Mothers of wealthy Victorian families didn’t work. They spent their days calling on friends and relatives. Most of the child care was done by a nanny. Rich Victorian men had jobs such as doctors, lawyers, bankers and factory owners.
What did upper class Victorians do?
The social classes of this era included the Upper class, Middle class, and lower class. Those who were fortunate enough to be in the Upper class did not usually perform manual labor. Instead, they were landowners and hired lower class workers to work for them, or made investments to create a profit.
What did rich people do for fun in the Victorian era?
Sporting pastimes, such as cycling, rowing and horseracing were also popular, and large crowds would often attend sailing events like the Henley Regatta and famous horse races such as the Epsom Derby. One of the largest events of the Victorian calendar was the famous Great Exhibition, held in 1851.
What were rich Victorians?
Once of school age they wore suits or short trousers and jackets with a cap. Sailor suits were also fashionable. Girls wore dresses with a pinafore over the top but did not wear crinolines or bustles until they were older.
Where did wealthy Victorians live?
The wealthy Victorian’s townhouse
Wealthy Victorian families lived in large detached and semi-detached townhouses with room for servants. Reception rooms were high-ceilinged and designed to impress guests. They had elaborately moulded cornices and marble fireplaces.
What was it like for rich Victorians?
Rich Victorians lived in large houses that were well heated and clean. Children got a good education either by going away to school or having a governess who taught them at home (this is usually how girls were educated). Wealthy people could also afford to buy beautiful clothes.
What was life like for a rich Victorian child?
Life for Victorian children was very different from our lives today. Children in rich households had toys to play with and did not have to work, but children in poor households often had to work long hours in difficult, dangerous jobs. They didn’t have toys to play with but sometimes made their own.
What jobs did rich people have in the 1800s?
In 19th century America, some rich people were inventors, like Bell, Westinghouse and Edison. Some were land speculators. Some were in transportation, like Vanderbilt. Some were crooked politicians like Boss Tweed, or criminals.
Did rich Victorians have toilets?
In fact, entire bathroom suites—tubs, lavatories, water closets, foot baths, and sitz baths (for soaking nether regions)—were elaborately encased in carved and stained woodwork that was closer to the parlor than the privy. High-tank toilets ruled the bathroom during the Victorian era.
What did rich Victorians have for breakfast?
Breakfast tended to be a large meal and would have included ham, eggs, bacon, bread and fish. This was followed by a light lunch and afternoon tea. The evening meal was the main meal of the day and had many different courses. Wealthy Victorian families would often throw large dinner parties.
How did rich Victorians make money?
Rich Victorian men had jobs such as doctors, lawyers, bankers and factory owners. Until near the end of the Victorian era, parents had to pay to send their children to school. This meant that many poor children received no education and could neither read not write.
What did the rich Victorian eat?
Victorians with more money enjoyed mutton, bacon, cheese, eggs, sugar, treacle and jam as part of their meals. Breakfast may involve ham, bacon, eggs and bread. People who lived near to the sea often ate a lot of fish too. Dishes like kedgeree were very popular.
What did rich Victorians have for dinner?
Dinner was the most elaborate meal with multiple courses: soup, roast meats or fish, vegetables, puddings and sweets. Cheese was served at the end of the meal, after dessert. Tea and biscuits were usually offered to guests after the meal. A bill of fare and a guideline to plan menus became popular.
Did rich Victorians have servants?
The Victorian period in Britain saw a peak in the numbers of servants employed in households. All upper class houses had several servants, and most middle class households aspired to have at least one or two servants.
What was Victorian life like for the rich and poor?
| The Poor | The Wealthy |
|---|---|
| had few luxuries. ate food they could afford to buy worked long hours lived in damp, filthy conditions. Many children died of disease. | usually well fed, clean and well clothed. didn’t need to work lived in big houses with servants went on holidays children had expensive toys children went to school |
What were upper class Victorians called?
In the Victorian era, the upper class was made up of the Royal family, Lords and Ladies, Earls, Barons, Dukes, Duchesses and other titled people. These people inherited their titles, their homes and their money from other members of their family.
Did rich Victorians go to school?
How were rich Victorian children educated? At the start of the Victorian era, very few children actually attended school. Children from rich families would be educated at home by a governess (a female teacher).
How did rich Victorians wash their clothes?
DOLLY: a dolly was used every washday, and it would have been put in a big metal or wooden tub and twisted to turn the clothes and get the dirt out. MANGLE: clothes would have been pushed through the space between the two rollers to squeeze all the water out so that they dried quicker.
How the rich lived in the 1800s?
Wealth in 1800 was owning land, which is pretty amazing. People who had a mansion were considered the “Gentry”. They lived in luxury. The people who had money built amazing countryside mansions.
How much money would a Victorian child earn?
The average wage in the 1850s was about 15 shillings (75p) a week. Many children got just 5 shillings (25p) a week, or less. While thousands of children worked down the mine, thousands of others worked in the cotton mills.
What did rich Victorian children do for fun?
Most toys in the Victorian period belonged to rich children. Girls played with: china dolls, rocking horses and tea sets whilst boys played with: toy soldiers, train sets and marbles. Poorer children usually played with home-made toys.