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.

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner and don't forget Tea Time

For the wealthy in the Regency period, life was wonderful. Or was it? Sure you didn’t have to worry about where your next meal was coming from and if you would have a place to sleep at night. But there were rules. Rigid rules. Rules for everything and everyone to live under.  Perhaps that is how Society everywhere is run.

Living in a wealthy home the order of meals were ruled by what could be eaten and what time they could be eaten. You had a cook, she had to know what she was to prepare and when. It makes sense.

Breakfast seems to be of an incredible poor quality. Around 10:00 a.m Toast or bread with tea, coffee or a chocolate drink. Sounds good. But the chocolate beverage was a thick dark chocolate and not sweet but bitter. Maybe lunch will be hardier.

Lunch/Nuncheon was served in the middle of the day. Cold meat, cheese and bread. I guess a sandwich. Not bad. But you would be out making morning calls and would be served at your friend’s house. As a woman you were expected to eat light, so now it seems you would be starving. Tea was served with small cakes and fruit. I suggest making friends with the cook.  

Dinner – You’ve made it to 3 - 5 o’clock depending when the lady of the house has ordered this meal to be served. (In the country it was early, in town it was 6 - 7 o’clock.) Finally you get to eat. There could be hot pudding, hot meat, soup, and bread. This is where you will need to fill up. Put something in your pocket for later.

Tea time – an hour after dinner. Tea or coffee is served and maybe a small piece of cake.

Supper was served between 9-10 o’clock. Depending when dinner was served it could be a hot meal. Yes!!! Or if dinner was at 7 and finished at 8, you might get nothing more than tea and bread and butter. Maybe an English muffin, coffee or some wine and water mixed as an aid to sleep.

I'm starving but it's time for bed. Maybe tomorrow will be better. 

Peppermint oil

When I read books about the sick room in the 1800’s and of the peppermint water in doctors’ bags as well as leeches. I usually smile.
So primitive. Any yet, maybe not. Maybe remedies of the past still work today. Recently, I went to an essential oil party and saw all the cute little vials.
Suffering from allergies I made a blend. Lo and behold, it worked.
Peppermint is a naturally occurring hybrid of spearmint and water mint. It has been found in Egyptian tombs dating back to the pyramids. In the mid 1700’s London cultivated and grew peppermint.

The United States was the first to commercially grow peppermint in the late 1700’s.

So why am I writing about peppermint when I’ve already blogged about doctors of the 1800’s. I have been sick lately and got out all the essential oils that I thought would help. My room smelled of peppermint to the point that now smelling it makes me sick.

Having used peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, lemon oil, and lavender oil has helped me to stop being snobbish when reading the books I love and the medicines they used.

I’m still against leeches though.

MOURNING

I still miss my Grandma Henry. Still miss her smile and her brightly colored dresses with ornate necklaces that she wore on special occasions. I like that she would say things like, "He didn't take to the Cure." It made me realize that we don't mourn like past generations have. Maybe because of that our mourning is longer. Or maybe as fellow sojourners on this earth an outward show of mourning is never long enough for someone you have loved and loved you.

During the Regency period, mourning clothes and the observance of mourning a loved one was decided usually by one of the women in a wealthy family. 

Mourning for a husband by his wife was for a full year. She must not marry for a full year in the case that she was increasing with child, that child would inherit from his/her deceased father’s estate.

The widow would spend six months in deep mourning, the other six months in half mourning.

Full mourning she would wear all black of crepe (lightweight silk), bombazine (heavy silk), sarsnet, gossamer or velvet. (No fabric that had a sheen to it.). Black shawls, black gloves, a widow’s cap, or a crepe veil. Her jewelry would be jet black, black glass or amber colored. She would have no social activities. She was limited to visitors, walks in the park and church services.

Half-mourning she would be able to dress in somber hues including mauve, brown, lavender and violet. Her jewelry could be pearls, coral and amethyst. She could attend balls and social functions.

The widower was in mourning for a full year. However, if he had young children could marry another after a week. Men wore dark coats and pantaloons already so in order to dress in mourning the widower would wear a crepe band on his hat or a band on his arm below the elbow. He might don a black cravat, shirt or gloves.  

