William IV Dies and His Niece Victoria Becomes Queen

William IV dies and his niece Victoria becomes Queen.

1840 Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are married.

1840 Penny post begins. The penny black was the first stamp in the world.

1841 First railway excursion organised by Thomas cook.

1850s The first post boxes were built.

1851 The sewing machine was invented

1852 The first public flushing toilet opened in London.

1854 Crimean war began.

1854 Florence Nightingale organised nursing in the Crimean war and helped save many injured soldiers.

1854 A cholera epidemic leads to demands for clean water and proper sewage systems in big cities.

1856 Russia is defeated by Britain in the Crimean war.

1861 Prince Albert’s dies from Typhoid.

1861 The first horse drawn trams were used in London.

1863 The first underground railway lines were opened in London.

Also this year the Football league was started.

1867 The introduction of the first pedal bicycle of the roads. Known as the ‘boneshaker’.

1869 The first Sainsbury’s shop opened in Dury Lane, London.

1870 Schools were provided for children between the age of 5 and 10 years.

1871 The Albert Hall is opened by Queen Victoria.

1876 Queen Victoria became Empress of India

1876 Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.

1879 Edison made the first light bulb.

1881 National history museum in London was opened.

1883 The first electric railway was introduced.

1884 The safety Bicycle was built. The wheels were the same size and the bicycle had a chain. This gave ordinary people the freedom to travel.

1885 The Birmingham Museum round room and industrial gallery was opened by the Prince of

Wales.

1887 The invention of the gramophone by Emile Berliner.

1891 All primary education is free.

1894 Picture post cards are now allowed to be sent in the penny post.

1896 The speed limit for horseless carriages in the UK was raised from 4mph to 14 mph.

1897 The year of Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee.

Queen Victoria died. Her son, Edward VII, became king.