The objects and textures of everyday life in imperial Britain

Focusing on everyday life in 19th-century Britain and its imperial possessions, from preparing tea to cleaning the kitchen, from packing for imperial adventures to arranging home décor, the essays in this collection share a common focus on materiality, the nitty-gritty elements that helped give shape and meaning to British self-definition during the period.

Each essay demonstrates how preoccupations with common household goods and habits fueled contemporary debates about cultural institutions ranging from personal matters of marriage and family to more overtly political issues of empire building.