During the Victorian period, ordinary people started going on holidays to the seaside for the first time.    When a woman entered a room, it was considered rude for a man to offer his seat to her because the cushion  might still be warm.   People thought that you could digest food better in the dark, so the dining room was often located in the basement.   It was considered improper to look into someone's bedroom, so most bedrooms were on the second or third floor.   People went to great lengths to hide their water closets from view. In some homes, they were behind a curtain or screen, in a separate part of the house or even outside.   A lot of men used macassar oil to slick back their hair. In order to stop this grease from sticking to the furniture, pieces of material called antimacassars were placed over the backs of chairs.   For a lady, to show her ankles was considered taboo . ks5u   Many people kept a hedgehog  in the basement so it could eat insects.   When Queen Victoria came to the power in 1837, most people lived in villages and worked on the land. There was no electricity (gas lamps or candles were used for light) and most people walked or traveled by boat, train and horse. However, by the end of her reign  in 1901, the majority of the population lived in towns and worked in offices, shops and factories, and there was piped water, gas and even electricity. Why were antimacassars placed over the backs of chairs?
Because they would make the chairs look nice. Because they would make those seated on the chairs feel comfortable. Because they would prevent macassar oil leaving marks on the chairs. Because it was a local custom to do so.