Relative                                    Mourning Period

Son/daughter                                   6 months-1year

Grandparent                                     6 months

Brother or sister                                3-6 months

Uncle or aunt                                     3 months

1st cousin                                          2-6 weeks

2^nd  cousin                                         1 week

Dancing in Regency times

Dancing in the eighteenth century was more than an entertainment for the gentry and those of great wealth. It was an art form. The England's love for France's style and dress lasted even through the war years.

However the French minuet dominated English ballrooms in the mid to late 1700’s. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the minuet as  “a slow graceful dance in ¾ time characterized by forward balancing, bowing and toe pointing."   

In the minuet, each couple danced one at a time while all the guests watched. It was greatly praised if it was masterly performed with elegance. Each couple would take their turn to dance it from the highest-ranking persons to the lowest. 

However during the time of the Regency, dances held in the country or in the assembly rooms were slightly different. Couples would make their way down the set and would interact with all types of people—tradesmen, soldiers, the gentry and perhaps even a servant if they needed people to make up the set.

In Pride and Prejudice when Mr. Darcy does not make a point to dance at the assembly, everyone at the assembly is highly offended. 

In not dancing, he was announcing to everyone that he was unwilling to associate with people of low position, which because of his social status, was everyone at the assembly. Who wouldn't be insulted?   

Women’s Clothing in Regency England

It is always so very interesting to see the changes in women’s fashions. What was considered fashionable at one time is now obsolete. Gowns from long ago are called dresses today. We wear hats occasionally. But at one time they were a necessity.

Today, most people wear underwear beneath clothes. Some people don’t. No one seems to care one way or another. Children are forever trying to get a way without wearing underwear.

But in Regency England, underwear was not an article of clothing the women wore. It seems it was risqué to wear any type of drawers. Of course, they had layer upon layer of clothing, so I suppose one more layer might be too much. And it was one less thing to worry about when using the privy. It just seems so odd, that a culture so taken with propriety gave way to convenience.

For to me it seems very inconvenient

1st layer - shift. A formless type gown that would fall to your knees with a drawstring neckline.
2nd layer - corset. It was pulled tight and tied in the back by a maid or a sister.
3rd layer- waist petticoat. This was slipped on beneath your corset to cover your shift and was made of wool or muslin. Some petticoats would go with certain gowns if the gown had an opening in the front and would complement the outer gown’s colors.
4th layer - the gown. But even that is divided up into two categories.
1. Morning gown worn from breakfast until dinner
a. Made of heavy or sturdy fabric
b. No low necklines
c. If your gown has a low neckline, wear a chemisette, a fichu or gauze to fill in the space between your neck and the gown.

2. Evening gown
a. Worn for dinner
b. Elegant and flimsy, lowest neckline possible

Regency Celebrations after Christmas and Boxing Day include New Year’s Eve and Twelfth Night.

After Boxing Day, the day after Christmas December 27^th through January 5^th, there are evening parties and gatherings at homes or at your neighbors’ homes. Everyone is home so there are a lot of people to see and to renew acquaintances with during charades, dancing, music nights, games, small theater productions etc. Sometimes the evenings will last clear into the next morning. The women will be able to sleep in, but the men will get up early and go hunting.

December 31^st whatever party you attend or if you choose to stay home, you will ring in the New Year with drink and song.

New Year’s Day was usually spent at home since the night before was a late evening either out or at home.

January 2^nd through January 5^th would be a continuation of the above parties, dinner, dancing, perhaps even a ball to close the holiday Season.

The final day of the Christmas and New Year’s holiday is call Twelfth Night which is January 6^th   which is as you would guess 12 days after Christmas. This is called Epiphany in the Church and is the celebration of the Magi bringing gifts to Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph. A huge ball would be planned for this night and even the children of the family and neighbors would be invited to attend.

Finally, we come to January 7^th when guests begin to leave, family members return to London or to their estates and decorations are taken down.  It was considered bad luck for decorations to remain up after January 7^th.

I personally would like to take down Christmas Decorations down on December 6^th. I love Christmas but I don’t want to start the New Year with a Christmas tree or decorations still up.