Prince Hendrik of the Netherlands

At the table

Potatoes as the working class staple

Potatoes became the primary food staple for the working class, often eaten at least twice a day with vinegar or mustard instead of fat.

What people wore

Layered skirts and hidden waist bags

Women often wore multiple skirts at once, sometimes up to six, which could be taken off as a single layered unit called a 'pels'. To carry personal items like coins or handkerchiefs, they used a small linen or cotton bag (dijzak) tied around the waist under their skirts, accessible through slits.

Getting around

The cost of daily travel

A skilled craftsman earning one gulden per day could travel at most 20 kilometers by trekschuit with his wife. Choosing the higher-class roef cabin was more comfortable but cost about three times as much as road travel by post-wagon.

What it cost

Meat and bread consumption limitations

For most workers, meat was a luxury item they rarely ate, and wheat bread was unaffordable due to taxes, leading them to eat rye bread instead.

Music

Dancing and Festivals in Social Life

Festivals and dances were vital for social connection, with public celebrations frequently including collective singing and dancing. For example, the Carmagnole was a popular dance performed during the revolutionary freedom tree celebrations in 1795.

Daily life

Schooling and child labor

Children frequently left school around age 12 to begin working 12-hour days, though classes were often large, sometimes reaching 80 students. Rural children faced particular hardships, as bad weather and difficult paths often prevented them from attending school during the winter.