The Wise and Their Works

The Legacy of the Great Exhibition of 1851

De: A. N. Wilson

Narrado por: A.N. Wilson

Bloomsbury presents The Wise and Their Works: The Legacy of the Great Exhibition of 1851, written and read by A. N. Wilson

The Wise and Their Works celebrates the 175th anniversary of the Great Exhibition in 2026.

The men who inspired the Great Exhibition of 1851 - Henry Cole, Sir Robert Peel and above all Prince Albert himself - were at the centre of an extraordinary combination of manufacturing, commercial skill and political vision which made Victorian Britain an unparalleled success story.

In this celebratory book, A. N. Wilson examines the legacy they left behind: their idealistic beliefs about free trade, decency and parliamentary democracy, and their ultimate vision of the human race at peace with prosperity spreading, while poverty and warfare were consigned to history. While their loftier ambitions may not have come to pass, these enterprising men did leave behind a little known but hugely influential organisation, the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, which still supports industry, science and art in the UK.

Skillfully delving into this rich and fascinating history, Wilson takes us on a journey into the heart of the progressive Victorian dream, and where it has left us today.©2026 A. N. Wilson (P)2026 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

A fully considered story of the Great Exhibition and its legacy.

An excellent book not just about the extraordinary Crystal Palace itself, but the political times, opposition and controversies surrounding the efforts of Prince Albert, Henry Cole and many others who played significant roles in its creation. Even more important are the author’s many insights about the long lasting impact of the Commission and its far reaching benefits to science and art in our own times. I have read many books on this topic but Wilson’s treatment was a revelation.