques.com/civilwar/Medical_Authors_Faculty/Mott_Vanentine.htm
Cherrell, Kate. “Victorian Iron Mummies: The Fisk Casket.” https://burialsandbeyond.com/2019/07/01/victorian-iron-mummies-the-fisk-casket/
Dickinson, Emily. “A Coffin — is a small Domain.” https://allpoetry.com/A-Coffin---is-a-small-Domain
Fisk, Almond D. “Patent US5920A.” https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/59/07/cd/c02d1344615405/US5920.pdf
Meier, Allison. “The Cast Iron Coffin That Was Too Creepy Even for the Victorians.” https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/morbid-monday-fisk-mummy-case
Neighbors, Joy. “A Grave Interest.” https://agraveinterest.blogspot.com/2012/08/history-of-coffins-caskets.html
Warnasch, Scott. “A Brief History of Fisk’s Coffins.” https://ironcoffinmummy.com/a-brief-history-of-fisks-coffins/
Wikipedia. “Fisk metallic burial case.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisk_metallic_burial_case
Woodyard, Chris. “A Grave Warning About Iron Coffins.” http://hauntedohiobooks.com/news/a-grave-warning-about-iron-coffins/
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter (or X, or whatever it’s called now): twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Threads: threads.net/@marisadf13
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners! -
In this Season 3 premiere, I bring you my recent conversation with Ryan Stevens, in which we talked briefly about the history of figure skating, as well as its increased popularity in the 19th Century and Victorian Era “Skate King,” Jackson Haines.
About Ryan Stevens:
I am a former figure skater and judge from Halifax, Nova Scotia. I have been writing about figure skating history since 2013, on my blog Skate Guard. I also write for U.S. Figure Skating's magazine "Skating", the oldest continuously published skating periodical in the world. I have been consulted on figure skating history by numerous museums, as well as by television programs on CBC, NBC and ITV.
Skate Guard: skateguard1.blogspot.ca
Jackson Haines: The Skating King: https://bit.ly/3WKMKkZ
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References
du Maurier, George. “Rincomania.” http://www.skatingaheadofthecurve.com/ThePoetryOfSkating.html
du Maurier, George. “Rincomania” (with illustration). https://archive.org/details/punch68a69lemouoft/page/n43/mode/2up
Talent, Annalise. “Become an Instant Expert on William Wordsworth, the Ice-Skating Poet.” https://theartssociety.org/arts-news-features/become-instant-expert-william-wordsworth-ice-skating-poet
Wikipedia. “George du Maurier.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_du_Maurier
Wikipedia. “The Prelude.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prelude
Wordsworth, William. “So through the darkness and cold we flew.” https://wordsworth-coleridge.com/home/wordsworth/skating
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter: twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Threads: threads.net/@marisadf13
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners! -
In the second episode of my 2-part miniseries on Isabella Mary Mayson Beeton (a.k.a. “Mrs. Beeton”), I delve deeper into her voluminous Book of Household Management.
Catch episode 1 here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6cBEAgXffA4uv8doOxpm6l?si=doVWQOEYT5qbHki5lua8zg
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References
Beeton, Isabella. The Book of Household Management (1861 edition). https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/10136/pg10136.html
Beeton, Isabella. The Book of Household Management (1888 edition).
https://archive.org/details/b21536193/page/n1/mode/1up
Discover Britain. “Isabella Beeton and the art of household management.” https://www.discoverbritainmag.com/isabella-beeton-and-the-art-of-household-management/
Hughes, Kathryn. “Mrs Beeton and the art of household management.” https://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/mrs-beeton-and-the-art-of-household-management
Miss Windsor’s Delectables. “The Culinary Chronicles of Mrs Beeton!” https://missw.shar-web.co.uk/myblog/the-culinary-chronicles-of-mrs-beeton/
Wikipedia. “Isabella Beeton.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_Beeton
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter: twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Threads: threads.net/@marisadf13
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners! -
If you’re a fan of vintage food and cooking (like I am), you’ve probably heard the name “Mrs. Beeton,” and may even have seen an edition of her voluminous Book of Household Management. But who was Mrs. Beeton, and what are some reasons her book has stood the test of time?
