Prince Pierre, Duke of Penthièvre

Getting around

Rise of railway travel speed

In 1848, trains could cover 30 km per hour, twice the average speed of a stagecoach, which traveled about 15 km per hour. Early railway passengers often needed to bring portable candlesticks to read because lighting was deficient.

Daily life

Schooling in domestic spaces

While a royal ordinance in 1816 mandated that every commune maintain a school with free education for the poor, implementation was difficult and many children received instruction in settings that doubled as the teacher's living quarters, kitchen, or even bedroom. Teachers often managed their domestic chores, such as cooking at the fireplace, simultaneously while trying to instruct pupils in the same room.

What people wore

Working class clothing and footwear

In the early nineteenth century, industrial workers typically wore plain working clothes, often paired with wooden-soled clogs, while many urban poor wore rags.

Music

Parisian singing societies and long gatherings

In Paris, goguettes—popular singing societies—were central to daily life, with approximately twenty songs typically sung during meetings that lasted four to five hours.

At the table

Diluted beverages were common for families

Working families frequently drank beer mixed with water, wine, or blackcurrant juice, especially when visiting guinguettes on Sundays.