In the news1895
Industrial workers equaled agricultural workers
By the mid-1890s, the number of industrial workers in the German Empire grew to match those in agriculture, marking a major demographic shift toward urbanization and factory labor.
7 Nov 1895 – St. Cecilia's Abbey, Solesmes, 19 Oct 1977
9 facts2 sources
7 Nov 1895
Born
19 Oct 1977
Dies in St. Cecilia's Abbey, Solesmes, aged 81
She lived through 9 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1895
By the mid-1890s, the number of industrial workers in the German Empire grew to match those in agriculture, marking a major demographic shift toward urbanization and factory labor.
Getting around
Steam trains replaced horse carriages
By 1891, a steam train began connecting Annemasse to the Giffre valley in three hours, replacing an old horse-drawn carriage that required seven hours to cover the same distance.
At the table
The Ordinary Worker Lunch: Ordinaire
A typical working-class lunch, known as an ordinaire, consisted of boiled beef, broth, vegetables, cheese, bread, and wine for about one franc. Many workers saved money by eating only the broth and vegetables at lunch and taking the beef home for dinner.
Around the world · 1889–1890The “Russian flu”. A flu pandemic travelled the world by rail and steamship in a few months, killing about a million people.
What people wore
Quimper workers kept festal clothes apart
In Quimper (Brittany), rural workers could keep their everyday work clothes separate from festival clothing, sometimes commissioned for weddings. This made clothing a visible marker of identity and social position.
Music
Large regional music competitions drew thousands
Musical societies frequently performed at regional competitions, such as one in 1891 in Aurillac that brought together over 1,000 performers to parade and compete.
Daily life
Protective headgear for children
Children often wore protective headgear called a bourrelet, a thick tress of straw designed to shield them from bumps and falls.