How children were born and raised in the Victorian era (10 photos)

At first glance, this time looks quite nice - balls, flirtatious conversations under blossoming apple trees and visiting guests. But no. Everyone came, even children.





Experts of that era on eugenics (the doctrine of hereditary human health and ways to improve it, about methods of influencing hereditary qualities of future generations in order to improve them) seriously argued that the external "flaws", even if it freckles, quite a weighty argument not to give birth to their own kind. But fortunately, few people listened to it. Unlike other strange advice...



In the 19th century, people were sure that a strong and hardworking girl had children. born necessarily weak and painful. As if those ladies who spent their energy on the profession - depriving their children of strength. Therefore, in cities it was considered a boon if ... a working woman died, never becoming a mother.

Pregnancy? This is not appropriate!



The very word was considered vulgar. Real ladies never Under no circumstances were they supposed to say it. It was decent use such vulgar phrases, like "a stork flew in to visit", "already not one" and so on. There were even such expressions as "pull ankle", "Hans en Kelder" (in Dutch it means "Hans in the basement") or "the infantry has arrived" (I don't even want to comment).



If you didn’t want to tell everyone about the basement dweller, then you had to stay home. After all, pregnancy is proof that a woman had sex with her lawful husband! It is unacceptable to exhibit flaunt their depraved behavior. And a rounded belly corresponded to the aesthetic tastes of gentlemen, and ladies too.

"Yeah, you're glowing with happiness and all, but you also represent a grotesque reminder of base animal instincts and cravings for reproduction that people cannot refuse. Just look at yourself from the side: you roll from foot to foot, like a goose, a walking billboard of sexual permissiveness. The horror is terrible. No. Go home" (quote from Teresa O'Neill's book "Uncontrollable").

Give your child alcohol to drink? Easily



In the 19th century, people did not particularly believe in germs and infections, but they were firmly convinced that the water, sour from the bread crumbled into it, will certainly help with colds and relieve fever.

Doctors also advised pregnant women to drink strong beer, and even brandy to strengthen the unborn child. During childbirth, they were given for anesthesia of rye grains affected by ergot fungus. For reference: this is in general, was essentially unpurified LSD, with an overdose of which women in childbirth often died. Later, instead of ergot, they began to give chloroform, which had a milder effect, but also had the correct dosage difficult to calculate.



If the young mother was lucky and she and the child managed to survive, being stoned during childbirth, then mom now had to think about what treat feed your child. Delicious nutritious meat food, condiments, sweets and fruits were considered the main source of sinful passions, so if the parents did not want to raise a debauched and lustful males, they gave their children exclusively boiled vegetables and thick porridge.



Water was given strictly by the hour, so that the drunkard and the child's complaints about thirst was simply ignored. No teas, lemonades and syrups - otherwise the future will become an alcoholic. But paradoxically, with all this, children alcohol was constantly poured and exclusively for medical purposes. From measles, according to Victorian mothers, a mixture of weak brandy and wine, beer will help improve appetite, and there was nothing better for a cold, than port.

Spare the rod - spoil the child



Throughout mankind, parents have beaten their children in educational purposes. By the way, spanking on the ass was not just so - to do not break the growing bones.

In "Character Development and Youth Education" Orson Squire Fowler describes the story of one naughtyoh five year old daughter of his friend. Her father tried everything to calm her down and take her under the control of hysteria. <...> And then the father, driven to despair tried a new technique <...> “The next day, when my daughter one of her crazy fits happened again, he poured it over her head a jug of water." By the fifth jug, the child calmed down and began to do everything that she was told.

The technique worked because it "represented a sudden blow to throughout the nervous system and was especially effective if the water was poured right on the top of the head, where the main center of all sensations is located. "And in for a moment it was just waterboarding. And fatherly love...



Schools for girls opened only for the sake of monetary gain

It is known that for a woman to express her opinion on any questions in those days was unacceptable. Gentlemen of the late XVIII - beginning of the 19th century, it was believed that ladies could only think about dresses, balls and cute kittens. Little ladies received real education until the age of 10-12, they were really taught to write, read and do arithmetic.



Further, girls from wealthier families were sent to "universities" or to home teachers. They were taught needlework, dance, religion and music. AT in general, everything was aimed only at ensuring that the moms could show off each other "successes" of their daughters.

And girls from not the most wealthy families just went to work.