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References
Beeton, Isabella. The Book of Household Management.
https://archive.org/details/b21536193/page/n1/mode/1up
Discover Britain. “Isabella Beeton and the art of household management.” https://www.discoverbritainmag.com/isabella-beeton-and-the-art-of-household-management/
Findlaw. “Copyrighting Recipes.” https://www.findlaw.com/smallbusiness/intellectual-property/copyrighting-recipes.html
Hughes, Kathryn. “Mrs Beeton and the art of household management.” https://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/mrs-beeton-and-the-art-of-household-management
Miss Windsor’s Delectables. “The Culinary Chronicles of Mrs Beeton!” https://missw.shar-web.co.uk/myblog/the-culinary-chronicles-of-mrs-beeton/
Wikipedia. “Isabella Beeton.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_Beeton
Wikipedia. “The Queen: The Ladies Newspaper and Court Chronicle.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Queen:_The_Ladies_Newspaper_and_Court_Chronicle
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter: twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Threads: threads.net/@marisadf13
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners!
Download a FREE audiobook version of Washington Irving’s The Chronicles of Wolfert’s Roost & Other Papers (for which I read a chapter) here! https://librivox.org/chronicles-of-wolferts-roost-and-other-papers-by-washington-irving/ -
I (& my dog) recently had X-rays, & it hit me that X-rays were a pretty big (albeit short-lived) fad toward the end of the Victorian Era. I discuss the history of the X-ray, & explore why X-rays were initially so popular & why that popularity eventually faded.
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References
Click Americana. “How X-rays were discovered – Victorian medical tech we still use every day.” https://clickamericana.com/topics/discoveries-inventions/how-x-rays-were-first-discovered-medical-tech
Davis-Marks, Isis. “Researchers Reveal Mummy’s Surprising Contents Without Unwrapping It.” https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-examine-1900-year-old-mummy-without-opening-it-180976561/
Gershon, Livia. “The X-Ray Craze of 1896.” https://daily.jstor.org/the-x-ray-craze-of-1896/
Kaye, George William Clarkson. X rays, an introduction to the study of Röntgen rays. https://archive.org/details/xraysintroductio00kayerich/page/216/mode/2up
Kennedy, Kelsey. “The Existential Horror Created by the First X-Ray Images.” https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/roentgen-xrays-discovery-radiographs
Pamboukian, Sylvia. “‘Looking Radiant’m Science, Photography and the X-ray Craze of 1896.” https://www.jstor.org/stable/27793468?mag=the-x-ray-craze-of-1896
Wikipedia. “Crookes tube.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crookes_tube
Wikipedia. “X-ray.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray
X-Ray Art. “Pre-Röntgen X-Ray History.” https://www.xray-art.com/pre-rontgen-x-ray-history/
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter: twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners! -
I briefly explore the life of writer Edith Nesbit, a.k.a. “E. Nesbit” (1858-1924), and read excerpts from some of her works.
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References
Banerjee, Jacqueline. “E. Nesbit, Rudyard Kipling and The Strand Magazine.” https://victorianweb.org/authors/nesbit/kipling.html
Britannica. “Fabian Society.” https://www.britannica.com/topic/Fabian-Society
Fabian Society. “Our History.” https://fabians.org.uk/about-us/our-history/
Morbid Curiosity Podcast. “The Shadow.” https://www.thebelfry.rip/blog/2022/1/24/shadow-of-edith-nesbit-morbid-curiosity
Nesbit, E. “A Dirge.” https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/50162/pg50162-images.html#A_DIRGE
Nesbit, E. “Man-Size in Marble.” https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/40321/pg40321-images.html#MAN-SIZE_IN_MARBLE
Nesbit, E. The Story of the Treasure Seekers. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/770/pg770-images.html
Page, Benedicte. “E Nesbit's classic The Railway Children accused of 'plagiarism'.” https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/mar/21/nesbit-railway-children-plagiarism
Wikipedia. “E. Nesbit.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._Nesbit
Wikipedia. “The Children’s Book.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Children%27s_Book
Winter, Jessica. “The British Socialist Who Rewrote the World for Children.” https://www.newyorker.com/books/under-review/the-british-socialist-who-rewrote-the-world-for-children
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter: twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners!
