Category Archives: Jane Austen

1800s Early The Metropolitan Police In Jane Austen and Bridgerton Years, London. #JaneAusten #Bridgerton #BritishHistory #RegencyEra #police #London

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The Metropolitan Police, London Before 1829

  • Policing in the 17th and 18th centuries – one unarmed able-bodied citizen in each parish a man was appointed or elected annually to serve for a year unpaid as parish constable. 
  • Worked in co-operation with the local Justices in observing laws and maintaining order. 
  • In towns, responsibility for the maintenance of order was conferred on the guilds 
  • Later conferred on other specified groups of citizens
  • These supplied bodies of paid men, known as The Watch
  • The Watch guarded the gates and patrolled the streets at night
  • Huge social and economic changes and increases in town populations meant parish constables and Watch systems couldn’t cope. 
  • In 1812, 1818 and 1822, Parliamentary committees investigated crime and policing. 
  • Impotence of the law-enforcement machinery was a serious menace
  • Conditions became intolerable and led to the formation of the New Police
  • The Metropolitan Police
  • Established by an Act of Parliament in 1829 by Sir Robert Peel
  • Peel appointed 2 Commissioners
  • Appointed 895 Constables, 88 Sergeants, 20 Inspectors and 8 Superintendents. 
  • Superseded the local Watch in the London area but the City of London was not covered. 
  • Numbers increased
  • Grew to include the Greater London area (excluding the City of London) 
  • Included parts of the Home Counties and all Royal Naval Dock Yards throughout the country. 
  • First officer was given the warrant number ‘1’ 
  • Today the service is reaching near to a quarter million
  • The warrant number is unique to the officer
  • Different from the shoulder number which changes as the officer moves stations.  Scotland Yard
  • Colonel Charles Rowan and Richard Mayne organized and designed the New Police
  • The two Commissioners occupied a private house at 4, Whitehall Place
  • The back opened on to a courtyard and used as a police station
  • This address led to the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police being known as Scotland Yard.
  • Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet, (5 February 1788 – 2 July 1850) British Conservative statesman who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Home Secretary. Regarded as the father of modern British policing as he founded the Metropolitan Police Service. 

Other Police organizations

  • Some older police establishments remained outside control of the Metropolitan Police Office  
  • The Bow Street Patrols, mounted and foot, commonly called the Bow Street runners.
  • Police Office constables attached to the offices of, and under the control of, the Magistrates.
  • The Marine or River Police.
  • By 1839 all these establishments had been absorbed by the Metropolitan Police Force. 
  • The City of London Police was set up in 1839 and is an independent force to this day.
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet, (5 February 1788 ? 2 July 1850) Portrait by Henry William Pickersgill. British Conservative statesman, twice Prime Minister of U.K., Chancellor of Exchequer, and Home Secretary. 1829 Founded the Metropolitan Police Service. Via Wikimedia Commons commons.wikimedia.org
1800s Early The Metropolitan Police In Jane Austen and Bridgerton Years, London. #JaneAusten #Bridgerton #BritishHistory #RegencyEra #police #London https://books2read.com/suziloveROver Share on X
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1805-1820 ca. Jane austen Era Combination Shoe and Patten, Or Overshoe. #RegencyEra #Fashion #JaneAusten

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1805-1820 ca. Combination Shoe and Patten, Or Overshoe. Raises foot off the ground but still elegant enough to be genteel. Very practical but not to everyone’s taste. When Jane Austen and her family and friends went walking in the country, the ground was often very wet due to England’s high rainfall and snowfall so pattens were used to keep shoes and the hems of clothing out of the mud.

