Author: Darrel Pratt

Bread adulterated with alum Alum is an aluminium-based compound, today used in detergent, but then it was used to make bread desirably whiter and heavier. Did they used to put chalk in bread? At one time, the addition of chalk to bread was officially recognised as adulteration and banned by law. What does alum do […]

The old English Father Christmas loved a good party, but the Victorians needed more from him that that. Generous, jolly and dedicated to children, Santa Claus was the ideal character for their new version of Christmas – just as he was for the New Yorkers who did so much to shape his legend earlier in […]

The current 18 teams are based across five states of Australia; the majority (ten) still remain in Victoria, nine of which are located in the Melbourne metropolitan area. The states of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia have two teams each. How many old AFL teams were there? The AFL had 8 […]

Popular foods included beef, mutton, port, bacon, cheese, eggs, bread, potatoes, rice, porridge oats, milk, vegetables, flour, sugar, treacle, jam and tea. Breakfast might consist of stoneground bread smeared with dripping or lard, with a large bunch of watercress. How did Victorians eat? The general Victorian diet consisted of a lot of fish, since meat […]

For poorer children there would have been fewer options. Farmers tended to eat better with a diet of meat, vegetables and fresh milk. Popular foods included beef, mutton, port, bacon, cheese, eggs, bread, potatoes, rice, porridge oats, milk, vegetables, flour, sugar, treacle, jam and tea. What food did the poor Victorian children eat? For many […]

Bananas were virtually unheard of during Victorian times. When did bananas become common in England? In 1888, bananas from the Canary Islands were imported into England by Thomas Fyffe. These bananas are now known to belong to the Dwarf Cavendish cultivar. When did we start eating bananas? Bananas as we know them began to be […]

However, orphans were also often treated with disdain and distrust, due to their reputation as “criminally prone” individuals. They were a victim of classic “Victorian contradictions” that characterized most aspects of Victorian society. How are orphans treated in the Victorian era? Orphans who could not find a place in an orphanage sometimes had to live […]

kissing under the mistletoe. Mistletoe Although it’s unclear exactly where or when the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe began, it’s thought to have started among servants in Victorian England before being adopted by the middle class. What are Christmas traditions that started in the Victorian era? Victorian Christmas Traditions Christmas Inspired by Royalty. Several […]

Garters were worn over the upper sock, with the stocking edge extending beyond the garter, literally to hold it up in lieu of today’s elastic edging. How were stockings held up? Until the late 40s, stockings were made with the seam running up the back of the leg and only came in a small variety […]

The stockings themselves were made of cotton, linen, wool or silk. A polished cotton called lisle was common, as were those made in the town of Balbriggan. Before the 1920s, stockings, if worn, were worn for warmth. How were stockings made in the 1800s? Until the late 40s, stockings were made with the seam running […]