Also, check out Anthony Trollope’s Hunting Sketches and thousands of other FREE audiobook versions of books in the public domain at LibriVox.org! -
What with popular attribution of the phrase “We are not amused” to Queen Victoria and the widespread belief that Victorians were obsessed with etiquette and death, it’s easy to get the impression that many people during this period lacked a sense of humor. However, I will explain why I’ve found the opposite to be the case, and provide examples of Victorian humor.
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References
Nicholson, Bob. “Actually, we are amused – how the Victorians helped to shape Britain’s unique sense of humour.” https://theconversation.com/actually-we-are-amused-how-the-victorians-helped-to-shape-britains-unique-sense-of-humour-82714
Punch 1841-1992. https://archive.org/details/pub_punch
Rowe, Kaz. “The Endless Horror of TikTok’s Historical Misinformation.” https://youtu.be/l4NflBAcsJ4
Russ, Arthur. “19th Century British and American Humour.” https://discover.hubpages.com/education/victorian-humour
The Book of humour, wit, and wisdom : a manual of table-talk. https://archive.org/details/bookofhumourwitw00londiala/page/n5/mode/2up
Vasey, George. The philosophy of laughter and smiling. https://archive.org/details/philosophyoflaug00vase/page/27/mode/2up
Victorian London Random Joke Generator. http://www.victorianlondon.org/joke/random.htm
Vintage Everyday. “18th-19th Century Jokes Most People Today Might Not ‘Get.’” https://www.vintag.es/2017/07/18th-19th-century-jokes-most-people.html
Wikipedia. “Phrenology.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phrenology
Wilson, Andy. “Queen bombshell: Did Queen Victoria really say 'we are not amused'?” https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1287776/Queen-Victoria-did-Queen-Victoria-say-we-are-not-amused
And, if you haven’t yet listened to my previous episode on Punch Magazine, you can check it out here! https://open.spotify.com/episode/5w0dB0O3oniDXuhattiwkJ?si=idK_dDvcSquSpiInUag7JQ
*****
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners! -
In this episode, I discuss Robert Clark Kedzie (1823-1902), a Michigan doctor, chemist, and professor, and explain why his 1874 book, Shadows from the Walls of Death, can be considered one of the deadliest books ever written.
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References
Bien, Laura. “In the Archives: Poison Pages.” https://annarborchronicle.com/2012/05/03/in-the-archives-poison-pages/index.html
Harvey, Mark. “Shadows from the Walls of Death.” https://michiganology.org/stories/shadows-from-the-walls-of-death/
Kedzie, R.C. Shadows from the walls of death: facts and inferences prefacing a book of specimens of arsenical wall papers. https://archive.org/details/0234555.nlm.nih.gov/page/n3/mode/1up
Lindley, Robin. “Arsenic, but No Old Lace—Medical Historian James C. Whorton on the Poisoning of Nineteenth-Century Britain.” https://hnn.us/article/131120#:~:text=Arsenic%20was%20used%20even%20in%20medications%20to%20treat,this%20age%20of%20laissez-faire%20capitalism%20and%20governmental%20indifference.
