1903: Today saw an extension to Peterborough's growing tram network when the service to Newark began, the trams travelling along the Eastfield Road. The driver - the motorman - had to stand in an open area to drive the tram and was exposed to all weathers. He worked a ten-hour shift, six days a week, at a rate of 5d an hour, which provided him with a weekly wage of 25s. (Peterborough Advertiser)
Taken from The Peterborough Book of Days by Brian Jones, The History Press, 2014.
Feasting was a favourite Vikings activity, particularly during the long cold winters. Feasts would be held to celebrate marriages or honour the gods and ask for good weather and harvests. They were a chance for people to come together, exchange news and perhaps even find a person to marry.
The longhouse would be dressed with wall hangings and skapters (beer barrels) brought in. The guests of honour sat with the hosts by the high-seat pillars in the centre of the room. The guests were offered the best food the hosts could afford. The host’s daughters served ale and wine. The Vikings used drinking horns, which could not be put down until they were empty. A feast could last days, with plenty of drinking, storytelling, competitive game playing, wrestling and boasting.
Vikings also passed the time inside the longhouse in quieter activities such as making or mending weapons and tools, carving or playing board games such as merils (similar to checkers) and Hnefatafl, which is the Viking version of chess. Children would play with dolls, wooden swords or wooden bats and balls.
References:
Peterborough Museum Exhibition
The Children of Ash and Elm by Neil Price, Allen Lane, 2020
Vikings life and legend Edited by Williams, Gareth, Pentz, Peter, Wemhoff, Matthias. The British Museum Press, 2014
Images:
Reconstructed Hnefatafl board - Andreas Zautner, in the Public Domain
Cover image Viking Ship Lofotr licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.