Gaslight resources

Topics for the Lecture and Slice of Life series.
Discussion about historical events, people, items, etc. that can add to the flavor to any historical game setting.
Discussion and sharing of links and resources.
Koakai
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Re: Gaslight resources

Post by Koakai » Wed Sep 04, 2013 8:22 pm

1887 Catalog of goods (mostly clothing) from Kansas city. http://archive.org/stream/illustratedca ... 0/mode/2up
1900 catalog of goods from the Stanley Mills & Co company of Hamilton Ont. http://archive.org/stream/silentravelle ... 0/mode/2up
1898 Guide published by Tiffany & co. of gravestones and memorials. http://archive.org/stream/outofdoormemo ... 0/mode/2up
1895 Goldsmiths Catalog http://archive.org/stream/suggestionsfo ... 1/mode/2up
1899 Eatons Catalog http://archive.org/stream/eatons1899190 ... 3/mode/2up
PH.D candidate -M.U. Western Annex

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Re: Gaslight resources

Post by Dr. Gerard » Thu Sep 05, 2013 10:23 am

Amazing finds!
Keeper of the Cthulhu Dark "Secret Everest Expedition" PbP scenario
Rip Wheeler in the Call of Cthulhu "No Man's Land" scenario
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RobH
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Re: Gaslight resources

Post by RobH » Thu Sep 05, 2013 11:00 am

A book written in 1890 all about magic lantern slide projectors, with lovely illustrations of equipment.

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Re: Gaslight resources

Post by RobH » Wed Sep 11, 2013 10:39 am

The Ordnance Survey have been making detailed maps of Britain since the 18th Century, initially to help the government fight unruly Scottish clans and make plans in case Napoleon invaded* but nowadays they're hardly ever put to that use. Ordnance Survey maps from the 19th Century are online with pretty much national coverage at 1:10,560 scale and partial coverage at 1:2500 scale, also searchable by place name. Dates vary, but reliably in the 2nd half of the 19th Century so probably quite good for the 1890s outside rapidly-expanding urban areas.

Here's Dunwich (Dunwich in Suffolk, that is).


* No, really.

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RobH
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Re: Gaslight resources

Post by RobH » Wed Sep 11, 2013 1:00 pm

Some inspiration might be provided by alphabetical lists of street names and occupations from the London census of 1891. I didn't know there was a Destitute Sailors' Refuge in Whitechapel but now I know it has to become a setting.

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Re: Gaslight resources

Post by Scott Dorward » Wed Sep 11, 2013 3:43 pm

Henry Mayhew's London Labour and the London Poor gives some amazing insight into the everyday lives of the less fortunate residents of London. The Wikipedia article links to online texts of the first three volumes.

Charles Dickens' Sketches by Boz is another set of vignettes which give insights into everyday life in Victorian London.

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Re: Gaslight resources

Post by Scott Dorward » Wed Sep 11, 2013 3:46 pm

RobH wrote:Here's Dunwich (Dunwich in Suffolk, that is).
Nice! One of Matt Sanderson's scenarios for Nameless Horrors is set there. He wrote about his research trip there on our blog.

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Re: Gaslight resources

Post by RobH » Thu Sep 12, 2013 9:10 am

Scott Dorward wrote:
RobH wrote:Here's Dunwich (Dunwich in Suffolk, that is).
Nice! One of Matt Sanderson's scenarios for Nameless Horrors is set there. He wrote about his research trip there on our blog.
I like the bit about church bells supposedly ringing in the old town which has been submerged by coastal erosion. Reminds me a bit of Thirlmere reservoir in the Lake District, created in the 1890s to slake the thirst of industrial Manchester 90 miles to the south and drowning the small village of Armboth which had been in the valley. They do say that bells can still be heard ringing in Armboth.

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Re: Gaslight resources

Post by Dr. Gerard » Thu Sep 12, 2013 9:57 am

This thread just keeps getting better.
Keeper of the Cthulhu Dark "Secret Everest Expedition" PbP scenario
Rip Wheeler in the Call of Cthulhu "No Man's Land" scenario
Plays for Keepers

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Re: Gaslight resources

Post by RobH » Thu Sep 12, 2013 12:11 pm

In the 19th century a rapidly expanding population combined with demand for land to build on placed intolerable pressure on London's burial grounds. The solution was the London Necropolis Railway carrying coffins and mourners from a dedicated station at Waterloo direct to a large purpose-built cemetery 25 miles south west of the city centre.
Live passengers were charged 6s in first class, 3s 6d in second class and 2s in third class for a return ticket, while dead passengers were charged £1 in first class, 5s in second class and 2s 6d in third class for a one-way ticket.

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