How Often Do You Think The Victorians Actually Bathed, and Were They Really Dirty?

How Often Do You Think The Victorians Actually Bathed, and Were They Really Dirty?

Today I want to look at something that might surprise you, and that is how often did Victorians actually bathe?

The answer depended heavily on your class, money, and where you lived, just like everything else in Victorian Britain.

For wealthy Victorians, bathing became more common as plumbing began to slowly improve during the 19th century. Dedicated indoor bathrooms only began appearing in some wealthy British homes from around the 1850s to 1870s, and by the 1880s and 1890s some upper- and middle-class families even had the early indoor flushing toilets. Some rich households had tin or porcelain bathtubs, filled with hot water brought by servants and then also emptied by them.

But, daily full-body baths were still unusual by modern standards.

Before indoor bathrooms became common, even wealthy Victorians usually washed in their bedrooms using a washstand which was a small piece of furniture that held a bowl and jug of water. Full baths were often taken in tubs that were placed near a fire.

For the working classes, bathing was much harder. Many homes had no bathroom, no indoor toilet, and no running hot water. Washing often meant using a bowl, jug, and flannel to clean the face, hands, neck, and underarms rather than taking a full bath.

A proper bath was a big effort. Water had to be carried, heated on a stove or over a fire, and then poured into a tin tub placed in the kitchen or near the hearth. Because of the time, effort, and cost involved, many working-class families only had a full bath once a week, often on a Saturday night before Sunday church. And yes, families sometimes shared bath water, with the cleanest or youngest often going first and the dirtiest last.

Public bathhouses also became more common in Victorian Britain, especially after the Public Baths and Wash-houses Act of 1846 which encouraged towns to build them. These gave people without the facilities at home the chance to bathe and wash their clothes for a small fee.

When you think about the effort involved just to get clean, modern bathrooms suddenly feel like a real luxury.

Do you think you could cope with bathing the Victorian way?

Johnny Smythe: The RAF Officer from Sierra Leone Who Fought in World War Two.

Johnny Smythe: The RAF Officer from Sierra Leone Who Fought in World War Two.

Today I want to tell you about Johnny Smythe.

John Henry Clavell Smythe was born in 1915 in Freetown, Sierra Leone, which was then part of the British Empire. He was Sierra Leonean by nationality, but during the Second World War he fought for Britain as part of the Royal Air Force. Before the war, he went to Sierra Leone Grammar School and worked as a clerk.

When the Second World War started in 1939, Smythe joined a local defence force and then became one of the very few West Africans to serve as an officer in the RAF. In 1943, he was commissioned into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and became a navigation officer with 623 Squadron. He flew dangerous bombing missions over occupied Europe in the Short Stirling bomber.

On the 18th of November 1943, during only his fifth operation, his aircraft was shot down over Germany. He was wounded, captured, and then spent around 18 months as a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft I. 

After the war, Smythe continued serving Britain and played a part in the Empire Windrush in 1948 by helping former servicemen from the Caribbean. He was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1951. He also later received honours including the Order of St Lazarus and the Member of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

After leaving the RAF as a Flight Lieutenant, he retrained as a barrister. He returned to Sierra Leone and became a Queen’s Counsel, eventually serving as Attorney General of Sierra Leone.

Johnny Smythe died in 1996 in England at the age of 80 or 81.

A Surprising Tudor Fashion Trend That Was Both Stylish And Practical.

A Surprising Tudor Fashion Trend That Was Both Stylish And Practical

Following on from my previous Tudor post, I wanted to take a closer look at another part of Tudor fashion, the detachable sleeves.

In Tudor England sleeves were often made separately from the main garment and tied or pinned on. They were not just a strange fashion choice. They were actually very practical.

Clothing was expensive in the Tudor era, especially clothes made from the more expensive fabrics like silk, velvet, or brocade. Most people could not afford many complete outfits, so detachable sleeves gave people a clever way to change their outfit without having to buy a whole new gown or doublet. Being able to easily swap the sleeves, an outfit could look completely different.

Sleeves were also one of the most decorative parts of Tudor clothing. They were often embellished and embroidered, made with contrasting fabric underneath, or decorated with ribbons, pearls, and jewels which show your status and wealth.

They were very practical as well. Sleeves got dirty easily and often wore out. So being able to remove and change them made them much easier to clean and repair and also made clothes last longer.

They were also sometimes given as gifts by the nobility. They could be decorated elaborately, so they were a way to give a meaningful gift that showed status without the expense of giving a complete garment.

 

Do you think detachable sleeves were a good idea?

 

Lee Archer: The Tuskegee Airman Who Had to Overcome Racism to Become an Ace Pilot in WW2.

