The Victorians and Edwardians at play - John Hannavy

A picture can say a thousand words and the images caught on camera during the Victorian and Edwardian periods provide a fascinating insight into the lives of Britons during this time. Take a step back between 1840 and 1910 and explore the pastimes, hobbies, sports and other entertainments enjoyed by the Victorians and Edwardians through the rich variety of photographs and vintage postcards in this beautiful album. A world we usually see in monochrome or sepia is presented here in vivid color, bringing the Victorian and Edwardian people a little closer to us. 128 pages are packed with images of people on the golf course, playing croquet and tennis, sports days and football matches. We see visits to the zoo, cruises on river boats and paddle steamers, fairground and pleasure beach excursions, days at the races and other, more unusual pursuits, all of which tell the story of social life 100 to 160 years ago. Go on, take a look!

John Hannavy, Professor in Art and Design at Bolton Institute, is a well-known photographer, and a writer and broadcaster on the history of photography.

[With Victorians and Edwardians at Work (Shire 2009)]:"If you find the Victorian and Edwardian eras even a smidgen interesting, you simply must read these two books. They provide a complete and fascinating look back at the people that lived in those time periods. First, in "At Work", we learn about every occupation from actors to postmen to fishwives to pit brow lasses! Each occupation has pages of details about the tasks involved as well as photos of workers fulfilling their duties. The Victorians and Edwardians worked hard, but as evidenced in "At Play", they played just as hard. They enjoyed many of the same activities we do today, such as trips to the zoo and the races, a game of golf or hunting, roller skating and even enjoying their pint of beer. Both books have a wealth of beautifully tinted vintage photographs and more details about their lives than you could have imagined! These books are definitely "keepers" for anyone that wishes, just a tiny bit, that they were born in a simpler, earlier time. " -For Immediate Release Reviews / forimmediatereleasereviews.com (December 2009)