Arcadie Claret

Arcadie Meyer, Baroness of Eppinghoven, born Marie-Anne Arcadie Eugénie Claret, was a Belgian noblewoman and the mistress of Leopold I, King of the Belgians for more than twenty years, causing a national scandal.

The blue sarrau work blouse

Ordinary working-class and agricultural men commonly wore a sarrau, a loose, knee-length blue blouse made of linen or hemp, often over other garments. It served as a protective outer layer, sometimes worn with a black cotton cap and a red scarf with white polka dots.

Women's festive and daily dress

Women typically wore a solid-colored bodice, a long skirt made of thick cotton, and a white cotton petticoat with lace. For feast days and Sundays, they enhanced this ensemble with a black silk apron and black or brown buttoned boots.

Festivities rewarded with small coins

Lacemakers celebrated Saint Anne’s Day with singing, dancing, and picnics, often earning a small reward of five centimes from their teachers for the occasion.

Lacemakers sang rhythmic work songs

Flemish lacemakers in the mid-19th century sang rhythmic work songs called tellingen to coordinate their stitches, which also functioned as social and storytelling tools.

Two days to travel short distances

In 1824, traveling from Antwerp to the Maasland region by carriage was a two-day journey on poor, uncomfortable roads.

Tow barges for reliable canal travel

Before the railway, tow barges drawn by horses were a primary, reliable, and punctual way to travel between towns along waterways. They moved at a slow speed of 3 to 4 km per hour, but maintained a strict schedule that did not wait for latecomers.

Access to household water via wells

Water for households was typically drawn from private wells on farms or communal wells found within the villages.

Lighting homes with oil and water carafes

Homes were often illuminated by oil lamps (lamponnette) or candles placed in glass lanterns, while on dark days, workers used a spherical water carafe to concentrate candlelight.

A Simple Diet of Potatoes and Rye

Ordinary workers relied on a simple diet primarily consisting of potatoes and rye bread, with meat, butter, and fish being rare luxuries. During times of crisis, families struggled to afford even these basics, sometimes spending three-quarters of their income just on food.

Cheap Mussels as a Staple Food

In poor neighborhoods, raw mussels were an exceptionally cheap source of protein, costing only two and a half centimes for a hundred. Some families, like those in the Blandijnberg area, relied on this affordable food and deep-pumped well water to survive.

Daily wages for laborers

In 1822, a male dagloner (day laborer) in Flanders earned between 1 and 1.5 Francs per day, while a woman earned 0.6 to 0.9 Francs.

Everyday worker diet

A day laborer's diet in winter typically included rye bread with coffee and herring for breakfast, and potatoes with soup for lunch, with meat usually reserved only for Sundays.

Daily wages and the cost of shoes

Around 1820, a male day laborer in Flanders earned 1 to 1.5 francs per day, while women earned 0.6 to 0.9 francs. A pair of shoes could cost the equivalent of five days' wages.

Falling wages and high costs

Wages dropped sharply; for example, a weaver's daily wage in a Ghent cotton factory fell from 2 francs in 1830 to just 62 centimes by 1835. A pair of shoes could cost a day laborer the equivalent of 5 days' earnings.