Lee Archer: The Tuskegee Airman Who Had to Overcome Racism to Become an Ace Pilot in WW2.

Today I am going to tell you about Lee Archer. He was an extraordinary American fighter pilot who became one of the most successful Tuskegee Airmen of the Second World War.

Lee Andrew Archer Jr. was born on the 6th of September 1919 in Yonkers, New York, in the United States. He then grew up in Harlem and went to New York University. Like many young men of his generation, he wanted to serve his country, but as an African American he faced racial discrimination. When he first joined the United States Army in 1941, Black men were not accepted as military pilots, so he was assigned to communications work instead.

When the Army finally opened pilot training to Black aviators, Archer trained at Tuskegee Army Airfield in Alabama. He graduated first in his class on the 28th of July 1943 and became one of the famous Tuskegee Airmen.

During the Second World War, Archer flew an incredible 169 combat missions in Europe, far more than many pilots of the time. He flew aircraft including the Bell P-39 Airacobra, Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, and North American P-51 Mustang. Flying with the Red Tails, he shot down five enemy aircraft, officially earning the title of fighter ace, potentially making him the only Black American pilot of the war to achieve ace status. On the 12th of October 1944, over Hungary’s Lake Balaton, he shot down three enemy fighters in just ten minutes.

Despite returning home as a decorated hero, he still had to face segregation. Archer later said that it was painful to risk his life for freedom abroad while still facing discrimination at home.

He continued serving during the Korean War and remained in the military until retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1970. Afterward, he became one of the first Black corporate vice presidents at General Foods.

Archer received many honours, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, nine Air Medals, the Meritorious Service Medal, two Air Force Commendation Medals, the Congressional Gold Medal, and France’s Legion of Honour.

Lee Archer died on the 27th of January 2010 at the age of 90.

Had you heard of Lee Archer before today?

Do You Think That You Could Survive One Day Living in Victorian England?

Do You Think That You Could Survive One Day Living in Victorian England?

Today I want to ask you something a little bit different. Could you survive just one day in Victorian England?

Imagine waking up in a cold room with no central heating, no electric light, no modern bathroom, and no quick trip to the supermarket. If you were poor, your home may have also been cramped and damp, you may have also had to share with several family members. Washing would usually mean cold water in a bowl. The toilet was usually outside or shared with other families.

And that is if you were lucky enough to have a home. If you were unfortunate enough to have no home at all, life could be even worse. Homelessness was a serious problem in Victorian Britain. Some people slept in lodging houses if they could afford a bed, others ended up in casual wards, or slept rough in alleyways, doorways, and under bridges. Poverty, unemployment, illness, or the loss of a family breadwinner could push people onto the streets very quickly.

The morning routine of the wealthy was much more comfortable. It was often ordered, efficient and run by staff. Their day usually started with tea brought to their room. Their rooms were clean and warmer than poorer homes. Fires would have been lit for them by the staff and some were even helped to dress. Breakfast would be ready and served to them, newspapers were ready for them as well, either on the tea tray or at the breakfast table.

What breakfast you ate would depend completely on your class. Wealthier families could enjoy a choice of meat, eggs, bread and kippers and would have had servants to prepare it. Poor families might be lucky enough to have bread, porridge, dripping, or sometimes nothing at all.

The work day was also dependant on your rank and wealth. For many working-class Victorians, life was hard. Men, women, and children could have to work for long hours in factories, mines, laundries, workshops, streets, or in domestic service. The jobs were usually hard and sometimes even dangerous. They were also not paid a great deal which meant a route out of poverty was almost impossible.

For example, a cotton mill worker’s day would start before sunrise, they were usually called to work with a factory bell. Men, women, and children all worked the same long hours in hot, noisy rooms filled with loud machines and cotton dust. Their jobs were repetitive and hard. They would have run the spinning machines or weaving cloth. Breaks were short, and there was a high risk of injury from the fast-moving machines. Today we have so many more protections. But even though the conditions were horrible, workers needed their pay. It was often the difference between eating and having a roof over their head or not. There were no safety nets, although some charities did help the “deserving poor.” The only other choice would have been the workhouse. And as it is said in a Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, many would rather die than go to such places. This highlights just how dreadful the conditions in workhouses are. 

For the wealthy, however, social life could be quite different. Rich Victorians often spent their afternoons visiting friends, having tea whilst enjoying polite conversation, cakes, and fine china. Gentlemen might decide to go to members of private clubs, to read newspapers, play games, or to discuss business and politics, while the ladies attended social gatherings or hosted at home.

Health was another big concern. There were no antibiotics, and diseases could and did spread quickly, especially in crowded towns and cities. A small infection, a bad tooth could turn into something far more serious. Dirty water or a serious illness could become frightening very quickly. Poor eyesight was common due to bad nutrition, long hours of close work, and poor lighting. Glasses were also too expensive, and untreated eye diseases could lead to blindness, which could cost people their livelihoods.