Michigan State University. “Robert C. Kedzie.” https://onthebanks.msu.edu/Object/162-565-3181/robert-c-kedzie/
Norman, Jeremy N. “Robert Clark Kedzie Issues ‘Poisonous Paper,’ and a Poisonous Wallpaper Book Published in an Edition of 100 Copies.” https://historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=3404
Zawacki, Alexander J. “How a Library Handles a Rare and Deadly Book of Wallpaper Samples.” https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/shadows-from-the-walls-of-death-book
And, if you haven’t yet listened to my previous episode on arsenic and its frequent usage during the Victorian Era, you can check it out here! https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/marisa-d96/episodes/The-Ubiquity-of-Arsenic-During-the-Victorian-Era-e1dafc0
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Thanks again to one of my favorite podcasts, Noctivagant: A Paranormal Book Club, for mentioning TVVS in their most recent episode, which you can listen to here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4xZBWRYmvLLkCx1HWFA2X1?si=3jrjGcFsTauLgodSQqNOTA
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter: twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners! -
I discuss what I was able to find about the life of Charles Elmé Francatelli (1805-1876), one of the Victorian Era’s “celebrity chefs,” who spent part of his career cooking for The Queen and Prince Albert, and look at 2 of his cookbooks, The Modern Cook and A Plain Cookery Book for the Working Classes.
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References
Cook’s Guide, The. “Charles Elmé Francatelli.” http://www.thecooksguide.com/articles/francatelli.html
Cook’s Info. “Charles Elmé Francatelli: Victorian Celebrity Chef.” https://www.cooksinfo.com/charles-elme-francatelli
Flantzer, Susan. “Charles Elmé Francatelli, Maitre d’hotel and Chief Cook in Ordinary to Queen Victoria.” https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/charles-elme-francatelli/
Francatelli, Charles Elmé. A Plain Cookery Book for the Working Classes. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/22114/22114-h/22114-h.htm
Francatelli, Charles Elmé. The Modern Cook. https://archive.org/details/b21530154/page/n5/mode/1up
Gilbert, Lauren. “Cook at Buckingham Palace: Charles Elme' Francatelli.” https://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com/2019/01/cook-at-buckingham-palace-charles-elme.html
Smythe, Colin. “Charles Elmé Francatelli, Crockford’s, and the Royal Connection.” https://colinsmythe.co.uk/charles-elme-francatelli-crockfords-and-the-royal-connection/
Wikipedia. “Charles Elmé Francatelli.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Elmé_Francatelli
Wikipedia. “Marie-Antoine Carême.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie-Antoine_Carême
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter: twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Mastodon: @[email protected]
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners! -
You can’t talk about physical culture during the Victorian Era without discussing “Muscular Christianity.” I describe how this movement developed in the mid-19th century, ways in which it was practiced within and outside the UK, and how it intersected with phenomena that are still with us today, such as nationalism, imperialism, and eugenics.
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References
Graham, Alex. “Friedrich Ludwig Jahn & German Nationalism.” https://counter-currents.com/2017/11/friedrich-ludwig-jahn-and-german-nationalism/
Heffernan, Conor. “Indian Clubs in Victorian Britain.” https://physicalculturestudy.com/2022/01/19/indian-clubs-in-victorian-britain/
Hughes, Thomas. Tom Brown’s Schooldays. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1480/1480-h/1480-h.htm#link2HCH0018
Morse, Greg. “The Search for Manly Men of God.” https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-search-for-manly-men-of-god
Movement Health. “What is the Physical Culture Movement?” https://www.movementhealth.com.au/news/physical-culture-movement/
Perelman, Michael, and Vincent Portillo. “The Brutal Legacy of the Muscular Christian Movement.” https://www.counterpunch.org/2013/08/09/the-brutal-legacy-of-the-muscular-christian-movement/
Stark, James. “Fitness gurus and ‘muscular Christianity’: how Victorian Britain anticipated today’s keep fit craze.” https://theconversation.com/fitness-gurus-and-muscular-christianity-how-victorian-britain-anticipated-todays-keep-fit-craze-129522
Wikipedia
“Charles Kingsley.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Kingsley
“Charles Spurgeon.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Spurgeon
“Christian Socialism.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_socialism
“Friedrich Ludwig Jahn.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Ludwig_Jahn
“Luther Burbank.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_Burbank
“Tom Brown’s Schooldays.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Brown's_School_Days
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I am honored to have been included in the most recent episode of Sandman Stories Presents! Check it out here (and catch a few past episodes while you’re there!): https://open.spotify.com/episode/3zZ11HW0tV1RwWjdEHM5hJ?si=vtId5NQvTzu98CvudrHqPg&dd=1
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter: twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Mastodon: @[email protected]
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners! -
In this episode, I explore the stages in which fitness culture evolved in the 19th Century, as well as the rise of strongman athletes and fitness “gurus,” some popular fitness equipment of the period, and early gymnasiums.
