I love the BBC’s Ruth Goodman series because they answer questions about historical daily life that I never even thought to ask. For example, in Victorian and Edwardian times, a common way to clean a chimney was to climb to the roof and throw a chicken down it. As it flapped and scratched on its way down it would knock down all the debris and buildup. If you want to know the start-to-finish process of how to build a lime-ash floor, or a pig sty, or the details of how things were cleaned, cooked, gathered, farmed, or used, these shows will have it.
ETA- These are also probably pretty interesting if you are into survivalism
Links go to the first episodes of the series on YouTube, where they are all available.
Secrets of the Castle- Guedelon Castle is a current 20 year project in France where they are building a 13th century castle, using 13th century techniques. They show the entire process of building the castle. One thing I found interesting is that castles would have been limewashed, rather than left as the bare rock we see today. And one interior decoration was to paint the limewash as if it were exposed marble. So you cover up the rock to paint it to look like a more expensive rock. The human-powered hamster wheel that they would use to raise the stones up is also pretty nifty. This is a good one if you’re interested in historic technology
Wartime Farm- Before the second World War, British farming was on a decline since 60% of their food was imported, but at the start of the war Germany started blockading British vessels. British farms had to double their production at a time when young men were gone, leaving women to do heavy labor. To do this, they had to completely switch focus from raising livestock (which were culled) to growing cereal crops. Manufacturing was focused on war goods so farming equipment had to be jerry rigged from scrap metal. Already crowded farms had to find ways to host the women and children that had been evacuated from cities. If your farm wasn’t productive enough, it would get taken away from you
(I don’t feel like typing much more but don’t take that as evidence that the ones below are less interesting)
Tudor Monastery Farm- This is one of my favorites. Ruth and company live as tenant farmers, leasing their land from the monastery. One thing I enjoy about this series is how different their various holiday celebrations are from modern ones.
Edwardian Farm- This one takes place on a Devon port, so there’s also information about life by the sea (fishing, gathering algae and shrimp, boating, etc)
Victorian Pharmacy- How people attempted to cure common ailments in the 19th C. I haven’t watched it yet, but I hear it’s wonderful
Full Steam Ahead- About engineering and building the railway system, and how that changed daily life in the early 19th century. I haven’t watched this one yet but it seems really good. TRAINS!
Tales from the Green Valley- This was an early series, and not as well done. I don’t recommend this one unless you’ve already watched all the others and want more. It’s a 1620′s/ Stuart era farm
I love the BBC’s Ruth Goodman series because they answer questions about historical daily life that I never even thought to ask. For example, in Victorian and Edwardian times, a common way to clean a chimney was to climb to the roof and throw a chicken down it. As it flapped and scratched on its way down it would knock down all the debris and buildup. If you want to know the start-to-finish process of how to build a lime-ash floor, or a pig sty, or the details of how things were cleaned, cooked, gathered, farmed, or used, these shows will have it.
ETA- These are also probably pretty interesting if you are into survivalism
Links go to the first episodes of the series on YouTube, where they are all available.
Secrets of the Castle- Guedelon Castle is a current 20 year project in France where they are building a 13th century castle, using 13th century techniques. They show the entire process of building the castle. One thing I found interesting is that castles would have been limewashed, rather than left as the bare rock we see today. And one interior decoration was to paint the limewash as if it were exposed marble. So you cover up the rock to paint it to look like a more expensive rock. The human-powered hamster wheel that they would use to raise the stones up is also pretty nifty. This is a good one if you’re interested in historic technology
Wartime Farm- Before the second World War, British farming was on a decline since 60% of their food was imported, but at the start of the war Germany started blockading British vessels. British farms had to double their production at a time when young men were gone, leaving women to do heavy labor. To do this, they had to completely switch focus from raising livestock (which were culled) to growing cereal crops. Manufacturing was focused on war goods so farming equipment had to be jerry rigged from scrap metal. Already crowded farms had to find ways to host the women and children that had been evacuated from cities. If your farm wasn’t productive enough, it would get taken away from you
(I don’t feel like typing much more but don’t take that as evidence that the ones below are less interesting)
Tudor Monastery Farm- This is one of my favorites. Ruth and company live as tenant farmers, leasing their land from the monastery. One thing I enjoy about this series is how different their various holiday celebrations are from modern ones.
Victorian Farm- 1880s
Edwardian Farm- This one takes place on a Devon port, so there’s also information about life by the sea (fishing, gathering algae and shrimp, boating, etc)
Victorian Pharmacy- How people attempted to cure common ailments in the 19th C. I haven’t watched it yet, but I hear it’s wonderful
Full Steam Ahead- About engineering and building the railway system, and how that changed daily life in the early 19th century. I haven’t watched this one yet but it seems really good. TRAINS!
Tales from the Green Valley- This was an early series, and not as well done. I don’t recommend this one unless you’ve already watched all the others and want more. It’s a 1620′s/ Stuart era farm
Most of the low tech is first written up here...
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/