5. The Great Exhibition: Prince Albert, Revolutionaries, and the Duke of Wellington (Ep 1)
The Great Exhibition is to open in May 1851 and millions of people will descend on the capital to marvel at exhibitions of culture and industry. Victorian engineering and determination will transform one million square feet of glass into the Crystal Palace in London’s Hyde Park in just five months, ready to house the wares of the world.
However, this celebration of progress also exposed the stark inequalities of Victorian society, as the wealthy of West London contemplated the arrival of vast crowds from the impoverished East End. Fears of social upheaval stirred, echoing the anxieties surrounding the Chartist movement and the revolutions sweeping Europe. Discover the extraordinary measures taken to manage these anxieties, from the deployment of an additional thousand police officers to the subtle surveillance by specially appointed guides.
Join Sarah Churchwell and David Olusoga to discuss the Great Exhibition, and whether it was a unifying moment for the nation, or did it serve to highlight the chasm between the privileged and the poor?
To find out more about Find My Past visit: https://www.findmypast.co.uk/journey-through-time
Email: [email protected]
X: @ThroughTimePod
Blue Sky: @ThroughTimePod
Instagram: @ThroughTimePod
Assistant Producer: Alice Horrell
Producer: Callum Hill
Senior Producer: Dom Johnson
Exec Producer: Tony Pastor
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Journey Through Time
Forgotten stories from history and how they shaped the way we live today.
Hear about the ordinary people from history and the extraordinary impact they’ve had on the present. Hosted by historians David Olusoga and Sarah Churchwell, Journey Through Time will show how everyday actions have the most remarkable unintended consequences that ripple through time.
From the first woman to run for President to the unknown story of how the world came to the brink of nuclear war in 1983, this podcast is for everyone, not just history lovers.
To hear more Goalhanger podcasts, go to www.goalhanger.com
To find out more about Find My Past visit: https://www.findmypast.co.uk/journey-through-time
- Aantal afleveringen: 19
- Laatste aflevering: 2025-07-09
- Geschiedenis
Waar kun je luisteren?
