Umair Gaines
Life before electricity was very different from how we know it today. While electricity has always existed in nature, it was only in the 18th century that humans began to harness its power, with the first documentation of electricity dating back to 500 B.C. when Thales of Miletus discovered static electricity. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, electricity was not a part of everyday life for most people, even in industrialised Western countries. Chores on the farm and at home required a lot of manual labour, and tasks like ironing clothes were done by building a fire in stoves. Food was preserved through methods like smoking meat and fermenting vegetables, and ice harvested from frozen lakes was used to keep food cold. Entertainment came in the form of singing and playing musical instruments, and later, battery-operated radios.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First documentation of electricity | 500 B.C. when Thales of Miletus discovered static electricity |
| First theories about electricity | 1600s by English physician and physicist William Gilbert |
| First major text about electricity | 1675 by English chemist and physicist Robert William Boyle |
| Electricity as an everyday aspect of life | A little over a century |
| First uses of electricity | Light bulbs, telegraphs, and early batteries |
| Refrigerators | Iceboxes with blocks of ice harvested in winter |
| Ironing | Irons heated on a stove |
| Washing machines | Gasoline-powered |
| Entertainment | Singing, playing guitar, listening to the radio |
| Lighting | Candles, torches, gas lighting |
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What You'll Learn
Refrigeration and food preservation
Refrigeration is a relatively new phenomenon, so for millennia, people had to find innovative ways to preserve food. These methods aimed to slow the growth of microorganisms that could cause foodborne illnesses or food rot.
One method of food preservation was the use of bogs, which provided a cool, low-oxygen, highly acidic environment ideal for preserving perishable foods. Ancient civilizations in Northern Europe would place food items like butter into bogs for storage, resulting in what is now famously known as "bog butter." This practice of burying food was also applied in other contexts, as it effectively shielded food from sunlight, heat, and oxygen, all of which contribute to food spoilage.
Another technique involved submerging meat in nearby small ponds or lakes, which kept the food cool and edible for extended periods. This method was particularly useful for larger pieces of meat, and the lactic acid from the water also helped tenderize the meat.
In the late 19th century, before the widespread use of electric refrigerators, people relied on iceboxes to keep their food fresh. These wooden cabinets were lined with tin or zinc for insulation and held large blocks of ice to maintain low temperatures. The emergence of ice delivery businesses marked the growing dependence on ice for food preservation.
Salt was another valuable preservative in ancient times. Civilizations living near saline bodies of water could dehydrate the water and gather salt, which was then used to preserve various foods. Salt reduces moisture, inhibits bacterial growth, and enhances flavor. It was commonly used to preserve meat, fish, and fowl, either by embedding food in salt or using a salt brine.
Other traditional food preservation methods include drying or dehydration, which is considered one of the oldest techniques. This method was applied to a wide range of foods, including vegetables, fruits, meats, fish, and fowl. The key to successful dehydration was removing as much moisture as possible, often by hanging food in the sun or over a fire. Smoking was also used to preserve food, as the slow draft of smoke, along with moderate heat, effectively killed and inhibited bacterial and fungal growth.
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Entertainment and music
Lighting played a crucial role in entertainment before electricity. In the absence of electric lights, people relied on candles, fireplaces, and oil lamps to illuminate their evenings. Candles made from beeswax were a luxury, while most people used rushlights or tallow—animal fat with a wick. The lighting of that time created a cosy atmosphere for indoor gatherings and activities.
Music and performing arts were an integral part of pre-electricity entertainment. People gathered to sing, play musical instruments, and dance. Acoustic instruments such as violins, pianos, guitars, and flutes were commonly played. Classical music, opera, and ballet thrived during this period, with composers like Vivaldi, Haydn, and Wagner creating masterpieces that are still celebrated today.
Social gatherings and parties were also popular. People would host guests and engage in various activities, including card games, chess, checkers, and backgammon. Sewing and needlepoint were common among women, who would often gather to socialise while working on their crafts.
Children's entertainment included traditional outdoor games such as jacks, jump ropes, and hopscotch. These games promoted physical activity and social interaction among young ones.
Some unusual entertainment trends also emerged during this time. In 1700s England, it became fashionable to hire a "garden hermit," an elderly man who would live in a cabin or cave on one's property, dressed in a peculiar costume and living the life of a medieval hermit. Another peculiar fad was the collection of body parts and curiosities, with some hosting parties to display their macabre acquisitions.
