Victorians at Christmas

Step back into the world of carols, crackers, and candlelight as we explore how the Victorians shaped the Christmas we know today. From Dickens’s A Christmas Carol to the first Christmas cards, decorated trees, and lavish festive feasts, this talk uncovers the traditions, innovations, and social changes that transformed a modest winter holiday into the season of celebration. Drawing on vivid stories and surprising details, it reveals how Victorian enterprise, literature, and family life gave birth to many of the customs we still cherish — and how Christmas became both a cultural phenomenon and a commercial success.

This is the last of three talks in the Autumn Potpourri Talks Series. The other talks take place on 22nd October and 26th November. You may book tickets for individual events or for all three talks in the series for a reduced price.

To book

Pre-booking is required, because the event link will be sent in advance.

To join this talk, you will need a computer device with speakers. Ideally, also a webcam and microphone. You also need to be able to access the internet from it. First-time users of Zoom, will be asked to download a small piece of software, which will be sent in advance.

Image: A Victorian Christmas, courtesy of Pixabay

To book – scroll down.

Book Event

Member

£4

Available Tickets: 60

For members of Berkshire Family History Society

The "Member" ticket is sold out. You can try another ticket or another date.

Non-Member

£5

Available Tickets: 60

For non-members of Berkshire Family History Society

The "Non-Member" ticket is sold out. You can try another ticket or another date.

Total: 0

Tags: 19th century, ancestors, christmas, cultural history, family history, festive traditions, social history, victorian

Date

Thu 10 Dec 2026

Time

14:00 - 15:15

Tickets

£5.00

Location

Webinar

Zoom Video Conference

Website https://berksfhs.org

Organiser

The Family Research Centre

Email

booking@berksfhs.org.uk

Website

https://berksfhs.org/branches/

Book Now!

Speaker

Dr Richard Marks Industrial, Military and Railway Historian

Dr Richard Marks

Industrial, Military and Railway Historian

Richard is a published historian based in Berkshire who specialises in industrial, military, and railway history and also the history of science. His current areas of research are industrial development in the Victorian period, the development of the railway and canal systems in Britain in the mid to late 19th Century and the history of British Rail. He has a PhD in economic history. Richard’s books on British Rail Engineering and the Wantage Tramway Company were both published by Pen and Sword in 2024.