My Fair Lady

In her early years, Florence Nightingale carefully printed poems into her notebook, hinting at the writer she was to become later in life - not unlike Briony of Atonement . Photographed at the Florence Nightingale Museum Unlike Briony, however, Florence Nightingale was a very religious person and believed nursing was something she was called to do by God. Bibles photographed at Florence Nightingale Museum The Treasures Collection at the British Library contains many early manuscripts and works by some of the people we consider the greats today - including famous authors such as Jane Austen and William Shakespeare. Photo found on British Library website here . During WWII, children had to grow up very quickly in order to cope with all of the lifestyle changes made in the war. These masks were given out to many of the children to protect them. Photographed at Imperial War Museum Children were often evacuated out of London and kept in contact with their parents...

John Soane brought the Grand Tour, a period of travel for young, elite, English men to learn about culture and history, to his own home for his students to study. Sir John Soanes Musuem Photo found here . English travellers often went to places like Venice with an idea that the entire city will be as it is in idealistic paintings. Venice:The Grand Canal with S. Simeone Piccolo, Canaletto, about 1740 Photographed at The National Gallery, London This piece too provides an idealistic, fantasy view of Venice for English travellers to expect - one highly praised by Ruskin, and art critic who many Englishmen admired and respected. St Benedetto, Looking towards Fusina, JMW Turner, 1842 Photographed at Tate Britain. Turner, widely known for his travel paintings, portrays Venice with historical greats, suggesting to English travellers that the city is full of their influence on the architecture and art -  a tempting proposition. Rome from the Vatican. Raffaelle, Accom...

Fountains are important to Protestant and Catholic tradition alike, symbolizing the purity of holy water  and honoring God, as this one does in the words printed around the outside of it. Photographed at Christ Church College in Oxford Art deco style was very fashionable in the 1920s, and was the style used for the chapel in Brideshead Revisited, resulting in a collision of the ancient Catholic faith and the modern (at the time) style of London. Photograph taken at Eltham Palace dining room. Table design by Peter Malacrida. The residents of Eltham Palace had Italian-style etchings of other cultures on their walls, suggesting a fascination with those unlike themselves and, perhaps, their 'backward' ways and religions. Photographed at Eltham Palace drawing room. ' Where medieval meets Tudor style, representing a change in eras and,  therefore, a change in beliefs from Catholic to Protestant. Photographed at Eltham Palace. Though most likely Pr...

Many working women of the 19th century  (including   Jane Eyre herself) felt trapped, like a caged bird. From  The Sick Room  by Emma Brownlow, photographed in the Foundling Museum Foundlings were stripped of their individuality,  put in  uniforms,  and raised to all pursue the same professions. Photographed at the Foundling Museum Poor children and orphans could only expect to become servants or soldiers, both respectable jobs which nevertheless involved hard work and little pay. Taking Leave  by Emma Brownlow, photographed at the Foundling Museum A governess may be as well educated as a women of class,but that  does  not  mean  she receives the same benefits, luxuries, or esteem as the woman of class. Photographed at the Geffrye Museum Some working women appreciated that,  unlike the  women they  served,  they were  able to experience  the acc...