Daguerreotypes of Parents With Children in the Mid-19th Century

When it comes to the Victorian era, that was not a good era to be a child. It sounds like a miserable experience, whether you were poor or rich. It doesn’t take much research to learn that we should all be grateful that there are things parents did in Victorian times that no parent would do today.

Victorian parents were not known for showing affection. In fact, they believed even minimal amounts of affection would spoil a child. Victorian parents were encouraged to never kiss or hug their children, only a peck on the forehead before bed if they really couldn’t help themselves.

These daguerreotypes from Mitch Young captured portraits of Victorian parents posing with their children in the mid-19th century.