Prince Wilhelm, Duke of Södermanland

Getting around

Steamships saved time on travel

Travelling by steamboat from Umeå to Stockholm in the 1880s took four to five days, which was considered more comfortable than carriage travel on poor roads.

At the table

Shared meals and market sausage prices

Peasant families ate soured milk called fillebunke from a large shared trough using individual wooden spoons. On the market, factory workers could buy three sausages for 25 öre to share as a meal.

What people wore

Gendered Wardrobe Values and Quantities 1870-1899

In the 1870s, the average female wardrobe comprised 76 garments valued at 58 SEK, whereas the average male wardrobe contained 46 garments valued at 53 SEK. By the 1890s, the value of the average female wardrobe had fallen to 30 SEK for 69 items, while the male wardrobe remained more stable at 52 SEK for 45 items.

Music

Herding Calls in Mountain Pastures

Women working in mountain pastures used a distinct vocal technique called kula or other dialectal names to communicate with cattle over distances up to 5 kilometers. This powerful, high-pitched call was used for hours during their 3-4 month stays in the pastures.

Daily life

Iron stoves replaced open hearths

During the late 19th century, iron kitchen stoves became popular and more affordable, allowing households to heat homes more efficiently and improve cooking compared to traditional open hearths. These stoves were often so hot that residents began using double glazing on windows to keep ice from forming on the glass during winter.