What they wrote in marriage announcements at the beginning of the 20th century: "Respond, love, we will open the dining room" and other tempting offers

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Nowadays, the myth is widespread that young people only meet through dating sites and apps, while previous generations simply waited for love to overtake them, like lightning, anywhere. In fact, men and women of the past used aids in the same way when they got tired of waiting for love to catch up.

For many centuries, the main ways to get to know each other were games and dances at large village or city holidays, as well as the services of a matchmaker. Everything is just like in dating applications: the seeker told the matchmaker the parameters of the sought after, and she, for a small amount, began to sort out a suitable figure for close and distant acquaintances and acquaintances of acquaintances.

A little later, there were more opportunities thanks to progress. Massive, affordable newspapers appeared with news and announcements - at first only advertising, and then marriage. Moreover, a marriage announcement is the same advertisement. Since it was impossible to attach a photo, and somehow it was necessary to impress and attract a possible chosen one or a chosen one, the authors of the ads tried as best they could. In a hundred years, many texts cannot be reread without laughter or tears. We can only hope that everyone eventually found their own happiness! Which seems to be mostly in tidy sums.

« an officerwants to marry a person with the funds that are necessary for the contribution when taking a practical course at the school of aviators in the mountains. Po (France)."

« If I were rich:would only take a poor girl as a wife; but I'm poor, intel. with higher. obraz., agronomist-technician, Pole, 35 years old, I propose myself as a husband only to a rich girl, (not less than 100,000 rubles. cap.). The one who agrees will not regret the choice she has never made; I will not answer anonymous."

« Wife, companionwith a capital of 5 thousand, looking for a respectable gentleman 35 years old, who opens the dining room. The case promises a tremendous success."

« Decrepit bachelor, an elderly baron, of a noble family, does not have the means to live, wants to transfer the baronial title to a lady, maiden by marriage; origin and religion are indifferent; capital is needed 5-6 thousand. Can adopt, adopt."

« For God's sake, save who can!And before it's too late. I am a Georgian, of noble birth, from the Caucasus, a beauty, I am 18 years old, undoubtedly honest, morally educated, educated, I sing and play, I am well acquainted with the high society production at home. As a result of the sad events that took place in my native Caucasus in 1905 and 1906, the affairs and well-being of my house died in flames and from plundering, and fate threw me to Riga, where I entered the service, but nevertheless my situation is gradually deteriorating. Despite the fact that I work tirelessly, I am in dire need. Taking advantage of my helpless position, they exploit me and tempt me, I don't know how long I can endure. Save who can! I agree to marry someone who will provide me with an honest existence and protect me from grievances. In order to avoid unnecessary correspondence, a photographic card is desirable, which I will return with gratitude. To pay for the correspondence, I ask for a postage stamp. I am waiting for a savior - honest, noble and disinterested, I will be a faithful wife."

« Beautiful, with mermaid eyes, all woven of nerves and originality, calls to the holiday of the life of an intelligent, very rich gentleman capable of a strong bright feeling; the goal is marriage."

« Wishonly to marry a general from an active purpose."

« Beautifula slender (average corpulence), with a sensitive soul, a girl or a widow with a dowry of two thousand rubles can be the wife of a FAMOUS ARTIST who has: means, a popular name, a sensitive soul. With reciprocity, the marriage can take place immediately; only serious proposals with a photograph should be addressed to: Moscow. Main Mail., On demand, present. passport No. 2983."

« I wish to get married. A brunette, above average height, slender, incomplete, 25 years old, intelligent, they say, very pretty, but poor, there is no dowry. I'm tired of loneliness in Siberia, I want to marry in Russia or the Caucasus for a gentleman who does not drink, is quite well-to-do, who is able to provide me with material assistance. I will be a loving and devoted wife. I love family and household. Adventure seekers and the curious, please do not worry. I will not answer Tomsk residents."

