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, 22 Apr 1847 – Saint Petersburg, 17 Feb 1909
9 facts3 sources
22 Apr 1847
Born in Saint Petersburg
1875–1882
5 children are born
17 Feb 1909
Dies in Saint Petersburg, aged 61
He lived through 7 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
Vast network of postal relay stations
The postal system maintained approximately 3,950 relay stations across the empire, utilizing over 50,000 horses to provide fresh teams for travelers and mail couriers.
In Europe1845–1852
Potato blight ruined harvests: a million Irish people died and a million more emigrated, many to America.
Daily life
Low rates of peasant literacy and education
Literacy among serfs was extremely low, with estimates not exceeding 1%. Education was largely confined to home training by local sextons or clerks, often limited to reading, writing, and basic arithmetic.
What people wore
Peasant women's daily and festive attire
Peasant women wore a woolen skirt called a ponyova over a linen shirt, and they protected their hair with headdresses like the soroka, as showing hair was shameful for married women.
Music
Improvisational pliaska dances and percussion
Fast-paced pliaska dances were characterized by individual improvisations, sometimes accompanied by improvised percussion like wooden spoons or metal pots when standard instruments were unavailable.
At the table
Meal Customs in Peasant Households
Peasant families frequently ate from common dishes without individual cutlery, often eating in a set order led by the head of the household. Hygiene was minimal; dishes were typically rinsed in cold water after use rather than thoroughly washed.