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What people wore

Tar used to protect bare feet

Some men used tar on the soles of their feet at the start of summer, allowing them to walk barefoot across rough terrain like stones and pine needles after the tar dried.

Getting around

High Cost of Rural Carriage Travel

Travelers needing hired horses and carriages for a round trip between Slätt and Sundsvall in the 1920s paid 31.36 kronor, which was a significant cost given a carpenter earned about 5 kronor per day. Pre-booking horses weeks in advance was often required for these rural journeys.

At the table

Milk as the standard mealtime drink

Milk was the standard beverage for everyday meals in Swedish households during this period. Water was rarely cited as a mealtime drink because it was often associated with poverty or stinginess.

Music

Widespread popularity of the fiddle

Although new instruments like the accordion and brass ensembles grew in popularity, the fiddle remained a widely played instrument, often found in almost every farmhouse by the turn of the century.

Daily life

Difficult school journeys for children

Children walking to school could face routes up to 5 km long, sometimes requiring them to carve paths through snow, and many were needed at home for chores.

What it cost

Swedish worker income and purchasing power 1925–1929

In 1925, an industrial worker in Sweden earned an annual income ranging from 2,050 to 2,375 kronor in some sectors, while those in protected domestic industries could earn up to 3,895 kronor. By 1929, the purchasing power of an industrial worker's annual income had risen 30 to 40 percent compared to pre-war levels.