London in the 1890s was a city of striking contrasts—booming with industrial progress and imperial confidence, yet shadowed by deep social inequalities. The skyline was choked with chimney smoke, the streets bustling with horse-drawn carriages, costermongers, and gas lamps flickering to life at dusk.

Queen Victoria’s reign was nearing its end, and with it came a sense of grandeur and decay. The East End teemed with poverty and overcrowding, while the West End displayed wealth, opulence, and the latest in fashion and culture. It was also the era of the rise of the suffragette movement—a time of innovation, tension, and transformation on the cusp of the modern age.

Below is a collection of striking Photochrom prints showcasing street scenes of London in the 1890s.

London Bridge, London, England, circa 1890s

Hyde Park Corner, London, England, circa 1890s

A yeoman of the guard (Beefeater), London, England, circa 1890s

Albert Monument, London, England, circa 1890s

British Museum, London, England, circa 1890s

Cheapside, London, England, circa 1890s

Hampton Court Palace Gateway, London, England, circa 1890s

Hampton Court Palace, London, England, circa 1890s

Hampton Court Park, London, England, circa 1890s

Hol𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 Viaduct, London, England, circa 1890s

Houses of Parliament from the river, London, England, circa 1890s

Houses of Parliament, St. Stephen’s Hall (interior), London, England, circa 1890s

Kensington Gardens, the fountains, London, England, circa 1890s

Lambeth Palace, London, England, circa 1890s

Paddington, Great Western Hotel, London, England, circa 1890s

Piccadilly Circus, London, England, circa 1890s

Richmond, Star and Garter Hotel, London, England, circa 1890s

Richmond, the bridge, London, England, circa 1890s

Richmond, the terrace, London, England, circa 1890s

Richmond, view of the Thames, London, England, circa 1890s

Rotten Row and Hyde Park Corner, London, England, circa 1890s

Royal Exchange, London, England, circa 1890s

St. Paul’s Cathedral, West Front, London, England, circa 1890s

Thames embankment, London, England, circa 1890s

The Tower, London, England, circa 1890s

Tower Bridge, London, England, circa 1890s

Trafalgar Square and National Gallery, London, England, circa 1890s

Trafalgar Square, from National Gallery, London, England, circa 1890s

Westminster Abbey, London, England, circa 1890s

Whitehall, horse guards, London, England, circa 1890s