Isabella Gamble Ross

Getting around

Dramatic increases in travel speed by rail

Rail travel speeds significantly outperformed earlier coaches, with journeys that took 20 hours by stagecoach in 1830 taking only five hours by train by the early 20th century. For example, in 1872, a 220-mile trip to Scotland via train and carriage took over 9.5 hours, averaging about 23 miles per hour.

At the table

Children's daily lunch costs

In London, working children often bought a simple lunch at a cook-shop for two pence, typically spending a penny on pudding and a halfpenny on potatoes. If they spent the full twopence, they were permitted to have a little gravy or fat added to their meal.

What people wore

Everyday Clothing for Women

Women typically wore a shift, a petticoat, and a gown with detachable sleeves, while an apron was essential to protect their clothes during daily chores.

Music

Paying for Dance at Festivals

At late nineteenth-century festivals, musicians often used a dancing booth with a box for money, where dancers would pay a fee to participate in the festivities. Collecting these fees became more difficult when round dances and waltzes replaced older country dances.

Daily life

Shared water and toilets were common

Many working-class homes lacked indoor plumbing, requiring families to share an outdoor tap and toilet with several neighboring households.