In the news1848
Cholera and Crop Failures in 1848
In 1848, a major cholera epidemic, coupled with a bad harvest and dry weather that caused widespread town fires, severely disrupted the lives of the agrarian population.
Saint Petersburg, 21 Sep 1846 – Crimea, 13 Dec 1889
6 facts2 sources
21 Sep 1846
Born in Saint Petersburg
1868–1877
5 children are born
13 Dec 1889
Dies in Crimea, aged 43
She lived through 5 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Saint Petersburg.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1848
In 1848, a major cholera epidemic, coupled with a bad harvest and dry weather that caused widespread town fires, severely disrupted the lives of the agrarian population.
Getting around
Four-day coach journeys between capitals
Traveling between St. Petersburg and Moscow by stagecoach took four days of constant travel before the railway was completed.
In Europe1845–1852
Potato blight ruined harvests: a million Irish people died and a million more emigrated, many to America.
Daily life
Lighting and window materials in peasant homes
Peasant huts were typically illuminated by a torch inserted into the crack of the stove or by simple wicks dipped in oil. Glass was expensive and often replaced by bull bladders in peasant homes, while wealthier villagers began using mica.
What people wore
A single lifetime festive outfit
Peasants often prepared one high-quality outfit in their youth that was kept for their entire lives to be worn only on the most important feast days.
Music
Traditional khorovod dances and reed instruments
In the Kursk region, women performed traditional round dances called khorovod or karagod while singing and playing kuvichki, a set of pan-flute pipes made of reeds of varying lengths.
At the table
Everyday Drinks of the Peasantry
Kvass, a drink made from rye flour and malt, was the most common everyday beverage for ordinary people. While tea culture was starting to spread, it remained a luxury for many rural families, who often only drank it during illness or on special occasions.