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Varvara Nelidova

Saint Petersburg, 1814 – Saint Petersburg, 1897

8 facts2 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born1814, Saint Petersburgnot verified1 source
  • Died1897, Saint Petersburgnot verified1 source
  • FatherArkady Nelidovnot verified1 source
  • MotherSophia von Buxhoevedennot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 1814

    Born in Saint Petersburg

  2. 29 Apr 1831

    A son is born

  3. 1897

    Dies in Saint Petersburg

Family

See the tree

Parents

Children · 1

During her lifetime

She lived through 9 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.

The 1810s · Varvara is born in Saint Petersburg

In the news1810

Military Colonies Established in 1810

Military colonies were created in 1810, aiming to combine army life with agricultural labor, which essentially turned the peasants' daily existence into a structured, barracks-like routine.

Getting around

Travel by horse-drawn relay transport

Between 1800 and 1824, ordinary people traveled between towns primarily using horse-drawn carriages, wagons, or sledges, often relying on the state-run relay system to secure fresh horses at designated postal stations. Travelers were required to carry an official permit called a podorozhnaya to document their route and status at these stations.

At the table

Rye bread and cabbage soup staple

Ordinary families relied heavily on rye bread and shchi, a cabbage soup that was a dietary staple and was often made with sour, fermented grey cabbage.

The Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon’s armies redrew the map of Europe from Spain to Moscow; his invasion of Portugal sent its court to Rio de Janeiro.In Europe · 1803–1815

The Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon’s armies redrew the map of Europe from Spain to Moscow; his invasion of Portugal sent its court to Rio de Janeiro.

Ruedi33a · CC BY-SA 4.0

What people wore

Basic peasant men's clothing

Peasant men typically wore shirts and trousers, while boys wore only shirts, with shirts often being secured at the waist with laces to keep them from interfering with work.

Music

Improvised percussion for fast folk dances

During fast-paced dances known as pliaska, performers often used improvised percussion instruments, including wooden spoons, metal pots, or even farm scythes to keep the rhythm.

Daily life

Sourcing drinking water

Most city residents lacked their own water source and relied on water carriers who transported water from rivers or lakes, which was often contaminated. Even well water in towns was frequently dirty and contained significant limestone impurities.