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Vladimir Paley

Saint Petersburg, 9 Jan 1897 – Alapayevsk, 18 Jul 1918

8 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 9 Jan 1897

    Born in Saint Petersburg

  2. 18 Jul 1918

    Dies in Alapayevsk, aged 21

Family

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Parents

During his lifetime

He lived through 3 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Saint Petersburg.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1890s · Vladimir is born in Saint Petersburg

In the news1891–1903

Trans-Siberian Railway Construction Begins

The construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway began in 1891, eventually connecting distant parts of the empire and opening new economic opportunities.

Getting around

Cost of Post-Horse Travel

Travelers using post-horses paid 8 to 10 kopecks per horse per verst, making a 450-verst trip from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod cost over 100 rubles. A journey using one's own horses for a similar distance was significantly cheaper, costing only 20 to 25 rubles.

At the table

Peasant diet: bread, cabbage soup, and kvass

Peasant diets centered on rye bread, cabbage soup (shchi), and various porridges, with meat being a rare luxury reserved for holidays like Christmas or Easter. Ordinary families primarily drank water, kvass—a fermented beverage made from rye bread—or occasionally tea on special occasions.

The cinema. In a Paris café the Lumière brothers showed films to a paying audience for the first time.Around the world · 1895

The cinema. In a Paris café the Lumière brothers showed films to a paying audience for the first time.

Unknown authorUnknown author · public domain

What people wore

Sheepskin coats and festive fashion choices

Peasants often wore versatile sheepskin coats year-round, using them as clothing, blankets, and pillows. For festive occasions, they switched to cleaner, decorated garments like red chintz shirts or factory-made wool caftans.

Music

Harmonicas were popular affordable instruments

A harmonica was a common and relatively affordable instrument for villagers, often costing between 10 and 25 rubles to purchase.

Daily life

Early schooling in rural communities

Children typically began school at age seven, though girls often left after a year or two to help with household chores, while boys were more likely to complete the course. Many peasant communities hired their own teachers and rotated classroom space among homes when a dedicated school was not available.