Princess Marie Susanne of Ligne

Getting around

The traditional horse-drawn barge

Known as the barge, a horse-drawn tow canal boat was a common and punctual way to travel between towns like Bruges and Ostend until the late 19th century.

At the table

Cheap mussels for the poor

In working-class neighborhoods, mussels were a cheap staple, costing only 2.5 cents for one hundred at the time.

What people wore

Changing sleeves for daily variety

At the end of the 19th century, bourgeois women changed their clothing multiple times a day, and chambermaids would sew or un-sew dress sleeves to vary their appearance throughout the day. This practice led to the expression c'est une autre paire de manches, meaning something quite different.

Music

Late night dancing at Kermesse fairs

During the Kermesse fair, villagers danced in public houses until 2 or 3 in the morning, accompanied by a band or barrel-organ music.

Daily life

Schooling and First Communion Expectations

While school attendance was not mandatory by law during this period, most children eventually received some education, often leaving school by age 11 or 12 to begin working. Preparation for the First Communion, involving new clothes and memorizing the Catechism, was considered the most significant life event for a child.