Even the evening would probably feel strange to us. There was obviously no television, no phone, no electric lights in most homes. Just candles, oil lamps, coal fires, sewing, reading, or an early night after a long day.

For the wealthy they could fill their evenings by attending parties, balls, or evenings at the opera and theatre. They would dress up in their finest clothes and spend the evening with friends. These events may have given the rich something to do and enjoy, but they meant more long, tiring hours for thr servants, who may have had to prepare the food, serve guests, clean up, and ensure everything ran smoothly behind the scenes.

Although Victorian life was very hard for the poor, especially with the overcrowding, low wages, and tough work, it also saw the beginning of huge progress. Advancements in industry, science, and reforms gradually started to improve living conditions. They also improved health, education, and opportunities for people. This all contributed to the growing middle class.

The growing middle class came largely from the expansion of industry and commerce during the Industrial Revolution. As more factories, businesses, and trade networks began developed, new jobs were created for managers, clerks, engineers, and professionals like doctors and teachers. Further improvements in education and the access to training also allowed more people to move into these skilled and better-paid jobs. Economic growth, along with social and political reforms, helped to raise the living standards and they provided greater opportunities for advancement.

So be honest… do you honestly think you could have survived one day in Victorian England, or has modern life made us too soft?

Vernon Baker: The Soldier Who Had to Wait Decades for Recognition

Vernon Baker: The Soldier Who Had to Wait Decades for Recognition

Today I want to tell you about Vernon Baker, an extraordinary African American soldier whose  recognition took far too long.

Vernon Joseph Baker was born on the 17^th of December 1919 in Cheyenne, United States. He had a hard childhood. He tragically lost both his parents in a car accident when he was only four years old. He and his sisters were raised by their grandparents.

In June 1941, he enlisted in the United States Army, despite facing racial discrimination during recruitment. During World War Two, he served with the 370^th Infantry Regiment, 92^nd Infantry Division in the Italian Campaign. In April 1945, near Castle Aghinolfi in Italy, Baker showed amazing courage. Under relentless enemy fire, he personally destroyed machine-gun positions, an observation post, and a dugout, risking his own life to save others. Out of 25 men in his platoon, only six survived uninjured.

After World War Two, Baker continued to serve his country. He became a paratrooper in the 11^th Airborne Division and also served during the Korean War. He  retired from the Army in 1968 with the rank of First Lieutenant.

Racial prejudice meant he was denied America’s highest military honour for decades. Finally, on the 13^th of January 1997, Bill Clinton presented Baker with the Medal of Honor at the White House. He was the only living Black World War Two soldier among seven whose awards were corrected.

Vernon Baker received many honours, including the Medal of Honor, Silver Star, two Bronze Star Medals with V Device, two Purple Hearts, the Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, and foreign awards from Italy and Poland.

He died on the 13^th of July 2010, aged 90, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

How many other heroes waited too long to be seen?

Tudor Clothing Fashion: What Your Clothes Said About You

Tudor Clothing Fashion: What Your Clothes Said About You

Today I want to take a look at Tudor clothing fashion, because in Tudor England what you wore said a lot about who you were. Clothing showed people how wealthy you were, your rank, occupation, and even your loyalty to the crown. The Tudors considered appearance and status to be important and fashion became a way of showing this.

Image info:

Catherine of Aragon

Artist: Lucas Horenbout

At the start of the Tudor period, when Henry VII became king in 1485 after the Wars of the Roses, clothing was very much in the medieval styles. Wealthy men often wore fitted tunics, gowns or robe-like outer garments that were worn over their clothing along with hose, which were a little like stockings, and cloaks. 

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Anne Boleyn posthumous

Women wore long dresses with fitted bodices and full skirts. Their dresses were usually tightened with laces that pulled the fabric close to the body to create the fashionable stiff shape. I imagine they could still feel restrictive, but they would have generally been more comfortable than the tightly laced Victorian era corsets. The laces were usually threaded through eyelets at the front, back, or sometimes the sides of the bodice, unlike many Victorian era corsets, which were typically tightly laced at the back. Tudor bodices were aimed to create a flatter, more rigid silhouette rather than pulling the waist into an exaggerated hourglass shape the Victorian strove for. 

Image info:

Anne of ClevesImage info:

Anne of Cleves

Artist: Hans Holbein the Younger

Date: 1539

Collection: Louvre Museum

They used rich fabrics like velvet, silk, satin, and damask, which were all highly valued. These fabrics were expensive, so wearing them made sure that people immediately knew your status.

