Buzz
10. Fern Hunting
In 19th-century England, botanical pursuits were all the rage, though less so in America. Exotic plants thrived in hothouses, gardens bloomed with vibrant flowers, and floral motifs adorned everything from wallpaper to jewelry. By 1855, pteridomania, an obsession with collecting and growing ferns, spread through Victorian society like wildfire. Adventurous 'fern expeditions' to Europe, Asia, and other regions brought back rare specimens. This craze led to overharvesting, threatening or even wiping out some species. Despite the risks, fern hunting remained a thrilling pastime well into the early 1900s.
9. Le Théâtre d’Ombres (The Theater of Shadows)
In 1887, Henri Rivère introduced the Théâtre d’Ombres in Paris’ Montmartre district. Far more sophisticated than modern shadow play setups – think bed sheets and flashlights – this theater featured a twenty-voice choir, an orchestra, and intricately designed Japanese puppets. Critics of the time praised the stunning beauty of the performances, which included patriotic military-themed plays with multiple acts and scenes. Rivère produced forty-three shadow plays before the café shut its doors in 1897. While he borrowed the concept of shadow theater from others, his execution was uniquely captivating. Even back then, originality was hard to come by.
8. Divination
From tea leaves and palmistry to crystal balls, Victorians employed a variety of methods to peer into the future. They also turned to dice, apples, nuts, mirrors, candles, wax, playing cards, seeds, dreams, coins, fruitcake, moles, warts, and even communication with the deceased through spiritual mediums – a practice as popular as modern-day convenience foods. Young women, in particular, used these techniques to uncover details about their future husbands. While less precise than online searches, these methods certainly added a touch of romance to the quest for love.
7. Anthropomorphic Taxidermy
While Victorians weren’t necessarily taxidermists themselves, many were avid collectors of stuffed animals. Take Walter Potter, for instance, whose intricate anthropomorphic displays featured guinea pigs engaged in cricket matches and kittens dressed in frilly wedding attire. While charming at first glance, the fact that these animals were deceased adds a macabre twist. Though claimed to have died naturally, suspicions linger. Potter’s museum in Bramber, Sussex, became a beloved attraction, with stuffed hedgehogs from the 1851 Great Exhibition sparking this peculiar trend.
6. Pornography
Contrary to popular belief, the Internet did not pioneer adult entertainment. In the 1800s, gentlemen discreetly indulged in explicit literature and photography, hidden under counters and bought in secrecy. These erotic writings, often credited to the ever-mysterious Anonymous, spanned from simple harem tales to complex narratives involving BDSM, group encounters, and specific fetishes, set in places like all-girls schools. Publications such as the Pearl and the Oyster provided milder content, akin to a Victorian-era Playboy, albeit sans images. The advent of photography also played a role, capturing risqué moments. Interestingly, flagellation was humorously dubbed “the English vice.” What does that imply?
5. Cabinet of Curiosities
The Victorian era saw many enthusiastic collectors, with some focusing on specific themes while others amassed a bizarre assortment of items. These collections, known as “cabinets of curiosities,” were rooms filled with an eclectic mix of natural history specimens, ancient artifacts, and peculiar objects like shrunken heads and mechanical toys. This tradition dates back to the 1600s. Notably, P.T. Barnum’s American Museum in New York showcased wonders like the Feejee Mermaid and live whales, attracting thousands daily from 1841 to 1865.
4. Mesmerism (Hypnotism)
In the 1800s, mesmerism, often referred to as “animal magnetism” or hypnotism, captivated the public’s imagination. Beyond inspiring plots in erotic literature, it became a popular form of entertainment. Victorian mesmerists rarely made people cluck like chickens but instead showcased their skills by rendering subjects impervious to pain, even piercing their arms with surgical needles to the amazement of onlookers. Amateurs also dabbled in mesmerism for fun, with one tale recounting a man who hypnotized lobsters at a fish market and removed their limbs with scissors, allegedly without any signs of distress—though their silent suffering remains a mystery.
3. Séances
As previously mentioned, communicating with the deceased was a significant trend during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Séances, where mediums facilitated ghostly encounters, table rapping, and ectoplasmic manifestations, were widely attended. At home, individuals experimented with Ouija boards and automatic writing. Women dominated the mediumship field, as their perceived sensitivity made them ideal vessels for spiritual possession—a concept ripe for Freudian interpretation. However, as the practice grew profitable, fraudulent mediums emerged. Harry Houdini, the famed magician, dedicated efforts to exposing these charlatans.
While Victorians didn’t have access to modern conveniences like smartphones, streaming, or blockbuster movies, they still found ways to entertain themselves in rather peculiar ways—all without electricity or digital distractions. Truly remarkable.
2. Mummy “Unrolling”
The 19th-century fascination with Egyptian culture sparked a trend of mummy unwrapping, or “unrolling.” Contrary to myths, this wasn’t a home activity—no one wanted ancient remains littering their floors. Instead, people attended lectures and exhibitions where so-called experts dissected mummies bought at auctions. Tourists even brought mummies back from Egypt as souvenirs. This demand grew so high that reports emerged of counterfeit mummies being created from the bodies of the poor and recently deceased.
1. Mourning
In the 19th century, life expectancy was drastically shortened due to unsanitary conditions, contaminated water, adulterated food, rampant diseases, and poor hygiene. This led to frequent funerals, which became highly ritualized, especially after Prince Albert’s death in 1861. Mourning transformed into a public spectacle, complete with specialized attire, stationery, wreaths, and even funeral biscuits. Mourning jewelry, often crafted from jet or onyx and incorporating the deceased’s hair, became a symbol of grief. The practice of mourning was taken as seriously as a major sporting event, though with far less fanfare and more solemnity.
