Thanks to their industries, British towns grew into cities in the late 1800s. Many people became much better off, and their standards of living improved greatly. Rich families even had houses with bathrooms.

At that time the British took advantage of new railway lines built to carry people and goods from one part of the country to another. For the first time people could travel long distances quickly and cheaply. Steam engines were used to power locomotives as well as boats. One more improvement was the setup of a cheap postal service. Streets were lit by gas lamps, so they became safe. Special men lit the lamps every evening. People could also travel around the city cheaply using the horse-⁠drawn buses. Some people, even women, started to ride bicycles. So, Great Britain and the British people were celebrating their wealth.