The Cult of the Centenary, c.1784–1914

Abstract

Abstract Despite recent interest in collective memory, the modern ‘cult of the centenary’ has been neglected by historians. Centennial commemorations of important events or famous people were rare before 1850, but thereafter they increased rapidly in number and scale, both in Britain and throughout the Western world. Centenary commemorations initially grew out of neo‐classical culture, but thereafter, their character evolved in response to new political economic and social developments. Centenary celebrations were a barometer of contemporary esteem and reflected popular and elite attitudes to both the past and the present. Centennialized heroes were variously regarded as secular saints, national icons and local tourist attractions. Some commemorations had a lasting influence and the practice still remains popular today.