Lord Adolphus FitzClarence

What people wore

Respectability through Sunday best outfits

To maintain respectability, ordinary people strove to own at least two complete outfits, reserving the better one for Sundays, holidays, and leisure activities.

Getting around

Walking was the primary travel method

For most ordinary people, walking was the primary mode of transport, as stagecoaches and hired horses were often too expensive. Pedestrians typically traveled at an average speed of 3 mph, rarely exceeding 20 miles in a single day.

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.

Music

Festival rewards

Festival participants like pace-eggers often went from house to house singing and dancing, hoping to be rewarded with items such as eggs and strong beer.

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.

What it cost

Cost of a loaf of bread

A four-pound loaf of wheaten bread typically cost between six and ten pence during this period.