England: the Victorian Era

Today I travelled back to Victorian England. Blists Hill is a living history village where you really get a feel for the sights and sounds (and even some of the smells) of the 1800’s.

Usually when you think Victorian you conjure up images of sepia-tone, as if color weren’t a thing of the past. But check out the lively colors in the dressmaker’s shop . . .

Obviously the roads would’ve been more congested than this recreation, but public transportation was in operation. A man would’ve been driving this “bus.”

So what was an appropriate occupation for a woman? Here’s a list of domestic staff and their yearly wages.

And if you’re wondering about the men, a gamekeeper earned the tidiest sum of 100-150 pounds a year compared to the lowly stable boy who earned 6-12 pounds a year. I’m not sure what a mailman made but he sure had a great uniform.

Stay tuned for more historical adventures and lessons tomorrow.