Prince Wilhelm, Duke of Södermanland

Prince Wilhelm of Sweden, Duke of Södermanland was a Swedish and Norwegian prince. He authored many books as Prins Wilhelm.

Gendered Wardrobe Values and Quantities 1870-1899

In the 1870s, the average female wardrobe comprised 76 garments valued at 58 SEK, whereas the average male wardrobe contained 46 garments valued at 53 SEK. By the 1890s, the value of the average female wardrobe had fallen to 30 SEK for 69 items, while the male wardrobe remained more stable at 52 SEK for 45 items.

Aprons and Skirt Layering as Status Symbols

Until the mid-19th century, it was considered immoral for a woman to appear outside the farm without an apron, which served both as a decorative festive garment and as protection during daily labor. Women sometimes wore multiple skirts layered over each other to signal status or to provide warmth during winter.

Herding Calls in Mountain Pastures

Women working in mountain pastures used a distinct vocal technique called kula or other dialectal names to communicate with cattle over distances up to 5 kilometers. This powerful, high-pitched call was used for hours during their 3-4 month stays in the pastures.

Popular Instruments for Common People

By the late 1800s, factory-made chord-zithers and guitars became affordable for common people and were cherished for accompanying spiritual songs in religious movements. Meanwhile, the fiddle remained the most common instrument, often found on every farm.

Steamships saved time on travel

Travelling by steamboat from Umeå to Stockholm in the 1880s took four to five days, which was considered more comfortable than carriage travel on poor roads.

Train and steamer journey durations

A train journey from Gothenburg to Helsingborg took between 6 1/4 and 11 1/4 hours, while the steamer trip could take 14 to 20 hours. Steamboat passengers were often offered simple refreshments like coffee and biscuits, and stewards expected a tip of 1/2 to 1 crown for a 24-hour voyage.

Iron stoves replaced open hearths

During the late 19th century, iron kitchen stoves became popular and more affordable, allowing households to heat homes more efficiently and improve cooking compared to traditional open hearths. These stoves were often so hot that residents began using double glazing on windows to keep ice from forming on the glass during winter.

Mandatory schooling for children

A school law mandated that children attend school between the ages of seven and fourteen, moving society toward a norm where children were expected to study rather than work at home. Education emphasized reading, writing, arithmetic, and increasingly, practical skills like domestic economy and gymnastics.

Hard rye bread stored on ceiling poles

Families often stored hard rye bread on poles hung from the kitchen ceiling, sometimes baking it only four times a year. In Jonsered, children dipped their dry bread into tall cups of coffee to soften it before eating.

Shared meals and market sausage prices

Peasant families ate soured milk called fillebunke from a large shared trough using individual wooden spoons. On the market, factory workers could buy three sausages for 25 öre to share as a meal.

Shoes as a luxury for workers

In Stockholm, a pair of shoes was a significant expense for a worker, as a household budget might show that after covering basic food and rent, only 94 öre per week remained for clothing and footwear.

Weekly wages and food costs

A worker in Stockholm might earn 15 to 16 kronor per week, while a weekly food basket containing items like 2 kilograms of pork, 5 kilograms of bread, and 15 liters of potatoes cost 12.06 kronor.

Agriculture dominated the working population

In 1870, the vast majority of Swedes worked in agriculture, with farming and forestry being the most common livelihoods for ordinary people.

Gender wage gap in farming

Male farmhands earned an average yearly wage of 317 kronor, while maids earned significantly less, with an average of 187 kronor.