Testaments to the Boom Times to Come

[Testaments to the Boom Times to Come]

[lostsplendor]

Paxton’s Crystal Palace, Sydenham c. 1851 via Wikimedia Commons

[Testaments to the Boom Times to Come]

[oupacademic]

This dashing Victorian may not be too recognisable, but today is Robert Paxton’s birthday. Paxton was responsible for the creation of the Crystal Palace, the enormous glass building that hosted one of the biggest events of the Victorian era: the Great Exhibition in 1851.

The Crystal Palace was novel, cheap, and won two prizes for the design and construction. Paxton and Charles Fox (the builder) were awarded knighthoods, and Prince Albert gave £5000 of the Exhibition’s profits to Paxton, who had waived his fee.

The Great Exhibition was attended by 6 million people – an amazing amount considering that the population of the UK at the time was only around 25 million.

Image credit: Sir Joseph Paxton (1803-1865), via Wikimedia Commons.

[wellntruly]

Robert Paxton! You were an exemplary dude.

Visiting the Crystal Palace remains Item No. 1 on my list of things I would do with a time machine. I think that would be a nice first activity. Reveling in the wonderment at humanity’s accomplishments and dreams, eating weird 19th-century snacks – good first day.