Springtime Means the Season

My crocuses have bloomed. Which means spring is on its way. Which of course has me once again thinking about Regency England.

The end of April marked the beginning of the Season.

Roads were dry enough for horses and carriages to travel upon. The weather was warmer making it easier for whole families to accompany their father, son, brother or husband as they made their way to the city of London to take their seats in Parliament. If you did not have a home in the city, one could be rented.

Evenings were filled with entertainments. Mornings were filled with visits from friends and, of course, shopping.

The Season was rightly called the "Marriage Market" where young women of 17-25 were adorned in the finest gowns to attract husbands. Social gatherings to bring young people together, still done today.

Dancing was a way to meet prospective husbands. A "dance" could last up to an hour. So you had some time to converse. It was similar to line dances except that the women were in one line and the men in another. They promenaded between the two lines and held gloved hands lightly.

If you did not want to dance with a partner there were ways to avoid the encounter.

1. You can hide from him, but then you might not be seen by the partners you do want to encourage. Probably not wise.
2. You can pretend not to hear him, when he asks for a dance. He may be persistent.
3. You could say you have promised all your dances to others. But if someone comes up and asks you to dance, you can't dance with that man either.
4. The best way is to bite the bullet and get the dance over with. Be a boring partner and talk about silk and satins. He may get the hint.