In the news1856
First Swedish railway opens (1856)
The first railway line in Sweden opened in 1856, traveling twelve miles from Örebro to Ervalla.
Stockholm Palace, 31 Oct 1851 – Amalienborg, 20 Mar 1926
9 facts3 sources
31 Oct 1851
Born in Stockholm Palace
1870–1890
8 children are born
1906–1912
Consort of Denmark
20 Mar 1926
Dies in Amalienborg, aged 74
She lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Stockholm Palace.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1856
The first railway line in Sweden opened in 1856, traveling twelve miles from Örebro to Ervalla.
What people wore
Festive red shirts with luxury buttons
In the Lule region, men would sometimes wear a special red shirt or jersey known as a "kreop" on the first day of a church feast, which featured shiny, expensive metal buttons.
Getting around
Horse-drawn posting and boat transport
In the mid-19th century, travelers used the government-organized posting system (skyssvesenet) to hire horses and carriages from designated farms, with a boy accompanying them to return the equipment. Along the coast, travelers relied on boat transport (båtskyss) where routes were not connected by road.
In Europe · 1853–1856The Crimean War. Britain, France and the Ottomans fought Russia in Crimea; Florence Nightingale’s nurses changed how the wounded were cared for.
In the news1857
The 1857 Freedom of Trade Act abolished the trade monopolies of market towns and guilds, allowing open competition in industry.
Music
The Hardanger fiddle instrument
In parts of Norway, the Hardanger fiddle—distinctive for its four or five sympathetic strings—was a characteristic national instrument used for dance music.
Daily life
Homes and heating with cast-iron stoves
In many rural homes, the main room served as a multi-purpose living space where the family gathered around a hearth or, increasingly, a cast-iron stove, which was considered a luxury item. Kitchens began to separate from the living area, though in many homes, the stove remained the primary source of heat for the entire household.