Infante Fernando, Prince of Asturias

At the table

Gender inequality at the dinner table

In rural Spanish households during the mid-19th century, men often sat at the table to eat while women served them standing, frequently eating separately in the kitchen later.

What people wore

Distinctive festive shawl for married women

Married women in the Sierra de Béjar region wore a green rectangular shoulder shawl known as a serenero, fastened with a silver brooch.

Getting around

Sluggish rail journeys in Spain

Rail travel was often sluggish, with one passenger complaining that a 130-mile trip between Cordoba and Madrid took 12 hours.

What it cost

Cost of board and lodging

At the time, immigrant workers in Barcelona typically paid 5 to 6 reals for board and lodging.

Music

The dance of the Seises

In Seville Cathedral, a group of ten choir boys known as the Seises danced while playing castanets during major Catholic festivities.

Daily life

Teachers' salaries and housing

Schoolteachers in Santoña were provided with housing in addition to their annual salaries, which were 400 ducados for the male teacher and 200 ducados for the female teacher.