Princess Elizabeth of Clarence

What people wore

The Monthly Laundry Operation

Laundry was so time-consuming that large households might only wash once a month, performing a massive operation lasting up to a week that disrupted the entire house.

Daily life

Sunday School Rewards and Wages

Sunday school teachers were paid 1s. 6d. for the Sunday to teach children to read and spell. Attendance was often ensured by giving children sweets and gingerbread as rewards.

Work

Long Working Hours in Factories

Factory workers, including children, typically labored for 12 to 14 hours a day, six days a week. In busy times, these hours could extend from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Music

Evolution of popular dance and movement

Formal dancing evolved during this period from traditional country dances and minuets to include newer, intimate partner dances like the quadrille and the waltz, with the polka emerging by 1840. Early public performances of the waltz were known to involve energetic movements like hopping, stamping, and throwing partners in the air.

At the table

Tea Becomes a Staple Drink

By the early 19th century, tea had moved down the social scale and became a staple drink, often served with bread, which was frequently the only meal for the poor.

Getting around

Walking was the common mode of travel

For everyday travel, most people relied on walking, typically covering about 3 miles per hour and rarely exceeding 20 miles in a single day.

What it cost

Shoemaking and prices of boots

A pair of boots could be made in a single day, with Blucher boots costing one shilling and threepence.