Duke Philipp of Württemberg

What people wore

Working class clothing and footwear

In the early nineteenth century, industrial workers typically wore plain working clothes, often paired with wooden-soled clogs, while many urban poor wore rags.

Getting around

Travel durations and costs in France

A journey from Paris to Rouen by carriage took 18 hours, while traveling to Barèges required 11 days. During the era of stagecoaches, a dinner at a good inn typically cost two francs.

Music

Violin music at village festivals

The violin was a vital instrument for rural dances and village festivals, though local authorities sometimes tried to ban its use due to the disorder caused at these gatherings.

Daily life

Cramped and dark living conditions

Ordinary urban homes were often cramped and poorly ventilated, with many workers living in simple apartments of one or two rooms, while some lived in communal boarding houses where rooms were shared dormitory-style. Interior spaces were frequently dark and smoky, as homes relied on open hearths for both heating and cooking, and floors were often made of packed earth rather than wood.