Christian, Crown Prince of Denmark

At the table

Herring was the common daily meal

For ordinary people, salted herring eaten with water porridge was the most common daily meal, often consumed morning, noon, and evening.

What people wore

Neck scarf fashion for women

By the 1730s, a square neck scarf folded into a triangle became common, with ends tucked into the bodice or jacket front.

Getting around

Slow travel and exhausted horses

Traveling by carriage was slow due to poor road conditions, and horses used for relays were often exhausted animals taken directly from farm work. Travelers frequently had to endure long journeys, such as the 6 to 7 days it took the mail coach to travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg.

Work

Cost of food in the 1740s

In the 1740s, a loaf of rye bread in Copenhagen cost between 1/3 and 2 1/3 skilling, while a pound of butter cost 10 skilling.

Music

Minuet Popularity Among Ordinary People

In the 1740s, peasants danced the minuet at fine occasions, and authorities even caught guests dancing it at a suburban Copenhagen inn in 1736.

Daily life

Long school days and restricted access

Formal schooling for boys in Danish towns involved long days, typically running from 6:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., except on Wednesdays when it ended at 8:00 a.m. Girls were generally barred from these schools, though some were taught by female teachers who were restricted to instructing girls regardless of age.