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References
Barford, Vanessa, and Lucy Townsend. “Eugen Sandow: The man with the perfect body.” https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-19977415
BBC News. “'Manly exercise' manual found at Cambridge college.” https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-38420468
Britannica. “Eugen Sandow.” https://www.britannica.com/biography/Eugen-Sandow
Ernst, Gustav. The portable gymnasium: a manual of exercises, arranged for self instruction in the use of the portable gymnasium. https://archive.org/details/b20399789/page/61/mode/1up
Macfadden, Bernarr. Macfadden's physical training : an illustrated system of exercise for the development of health, strength and beauty. https://archive.org/details/macfaddensphysic00macf/page/6/mode/2up
Movement Health. “What is the Physical Culture Movement?” https://www.movementhealth.com.au/news/physical-culture-movement/
ScotlandsPeople. “Our Records: A Victorian Gymnasium.” https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/article/victorian-gymnasium
Stark, James. “Fitness gurus and ‘muscular Christianity’: how Victorian Britain anticipated today’s keep fit craze.” https://theconversation.com/fitness-gurus-and-muscular-christianity-how-victorian-britain-anticipated-todays-keep-fit-craze-129522
Walker, Donald. British manly exercises : containing rowing and sailing, riding, & driving. https://archive.org/details/britishmanlyexer00walk/page/n105/mode/2up
Wikipedia. “François Delsarte.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/François_Delsarte
Wikipedia. “Friedrich Ludwig Jahn.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Ludwig_Jahn
Wikipedia. “Genevieve Stebbins.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genevieve_Stebbins
Wikipedia. “Johann Christoph Friedrich GutsMuths.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Christoph_Friedrich_GutsMuths
Wikipedia. “Somatics.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somatics#:~:text=An%2520early%2520precursor%2520of%2520the%2520somatic%2520movement%2520in,culture%2520practices%2520were%2520brought%2520to%2520the%2520US.%2520
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter: twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Mastodon: @[email protected]
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners! -
When you think of “haunted” houses, there’s a good chance that structures built during the Victorian Era come to mind. I look at some characteristics of “Victorian” houses, and explore how and when their association with ghosts came about.
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References
Ayers, Vivienne. “Georgian house style – what it is and how to get the look.” https://www.homesandgardens.com/house-design/georgian-house-style
D’Costa, Krystal. “Why are Victorian Houses Haunted?” https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/anthropology-in-practice/why-are-victorian-houses-haunted/
Friends of Oak Grove Cemetery. “Victorian Funeral Customs and Superstitions.” https://friendsofoakgrovecemetery.org/victorian-funeral-customs-fears-and-superstitions/
Gallagher, Danny. “5 Real Houses That Inspired the Construction of the Haunted Mansion.” https://allears.net/2019/08/05/5-real-houses-that-inspired-the-construction-of-the-haunted-mansion/
Hoevel, Ann. “Blueprint for the ultimate haunted house – Victorian style.” https://www.cnn.com/2013/10/03/living/decor-haunted-houses/index.html
Interesly. “Architecture of Fear – the Victorian Haunted House.” https://www.interesly.com/architecture-fear-victorian-haunted-house/
MasterClass. “Victorian Architecture: 3 Characteristics of Victorian Architecture.” https://www.masterclass.com/articles/victorian-architecture
Mendelsohn, Hadley. “The Real Reason Victorian Houses Are Always Considered the Most Haunted.” https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/a37527693/victorian-haunted-house/
MoMA (Museum of Modern Art). “Edward Hopper: House by the Railroad.” https://www.moma.org/collection/works/78330
Riddell, Charlotte. “The Open Door.” https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0606251.txt
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter: twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners! -
The fern has been associated with myth and mystery for centuries, but the Victorians took their appreciation for this plant species to new levels. I discuss some events and circumstances that led to pteridomania (“fern fever”), as well as ways in which the magical fern was incorporated into the everyday lives of millions of Victorians.
