Queen Vic at Holborn Viaduct

I have been doing some research into Victorian London and came across this delightful ' common man's take ' on the opening of the Holborn Viaduct in 1869. It had been a noble and very expensive project which had taken 6 years in the making, but was very appreciated by all and sundry. Holborn Circus - where the clock tower now stands - was separated from the Old Bailey (though it was actually the site of Newgate Prison originally) by the valley of the Fleet River. The river had been covered over in the eighteenth century, but the banks - Holborn Hill - formed notorious steep climbs which the coaches and horses of the time, and also pedestrians, found very difficult to negotiate. I hope you can and do enjoy reading it - it is at the maximum size I could put it at on the blog.




It was printed by H. Disley, Printer, 57, High Street, St Giles, London. The Source of the document is: Curiosities of Street Literature, London,Reeves and Turner, 196, Strand, 1871. The web site is noted for each verse.