« Poet madmanthe mystical anarchist, walking over the abysses, calls from afar that one who dares to walk the path of life with him hand in hand and cognize everything. The proposal is serious."

« Sober very kind and efficient, has 700 rubles; in order to get married, he is looking for a merchant, with the same spiritual qualities, and not a very young lady, with a capital of 700 rubles, or having a commercial business in this amount. Answer the desired one: we will earn thousands, and through labor and tender love we will acquire happiness on earth."

« Non-commissioned officerwould like to be married to a maiden who has her own capital. Wedding at the expense of the bride."

« I am poor and ugly. I am looking for the fullest contrast. Woman, respond. The purpose of marriage."

« I decided to get married but I don’t know on whom. Everyone loves me, I am not rich, but I am beautiful; I am 25 years old, height is above average, character is soft. Those who are rich, handsome and not older than 19 years old, I ask you to respond, it would be desirable to be the only one. daughter of parents, agrees to enter the house and live with her parents. Please do not hesitate, the matter is serious."

« I have a good condition 30 years old, blond, I drink heavily, I wish to be married with a person who would try to save me from this disease."

« Count, 33 y., wants to make the rich bride a countess through marriage. Then I agree to give a free residence permit."

« American intelligent Mr. 38 years old, receiving 2,400 rubles a year, wants to marry a girl or a widow who has a fortune. Summer and rank are indifferent."

« Caucasian Jew 22 years old, with a secondary education, energetic, ardent, impressionable, with a historical past, wants to start a correspondence with a young lady not older than her age. Preference is for a Jewess. I appreciate beauty in all its forms and will give myself only when I fall in love. I idealize my future wife: medium height, medium fullness, blonde, blue eyes, correct nose, mouth. I'm not looking for money, although I myself have nothing."

« Representative, a serious, intellectual, 29 years old, who has not lost faith in ideal love (unsuccessful marriage), is looking for a marriage with a young girl, at least with a mistake in the past, but with solid capital, to expand his business, in which he wants to find oblivion."

« Marryyellow int., comp. in the service, on a young lady or a widow - sympathetic, who will make a deposit for me to the artel or for open. trade (3 - 10,000 rubles).

« 3 bachelors engineer - 43 years old, lieutenant colonel - 42 years old, doctor - 32 years old, living together, they miss loneliness. Tired of each other, despite mutual friendship, madly. I would like to leave and everyone to make their own nest. All are provided with good service, receive good maintenance. It is advisable to have a correspondence with intelligent persons, appropriate for each age, for the purpose of marriage, materially secured."

« I don't need Liszt's rhapsodies, I fall asleep while playing Wagner's Lohengrin; modern literature does not fascinate me. A woman who will talk about a serious direction in music, or who is fond of "Wings" Kuzmin and "Sanin" Artsybasheva is not of interest to me, but I will gladly share my impressions with a pretty woman, listening to the music of Offenbach or Ostrich; on long winter evenings, sitting by the fireplace with a glass of good wine, read Maupassant or Marcel Prévost. Enjoying the wonderful music of old operettas, chatting over a bottle of Clicquot, we will study each other, develop common views and probably end up with a happy marriage. I am young, cheerful, rich."

« I'm tired ofeternal metropolitan noise. I want to get married and go to the place where nature reigns, namely to the Crimea. I am a Caucasian, 32 years old, it would be desirable to be at least 25 years old; the dowry is not less than 5,000 rubles. Will my sincere desire not be fulfilled?"

« Per(quite) an old nobleman, a millionaire, I will marry. Noblewoman. 35 years old, Details in the correspondence."

« At the dawn of a beautiful lifeI walk towards a graceful, enchanting youth. Who wants to meet the rising sun of happiness together with the young, talented, wealthy? Marriage with sympathy. Photo is desirable."

« Trooper, young, wants to marry a pretty widow or a wealthy girl a week. Moscow matchmakers who have suitable, please immediately inform their addresses with details."

