Recommended online resources for Victorian history

You can learn a lot about Victorian history from the many online resources that are available. Below is a short list of some of the best general websites for learning more about the period (mainly at a popular level). The first list shows sites that are free to access, whilst the second shows those that you have to pay to access (or be a member of a recognised academic institution):

• The Victorian Web [probably the best overall site for information on the era]
• British History Online [a great overall site with all kinds of sources from many historical periods]
• BBC History Online [the BBC has quite a few resources dedicated to this period]
• The British Library [this also has a good section on the Victorian period]
• The Victoria County History [the most comprehensive local histories produced for many counties in England]

Resources you pay for

• ‘Investigating the Victorians’ [a great 10-week online introductory course about the Victorians run by Oxford University’s Continuing Education Department]
• Victorian Studies Journal [the main academic journal for this period – titles can be searched for, but they can only be read if you have an account or are member of an academic institution]
• Nineteenth Century British Newspapers [a wonderful selection of national newspapers that can be scanned for keywords – and accessed freely from educational establishments and some libraries]
• Census Material [this extensive resource can be accessed by subscription or used for free in many local libraries]
• Dictionary of National Biography [a useful reference resource for information on people that can be accessed from educational establishments]

Image by @sage_solar, Flickr