While work was the bedrock upon which the Victorian vision of progress and improvement was constructed, the years between 1837 and 1901 also saw the greatest upsurge in leisure pursuits hitherto witnessed. This text explores the pastimes enjoyed by Victorians, setting their activities in context.

Having examined changing patterns of employment, the increasing regulation of working hours and the establishment of set holidays, the book looks at the different types of relaxations and activities pursued. Among the aspects of leisure discussed are family amusements and domestic pastimes, such as needlework and gardening, and activities that emphasized the patriotic spirit - the setting up of the Boys' Brigade and the volunteer movement.

The growth of leisure
family amusements and pastimes
fashion and the wider social scene
traditional recreations
country pursuits
excursions, holidays and foreign travel
the sporting world
music and the theatre
literature, art and architecture
respectable recreations and the patriotic spirit.