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Arts & Culture in West Dunbartonshire

Queen Victoria at Balmoral
Bustles, Britannia & Big Ideas: The Exhibition

 

"Bustles, Britannia & Big Ideas: Living in the Victorian Era" is a major new exhibition of Victorian life in West Dunbartonshire at Clydebank Museum. Organised by West Dunbartonshire Council's Culture Section, it is launched on Friday 27 July and opens to the public the following week.

Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; b. 24 May 1819 - d. 22 January 1901) was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and the first Empress of India from 1 May 1876, until her death on 22 January 1901. Her reign lasted sixty-three years and seven months, longer than that of any other British monarch. In general, the period centred on her reign is known as the Victorian era.

The Victorian era was at the height of the Industrial Revolution, a period of significant social, economic, and technological progress in the United Kingdom. Victoria's reign was marked by a great expansion of the British Empire; during this period it reached its peak, becoming the foremost Global Power of the time.

 

"Bustles, Britannia & Big Ideas" is a celebration of Victorian life in West Dunbartonshire. It comprises of 5 principal themes. Where possible, artifacts and photographs of local interest are included.

  • Entertainment: music hall, actors, singers, music (featuring a harmonium), advertisements, photography, sport, leisure, concerts, regattas, travel, holidays
  • Chemists: featuring a reconstruction of a Chemist's shop, medicines, remedies, illnesses, disease, poisons, social conditions
  • Crime and Punishment: featuring a Victorian prison cell reconstruction, Madeleine Smith trial, police, prison, punishment
  • Trade and Empire: Dixon's Glassworks, Turkey Red, Denny Shipbuilding firm, John Browns and Beardmores, transport
  • Costume: gender issues, female dress, male dress, children's dress, social classes, employment, unemployment, styles, costs, advertisements


A principal aim of the exhibition is to relate the Victorian era to those living in West Dunbartonshire and visitors will discover how their grandparents and great-grandparents lived during this dynamic period in history.

A series of events will accompany the exhibition including talks by experts on the period, examining genuine artefacts and photographs; Victorian-themed film nights showing movies such as Oliver and The Muppet Christmas Carol; and, on Friday 31 August, a Victorian Music Hall night, in the style of TV's "The Good Old Days". The Culture Section is particularly delighted to present a talk on the making of Channel 4's The 1900 House by Alex Graham, Chief Executive of Wall To Wall Productions.

 

Local people are also being asked to look out their own Victorian photographs.

Bank Street Post Office, Alexandria

These can be scanned at Clydebank Museum or Dumbarton Library and may be used in a book, to be published next year, documenting Victorian life in West Dunbartonshire.

 

Schools will be encouraged to visit the exhibition and take part in organised workshops. Last year's popular "Three Queens Exhibition" showed over 1000 local school pupils what it was like to work in John Brown's Shipyard on the Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Elizabeth 2. Many more members of the public enjoyed reminiscing about working in the shipyard and the luxury liners it produced.

Kilbowie Road - Clydebank

 

For more information on "Bustles, Britannia & Big Ideas", e-mail Trisha Robins or phone her on 01389 772 011.