In the news1903
Trans-Siberian Railway Completed
The Trans-Siberian Railway was completed, boosting industrial development and enabling travel across the vast Russian Empire.
Saint Petersburg, 2 Nov 1902 – Cannes, 31 Jul 1978
8 facts3 sources
2 Nov 1902
Born in Saint Petersburg
31 Jul 1978
Dies in Cannes, aged 75
He lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Saint Petersburg.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1903
The Trans-Siberian Railway was completed, boosting industrial development and enabling travel across the vast Russian Empire.
What people wore
Men's Peasant Attire and Festive Shirts
Peasant men commonly wore a shirt belted over trousers, often paired with a felt cap and boots or bast shoes. For festive occasions, they might wear shirts made from red calico instead of everyday homespun fabric.
Getting around
Long migrations by foot and cart
Peasant families migrating to Siberia before the Trans-Siberian Railway's completion often traveled on foot or by horse-drawn cart, covering only 35 to 40 miles per day and taking 5 to 6 months to reach their destination.
Around the world · 1908–1927The Model T. Ford’s assembly line made a car ordinary families could buy: fifteen million were built.
In the news1891–1903
The construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway began in 1891, eventually connecting distant parts of the empire and opening new economic opportunities.
Music
The origins of the Russian garmon
In 1839, a Tula gunsmith purchased an imported harmonica for 40 roubles and used it to create the garmon, an instrument that became central to Russian village celebrations.
Daily life
Rural school life and meals
During the winter school days, children often walked long distances to class and typically ate only bread washed down with water for their midday meal. While attendance was consistent, only about one in three children who enrolled actually completed the three-grade primary school program.