Friday Feature Nineteenth Century Lunches @julidrevezzo
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Nineteenth Century Lunches and Courting the Stationmaster’s Daughter
by
Juli D. Revezzo
The late 19th century was the time of innovation. The birth of what became the modern city and with it, things like factories, the long work days (often up to sixteen hours!), early trams and trains, all these things arose in the 19th century. This was the era when men’s work moved out of the near-home radius, from the field, into the greater city of London (and beyond) and therefore, there was no opportunity to enjoy lunch at home with his family. For the wife of the late 19th century, this meant a shift away from the lavish meals she and her husband probably grew up on—at least in the case of the upper classes (The organization of an elaborate leisure dinner party was mainly the staple of the upper classes). The underclasses would have dinner at the same hour, but the fare proved meager.
Even these dinners gave way to (for working men, at least—and yes, even the young working women of the age) lunches—and even dinners—away from home.
These workers carried their repast in what has become a staple of modern life: The lunchbox. In the beginning, the lunchbox was a simple basket, or in some cases, a plain old pail. They tended to look like any ole bucket we might now have in our yards, but soon, they took on the look any modern schoolchild would recognize.
Or, if they happened to be managers of said-business (factories, railways), they might (might) have a runner to go out and bring them a sandwich back from the closest local café. (And if one could afford the price, the worker may take a lunch there as well.)
This section of society stars heavily in my latest historical romance, COURTING THE STATIONMASTER’S DAUGHTER, as the hero (and his superior) are stationmaster and assistant stationmaster of a very new industry in Victorian London, the subways. In the course of the story, the stationmaster’s daughter is charged with setting up a luncheon for the men of his station (with the help of his assistant Stationmaster), something of a change for their hardworking employees, usual sandwiches, or leftover meat pies, or maybe soup, from the night before. Even this repast is brought along in a series of baskets and pails. So, the next time you open you (or your child’s) Captain Marvel lunchbox, ladies, 
