What the Victorians Did Wrong

This compact, illustrated easy-reference book takes an alternative look at 19th-century British history, shining a light on the often-forgotten sacrifices required to bring about the Industiral Revolution & the realisation of the Victorian dream.

For while the Victorian era is often viewed as one of uninterrupted success - of unrelenting industrial progress powered scientific advance like no other in history - a question remains: was this revolution good for everyone? The stories in this book offer a sobering counterbalance to the associated tales of glorious Victorian success.

One chapter looks at the Tay Bridge disaster. In 1879 the Tay Bridge was the longest in the world and a wonder of its age. But on a stormy night in December, disaster struck when the central section of the bridge collapsed and the 7:13pm train from Edinburgh plunged into the icy waters of the Tay, taking the lives of 75 passengers and crew. How and why did this supposed feat of Victorian invention fail so spectacularly? 

A5 (softcover) 96 pages

Author: Stan and Trevor Yorke