- Joined
- Nov 26, 2016
- Location
- central NC
"Winter 1882" by Francesc Masriera - Public Domain
So how did our Victorian friends keep warm without all the modern conveniences so many of us rely upon? While I love romanticizing about a lovely belle sitting by a roaring fire in a beautiful drawing room, that wasn't the “real world” for most people in the Mid-19th century. For example, heavy drapes only graced the windows of the very wealthy and cost hundreds of dollars. Most Victorians had to sew their own drapes while the less affluent nailed or tacked blankets or fabric over their windows during the winter months. They were also forced to close off rooms during cold weather.
While Victorian homes in cities might have gas powered cast iron fireplaces, most houses had wood burning stoves. In cold weather it was critical to keep these stoked and when the husband went off to work it was the "lady of the house" who usually hauled wood in and kept the fires going. Children also shared this chore.
Of course, our Victorian friends knew how to "layer” their clothes. And those layers actually had a practical side in winter....they kept them toasty! Men wore long johns under their clothes and women wore layers of petticoats.
Staying warm at night was the biggest problem. Even in most middle class Victorian homes the only source of heat was on the first floor. It was difficult to heat the downstairs enough for the rising heat to make the winter nights comfortable. Folks often placed a cast iron grate between floors to allow heat to rise into the upstairs bedrooms.
Quilting was not only a social pastime but an essential chore. We often picture the grand Victorian bed, likely a beautifully carved four poster, covered with elegant linens. In truth bed linens from a store were quite expensive and beyond the means of most people. Our Victorian friends piled on the handmade quilts to keep warm which is why quilt chests were so popular.
Of course we can’t forget the bed warmer - a pan Victorians filled with burning charcoal or ashes from their fireplace or stove. Once filled, they closed the lid and used the pan’s long handle to slide it under the covers, between the blankets and the mattress. They left it there until it warmed up their bed. While coal-filled and ash-filled bed warmers were very popular, there was always the potential risk of fire. A safer and more portable option was the hot-water bed warmer or hot-water bottle.
Dressing-gowns were also common back in Victorian times. Dressing-gowns were worn at night over pajamas or a nightshirt for extra warmth. They added that extra, toasty layer of warmth on cold winter nights.
So when you’re tempted to grumble about the cold weather this winter, think about all our Victorian friends had to do to keep warm. Then crank up the thermostat and enjoy the heat.
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