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Platon Obolensky

Moscow, 12 Jun 1850 – Saint Petersburg, 27 Jun 1913

6 facts1 source

Facts and their sources

  • Born12 Jun 1850, Moscownot verified1 source
  • MarriedMariya Naryshkinanot verified1 source
  • Died27 Jun 1913, Saint Petersburgnot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 12 Jun 1850

    Born in Moscow

  2. 9 Oct 1890

    A son is born

  3. 27 Jun 1913

    Dies in Saint Petersburg, aged 63

Family

See the tree

Partner

Children · 1

During his lifetime

He lived through 7 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Moscow.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1850s · Platon is born in Moscow

What people wore

Uniform Men's Shirts and Diverse Women's Finery

Men's clothing remained relatively uniform, featuring a signature shirt with a side-fastening collar worn untucked and belted. In contrast, women's festive attire was highly diverse, often intricately decorated with embroidery, lace, ribbons, and precious metal threads.

Getting around

Railways revolutionized long-distance travel speed

The railway between St. Petersburg and Moscow, opened in 1851, reduced travel time between the two cities from four days by carriage to 22 hours by train.

At the table

Everyday drinks and tea culture

Common drinks included kvass made from rye bread or beets, and hot beverages like sbiten, which was sweetened with honey and mixed with spices. Tea drinking also began to spread during this period, though owning a samovar was often a sign of a wealthy household.

The Crimean War. Britain, France and the Ottomans fought Russia in Crimea; Florence Nightingale’s nurses changed how the wounded were cared for.In Europe · 1853–1856

The Crimean War. Britain, France and the Ottomans fought Russia in Crimea; Florence Nightingale’s nurses changed how the wounded were cared for.

William Simpson, artist (1823-1899) E[dmond]. Morin, lithographer (1824 - 1882), · public domain

Music

Improvised percussion for fast dances

During fast dances called pliaska, performers sometimes used improvised percussion instruments like wooden spoons, a metal pot, or even a scythe.

Daily life

Weekly Steam Baths and Water Access

The home had no plumbing or running water; families relied on pails of water and prioritized a weekly steam bath, often held in the stove itself or a dedicated bath-house. If a steam bath was unavailable, peasants would crawl into the heated oven to bathe.

What it cost

The rising cost of bread

As bread prices doubled to 3 kopecks per pound, a worker consuming three pounds daily faced an effective annual tax of 16 rubles just to cover the rising cost of bread.