jQuery.preloadImages = function()
{
  for(var i = 0; i<arguments.length; i++)
  {
    jQuery("<img>").attr("src", arguments[i]);
  }
}

$.preloadImages("images/pictures/upperclass/02-mrs-edwin-burke.jpg", 
"images/pictures/upperclass/03-mrs-william-cluet.jpg",
"images/pictures/upperclass/04-mrs-frances-scaife.jpg", 
"images/pictures/upperclass/05-mrs-jane-told.jpg", 
"images/pictures/upperclass/08-viscountess-de-roserie.jpg", 
"images/pictures/upperclass/11-ivanka-trump.jpg", 
"images/pictures/upperclass/12-mrs-william-pitt.jpg", 
"images/pictures/upperclass/13-mrs-felix-de-navarez.jpg");