Page 89 - A History of the World in 25 Cities

Queen Victoria ruled for 64 years, from 1837 to 1901, and oversaw more change during her long reign than probably any other monarch. She was involved in the affairs and decisions of state while overseeing her large family. After her husband, Albert, died, in 1860,
Victoria went into a long period of mourning and was seen much less often by her subjects.
By 1880, the railways had had a huge impact on London and the lives of the people there. A growing network of railway lines linked the
capital with the rest of the country. In London itself, the world’s first underground railway had opened,
making fast, safe, affordable travel available to many more people. Passengers in carriages were
pulled through underground tunnels by coal- powered steam engines belching out thick smoke, making for rather noisy and dirty journeys!
The new railways meant that people could work in the middle of the city, and commute in and out each day. This led to the rise of the suburbs, residential areas
on the edge of cities and towns consisting mostly of
homes. The suburbs were less overcrowded and less dirty than the city centres. Suburban houses could be larger with bigger gardens because there was more
space. This was the way that London and other world cities grew – not only because of more people coming to live and work in them but also by expanding to
swallow up the countryside around them.
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