Melusina von der Schulenburg, Countess of Walsingham

What people wore

Stays used for comfort, not restriction

While working women wore leather or canvas stays for comfort and practicality, they did not restrict their breathing or movement.

Daily life

Cooking meat with animal power

To roast meat, some households relied on boys called 'Jacks' or even specially trained dogs to turn the heavy kitchen spits.

Work

Laborers earned extra pay as night watchmen

St. Paul’s Cathedral labourers could earn extra money by working as night watchmen, which paid 12d per shift after 1700, equivalent to more than half of their standard daily wage. A typical day for construction labourers involved physically demanding tasks like demolition or digging, often lasting until it was too dark to see.

Music

Masked performers singing for eggs and beer

Groups known as pace-eggers would travel from house to house wearing masks and fantastic costumes, singing and dancing in exchange for rewards like eggs and strong beer.

At the table

Beer was common for all classes

Beer was a standard drink even for children, with working men often receiving an allowance of up to a gallon per day as part of their wages. Midday dinner for workers typically consisted of bread, beer, and cheese or fatty bacon.

Getting around

Slow, grueling stagecoach travel between towns

Stagecoach travel was slow and physically demanding; for example, a journey from London to Gloucester, 82 miles away, took an entire day. Roads were often so rocky and narrow that passengers reported being jumbled like peas in a child's rattle.

What it cost

Costs of meat and bread provisions

Butcher's meat cost 1s. 10d. per stone in 1729. Bread prices fluctuated, but in 1745, one penny could purchase 15 ounces and 9/16 of bread.