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Houses and homes in Tredegar during the 19th century A Key Stage 2 Educational Resource Pack Part 2窶認ood, Lighting & Sleeping
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What did people eat in the 19th century? 2 Household budgets of 1839 Investigate what units of measurement were used during the 19th century for: Money Weight Volume
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Workers’ food was plainer and simpler in the 19th century than today. Much of the food that people ate was produced or grown locally so what was eaten depended upon the season of the year. People ate little fresh meat—and this was usually bacon. Instead they ate lots of bread, dairy products and vegetables which were cheaper. Fridges or freezers weren’t available so most meat or fish that was sold was salted or smoked to stop it rotting. Tinned food didn’t appear until the end of the 19th century.
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Where and how was food cooked? In 19th century workers’ houses, all food was prepared in the main living room downstairs. Food was cooked either on an open fire or a stove or baked inside an oven. Cooking utensils such as pots, pans and kettles were usually made from cast iron and were very heavy, even when empty! Can you find any objects in the museum shown in the photo on the right that may have been used to cook food or boil water?
Cooking pot hanging over fire
Open fire
Cast iron Kettle
Oven
Skillet
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Look for case number 7 in the museum. Make a list of the names of the cooking utensils in this case. Make a sketch of an object used for cooking food in the box below.
Make a sketch of an object used for boiling water in the box below.
What material are these utensils made from? How are these utensils different to those we use today?
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Look for case number 2 in the museum. Make a list of the names of any objects used to cook or prepare food. Make a sketch of an object used for mashing vegetables in the box below.
Make a sketch of an object used for making toast in the box below.
What materials are these utensils made from? What do we use to do the same job today?
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Stay with case number 2 Make a sketch of an object used for roasting meat in the box below.
Make a sketch of an object used for making pastry in the box below.
How did these objects work? What do we use to do the same job today?
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Look for case number 10 in the museum. Make a list of the names of any objects used to store or prepare food. Make a sketch of an object used for cutting sugar in the box below.
Make a sketch of an object used for storing cheese in the box below.
What materials are these utensils made from? What do we use to do the same job today?
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Where were meals eaten? All meals were eaten in the main living room downstairs such as in this room inside a cottage at Merthyr Tydfil. Plates, spoons and bowls were made from wood. Drinking vessels were made from pewter. Knives and forks had handles made from animal bone! Crockery was expensive and only used on special occasions.
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Crockery was usually kept on a Welsh Dresser to show it off! (left photo) Food was stored in a small, dark room called a ‘larder’ (right photo)
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How were homes lit during the 19th century? The objects in the picture below are from the re-created 19th century cottage in Blaenafon. What are the 2 taller objects? Find 3 objects used for holding a candle in cases 3 and 10 in the museum. What are they called? What are they made from? What are the handles for?
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The tall objects are called ‘rushlight’ holders. Rushlights were made by collecting and peeling soft rushes (growing in wet places) to expose their spongy centre. These were then dried. Once dry, they were dipped in melted animal fat along their whole length. When the fat had cooled and solidified, the rushlight was clamped between the jaws of the rushlight holder to keep it in place. It was then lit, burning slowly to provide light. The cup on its opposite side could also be used to hold a candle.
Left: Soft rushes Right: A rushlight holder in closed and open positions
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Where did people sleep in the 19th century? Here is one of 2 rooms upstairs at the cottage in Blaenafon. This room has been recreated to show how it may have looked during the 1800s.
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This is the other room upstairs. Families often had lodgers staying with them. Why did they decide to allow strangers to live in their own home? Look for case number 2 in the museum. Find 2 objects used for warming beds. How do you think these worked?
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Above: (extract from) The Bristol Mercury (newspaper) April 15, 1865 What were the beds of poor people made from in the 19th century? What were the dangers of using this material with lighted candles?