The Victorian era (1837-1901) saw huge changes in technology, science, and transport. But it was also a time when Britain expanded its empire and fought wars across the world. On this page you can watch videos about the Victorian era in the Highlands, look at examples of documents, and find some related activities!
Learn with Lorna videos about the Victorians in the Highland Archive Service collections:
Rich & Poor
The Victorian era was a time of great contrasts and there was a big difference between being rich or poor. The rich wore fancy clothes, lived in big houses and went to dances and balls, while poorer people sometimes struggled to survive and, in cities, often lived in overcrowded and unhygienic tenement buildings known as slums. In 1845 a law was passed, called the Poor Law Amendment (Scotland) Act, which set up a group in every parish called a Parochial Board. People who didn’t have enough money or were too ill to work could ask the Parochial Board for help. Â
Farr party attending the Northern Meeting Ball, c1898
The former Inverness Poorhouse
List of the Wick poor, 1847
Boer War and Lovat Scouts
During Queen Victoria’s reign Britain was expanding its empire - taking control of other countries around the world and governing the lives of the people who lived there, regardless of how they felt about it.  This led to several wars including the Boer Wars, which the British fought in South Africa against the Boers (Afrikaans-speaking farmers in southern Africa) and in which Highlanders played an important part. The Boers were very good at field warfare whereas the British, trained in conventional battle and dressed in their bright red uniforms, were neither trained or equipped for field warfare.  Simon Joseph Fraser (Lord Lovat) approached the War Office to ask for permission to form a group to undertake ‘scouting’ in South Africa. Once permission was granted he contacted Highland landowners to recruit ghillies and stalkers who were already trained in reconnaissance, tracking a target, handling horses and moving easily across rough terrain.  You can see a copy of that letter below and read a typed copy here. The Lovat Scouts, as they were known, went on to become the British Army's first sniper unit.
Letter by Lord Lovat RE: the raising of the Lovat Scouts, 1900
Sketch of ‘Lovat Scouts in camp, c1900
The Lovat Scouts' return, 1900 (courtesy of www.ambaile.org.uk)
There were many famous engineers, scientists, and inventors during the Victorian period including James Bremner, an inventor from Caithness, who built ships and harbours, and even rescued shipwrecked boats. Â You can read more about him here, or why not have a look at the transport page to discover about the railways which became so popular in Queen Victoria's reign. Â Queen Victoria died in 1901 after 63 years on the throne. Â You can read a letter describing her very large funeral here.
Victorian related activities
- One of the documents we have up to show you is a sketch of a group of soldiers during the Boer War. Why not try to sketch another scene from their daily routine.
- The photograph of the Northern Meeting Ball is from a very large scrapbook kept by a Victorian lady called Mary Gwendoline Davidson. Many Victorians kept scrapbooks. Why not start one yourself with photos, magazine cuttings, recipes, lists and thoughts?
- Imagine living in the poorhouse because you had so little money there was nowhere else to go. Try and write a letter to a family member describing your life there or draw a picture of you outside the Inverness Poorhouse building.
