Prince Erik, Duke of Västmanland

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

Hard rye bread stored on ceiling poles

Families often stored hard rye bread on poles hung from the kitchen ceiling, sometimes baking it only four times a year. In Jonsered, children dipped their dry bread into tall cups of coffee to soften it before eating.

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

Popular Instruments for Common People

By the late 1800s, factory-made chord-zithers and guitars became affordable for common people and were cherished for accompanying spiritual songs in religious movements. Meanwhile, the fiddle remained the most common instrument, often found on every farm.

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.