Edwardian London as Seen Through the Eyes of an Unknown Russian Tourist in 1909

London entered the 20th century at the height of its influence as the capital of the largest empire in history, but the new century was to bring many challenges. London was the largest city in the world from about 1825 until it was overtaken by New York City in 1925.

h/t: vintag.es

The years between Queen Victoria’s death in 1901 and the start of the First World War in 1914 were years of growth and general prosperity, though the extreme inequalities which had characterized Victorian London continued. By 1900 one out of five Britons lived in London, with the population of roughly 5 million in 1900 rising to over 7 million by 1911.

These 20 amazing photographs below show street scenes of London at the turn of the 20th century. They were taken by an unknown Russian tourist in 1909.