Louise de Mérode

Countess Louise de Mérode was a member of the House of Merode by birth and Princess della Cisterna by marriage.

Feast day footwear with silver buckles

On feast days, women wore shoes adorned with large silver buckles that covered the entire forefoot.

Hidden pockets for personal items

Women stored belongings like money, knives, or scissors in large pockets worn under their skirts, tied to the waist with ribbons.

Broadside singers at markets and churches

During this period, broadside singers were a common sight at markets and outside churches after Mass, performing songs about sensational news and love stories.

Musical instruments in homes and villages

The piano became a standard piece of furniture in the homes of the wealthy bourgeoisie, while the development of village wind bands increased the demand for instruments like clarinets, cornets, and trombones. Meanwhile, traditional drone instruments like the bagpipe were declining in popularity during this era.

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.

Slow but steady horse-drawn barges

Before railways, tow barges drawn by horses were a common way to travel between towns, moving at a steady but slow pace of 3 to 4 km per hour.

Child labor and long working days

Children often began working by their 10th or 11th year, sometimes joining weeding gangs of 30 to 40 children that worked daily from dawn until 7 or 8 in the evening. Each child earned about half the daily wage of an adult worker.

Lighting and household items used

Lighting in simple homes was provided by oil lamps known as crassets or lamponnettes, or by candles inside glass lanterns. Metal, ceramic, or wooden cups were gradually replaced by glass drinking vessels.

Cheap Protein from Mussels

Mussels were a cheap source of protein for the poor, sometimes costing as little as 2.5 centimes for one hundred in the 1840s.

Potatoes and Rye Bread Staples

Ordinary families relied heavily on potatoes and rye bread as their cheapest daily staples, often eating potatoes with sauce and only rarely having meat.

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 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.

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.

Long working hours and diet

In summer, a day laborer's working day lasted from 5 am to 7:30 pm. Their diet often consisted of rye bread, potatoes, and porridge, with meat like sausage or beef added only on Sundays.