Welcome to a new blog
series with volunteer, Beth Goldworthy, where we will explore the home life of a farm family in the 1850s. With
many of us at home these days, this will give us an idea of how our ancestors
lived 170 years ago.
This week and next week,
we will be taking a look at family dinners. Family dinners in the era would
vary with the social class of the home.
Working class families would often eat together, while the upper classes
would have the adults eating together, while the children ate in the
nursery. Once a child became of
marriageable age, they were allowed to join their parents. Many of the more
formal dinners were an opportunity for marriages to be arranged.
Dinner for families was often a formal occasion. Seats at the
table were assigned according to a person’s importance in the family and
society. Even the tables were set with
exact rules and everything on the table had its place. For many of us in the 21st
century, these rules can be overwhelming, and most of us will not be facing the
formal dining situation. Still, having
some knowledge might some day come in handy.
The most formal table
setting would be used only for multi-course meals. These might be very special
occasions, such as upper-class society weddings or royal and court meals. Most
working people would not be facing such an extravagant meal. Of course, there
would special wine served with each course.
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| Formal Place Setting for Upper Class Families |
The Andrew Backus family
was considered an upper-middle class family. They would have used the less
formal place setting for special meals, still keeping to the more formal rules,
but with less flatware. There were also fewer courses, usually one main meal,
and on holidays and special events, there would be what we know as an
appetizer, a salad course, the main entrée, and then a nice simple dessert.
There might have been separate wines served.
For those of us in the 21st century, this is the place
setting that we would find in a fancy restaurant or what to us is a formal
dinner.
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| Semi-Formal Place setting for Upper-Middle Class Family |
In the 21st
century, the idea of family meals has been interrupted by after school / after
work activities. Perhaps with our present Stay-Home days, this would be a good
opportunity to return to family meals, and re-learn and teach younger members
of the family the lost art of setting a proper table. The basics to learn are quite easy, and even
the younger family members can be included. You can also use this as a craft
project. All you need is a Bristol board, construction paper, old wrapping
paper, or simply crayons or makers. Once the place-mat is designed, cover it
with clear shelf plastic. Each family
member can have their own special place, and the decorations can be made to
suit each person.
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| Here's an example |
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| Or use this template and customize them with each person's name. |
Have fun with this, and
enjoy your meals together!
Next week, we’ll take a
look at table manners of the Victorian era and how we can use some of these
manners in our everyday meals.
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