Everyday Living in the 19th Century

Almanacs were a large part of everyday life in the 19th century. Before the weatherman there were the almanacs that consisted of weather forecasts and seasonal crop information for the year. They were also filled with folklore, legends, recipes, home remedies and general topics that touched the lives of the common man in the 19th century.

This daguerreotype photo that dates around 1850 shows how common almanacs were in the hands of Victorians. Take note of the almanac that is hanging at the window.

Like mentioned before almanacs included various recipes. Here is a recipe taken from the 1892 Agricultural Almanac from Hearth and Home - Old Fashioned Cooking.

Sailor Cake
6 ounces light brown sugar, 6 ounces butter, 1 pint molasses, 1 ounce baking soda, 4 eggs, 1 1/2 pound flour, 2 tablespoonsful cinnamon, 1/2 pint thick milk. Warm the butter with the molasses. Drop the dough on tins and bake in a quick oven.

Now of course we can't forget humor in the lives of the Victorians. They had a laugh or two in their day as well. And the almanacs reflect that with bits of humor strewn here and there. There were many home remedies as well as make it yourself items such as scrapbook paste made from thin starch or putting brown sugar in paste to keep fruit jar labels from falling off, ect.

These old almanacs are a lot of fun to read and quite interesting when you want a peek into the minds and lives of your ancestors. If you would like to peruse the pages of a 19th century Almanac you can download a scanned copy of the 1887 Agricultural Almanac here at A Victorian Passage