Princess Sophia of the United Kingdom

Getting around

Travel options depended on personal wealth

Wealthy travelers hired expensive postchaises for speed, while poorer people sometimes paid to sit on baggage in slow carts pulled by carriers.

At the table

Tea becomes a common drink

By the middle of the 18th century, drinking tea had become common even among ordinary people, despite its cost.

What people wore

Dual-purpose Undergarments

Women often wore a shift (a basic undergarment) that served as both daytime underwear and sleepwear.

Music

Music at a Black social club

At a 1773 dance in Southwark, a group of 59 Black servants entertained themselves with music played on violins and French horns. All the performers in this band were Black, and no White people were allowed to attend.

Daily life

Communal Baking for a Small Fee

In smaller communities, people often used a shared bakehouse where they paid a small fee to have their dough baked in a communal oven. Residents would carry their bread loaves to these ovens on boards resting on their shoulders.