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References
American Fern Society. https://www.amerfernsoc.org
Brain, Jessica. “The Wardian Case.” https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Wardian-Case/
Britannica. “Fern.” https://www.britannica.com/plant/fern
Castelow, Ellen. “Pteridomania – Fern Madness.” https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Pteridomania-Fern-Madness/
Green, Cynthia. “When Ferns Were All The Rage.” https://daily.jstor.org/when-ferns-were-all-the-rage/
Hamilton, E.L. “Victorian Ladies used Ferns as a Covert way to Express Passion and Desire.” https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/05/29/victorian-ferns/?safari=1
Kingsley, Charles. Glaucus, or the Wonders of the Shore. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/695/695-h/695-h.htm
Morris Arboretum (University of Pennsylvania). “The Fernery.” https://www.morrisarboretum.org/gardens-trees/garden-features/fernery
Mueller, Nora. “In Pursuit of Madness: ‘Pteridomania’ and The Historic Fascination With Ferns.” https://gardencollage.com/wander/gardens-parks/ferb-obsession/
Nikolaidou, Dimitra. “How the Victorian Fern-Hunting Craze Led To Adventure, Romance, and Crime.” https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/how-the-victorian-fern-hunting-craze-led-to-adventure-romance-and-crime
Symbolism and Metaphor. “Fern Symbolism & Meaning (Invisibility & Fortune).” https://symbolismandmetaphor.com/fern-symbolism-meaning/
Wikipedia. “Henry Bradbury.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Bradbury
Wikipedia. “Nature printing.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_printing
Wikipedia. “Pteridomania.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pteridomania
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter: twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners! -
Fainting women were a pretty common trope in 19th century literature. I discuss some reasons why Victorian-Era women were likely to faint, but also explore how much of what we know about “fainting culture” might have been myth, and how much was likely reality.
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References
Agnew, Molly Elizabeth. “The Truth About Corsets: Busting the Myths.” https://thevintagewomanmagazine.com/the-truth-about-corsets-busting-the-myths/
Austen, Jane. Love and Freindship. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1212/1212-h/1212-h.htm
Dickens, Charles. The Pickwick Papers. https://www.victorianlondon.org/etexts/dickens/pickwick-0012.shtml
Goshorn, Kelly. “Swooning, a Victorian Fad?” https://kellygoshorn.com/archives/2018/04/swooning-a-victorian-fad#:~:text=Swooning%20was%20simply%20one%20method%20for%20a%20woman,a%20secret%20affair%20and%20child%2C%20may%20be%20revealed.
Lucy. “Corsets and the Victorian Fainting Culture.” https://lucycorsetry.com/2014/09/25/corsets-and-the-victorian-fainting-culture/
Morris, C. “The Myth about Victorian Women You Can Stop Believing.” https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/the-myth-about-victorian-women-you-can-stop-believing/ar-AAYbNmk
Valentish, Jenny. “The corsets are gone, so why are women still fainting?” https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/voices/culture/article/2018/03/22/corsets-are-gone-so-why-are-women-still-fainting
Valeris, Monique. “Everything You Need to Know about a Fainting Couch.” https://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/interior-designers/a28786604/fainting-couch-history/
Vic. “The Connection Between Vinegar and the Fainting Couch: 19th Century Customs.” https://janeaustensworld.com/2012/03/11/the-connection-between-vinegar-and-the-fainting-couch-19th-century-customs/
Victorian Era. “Fainting Couch In Victorian Era.” https://victorian-era.org/fainting-couch-victorian-era.html
Wikipedia. “Fainting Couch.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fainting_couch
Wikipedia. “Love and Freindship.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_and_Freindship
*****
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners! -
Although Valentine’s Day existed prior to the 19th century, the Victorians helped to make this day what we know and love (or hate) today. I briefly discuss the history of the day, then talk about the many “vinegar valentines” Victorians looking to insult rather than flirt could choose from.
