In the news1854
1854 Cholera epidemic sparks public reform demands
A cholera epidemic in 1854 caused widespread public demand for clean water and city sewage systems.
Buckingham Palace, 7 Apr 1853 – Cannes, 28 Mar 1884
11 facts3 sources
7 Apr 1853
Born in Buckingham Palace
1883–1884
2 children are born
28 Mar 1884
Dies in Cannes, aged 30
He lived through 4 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Buckingham Palace.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1854
A cholera epidemic in 1854 caused widespread public demand for clean water and city sewage systems.
Getting around
Walking as primary travel mode
Walking was the most common way to travel short distances, with people typically covering about 3 miles per hour, though rarely exceeding 20 miles in a single day.
At the table
Affordable staple foods for families
Onions were a common, affordable staple, often costing about a halfpenny for a bunch of at least a dozen. Watercress was also a popular, cheap working-class staple available for a halfpenny for four bunches.
In Europe · 1859–1871Italy is unified. Garibaldi, Cavour and Victor Emmanuel joined the Italian states into one kingdom, with Rome its capital from 1871.
What people wore
Steel Crinolines Reduced Skirt Weight
The steel-framed cage crinoline, introduced in 1856, allowed women to achieve voluminous skirt shapes without the heavy burden of multiple petticoats.
Music
Collecting Coins for Dance Music
At platform dances, musicians sometimes used a portable dancing booth with a box placed out front to collect coins from each dancer. This ensured payment for players when the older custom of paying during long-wise country dances became difficult to manage.
Daily life
Water Collection and Coal Ranges
Many working-class homes lacked running water, requiring families to collect it from a shared street pump and use an outdoor privy. Inside, cooking was done on a coal-burning range, which often included a boiler for heating water.