Nils Wachtmeister

What people wore

Aprons and Skirt Layering as Status Symbols

Until the mid-19th century, it was considered immoral for a woman to appear outside the farm without an apron, which served both as a decorative festive garment and as protection during daily labor. Women sometimes wore multiple skirts layered over each other to signal status or to provide warmth during winter.

Getting around

Horse-drawn travel costs and stations

By the end of 1895, Sweden had 1,518 roadside stations for horse-drawn travel, with an average distance of 25 kilometers between them. A conveyance with one horse typically cost about 16 öre per kilometer.

At the table

Shared meals and market sausage prices

Peasant families ate soured milk called fillebunke from a large shared trough using individual wooden spoons. On the market, factory workers could buy three sausages for 25 öre to share as a meal.

Music

Herding Calls in Mountain Pastures

Women working in mountain pastures used a distinct vocal technique called kula or other dialectal names to communicate with cattle over distances up to 5 kilometers. This powerful, high-pitched call was used for hours during their 3-4 month stays in the pastures.

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.

What it cost

Weekly wages and food costs

A worker in Stockholm might earn 15 to 16 kronor per week, while a weekly food basket containing items like 2 kilograms of pork, 5 kilograms of bread, and 15 liters of potatoes cost 12.06 kronor.