During the reign of Henry VIII, fashion became even more elaborate. Henry loved to show off and display his wealth and opulence. The court, who were continuously wanting to impress, followed suit. The king set the fashion and gave the power and status. Men’s clothing became broader and more padded, with wide shoulders that created a powerful image. One of the most famous and unusual fashion items of the period was the codpiece. It was originally a practical fabric covering worn over the groin where the hose joined, but it gradually became larger, more decorative, and impossible to ignore. Some were padded or embroidered, turning what was a practical garment into a bold display of masculinity and confidence. 

Image info:

Henry VIII

Date: 1540–1547

Artist: Hans Holbein the Younger

Collection: Walker Art Gallery

Bright colours were especially important in Tudor fashion, but colour was also connected to your rank. The rich could afford to buy vivid dyes like deep crimson, rich purple, scarlet, and bright blue. Some colours were even restricted by the law under the Tudor sumptuary laws, especially during Henry VIII’s reign. The laws controlled who could wear which luxurious fabrics, fur, gold embroidery, pearls, and even certain colours. The royal family and highest nobles could wear the richest and most expensive colours like purple, crimson, scarlet, and of course gold, which would instantly show people that you had wealth and power. Wealthy merchants and the gentry could wear rich blues, greens, and deep black. This meant ordinary people could not dress like nobles, even if they somehow could afford it. Poorer people usually wore practical muted colours such as brown, russet, grey, faded green, or undyed wool which were far less expensive.

These laws were not just for show. We know this because Tudor rulers kept reissuing them in official proclamations. Surviving records also show that some people were fined or warned for wearing luxury items they were not allowed to wear, especially wealthy merchants trying to dress like nobles.

 

Image info:

Pattens

The Arnolfini Portrait

Date: 1434

Collection: National Gallery

Women’s fashion gradually changed significantly throughout the era. Gowns started to become heavier and a lot more structured, with stiffened bodices and wider skirts. The skirts were supported by layers underneath them. Wealthy women often wore decorative sleeves, jewellery, and embroidered fabrics. Later in the Tudor period, especially under Elizabeth I, the ruff became one of the most recognisable fashion trends. A ruff was a pleated collar worn around the neck, sometimes small and neat, sometimes enormous and dramatic. These were starched into elaborate shapes. Wearing a large ruff must have been very uncomfortable, especially when eating or turning your head, but fashion and status were far more important than comfort.

Image info:

Lady playing a lute in a yellow kirtle

Collection: National Gallery of Art

Head coverings were extremely common for both men and women. Respectable Tudor women didn’t really go outside with uncovered hair. Covered hair was seen as modest and respectable. Surviving portraits and written records often show women wearing hoods, caps, or veils. They wore French hoods, gable hoods, coifs, caps, or linen coverings. Head fashions changed over the Tudor period. Catherine of Aragon was known for the traditional English gable hood, which covered most of the hair. Anne Boleyn helped to make the softer French hood fashionable, showing more of the hairline. Anne of Cleves wore more conservative German fashions, with structured headwear and high-necked gowns, and some historians have wondered whether her less familiar style may have added to Henry VIII’s disappointment, as it was so different from what women were wearing at English court. Headwear continued to change throughout the Tudor period. Mary I often wore more modest and traditional styles, with hoods, caps, and veils covering much of her hair, most likely influenced by her mother Catherine of Aragon. Unlike many of the earlier Tudor women, Elizabeth I often left a lot of her hair visible. She decorated it with pearls, jewels, and ornate headpieces.

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Elizabeth I

Artist: Nicholas Hilliard

Collection: Walker Art Gallery

Men wore flat caps, felt hats, or bonnets. A person’s headwear could instantly reveal their social position and fashion awareness. Henry VIII seemed to favour wide flat bonnets that were decorated with feathers, jewels, or gold badges.

image info:

Mary I

Artist: Antonis Mor

Collection: Museo del Prado

Tudor women usually wore flat leather shoes with rounded or square toes. Wealthier women could afford more decorative styles, and some wore raised overshoes called pattens to protect their shoes and skirts from the muddy streets.

Of course, most Tudors were not wealthy courtiers. Peasants and labourers wore much simpler clothing usually made from wool, linen, or rough homespun cloth. Men most often wore plain tunics, breeches, hose, and practical leather shoes. Women wore simple kirtles, a fitted dress with a bodice and long skirt. This could be worn on its own by poorer women or under an outer gown by wealthier women. They also wore aprons, wool skirts, and linen caps or kerchiefs. Their colours were far more muted. For poorer families, clothing needed to be durable and practical above everything else. They were more likely to worry about keeping warm and comfortable than the latest court fashions.

Do you think Tudor fashion looked elegant and impressive, or does it look far too uncomfortable?