"Did You Know?" Blurbs

[Violet MacFusty]

Every couple of weeks, I'll be rotating the "Did You Know?" blurbs that are up in the announcements box with fresh ones. I'd love for members to come up with some as well!

They can be about Charming and it's features (such as the buddy system and Daily Prophet) or about the era (such as chaperones). We're looking for little-known facts/ideas that perhaps newer members and old members alike either don't know about or don't utilize.

Blurbs that are used can earn a board contribution stamp. You can submit as many as you like!

This is an ongoing contest — there is no end date. Reply here with your suggestions. Let's see what you've got!

  

[Ursula Black]

"Did you know wizards and witches have a longer average lifespan than their muggle counterparts?"

"Did you know Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans won't be invented for at least another 50 years?" Used 02/03

"Did you know we have our own Wiki?" Used 08/04

  

[Ellory Pendergast]

"Did you know that Victorians were generally shorter than modern day people?"

  

[Annette Fontaine]

"Did you know the Victorians had a whole language of flowers?"

"Did you know the Forbidden Forest is home to a herd of centaurs, amongst other things?" Used 08/04

"Did you know that only Selkies are native to the Black Lake?"

"Did you know the mers of the Black Lake regularly hunt the Giant Squid, but have never caught it?"

  

[Faustus Prewett]

"Did you know that robes are closed like a dress, not open like a coat? You only wear your undergarments underneath!" Used 08/04

"Did you know there is no house insignia on your Hogwarts uniform?" Used 03/01

"Did you know a man courting a woman was restricted to gifts of flowers, candy, or books?" Used 02/03

"Did you know a woman could only give a gift to a man if she had already received one, and then the gift was expected to be handmade and inexpensive?"

"Did you know Victorians had languages of fans, handkerchiefs, and parasols?"

  

[Gertrude Baker]

"Did you know that regardless of where they are from - be it England (North or South), Wales, Scotland or Ireland - a well brought up upper class person in the Victorian era would speak with a heightened received pronunciation accent?"

  

[Annette Fontaine]

"Did you know only 36% of late Victorian-era families comprised of only parents and their children? It was common for families of all classes to have extended family or lodgers living with them."

"Did you know it was typical for children in families with a nanny or governess to only be allowed to see their parents once a day?" Used 08/31

"Did you know that since 1880, all children had to attend school until they were ten, but in most of Britain it still cost money?"

"Did you know that even the richest families would most likely not own their own homes? Unless they inherited property most rented homes." Used 03/01/16

  

[Violet MacFusty]

Updated again.

  

[Cassius Lestrange]

"Did you know that people in the 1800s drank five times as much hard liquor as the average person does now?" Used 10/22/14

"Did you know? Countries like Germany and Italy have been unified for less than thirty years!"

"Did you know? The modern city and the skyscraper began to rise in prominence during the 1880s!"

"Did you know? The popularity of public libraries began to expand greatly in the 1880s, and were largely funded by philanthropists and businessmen such as Andrew Carnegie!" Used 04/25/16

  

[Annette Fontaine]

"Did you know the Statue of Liberty didn't arrive in America until July 1885?"

"Did you know Hogsmeade is the only all magical settlement in Britain?"

  

[Aurelia Wallingford]

DID YOU KNOW?

• Boys wore frocks with pleated skirts until the age of three or four
  
• Dressing a woman could sometimes comprise of almost twleve steps! Used 10/22/14
  
• It wasn't uncommon to see a Victorian woman pass out at an event from lack of oxygen from an overly tight corset Used 06/20/15
  
• The length of girl's skirts lengthened as they got older – the hemline started a bit below the knee, and lengthened as she got older 03/01/16
  
• Children were often dressed in smaller versions of what adults would wear.
  
• Child labor was not uncommon in the Victorian Era – children worked in factories, coal mines, textile mills, and were even sold into prostitution. [note: if the prostitution bit is too much, then that can be left out of the fact] Used 07/25
  

  

[Cassandra Trelawney I]

Did you know? Students who live in Hogsmeade or Irvingly do not ride the Hogwarts Express! Instead, they simply meet the boats and carriages at Hogsmeade Station.

  

[Hadley Sinclair]

Did you know? White wedding dresses weren't popular until Queen Victoria wore one at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840 in order to incorporate some of her favorite lace. Prior to the Victorian Era (which started roughly around 1837), most brides wore any color.

  

[Torquil MacFusty]

Because I've been doing research http://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/socialpolit...h/divorce/

Did you know? A divorce in Scotland could be obtained for as little as 12 pounds, or about 3 galleons! Used 10/22/14

Did you know? Unlike England, in Scotland either sex could file for divorce on the grounds of infidelity or abandonment without further cause.

Did you know? Because divorce was so much cheaper and easier to obtain in Scotland a couple married in England would have to prove residency in Scotland for a Scottish divorce to be considered valid.

  

[Fairy Carmichael]

Did you know the average waist size of a debutante was around 22" when corseted? Some women claimed to be able to get their waists down to 13"!

Did you know 1 in 200 women in the late Victorian era would die of childbirth? Used 02/03

Did you know the average age for a woman to marry was 22, however upper class women would likely marry before this? Used 01/01

  

[Cygnus Slughorn]

These are more random 19th century events and notable births/deaths but I thought they'd be fun? xD

The first automobile, the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, was built in 1886 by Karl Benz. 03/01/16
(probably more applicable for next year, but yolo)

The battery was invented in 1800, by Count Alessandro Volta.

The first plastic surgery was performed in 1814!

Naturalist Charles Darwin died on April 19th, 1882 - about 2 years ago IC! Used 01/01

Philosopher Karl Marx died on March 17th, 1883 - about a year ago IC!

Physicist and chemist Marie Curie was born on November 7th, 1867.

Painter Vincent van Gogh was born on March 30th, 1853.

Painter Pablo Picasso was born on October 25th, 1881.

Author Franz Kafka was born on July 3d, 1883.

Poet C. P. Cavafy was born on April 29th, 1863.

The Brooklyn Bridge was opened on May 23rd, 1884!