February 19 in Victorian History
What the Victorians were up to on this date, year by remarkable year.
1878
Edison patents the phonograph
The US Patent Office issues Edison patent 200,521 for the phonograph, his talking machine. Tinfoil wrapped around a cylinder captures sound for the first time in history -- Edison's first test was reciting Mary Had a Little Lamb. Music, speech and song can now outlive their makers.