7 Amazing Victorian Inventions That Changed the World

When you think of the Victorian era, certain images might pop into your head: ladies wearing large hats and bustles, children working as chimney sweeps, gentlemen in top hats riding penny farthings, or families living in overcrowded tenements.

You might not immediately think of movies, cars, or phones — but all of these have their roots in Victorian inventions!

Queen Victoria’s reign lasted almost 64 years, from 1837 to 1901. During that time, the world changed rapidly. If you think about life 60 years ago — the 1950s and 60s — and compare it to today, the difference is huge. The same was true during the Victorian period, when innovation and industry were transforming everyday life.

In this blog, we’re going to explore seven amazing Victorian inventions that laid the foundations for many of the devices, vehicles, and technologies we still use today.

 

 

Typewriter - 1874

Before typewriters, all writing was done by hand. The invention of the typewriter revolutionised communication, administration, and office work.

The first commercially successful typewriter was introduced in 1874 by the Remington Company. Other inventors had attempted to create workable machines, but none were as practical or successful as the Remington 1.

By the 1880s, typewriters were widely used in offices, homes, and schools. Work could be completed more quickly and neatly than handwriting, and carbon copy sheets allowed multiple copies of documents to be produced at once — something that previously required rewriting everything by hand.

Typewriters remained in common use until the 1980s, when they were gradually replaced by computers and word processors.

Interestingly, we still use the QWERTY keyboard layout first introduced on typewriters today — although thankfully without the heavy machines, ink ribbons, or carbon sheets!

The evolution of the typewriter, showing how Victorian mechanical designs evolved into the keyboards and computers we use today.

 

Telephone - 1876

Before the telephone, people communicated face-to-face or by letter. There was no way to speak instantly to someone in another town — let alone another country.

Several inventors were working on ways to transmit voices over wires, leading to a race to create a practical telephone system.

In 1876, Scottish-born inventor Alexander Graham Bell was awarded the US patent for the telephone and is most commonly credited with its invention.

Bell worked tirelessly to promote his device. He delivered public demonstrations, created a special set of telephones for Queen Victoria, and founded the Bell Telephone Company. By 1886, more than 150,000 telephones were in use across the United States.

The first telephone call was made between Bell and his assistant in another room. As telephone networks expanded, the distances grew too. By 1915, Bell took part in a call between New York and San Francisco — over 3,000 miles apart.

It’s fascinating to imagine what Bell would think of smartphones and video calls today!

Alexander Graham Bell making a long-distance telephone call from New York to Chicago — a remarkable technological achievement at the time.

 

 

Safety Bicycle - 1885

The safety bicycle was another invention that transformed everyday life.

Before bicycles, most people travelled on foot or by horse. Without access to a horse, journeys took much longer. For example, walking six miles to visit a friend could take around two hours each way!

Earlier bicycle designs included the uncomfortable “Boneshaker,” with wooden wheels, and the famous Penny Farthing, with its enormous front wheel and lack of brakes — both difficult and dangerous to ride.

The safety bicycle improved on these designs. It featured:

• Two wheels of equal size
• Inflatable tyres
• A chain-driven pedal system

 

This design is very similar to modern bicycles.

The impact was huge. Cyclists could travel around 15mph, meaning long journeys could be completed in a fraction of the time. The bicycle also gave many Victorians — especially women — new independence and freedom of movement.

Victorian women with safety bicycles, c.1890s

 

Motor Car - 1886

German engineer Carl Benz is credited with inventing the first motor car. His Benz Patent Motorwagen was patented in 1886 and became commercially available in 1888.

The early vehicle could reach speeds of around 10mph — slow by today’s standards but revolutionary at the time.

Like many Victorian inventions, the motor car was the result of multiple inventors building on each other’s work. Engineers such as Gottlieb Daimler, Armand Peugeot, Henry Ford, Rudolf Diesel, and the Renault brothers all played important roles in developing automobile technology.

Since then, cars have become faster, safer, and more efficient. Interestingly, electric vehicles — often seen as modern — were also experimented with during the Victorian era. It’s simply taken over a century for the technology to become widespread.

 

From the first motor cars of the Victorian era to modern vehicles — transport technology has developed rapidly over the past century.

 

 

X-rays - 1895

In 1895, German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen accidentally discovered X-rays while conducting another experiment.

Scientists quickly realised the medical potential of this discovery. For the first time, doctors could see inside the human body without surgery.

X-rays revolutionised diagnosis and treatment. Broken bones, internal injuries, and certain diseases could now be detected more safely and accurately.

Today, X-rays remain a vital medical tool used in hospitals around the world.

An early X-ray image of a human hand, taken shortly after the discovery of X-rays in 1895. Public domain.

 

Moving Pictures - 1895

Early moving images could only be viewed individually using Thomas Edison’s Kinetoscope.

French brothers Auguste and Louis Lumière changed this by inventing the Cinematograph — a device that could both record and project films to large audiences.

They filmed scenes of everyday life in France and hosted the world’s first public film screening on 28 December 1895 at the Grand Café in Paris. This moment marked the birth of cinema — an industry that continues to shape entertainment today.

You can still watch some of these early films online — a fascinating glimpse into Victorian life.

 

The discoveries of the Lumière brothers quickly captured the imagination of other filmmakers. Directors and inventors across Europe began experimenting with storytelling, comedy, and visual tricks using this brand-new technology.

Early films soon moved beyond simple scenes of everyday life. Filmmakers started exploring how cinema could entertain as well as document the world around them.

This short film from 1897, The X-Ray Fiend, is a great example. Inspired by the recent discovery of X-rays, it shows how early cinema was already combining science, humour, and special effects.

You can watch the clip below and see how filmmakers built on the cinematic foundations first established by the Lumière brothers.

 

Video from The British Film Institute YouTube Channel

 

 

Wireless Communication - 1896

Victorians could send fast messages using the electrical telegraph, which transmitted Morse code through wires between telegraph stations.

However, wires limited how far and where messages could travel.

Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi developed a solution — transmitting messages using radio waves instead of wires.

In the late 1890s, Marconi demonstrated wireless telegraphy in the UK, sending signals over increasing distances. In 1901, he successfully transmitted a signal across the Atlantic Ocean.

Wireless communication transformed global messaging, particularly for ships at sea. In 1912, wireless distress signals were sent from the Titanic after it struck an iceberg.

Marconi’s work laid the foundation for modern wireless communication — from radio to Wi-Fi and mobile networks.

 

Guglielmo Marconi with his wireless communication equipment, late 19th century. 

Final Reflection

Victorian inventors lived in a time of extraordinary change. Many of their creations were the first steps toward technologies we now take for granted.

From typing and telephones to cinema and wireless communication, their innovations shaped how we live, work, travel, and communicate today.

Classroom discussion ideas:

• Which invention had the biggest impact on everyday life?
• Which could you live without today?
• What modern invention might future historians study?

 

Explore Victorian life, inventions, and society in more detail with our full Victorian topic pack.

All images used in this blog are in the public domain.