In 1839 Queen Victoria took the throne and ushered in the Victorian era that bears her name. Under her rule the British Empire became one of the most powerful empires the world had ever seen.
Her subjects, particularly amongst the wealthier members of society, tended to attribute this success to what they saw as their natural superiority and eminent good sense.
There were none the less a lot of very strange happenings afoot, from wallpaper that could kill, strange religious cults led by supposedly immortal prophets, and a man who could sell you a rhinoceros no questions asked, so long as you had the funds.
This is an encore of one of our previous lists, as presented by our YouTube host Simon Whistler. Read the full list!