« Come on, young ladies!Do not be lazy and write as soon as possible if you want to marry a young officer with a good and cheerful character. We only need: kindness, cheerfulness and grace. I am not looking for funds for myself, but they are necessary for your own support."

« Who is lookingonly true, deep, devoted love, who is looking for a lonely, sensitive, tormented soul - respond.”(gender not specified)

« I have nothing. Only a kind soul, decency and county remained. Young, 30 years old, with a secondary education, hardworking, I want to marry a wealthy person and appreciate her for her support."

« It's selfish to live aloneI therefore want to marry a young lady not older than 25 years. I haven't tasted the delights of family life - I suppose to be a good family man. It is desirable to provide at least 2,000 rubles."

« I ask Moscow matchmakerswithin 5 days from the day of this announcement, find me a wife - a friend of life, for on the 6th day I am leaving Moscow. I need a wife. Exact conditions: from 32 to 35 years old, a girl, full, beautiful, no funds are required, a widow is also possible, but childless, young. Whoever has one, please introduce it to me. Address: Moscow. Leontievsky per., Khripkova d., Ed. Sidorova, for transmission # 5153. I am a military man, I am 45 y.o., I get the content. I provide my wife with a pension."

« Wealthy person wishing to marry an inventor, let him write: Art. Melitopol, South road, bearer of the wax seal with the inscription: work, endure, hope."

« This announcement is my swan song. Tenderness, cordiality, temperament. Tall, beautifully built, interesting. I am looking for a nice, handsome husband with means."

« Addressfor a letter to those wishing to come together with me on the short life path of our human body in the growth of the movement of infinite eternity - Kiev, Aleksandrovskaya st., 5, to the new Russian artist H."

« Reallyin Moscow there is not a single compassionate and kind lady who would agree to entertain a young man, 24 years old. He is a shy and even shy, curly blond, student. He was an idealist. Until now, I have not had a single acquaintance with any woman. Gloomy reality and failure broke all dreams and dreams … He asks a kind lady to help his grief and make an acquaintance. The exterior is said to be quite interesting. Details in a personal meeting or correspondence. If there is a kind lady who is not ugly in appearance, she will send news about herself. No kidding, please. A strict secret on my word of honor. The goal is marriage. - 19 mails. Department. poste restante. To the yearning Transcaucasian."

« Inventorwishing to personally exploit his invention, he decided to marry. I am a technician, 30 years old, brunette."

« I am a democratI'm tired of fighting untruth and evil alone, and therefore I want to find a friend-comrade a woman with my outlook on life, on the attitude of people, so that together I can make up ideological happiness, to which humanity is so terribly torn and fight hand in hand for family happiness and common to all mankind.

« Very interesting young lady(blonde, dark-eyed) with funds; wants to get married. Only for one who possesses at least one, but very large, merit."

« Son-in-law in the houselooking for a decent, young and educated, even without funds."

« Just graduated from high schoolthe girl wishes to marry a single or childless widower with a fortune. Do not be ashamed of age”.

« Come … Charui … Love …I want lasting family happiness with a pretty, well-to-do person. Law student of the 3rd year.

« Poor but honesta 23-year-old girl, beautiful and intelligent, looking for a person who would save her from want and vice, where her hard life pushes her. She will be grateful to her future husband."

“Who marries a girl who has“sin”in the past, albeit involuntarily? Pretty, educated, young, I have no money, I live by my labor."

« Fate gave me correct appearance - a graceful brunette with bright expressive eyes, gave me a sharp mind, resourceful language and … nothing else! … except for the tireless thirst for light and space! Oh, how one longs for life, shining like fireworks, sparkling like champagne, love burning like the sun of the south, love as deep as the mysterious bottom of a raging sea! … To achieve this, I am looking for a rich husband, not stupid, not neurotic, like there are so many century, but who understands the beauty of life, who understands and knows how to appreciate the delights of a woman's mind and a woman's smile."