‘Amazed and somewhat terrified’ – Victorian reactions to the phonograph

In 1877, Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, the world’s first device capable of capturing and reproducing sound. By 1888, Edison had relaunched it for broader commercial use. To promote his invention in Britain, as this video essay from the Kings and Things YouTube channel Detail, he enlisted Colonel George Gouraud, an American Civil War veteran turned entrepreneur. At his south London home, Gouraud hosted lavish gatherings where influential Victorians, fueled by wine and curiosity, marveled at the phonograph’s ability to record and broadcast their voices. Listened to today, these recordings provide a fascinating insight into Victorian manners, language and life.