There was time for leisure.
Unknown Author/Wikimedia Commons
Unknown Author/Wikimedia Commons
By the 19th century, more Britons were literate than ever before, and the growing middle class (and ever-present upper class) demanded diversions for their idle hours. This is why so many theaters, music halls, and museums throughout the UK date back to the Victorian era.
Sporting pursuits also gained in popularity. Rugby and its various offshoots — including football/soccer — gained a footing during the era, and many long-running clubs can trace their roots back to the Victorian era.