1. Life For the Upper Class In Victorian England.
Davina, Olivia Emma and Hollie

2. Overview of the Key Ideas
Upper class Victorians did not work. Their income came from inherited land and investments of which they would hire people (servants) to either work (agriculturally) or take care of the house and grounds.
They would often be representative of their village and be responsible for tasks such as local governing decisions.
Life for the Upper class was much easier than anyone else as access to good healthcare and clean water and food meant that many of the illnesses or problems associated with Victorian England were not troublesome to them.

3. Interesting facts about the Upper Class.
The Victorian upper class had no televisions to entertain them, so they entertained themselves. One of the popular forms of entertainment was for friends and family to dress up in outrageous costumes and pose for each other.
The Victorians loved offal and ate virtually every part of an animal. A famous dish from the Victorian era was turtle soup. The turtle was prized above all for its green jello-like fat which was used to flavour the soup made from the long-boiled stringy flesh of the animal.
Memento mori is a Latin phrase meaning “Remember you shall die”. When a loved one died, their relatives would sometimes have a photograph taken of the corpse in a pose – often with other members of the family. (Photo to the right – girl is dead in the middle).
When Queen Victoria’s husband Albert died in 1861, she went into mourning – donning black frocks until her own death many years later – and expected her nation to do so too. She avoided public appearances and rarely set foot in London in the following years. Her seclusion earned her the name “Widow of Windsor.”
Arranged marriages were not actually the norm in Victorian England. Long before Queen Victoria came to the throne, arranged marriages had fallen into a steady decline. People were expected to marry for love--love with many restrictions, that is. Young men and women typically married only within their own social class.

4. Music
In the Victorian era, brass bands such as ‘The Bandstand’ became popular.
The Victorians favoured orchestral sounds (such as pianos, harps and pump organs) and used music/the theatre as a form of escapism from the mundane life of a British upper class person.
As recording music was still a novelty, it was expensive to hire bands and therefore music was an important part of many social events, not only for entertainment but also to illustrate an upper person’s wealth.
Victorian theatre predominantly showed Shakespearian plays, although other contemporary playwrights became increasingly popular.
Melodrama became so popular it was shown in both legal and illegal theatres across the country.
There were many different genres of music in the Victorian era. They included:
Melodrama
Burlesque
Fairy Plays
Middle Class Satire
The Music Hall
Opera
Pantomime
Tragedy
Dramatic adaptations of Victorian Fiction

5. Fashion for the Upper Classes of Victorian Britain: Women
All women wore skirts or dresses that covered their ankles or spread over large hoops which were fashionable later on, but at the end of the era the hoop disappeared from view and it was back to slimmer skirts, with a more graceful appearance. Most women wore bonnets or hats and upper women often wore shawls. Ladies wore a corset to pull in their waist. Upper class women wore clothes made from delicate fabrics and expensive ribbon and were likely to be more ornamented with delicate embroidery and/or beading. Trimmings were also popular for upper class women and ranged from lace to fur depending on the season.

6. Fashion for the Upper Classes of Victorian Britain: Men
Upper class men were often seen in suits, nicely tailored to create a slimming effect, usually in a silk or more expensive tweed. They would often wear under their jacket a silk shirt and may have a waistcoat, carefully ornamented with embroidery or beading. Top hats were a frequent occurrence as it resembled their high and authoritive status in society. Leather shoes or ankle boots were worn by most men in positions of importance.

7. Factual detail including dates and names of people and places
"Etiquette" is the one word that describes life during the reign of Queen Victoria.
For those in the upper society, rules such as the proper forms of address, and even what to wear (including which pieces of jewellery would be appropriate) were all considered very important, to both genders.
For the lower class, the poor, there wasn't time for etiquette.
The Upper and Upper-Middle Class
From the slightest burp (social ruin if it was heard) to how a gentleman spoke to a young lady, Victorian society was greatly concerned with every aspect of daily life. From the moment the upper class left their beds, their days were controlled by do's and don'ts. However, to be caught in the wrong state at the wrong time of day- was as greatly to be feared as addressing a member of society by the wrong title.

8. The Victorian period: ended 1901
However, to be caught in the wrong state at the wrong time of day- was as greatly to be feared as addressing a member of society by the wrong title.
A Formal Dinner Party
It was important to know who you could speak with - especially if you hadn't been properly introduced. For a woman, being asked to dance by a complete stranger could pose an etiquette problem which might have a lasting effect.
Young ladies were constantly chaperoned. To be found alone with a gentleman who was other than family was close to social death. Her reputation would be ruined and her gentleman companion would find himself the object of gossip.
The established career for society women was marriage. They were expected to represent their husbands with grace and have no problems . Charity work would be accepted, but only if it was very gentile... sewing for the poor, or putting together food baskets.
Gentlemen had to keep track of when it was proper to either smoke or have a glass of sherry in front of ladies. When to bow and to whom to tip your hat could cause gossip if the wrong decision was made.
Members of Victorian society kept busy with parties, dances, visits, dressmakers, and tailors. Keeping track of what other people in your social class were doing was also a full-time job.
The Victorian period: ended 1901