1850: Britain as a Beacon of Progress
Marking the symbolic end of the Industrial Revolution and the beginning of the Golden Age, the Punch publications of 1850 focused largely on the progress and bright future of Britain. In the previous decade, the nation had experienced the royal wedding of Victoria and Albert (1840), a host of additions to the law (such as the Factory Act of 1844, the Ten Hours’ Factory Act of 1847, and the Public Health Act of 1848), and the release of several popular pieces of fiction (Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” Charlotte Brontë’s “Jane Eyre,” and Anne Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights,” to name a few).
The 1850 Public Libraries Act made print media more accessible than ever before, and Punch itself was experiencing increasing success, too: a year after its birth in 1841, it had already earned the support of well-respected printers and popularity amongst middle-class Londoners. The periodical’s cultural relevance would only continue to grow throughout the following decade and in subsequent years.
"Punch's Monument to Peel"
Robert Peel served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice: his first term was from 1834-1835, and his second was from 1841-1846. He was the driving force behind the repeal of the Corn Laws (which negatively impacted Britain’s trading partners to protect its own interests) at the end of his second term. This was a controversial decision: even Peel’s own party disagreed, as the repeal would only benefit the lower classes. Peel died in 1850 and was memorialized by Punch as a caricatured saviour of the poor. His political actions were boiled down to a comment on grocery prices here.
Railway Travel in 1850
By 1850, trains had become so large in the British public consciousness that their dangers had permanently altered contemporary understandings of anxiety and vulnerability. From the railway manias of the 1830s and 1840s arose accident insurance, the development of which peaked in 1844 with the Joint Stock Companies Act. Railway travel’s potential for harm was made clear with increased insurance advertisements at train stations, an example of which is seen here. The humour in this illustration is communicated through the woman’s expression of shock upon being faced with the risks of Britain’s new favourite mode of transport.
Hyde Park - A Place for Industry?
The “exhibition of industry” mentioned in this illustration’s caption is the Great Exhibition of 1851, which took place in Hyde Park the year after this edition of Punch was released. The event was set in the newly-constructed Crystal Palace and boasted products of British progress. This illustration pokes fun at the planned display of industry by depicting men lying leisurely in Hyde Park. This could be related to the passing of the 10 Hour Act in 1847 (which lowered the length of the work day) or the middle class’ general entitlement to leisure at the time.