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Lighting and power sources
The quest for a practical electric light began much earlier, with Humphry Davy's invention of the carbon arc lamp around 1805. This lamp was used commercially in the 1870s for street and large building lighting. However, it was too powerful for indoor use, prompting the search for a less intense electric light. This led to the development of the incandescent lamp bulb, which became the standard for indoor lighting.
The evolution of the light bulb was accompanied by advancements in power sources. The first electric battery, the voltaic pile, was invented by Alessandro Volta in 1799-1800. This early battery could heat copper wire to incandescence, demonstrating the potential for electric lighting. The electric arc, first achieved by Vasily Vladimirovich Petrov in 1802 and later demonstrated by Humphry Davy in 1806, further contributed to the development of electric lighting.
The late 19th century witnessed rapid progress in electrical engineering, with pioneers like Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and Joseph Swan transforming electricity from a curiosity into an essential tool. Edison's work on the lighting system, including improvements to the filament and the development of the Edison screw, played a pivotal role in the widespread adoption of electric lighting. The first constant electric light was demonstrated in 1835, and over the next four decades, scientists worldwide refined the incandescent lamp, tackling challenges related to filament durability and bulb atmosphere.
The introduction of electricity brought lighting to the flick of a switch, revolutionising daily life. It reduced fire hazards associated with naked flames and gas lighting. Public utilities emerged in many cities, catering to the growing demand for electrical lighting. The 20th century saw electricity become a necessity, powering an array of appliances and devices. Today, lighting technologies continue to evolve, with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) offering high efficiency and solid-state lighting.
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Washing and cleaning
Before the invention of electricity, washing clothes and cleaning involved a lot more manual labour and natural resources. Washing clothes was a day-long task, with laundry days being carefully planned out and executed to make the best use of resources. The process often began the night before, with sorting the laundry into lights, darks, flannels, calicos, and fine clothing, and separating the most heavily soiled items to be soaked in soapy water or lye to minimize scrubbing the next day. Firewood also had to be gathered, with laundresses moving 150-200 pounds of wood to the laundry site to feed the fires for a moderate estate's laundry.
The actual washing process involved hot water, strong soap, and washboards, paddles, or plungers. It was back-breaking labour, mostly performed by women, and could take up to four hours for a single load. In some cases, laundry was soaked in chamber lye (fermented urine) before being washed in seawater, as was the practice on whaling ships.
People also had to wash themselves and their utensils without the aid of modern conveniences. Soap, which was invented in prehistory, was made by combining rainwater that had gone through wood ash (lye) with fat that had cooked over the fire. People often washed themselves and their utensils in rivers, using river sand and water to clean cookware, clothing, and themselves. Oil cleansing was also practised, particularly by athletes, where olive oil was massaged into the skin to break down dirt and grime and then scraped off.
The practice of handwashing with soap and water to prevent diseases was also known before the invention of electricity, with plague stones" filled with vinegar placed at town boundaries in England.
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Ironing clothes
To overcome the challenge of maintaining the desired temperature, people began using multiple irons, heating them from a single source, and alternating them as they cooled down. This method, however, added to the already arduous task. Another solution was the development of ""self-heating" irons, such as the charcoal iron, which had a hollow interior filled with hot coals to retain heat for longer.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, irons were heated using fuels like ethanol, natural gas, whale oil, gasoline, or alcohol. These irons, often called "sad irons", were heavy, and their handles could become extremely hot, making burns a common occurrence. Despite the challenges, some sections of society, even as far back as the 1st century, prioritised freshly ironed clothes.
The electric iron was patented in 1882 by Henry W. Seely, but it wasn't until the widespread electrification of American homes in the 1880s and the availability of electric irons to the public in the 1920s that they came into general use. The introduction of electricity revolutionised the ironing process, removing the need for constant reheating and making it more efficient and safer.
Over time, electric irons were further improved with the addition of thermostats to control heat, steam functionality, and non-stick coatings, making the chore of ironing more manageable and efficient.
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Frequently asked questions
Before electricity, people went to bed just after sunset and woke up in the middle of the night to do small tasks before going back to sleep. Some common light sources included candles, torches, and lanterns.
In the absence of refrigerators, people used iceboxes to keep food cold. Blocks of ice harvested from frozen lakes during winter were stored and used to keep food cold in spring and summer.
Before electricity, washing clothes involved manual labour. Gasoline washing machines were used, which had to be started by stepping on them. The clothes were then hung outside to dry.
People used irons with handles that were heated on stoves.
People spent their evenings playing musical instruments and singing. Later, battery-operated radios became a source of entertainment.
