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A.J.P. Taylor used to be nfluential as a writer on Victorian social, political and economic issues - at least when I studied history in the time before the internet.
For the short story in 1845, Robert Peel is the Prime Minister, the one who formed the Police Force ( peelers ) to replace the Bow street runners etc. There had been one major political reform act ( 1832, I think ) which gave some of the middle classes the vote. The factory reform acts were the political hot potato of the day and of course, Queen Victoria was the monarch, married to Albert and popping out European heirs like she had nothing better to do.
I think it was robert Peel....starting to doubt myself now! Some Tory P.M. anyway.
For the later Victorian period, A.J.P.Taylor again and he puts England into the European framework also. More Education reform, political reform - the real big issue as the lower middle classes and the working classes were given the vote. Gladstone and Disrali are the Liberal/Tory P.M's who dominated the period after the Crimean war. The scramble for Africa, Indian mutiny, War with China, Hong Kong and gunboat diplomacy, peace, retrenchment and reform are all political components of the late Victorian period. Later as the century turns there is the Boar war and the Entente cordial/triple entente ( and I forgot the Zulu wars during the 80's - I think )
Hope that's gven you a few ideas for research. Keep sayng this, but take a trip to the archive office as we'll be able to photocopy original documents if you want. There's a census every 10 years starting from 1801, and you'd be amazed what information you can get from one of those!
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