FIRST EDITION (1897), large 4to, 365 x 245 mm, 14¼ x 9½ inches, navy blue cloth over boards, cut flush, illustrated and lettered white to upper cover with flags and a portrait of the Queen, respined neatly in blue cloth, mounted coloured frontispiece showing 2 British children speaking on the telephone to 2 American children, a hot air balloon in the distance and a liner in the centre, small black and white portrait of Victoria in her coronation robes on title page, 10 further colour plates showing life in 1837 and life in 1897, modes of transport, inventions since 1837, Crystal Palace, fire engines, the post, soldiers of the Queen, many black and white text illustrations. 58 pages of text with chapters on life before railways, George Stephenson, the police, chimney sweep boys in 1837, the telegraph, arctic exploration, the Post Office, the army in 1837 and 1897. Cover edges and corners slightly worn, tiny chip to surface at lower edge of upper cover, a little bubbling to cloth on lower cover, half-title and fore-edge of title page faintly browned, otherwise contents bright and clean. A very good copy of an uncommon Victorian children's book, packed with fascinating information on a huge variety of topics. MORE IMAGES ATTACHED TO THIS LISTING, ALL ZOOMABLE. FURTHER IMAGES ON REQUEST. POSTAGE AT COST.