Only one of this pair of shoes survives. It effectively combines shoe and patten (overshoe) in one, so raising the foot off the ground but remaining sufficiently elegant to be considered genteel. This type of shoe was very practical but not to everyone’s taste. In 1840 The Shoemaker described it as going out of fashion partly because it looked ‘masculine for the chaster taste of the wearer’. via Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.uk

shoes_1805-1820 ca. Combination Shoe and Patten, Or Overshoe. Raises foot off the ground but still elegant enough to be genteel. Very practical but not to everyone’s taste. In 1840 The Shoemaker described it as going out of fashion partly because it looked 'masculine for the chaster taste of the wearer'. via Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.uk.
1805-1820 ca. Combination Shoe and Patten, Or Overshoe. Raises foot off the ground but still elegant enough to be genteel. Very practical but not to everyone’s taste. In 1840 The Shoemaker described it as going out of fashion partly because it looked ‘masculine for the chaster taste of the wearer’. via Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.uk.
1805-1820 ca. Combination Shoe and Patten, Or Overshoe. #RegencyEra #Fashion #JaneAusten #Mensfashion https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819 Share on X
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1800 ca. Chemisette, Or Sleeveless Under Bodice, English. #Regency #Fashion #JaneAusten

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1800 ca. Chemisette, English. In Jane Austen’s times, there were several ways for women to keep their modesty when the fashion trend was for low cut bodices and loose flowing dresses e.g. Chemisette, Fichu, Pelerine etc.
Chemisette: Sleeveless under-bodice covering neck, shoulders and breast, usually of muslin or lace and worn to fill in the neckline of a dress. French term for vestee, gilet, etc. via Killerton House, U.K. & National Trust.

1800 ca. Chemisette, English. Chemisette: Sleeveless under-bodice covering neck, shoulders and breast, usually of muslin or lace and worn to fill in the neckline of a dress. French term for vestee, gilet, etc. via Killerton House, U.K. & National Trust.
1800 ca. Chemisette, English. Chemisette: Sleeveless under-bodice covering neck, shoulders and breast, usually of muslin or lace and worn to fill in the neckline of a dress. French term for vestee, gilet, etc. via Killerton House, U.K. & National Trust.
1800 ca. Chemisette, Or Sleeveless Under Bodice, English. #RegencyFashion #HistoricalFashion #JaneAusten https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionWomen1800 Share on X
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1810 Couple In Walking Dress Of Lady’s Redingote And Man’s Tailcoat, French. #RegencyFashion #HistoricalFashion #JaneAusten

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1810 Couple In Walking Dress, French. Lady in a jade green Redingote, or coat, with paisley skirt, worn over a white dress with sleeves caught up, and hat tied under her chin. Man in a brown tailcoat, tight white pants that button down the sides, black hat and shoes and carrying a walking stick. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.

The sort of outfits a lady and gentleman in Jane Austen’s times would have worn while out walking, shopping, or going to visit friends.

Pelisse, or Walking Dress, or Redingote.  The Fashion Dictionary description of a Redingote is (réd’ing-göt; red ing gote). Pronounced:   red ing gote  Woman’s long, fitted coat often cut Princess style and worn open in front to show off the dress underneath. Sometimes cut away in front. Originally made for men with several capes and trimmed with large buttons. French word developed from English words, riding coat.  reefer. Single- or double-breasted, fitted, tailored, over-all coat usually made from sturdy fabric but in the British Regency Era a Pelisse was often made from a lighter fabric, such as cotton. 

1810 Couple In Walking Dress, French. Lady in a jade green Redingote, or coat, with paisley skirt, worn over a white dress with sleeves caught up, and hat tied under her chin. Man in a brown tailcoat, tight white pants that button down the sides, black hat and walking stick. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
1810 Couple In Walking Dress, French. Lady in a jade green Redingote, or coat, with paisley skirt, worn over a white dress with sleeves caught up, and hat tied under her chin. Man in a brown tailcoat, tight white pants that button down the sides, black hat and walking stick. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
1810 Couple In Walking Dress Of Lady's Redingote And Man's Tailcoat, French. #RegencyFashion #HistoricalFashion #JaneAusten https://www.suzilove.com/wp-admin/books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819 Share on X
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What did an older lady do and wear in Bridgerton and Jane Austen’s Times? #Bridgerton #JaneAusten #RegencyEra

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What did an older lady do and wear in the Regency Era? Information & pictures for readers and writers of early 1800s history, nonfiction and fiction. books2read.com/suziloveOLD The older lady’s day usually started with her toilette in her bedroom, where her maid helped her dress for the day and styled her hair. After that, she would join her family downstairs for breakfast unless she preferred a tray with either tea or hot chocolate in her bedroom as she prepared for her busy day. Her day would be made up of speaking with the housekeeper and the cook about the week’s menus, assuring that the servants were all available that day and no one was ill, and checking the list of foods needed.

