Princess Beatrice de Borbón y Borbón-Parma di Massimo, Princess of Roviano

What people wore

Quimper workers kept festal clothes apart

In Quimper (Brittany), rural workers could keep their everyday work clothes separate from festival clothing, sometimes commissioned for weddings. This made clothing a visible marker of identity and social position.

Getting around

Maritime travel to Sardinia

Steamers connecting Genoa to Sardinia typically took 24 to 26 hours to reach Porto Torres, and passengers landing in Cagliari were not subject to custom-house or police visits.

At the table

Frugal Breakfasts and Coffee Substitutes

Before true coffee became widespread, many families drank an infusion made from roasted chickpeas, wheat, barley, or even acorns. Breakfast was very frugal, consisting of little more than a piece of bread and occasionally a small amount of jam.

Music

Songs at wool-carding gatherings

During social wool-carding gatherings, young men offered flowers to women accompanied by sung verses, with the women required to respond in kind.

Daily life

Modest homes and contaminated water supplies

In homes before electricity, families often lived in just a few square meters, using a ground floor room as a kitchen and an upstairs room for sleeping. Lacking public water pipes, residents relied on wells or public fountains, and their drinking water was often contaminated due to the absence of sewage systems.