Anne Marie de Visscher

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

Dietary shifts for urban families

After the 1870s, diets for ordinary urban families in Belgium improved, moving toward a modern pattern with increased consumption of meat, fat, dairy, and sugar.

What people wore

Black became the standard rural color

During the second half of the 19th century, black became the dominant color for everyday clothing in the Flemish countryside, replacing the colorful styles of previous eras. Typical daily attire for rural men included trousers, vests, smocks, and hats, while women wore skirts, aprons, blouses, and shawls.

Music

Children sang carols on Christmas Eve

In some towns, poor children sang Flemish carols like "Blyden nacht" on Christmas Eve, hoping to be rewarded with bread, fruit, or nuts.

Daily life

Lighting and Heating in Belgian Homes

Homes were lit by candles, oil lamps, or gas lamps, as electricity was not generally available until the early 20th century. People relied on coal stoves for both cooking and warmth, often gathering around the fire for family life.