Just in time for summer vacation, we’d like to feature one of Special Collections’ newest acquisitions: an optical toy, or “peep egg.” The peep egg is small, about 4.5” high, and made out of an opaque alabaster which lets light in. Looking through the glass viewer on top reveals three small scenes of Weston-Super-Mare, a …
Maybe you’ve always wondered what it would have been like to be a 19th-century woman crossing the plains in a pioneer bonnet, skirt, petticoat, and maybe even a corset. But have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be a 19th-century woman traversing the Alps, Palestine, India, West Africa, or even the …
Check out today’s edition of The Universe for a story on Victorian Valentines from Special Collections, and stop by the HBLL on Thursday to see reproductions of the featured valentines during Love Your Library Week!
Saturday marks the 150th birthday of a fascinating Victorian woman, Mary Kingsley. Her father, George Henry Kingsley, was a physician and world traveler. Young Mary led a rather secluded life, but had free access to her father’s library of travel and scientific books. She made her first trip abroad when she was in her 20s, …
With all eyes on London for the 2012 Olympics, England’s capital is showcasing the world’s athletic achievements. In 1851, London hosted a world’s fair to highlight cultures and industries. An enormous glass and cast-iron building known as the Crystal Palace was erected in London’s Hyde Park to house the fair. The Great Exhibition brought together …
As the British Commonwealth celebrates Queen Elizabeth’s 60 years on the British throne, we are looking back at the only other British monarch to achieve such a long reign, Queen Victoria. Victoria marked the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne on June 22, 1897. The Victorian Collection at L. Tom Perry Special Collections …
The British Commonwealth is celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s diamond jubilee (the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne) this year, with big events planned this weekend. The only other British monarch to reign for 60 years was Queen Victoria, who celebrated her diamond jubilee in June 1897. As part of the jubilee celebrations, the Royal …
Visiting the UK this summer? You’re probably bringing along a guidebook to help you navigate, see the sights, and understand the local culture. Old guidebooks can provide an interesting snapshot of place and time. For example, Special Collections owns numerous 19th century guidebooks to places in the British Isles, including Scotland, the English Lake District, …
Valentine’s Day greetings were just as popular with the Victorians as they are today. In 1865, the British postmaster general reported that 542,000 valentines were mailed annually within London and more than double that amount sent from London to the countryside. No wonder that in 1870, one newspaper noted that “[St. Valentine] is the terror …
The Harold B. Lee Library has scanned and made available the British Social Periodicals held in the JFC Harrison collection online at the Internet Archive. The collection includes full-text scans of periodicals related to political, cultural, and social movements, including temperance, free-thought, and working-class educational associations. The digital collection also includes literary items related to …