(no subject)

[danohu]

Bonkers Victorian inventions, including:

• A steel collar, to protect against garrotting
• A mechanical leech, in case there's a shortage of real leeches
• A corset with built-in inflatable boobs

Comments

[hairyears.livejournal.com]

Garrotting was a thing in 19th Century London: in part, the media-driven fear of it (and the draconian legislation that resulted) would be familiar to students of the Daily Mail today; but part of that fear was genuine, because London had some enthusiatic early adopters of this effective and efficient innovation in street robbery.

[oedipamaas49.livejournal.com]

Victorian London really was a gruesome place, wasn't it?

[hairyears.livejournal.com]

If you ever get to Leeds and visit the Armoury (the national museum of arms, a huge place, filled by clearing out the attic in the Tower of London), give me a shout.

Last time I visited, they had over forty feet of display cases under the category "The 19th Century: Articles a prudent gentleman might carry about his person whilst travelling in Whitechapel".