There are many books which tackle the political developments in Ireland during the nineteenth century. The aim of this book is to show what life was like during the reign of Queen Victoria for those who lived in the towns and countryside during a period of momentous change. It covers a period of sixty-four years (1837-1901) when the only thing that that connected its divergent decades and generations was the fact that the same head of state presided over them. It is a social history, in so far as politics can be divorced from everyday life in Ireland, examining, changes in law and order, government intervention in education and public health, the revolution in transport and the shattering impact of the Great Famine and subsequent eviction and emigration. The influence of religion was a constant factor during the period with the three major denominations, Roman Catholic, Anglican and Presbyterian, between them accounting for all but a very small proportion of the Irish population. Schools, hospitals, and other charitable institutions, orphan societies, voluntary organisation, hotels, and even public transport and sporting organisations were organised along denominational lines. On a lighter note, popular entertainment, superstitions, and marriage customs are explored through the eyes of the Victorians themselves during the last full century of British rule. AUTHOR: Dr Ian Maxwell is a former record officer at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. He has written more than sixty articles on Irish, Scottish and English social history and genealogy for a number of publications including Who Do You Think You Are? and Family Tree. His previous publications for Pen & Sword are Tracing Your Irish Ancestors, Tracing Your Northern Irish Ancestors, Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors and Tracing Your Glasgow Ancestors. 32 b/w illustrations