What did an older lady do and wear in #RegencyEra? Information & pictures for readers and writers of #History #nonfiction #Regency books2read.com/suziloveOLD
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She would also enquire if the laundry was up to date and that they had enough good linen to make up all the beds before extended family members and guests arrived. If she was in the country and hosting a weekend house party, she would assign rooms to the guests on her lists and query that all was in readiness for their arrival.

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1800 ca. Tan Corduroy Breeches With Flap As Worn In Jane Austen’s Time. #JaneAusten #RegencyFashion #Men #HistoricalFashion

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1800 ca. Tan Corduroy Breeches. Drop down front flap, or ‘fall’, with two buttons, three silver metal buttons at the waistband, watch pocket, corner pockets with buttons, pieced back with waist tie, saggy back with extra fabric to allow for easier movement when riding or sitting, four buttons and silk ties at knee. via Whitaker Auction whitakerauction.smugmug.com

These are the sort of breeches that Jane Austen’s male contemporaries would have worn.

1800 ca. Tan Corduroy Breeches. Drop down front flap, or 'fall', with two buttons, three silver metal buttons at the waistband, watch pocket, corner pockets with buttons, pieced back with waist tie, saggy back with extra fabric to allow for easier movement when riding or sitting, four buttons and silk ties at knee. via Whitaker Auction whitakerauction.smugmug.com

1800 ca. Tan Corduroy Breeches. Drop down front flap, or ‘fall’, with two buttons, three silver metal buttons at the waistband, watch pocket.
1800 ca. Tan Corduroy Breeches. Drop down front flap, or 'fall', with two buttons, three silver metal buttons at the waistband, watch pocket, corner pockets with buttons, pieced back with waist tie, saggy back with extra fabric to allow for easier movement when riding or sitting, four buttons and silk ties at knee. via Whitaker Auction whitakerauction.smugmug.com

1800 ca. Tan Corduroy Breeches. saggy back with extra fabric to allow for easier movement when riding or sitting.
1800 ca. Tan Corduroy Breeches. Drop down front flap, or 'fall', with two buttons, three silver metal buttons at the waistband, watch pocket, corner pockets with buttons, pieced back with waist tie, saggy back with extra fabric to allow for easier movement when riding or sitting, four buttons and silk ties at knee. via Whitaker Auction whitakerauction.smugmug.com

1800 ca. Tan Corduroy Breeches. Drop down front flap, or ‘fall’
1800 ca. Tan Corduroy Breeches. Drop down front flap, or 'fall', with two buttons, three silver metal buttons at the waistband, watch pocket, corner pockets with buttons, pieced back with waist tie, saggy back with extra fabric to allow for easier movement when riding or sitting, four buttons and silk ties at knee. via Whitaker Auction whitakerauction.smugmug.com

1800 ca. Tan Corduroy Breeches. four buttons and silk ties at knee.
1800 ca. Tan Corduroy Breeches. Drop down front flap, or 'fall', with two buttons, three silver metal buttons at the waistband, watch pocket, corner pockets with buttons, pieced back with waist tie, saggy back with extra fabric to allow for easier movement when riding or sitting, four buttons and silk ties at knee. via Whitaker Auction whitakerauction.smugmug.com

1800 ca. Tan Corduroy Breeches. four buttons and silk ties at knee.
1800 ca. Tan Corduroy Breeches With Flap As Worn In Jane Austen's Time. #JaneAusten #RegencyFashion #Men #HistoricalFashion https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819 Share on X
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1800-1817 ca. Professional Man’s Typical Regency Ensemble Of Black Wool Suit, British. #JaneAusten #RegencyEra #Fashion

