“The 1900 House” (2000) is a four-part British television show about a middle-class family from 1999 that lived for three months as if it were 1900.
The father in 1999 was a warrant officer in the Royal Marines, so the family was limited to the 1900 income of a warrant officer. They bought things through an account at 1900 prices, but could only buy things that existed then. Fish and chips, yes; pizza, no. Cameras had to be the 1900 sort. Etc.
The mother, a school inspector in 1999, took a leave of absence: few middle-class women worked outside the home.
Their children still went to school in 1999, changing in and out of their school uniforms at a neighbour’s house. The family also still went to 1999 doctors and dentists.
The house was at 50 Elliscombe Road in Greenwich, London. It was restored to its 1900 condition. It had running water, gas lighting downstairs, but no electricity. It had a small stove for cooking and heating. The house was darker and colder than in 1999. It had chickens out back (for eggs).
The father and the three younger children loved it except for the food. But the mother and teenage daughter found it deadly dull: their lives were much more limited in 1900. The mother could not go out to work. The daughter could not go out with her friends at night.
Cooking and cleaning back then took over 100 hours a week. What takes a washing machine 40 minutes to do in 1999, took 12 hours of hard work in 1900. Cleaning was a constant battle against dust and germs and insects. It was a serious matter: back then many lost a child to disease.
The maid: The housework was too much for the mother, even with help from her husband and children. After three weeks she got a maid and pushed it all off on her. Because her husband was a warrant officer, she had the money to do that, as did most of the middle class. The maid was in-period too – which gave her great insight into feminism.
Clothing: They each had only three changes of clothing, but the clothing weighed three times more. The mother hated having to wear a corset. It tied in her waist so much it affected her breathing – but her clothes would not fit otherwise.
What they most missed from 1999:
- shampoo,
- a washing machine,
- laundry detergent,
- clean clothes,
- tampons,
- safety razors,
- telephones,
- hairdryers,
- make-up,
- video games,
- pizza and fast food,
- music.
There was no telephone service or email, but the mail came three times a day.
Make-up: Middle-class women did not wear make-up. It would make them look too much like a sex worker. It was also not safe for your skin.
Entertainment: They did have a piano for music, but no one knew how to play it. Not having television, they found it hard to keep themselves entertained. Two of the children, though, wrote songs, a play and even something of a fashion magazine. The mother read more.
The best thing about 1900: they spent more time together as a family.
– Abagond, 2016.
See also:
- YouTube: The 1900 House – all 3.7 hours of it.
- How daily life has changed in the last 30 years – 1984 to 2014
- 1900s
- The British
- An American Family – 1971
- Pompeii – 79
- Money in the time of the 1897 Sears Catalogue
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I struggle with the exact frustration of a piano/keyboard. Having one but not knowing how to play it.
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When you are away, for an extended period of time, from even the faintest of radiation emitted from electronic devices and screens, even led/lcd variety, you do notice a difference. I went on a hiatus for about 18 months back in 2007 to beginning of 2009 and there was a noticeable difference in both perception and mood. Granted I used the library for occasional emails and risky paying of bills.
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I forgot about this show. I did watch it and found it interesting.
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One huge flaw with a show like this is, of course, no one in 1900 was constantly comparing their lives to 1999 – not anymore than we constantly compare our lives to 2115.
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Yep. If anything, people in 1900 compared their lives to 1850 or 1800 and talked about all the newfangled inventions making their modern life so much easier than back in the day.
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I have watched this series in the USA several times. Perhaps the USA version was missing some of the original material but this article still has a few errors. There were a few conveniences such as running water, a tub, hot running water if you got the stove going and gas lights. I do not recall the father saying man of the house was difficult. Of course there was less for women and children to do compared to now but even 50 years ago many more people played the piano, or played with a marching band etc. Many more played cards and games, women embroidered and crocheted, men and boys carved things etc. Last the mother did not push all the work on to the maid, she only could afford part time. She was a feminist and couldn’t reconcile that with hiring a maid so she sacked her after a few weeks.
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