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Princess Sophia of the United Kingdom

Buckingham Palace, 3 Nov 1777 – Kensington Palace, 27 May 1848

7 facts1 source

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 3 Nov 1777

    Born in Buckingham Palace

  2. 27 May 1848

    Dies in Kensington Palace, aged 70

Family

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Parents

During her lifetime

She lived through 8 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.

The 1770s · Princess is born in Buckingham Palace

In the news1772

Slavery effectively outlawed in 1772

Lord Mansfield ruled in 1772 that slavery was not supported by the common law of England, effectively outlawing it.

Getting around

Walking and horseback were primary travel modes

Between 1750 and 1774, most people travelled on foot or on horseback, as walking remained the primary way to move locally and short distances.

At the table

Sixpenny dinner for craftsmen

For an average London craftsman, a typical dinner consisted of bread, beer, and cheese or fatty bacon, often costing sixpence.

Watt’s steam engine. James Watt’s much more efficient steam engine, patented in 1769, powered the mills and mines of the Industrial Revolution.Around the world · 1769–1776

Watt’s steam engine. James Watt’s much more efficient steam engine, patented in 1769, powered the mills and mines of the Industrial Revolution.

Nicolás Pérez · CC BY-SA 3.0

What people wore

Popular Bedgowns as Street Wear

Bedgowns, which were lightweight front-wrapping jackets, evolved into a staple garment for British working-class street wear.

Music

Harp music for a late night dance

In 1770, party guests hired a professional harpist for an evening of dancing, paying him one shilling each for his services. The music from this single harp was sufficient for them to dance until 1 a.m.

Daily life

Adjusting Rushlights Was a Child's Chore

Rushlights, made from dried reed pith dipped in fat, were a cheap source of light, though they could burn for as little as ten minutes. It was often the youngest family member's chore to manually adjust the reed in its clamp to keep the light burning.