Michelle Higgs's Blog, page 3
April 23, 2015
REVIEW OF 'LIFE IN THE VICTORIAN ASYLUM' BY MARK STEVENS
My Victorian England blog has been shamefully neglected of late because most of my time has been taken up with my forthcoming book, 'Servants' Stories'. Now that I have a bit more breathing space, I can start to blog again.
Let's start with a review of Mark Stevens' thoroughly absorbing book 'Life in the Victorian Asylum'. This is very late as the book was published in October last year, but better late than never! Regular readers of this blog will know that this is a subject I'm fascinated wi...
Let's start with a review of Mark Stevens' thoroughly absorbing book 'Life in the Victorian Asylum'. This is very late as the book was published in October last year, but better late than never! Regular readers of this blog will know that this is a subject I'm fascinated wi...
December 22, 2014
DAY 12 OF '12 DAYS OF VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS CARDS'
On the final day of '12 Days of Victorian Christmas Cards', I'd like to share a card from the 1860s featuring a New Year message. Many Victorian cards looked ahead to the New Year.
Copyright Michelle HiggsCards from the 1860s always had a paper 'lace' border like this. In this card, you can see a scene from Dr Yule's Popular Lectures for the Young with a Christmas pudding for the globe. I'm not sure what the diagram on the blackboard is referring to!
I hope you've enjoyed looking at these...
Copyright Michelle HiggsCards from the 1860s always had a paper 'lace' border like this. In this card, you can see a scene from Dr Yule's Popular Lectures for the Young with a Christmas pudding for the globe. I'm not sure what the diagram on the blackboard is referring to!I hope you've enjoyed looking at these...
December 21, 2014
DAY 11: 12 DAYS OF VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS CARDS
On Day 11 of '12 Days of Victorian Christmas Cards', I have a humorous card from the 1870s to share. It pokes fun at the skill and balance required to ride a penny farthing safely:
Copyright Michelle HiggsThe cyclist, complete with top hat and newspaper, is about to fall into the canal. I love the expression on his face - and his whiskers!
Copyright Michelle HiggsThe cyclist, complete with top hat and newspaper, is about to fall into the canal. I love the expression on his face - and his whiskers!
DAY 10: 12 DAYS OF VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS CARDS
It's Day 10 of '12 Days of Victorian Christmas Cards' and I have a real treat for you today. Continuing with the animals and birds theme, here is a wonderful card from the 1880s:
Copyright Michelle HiggsIt features two beautiful owls flying in the moonlight while wearing top hats. One of them has an intriguing key around its neck.
The reason may be found in a second card which makes up the pair:
Copyright Michelle HiggsI think the owls in top hats are possibly a bridegroom and his best man, an...
Copyright Michelle HiggsIt features two beautiful owls flying in the moonlight while wearing top hats. One of them has an intriguing key around its neck. The reason may be found in a second card which makes up the pair:
Copyright Michelle HiggsI think the owls in top hats are possibly a bridegroom and his best man, an...
December 20, 2014
DAY 9: 12 DAYS OF VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS CARDS
On Day 9 of '12 Days of Victorian Christmas Cards', I give you mice pulling a cracker!
Copyright Michelle HiggsOr is it a sweet? I can't tell but it's another typically Victorian subject for a Christmas card featuring cute animals.
Having looked at the picture again, the tails of the mice look suspiciously long. Maybe they are rats, not mice, and are not so cute after all! Unless, of course, they are friendly pet rats...
Copyright Michelle HiggsOr is it a sweet? I can't tell but it's another typically Victorian subject for a Christmas card featuring cute animals.Having looked at the picture again, the tails of the mice look suspiciously long. Maybe they are rats, not mice, and are not so cute after all! Unless, of course, they are friendly pet rats...
December 19, 2014
DAY 8: 12 DAYS OF VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS CARDS
Today is Day 8 of '12 Days of Victorian Christmas Cards'. I'm going to share a slightly different image of Father Christmas to the one from Day 1 which was based on the more scary pagan figure.