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References
Andersen, Charlotte Hilton. “What Is Valentine’s Day, and Why Do We Celebrate It?” https://www.rd.com/article/history-of-valentines-day/
Corrigan, Maya. “When Valentines Were Vicious: A Brief History of the Vinegar Valentine.” https://crimereads.com/when-valentines-were-vicious-a-brief-history-of-the-vinegar-valentine/
Five Minute History. “Valentine’s Day in the Victorian Era.” https://fiveminutehistory.com/valentines-day-in-the-victorian-era/
Ponti, Crystal. “Victorian-Era 'Vinegar' Valentines Could Be Mean and Hostile.” https://www.history.com/news/victorian-valentines-day-cards-vinegar
Zarrelli, Natalie. “The Rude, Cruel, and Insulting ‘Vinegar Valentines’ of the Victorian Era.” https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/vinegar-valentines-victorian
Zelazko, Alicja. “Why Do We Give Valentine Cards?” https://www.britannica.com/story/why-do-we-give-valentine-cards
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter: twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners! -
I read 2 fairy tales from the 1893 children’s book, Rays of Sunshine: “A Frog He Would a Wooing Go” and “Death and Burial of Cock Robin.”
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References
“A Frog He Would A Wooing Go.” Rays of Sunshine. New York: M'Loughlin Bros., 1893. https://archive.org/details/raysofsunshine00unse/page/n7/mode/2up
“Death and Burial of Cock Robin.” Rays of Sunshine. New York: M'Loughlin Bros., 1893. https://archive.org/details/raysofsunshine00unse/page/n7/mode/2up
Mama Lisa’s World. “A Frog He Would A-wooing Go, Georgie Porgie, and the Meaning of Roly-Poly.” https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/a-frog-he-would-a-wooing-go-and-georgie-porgie/#:~:text=I’ve%20always%20been%20fond%20of%20the%20song%20A,by%20Elvis%20Presley%20and%20Bob%20Dylan%2C%20among%20others.
Mantel, P.G. “‘Fairy Tales’ by G.K. Chesterton.” https://www.menofthewest.net/fairy-tales-by-g-k-chesterton/
Public Domain Review, The. “The Death and Burial of Cock Robin.” https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/the-death-and-burial-of-cock-robin
Wikipedia. “Cock Robin.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cock_Robin
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter: twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners! -
In this minisode, I discuss the history of the zoetrope & explain why, even though it was generally marketed as a “toy,” I believe it was much more than that.
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References
Coterill, Chris. “Early Pioneer: William George Horner.” https://animationgeek.blogspot.com/2011/01/early-pioneer-william-george-horner.html
Object Lessons. “Zoetrope, Victorian, Replica.” https://www.objectlessons.org/childhood-and-games-victorians/zoetrope-victorian-replica/s67/a1072/
Taggart, Emma. “Circling the Zoetrope, a Victorian Animation Toy That Helped Shape the Future of Cinema.” https://mymodernmet.com/what-is-a-zoetrope/
Wikipedia. “American Zoetrope.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Zoetrope
Wikipedia. “Phenakistiscope.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenakistiscope
Wikipedia. “Zoetrope.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoetrope
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter: twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thevictorianvarietyshow
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Podchaser, Audible, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners! - Show more
