Life
in Victorian-era England
The Ambition
& Destiny Series
By
Val McBeath
Set in and around Birmingham, England The Ambition
& Destiny Series was inspired by a
true story of one family’s trials, tribulations and triumphs as they seek to
make their fortune in Victorian-era England.
When I started researching my family
history back in 2008, I had no intention of writing a book, let alone a series.
It was only as I uncovered the story my father’s ancestor’s that the idea came
to me … and wouldn’t go away! Nearly ten years later, in July 2018, I published
the final book in The Ambition & Destiny Series.
The series starts in 1839 with the prequel,
Condemned by Fate. It is a short story that focusses on the early years
of my great x3 grandparents, Charles and Mary. Although it is essentially a
love story, it isn’t a romance. Things were much more complicated than that.
The subsequent five books span the next
seventy years and cover three generations:
Hooks & Eyes: Mary must make a
choice. She hopes it will give her family a secure future, but instead she sets
in motion a series of events with unintended consequences…
Less Than Equals: At a time when
men controlled everything … and everyone, Harriet is desperate to break free.
But she underestimates
how far some will go to silence her.
When Time Runs Out: After biding her time, Harriet
finally gets her chance for independence. But igniting the wrath of her
father-in-law, Mr Wetherby, is never a good idea. She soon discovers she has
more to worry about than her own ambitions…
Only One Winner: With the family divided, Mr
Wetherby is still furious about Harriet’s betrayal. And he’s going to make sure
someone pays…
Different World: After a bitter family breakdown
Harriet’s son, William-Wetherby,
seeks a new life far from home. But being rid of Mr Wetherby
isn’t as simple as it seems…
The Setting
The prequel and first four books in the
series take place in Birmingham, England, which today is the second most
populated city in the UK after London. In book 5, the story moves to Liverpool,
which at the time of the story was a large port on the north-west coast of
England.
Birmingham rose to prominence during the
industrial revolution of the 19th century. Its growth was based principally
on metalworking, with the manufacture of brass articles rapidly rising to
importance. Trades were carried out in small workshops rather than large
factories. Many entrepreneurs started their businesses producing goods such as
buttons, cutlery, nails, screws, guns, tools, jewellery, toys, locks, and
ornaments. In addition, there was a large commercial class, comprising
merchants, accountants, agents, stockbrokers, and a great body of clerks.
 |
| Bird's-eye view of Birmingham in 1886 showing the Council House, Town Hall and Chamberlain Memorial. |
The growth was helped by the arrival of
the railways in 1837. The first line to open was the Grand Junction Railway
linking Birmingham with Liverpool and Manchester. The following year the line
to London was opened.
The growth of the port of Liverpool started
in the 17th century and arose out of the increased trade between the
UK and America and the West Indies. By
the 18th century it had become the second largest city in the UK
after London.
About
Victorian-era England
The Victorian Era was a time of change
 |
| Queen Victoria — Photograph by Alexander Bassano, 1882 |
The Victorian-era in the United Kingdom
describes the period from 1837 to 1901 when Queen Victoria was on the throne.
It was a time of rapid change and saw the country evolve from a largely rural
environment to an urban, industrialised one. Almost every aspect of life
changed over the course of these sixty years including politics, attitudes to
women, health, science and manufacturing.
Women were treated little better than slaves
Prior to
1882, once a woman married, in the eyes of the law she ceased to exist. On her
wedding day, she became one person with her husband and thereafter everything
she did was under his direction.
As soon as
they married, her property and any money she owned transferred to her husband.
Children were also his property. In the event of divorce, prior to 1839, the
man could expect custody of his children.
The
situation improved gradually over the century although undoubtedly women lived
in a world that discriminated heavily against them.
An act of
parliament in 1870 finally allowed women to keep any earnings or property
they acquired after they married. By 1873, if a woman divorced, she could
retain custody of any children up to the age of sixteen and by 1882 they
were finally allowed to retain what they owned at the time of marriage.
Despite
these victories, men considered themselves the dominant sex. Due to their
superior physical strength, they sought to keep women subdued for as long as
they could.
Medicine and the era of miracle cures
The
medicine we take for granted in the 21st century could not have been imagined
in the Victorian-era; such was the infancy of medical science.
New
medicines were seen as miracle cures for a whole variety of ailments
included things such as opiates (morphine and codeine) and cocaine. Such were
their benefits they were used widely to treat everything from toothache and
coughs to diarrhoea and insomnia. The negative effects of prolonged use were
initially unknown. It wasn’t until the 20th century that their use became
controlled.
For some, it was a time of plenty
The
industrial revolution undoubtedly changed life in the Victorian-era. Technological
advances in the development of machines and steam engines lead to an increase
in mass production and improved productivity. The building of railways,
canals and roads meant that raw materials and goods could be
transported more quickly and cheaply than ever before.
Living
standards were said to have improved due to an increase in wages although, by
the end of the 19th century, towns were so overcrowded that many
families lived in squalor. Chronic hunger and malnutrition were
common for many, a situation that didn’t improve until the end of
the century.
For more information on Victorian-era
England, visit my website HERE!
Val McBeath
Val is a
scientist by training and has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for many
years. Born and raised in Liverpool she now lives in Cheshire with her
husband, youngest daughter and cat. In addition to Family History, her
interests include rock music and Liverpool Football Club
The books in the Ambition & Destiny
Series are available as ebooks on Amazon
and are FREE to read with Kindle Unlimited.
The paperback books are available from a
variety of retailers including Amazon,
Barnes & Noble
and Waterstones.
In addition to the outlets above, the short
story prequel, Condemned by Fate, is available as a FREE download from www.vlmcbeath.com
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See you on your next coffee break!
Take Care,
Mary Anne xxx