Copyright Michelle HiggsIn this card, Father Christmas is wearing a brown cloak and he has become more benign, similar to the red-jacketed gift-giving Father Christmas of today. The 1880s was the period in which there was a cross-over between the pagan figure of Father Christmas and the more friendly Sa...
Copyright Michelle HiggsIn this card, Father Christmas is wearing a brown cloak and he has become more benign, similar to the red-jacketed gift-giving Father Christmas of today. The 1880s was the period in which there was a cross-over between the pagan figure of Father Christmas and the more friendly Sa...
December 17, 2014
DAY 7: 12 DAYS OF VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS CARDS
On Day 7 of '12 Days of Victorian Christmas Cards', I offer another Victorian 'trick' type card. This time, it's a shadow card from the 1880s:
Copyright Michelle HiggsThese cards were supposed to draw parallels between animal and human characters, for instance, a picture of a duck paired with the shadow of a physicist (a quack); and a goat paired with an old gallant's shadow.
In this card, the shadow of the dog is shown in silhouette to highlight the similar facial attributes of an elderly man...
Copyright Michelle HiggsThese cards were supposed to draw parallels between animal and human characters, for instance, a picture of a duck paired with the shadow of a physicist (a quack); and a goat paired with an old gallant's shadow.In this card, the shadow of the dog is shown in silhouette to highlight the similar facial attributes of an elderly man...
December 16, 2014
DAY 6: 12 DAYS OF VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS CARDS
Amazingly, it's already Day 6 of '12 Days of Victorian Christmas Cards' which means we're halfway through. Today, I'd like to share a card featuring a character with a long history: Mr Punch.
Copyright Michelle Higgs
Mr Punch has his origins in the Italian clown Pulcinella. He is first recorded in 1662 when Samuel Pepys saw him featured in a puppet show as part of Charles II's wedding festivities.
Victorian theatregoers would have enjoyed shows with Mr Punch including a live dog called Toby who...
Copyright Michelle HiggsMr Punch has his origins in the Italian clown Pulcinella. He is first recorded in 1662 when Samuel Pepys saw him featured in a puppet show as part of Charles II's wedding festivities.
Victorian theatregoers would have enjoyed shows with Mr Punch including a live dog called Toby who...
December 15, 2014
DAY 5: 12 DAYS OF VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS CARDS
It's Day 5 of '12 Days of Victorian Christmas Cards' and today I give you a Victorian novelty card. This is a 'trick' card of the type that was extremely popular in the 1870s and 1880s. It tapped in to the Victorians' love of ingenuity and invention.
Copyright Michelle HiggsWhat can you see in this landscape? Scroll down for a clue.
View the card sideways!
The reverse is printed with the message: 'In this landscape you can trace a jolly Father Christmas face.'
Copyright Michelle HiggsWhat can you see in this landscape? Scroll down for a clue.View the card sideways!
The reverse is printed with the message: 'In this landscape you can trace a jolly Father Christmas face.'
December 14, 2014
DAY 4: 12 DAYS OF VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS CARDS
On Day 4 of '12 Days of Victorian Christmas Cards', it's time to look at a card with one of the most common designs of all: animals.
Copyright Michelle Higgs
Cats, dogs, monkeys, pigs, mice, you name it: the Victorians put all kinds of animals on their Christmas cards. Some of them were anthropomorphic with animals dressed in all kinds of Victorian finery. Others, like this one from the 1880s, featured creatures in their natural state.
Here, we have four cute puppies wishing the recipient a merr...
Copyright Michelle HiggsCats, dogs, monkeys, pigs, mice, you name it: the Victorians put all kinds of animals on their Christmas cards. Some of them were anthropomorphic with animals dressed in all kinds of Victorian finery. Others, like this one from the 1880s, featured creatures in their natural state.
Here, we have four cute puppies wishing the recipient a merr...
