Homes, Trades and Games of Long Ago · Drawing 13 of 40
A quill and some ink
The 19th century
Before modern pens, people wrote with a goose quill. They dipped its tip in the inkwell, then drew each letter carefully, without making blots!
Look together
Why is there a candle on the table?
An idea to try
Your child dictates a short invitation to an adult, then decorates it with crayons. Compare the tools used for this message with those shown in the drawing.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
In the nineteenth century, people wrote with a goose quill, later a steel nib, dipping the tip into an inkwell; the one drawn recalls an inkwell from the first half of the century found in the Saint-Roch district of Québec City. A letter written by candlelight in the evening then went by post. Appointed postmaster in Québec in 1763, Hugh Finlay established a weekly mail between Québec and Montréal by way of Trois-Rivières, and a monthly mail to New York.
With your child, notice what writing needs here: a nib, ink, paper, a light and a hand to guide the stroke. Compare with their pencil, which writes without dipping. The sheet is blank so a message, a list or an invitation can be imagined.
Sources and illustration notes (2)
An imagined quill, inkwell and hand; no historical letter or written archive is copied.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec — EncrierEncrier de la première moitié du 19e siècle trouvé à Québec; réserve d’encre pour plume.
- Dictionnaire biographique du Canada — Hugh FinlayNomination à Québec en 1763; courrier hebdomadaire Québec–Montréal par Trois-Rivières et courrier mensuel vers New York.
Source review: 2026-09-19. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.
