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Princess Helena of the United Kingdom

London, 26 May 1846 – London, 9 Jun 1923

12 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 26 May 1846

    Born in London

  2. 1867–1876

    5 children are born

  3. 9 Jun 1923

    Dies in London, aged 77

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 5

During her lifetime

She lived through 9 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around London.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1840s · Princess is born in London

In the news1840

Introduction of the Penny Post

The Uniform Penny Post was introduced in 1840, making mail affordable and leading to a five-fold increase in sent letters.

Getting around

Walking was the common mode of travel

For everyday travel, most people relied on walking, typically covering about 3 miles per hour and rarely exceeding 20 miles in a single day.

In Europe1845–1852

The Great Famine in Ireland

Potato blight ruined harvests: a million Irish people died and a million more emigrated, many to America.

Daily life

Candlelight and rushlights provided minimal illumination

Without electricity or gas, ordinary people relied on simple tallow candles or rushlights dipped in animal fat, which burned for only about one hour each.

What people wore

The Monthly Laundry Operation

Laundry was so time-consuming that large households might only wash once a month, performing a massive operation lasting up to a week that disrupted the entire house.

Music

Diverse instruments in nineteenth-century dance bands

In the 1830s, dance bands often featured a diverse range of instruments including violins, cellos, double bass, harps, horns, clarinets, and flageolets. Innovations also included mechanical instruments like the flageolet piano, which could play dance music with the effect of multiple instruments.

At the table

Widespread Adulteration of Basic Foods

Adulteration was widespread, with milk frequently mixed with chalk and water, and butter often colored with added copper.