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1800-1817 ca. Black Wool Suit, British. An ensemble made from black wool has been the uniform of the middle-class professional – doctor, lawyer, clergyman, academic, merchant, businessmen – since the late 16th century. This tradition continued through the 19th century and well into the 20th. The sombre color of this suit befits the sober profession of its wearer, Thomas Coutts (1735-1822), the founder of Coutts Bank. The notched collar and cut-away front of the coat reflect early-19th-century fashions. via Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.uk. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819

This is the sort of suit that professional men in Jane Austen’s times would have worn, doctors, lawyers and clergymen. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819

1800-1817 ca. Black Wool Suit, British. An ensemble made from black wool has been the uniform of the middle-class professional – doctor, lawyer, clergyman, academic, merchant, businessmen - since the late 16th century. This tradition continued through the 19th century and well into the 20th. The sombre color of this suit befits the sober profession of its wearer, Thomas Coutts (1735-1822), the founder of Coutts Bank. The notched collar and cut-away front of the coat reflect early-19th-century fashions. via Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.uk.
1800-1817 ca. Black Wool Suit, British. An ensemble made from black wool has been the uniform of the middle-class professional – doctor, lawyer, clergyman, academic, merchant, businessmen – since the late 16th century. This tradition continued through the 19th century and well into the 20th. The sombre color of this suit befits the sober profession of its wearer, Thomas Coutts (1735-1822), the founder of Coutts Bank. The notched collar and cut-away front of the coat reflect early-19th-century fashions. via Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.uk.
1800-1817 ca. Professional Man's Typical Regency Ensemble Of Black Wool Suit, British. #JaneAusten #RegencyEra #Fashion https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819 Share on X

1814 Gentleman’s long dark green Redingote, black top hat and high black boots. #RegencyEra #Fashion #France

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1814 Long Dark Green Coat, Or Redingote, French. Horizontal front pockets, high white cravat, black top hat and high black boots. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.

Definition Redingote Or Coat: French word developed from English words, riding coat. Long fitted outdoor coat worn over other garments for warmth. Originally made with several capes and trimmed with large buttons. For women, the coat was often cut away in the front or left open to show off the dress underneath.  French fashion plates call these coats Redingotes and they were worn by men, women, and children. English fashion plates call the coats a Pelisse, a walking dress, Promenade dress, or Carriage dress.

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1814 Long Dark Green Coat, French. Horizontal front pockets, high white cravat, black top hat and high black boots. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
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1800 ca. Jane Austen’s Era Man’s Bicorn, Or Two Cornered, Black Silk Hat. #RegencyEra #mensfashion #HistoricalFashion #Hats

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1800 ca. Bicorn, Or Two Cornered, Black Silk Hat, Possibly Made In Great Britain or France. via Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.uk. The type of hats worn by the men in Jane Austen’s family around the turn of the century.

Definition: Bicorn Or Bicorne: Two cornered, or pointed, hats often worn by military men because the rain would drain off either side of the hat and  away from the body. They could also be easily flattened to carry under arm. 

1800 ca. Bicorn, Or Two Cornered, Black Silk Hat, Possibly Made In Great Britain or France. via Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.uk.
1800 ca. Bicorn, Or Two Cornered, Black Silk Hat, Possibly Made In Great Britain or France. via Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.uk.
1800 ca. Bicorn, Or Two Cornered, Black Silk Hat, Possibly Made In Great Britain or France. via Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.uk.
1800 ca. Bicorn, Or Two Cornered, Black Silk Hat, Possibly Made In Great Britain or France. via Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.uk.
1800 ca. Jane Austen's Era Man's Bicorn, Or Two Cornered, Black Silk Hat. #RegencyEra #mensfashion #HistoricalFashion #Hats https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819 Share on X
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1809 July Opera Dress: Round convent robe of Egyptian brown tissue. #RegencyEra #JaneAusten #Fashion

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1809 July Opera Dress Round convent robe of Egyptian brown tissue worn over white satin underdress, ornamented at feet, bosom and sleeves with broad Antique lace, out on full, and narrowing in front, white satin appliqued stomacher embellished with gold lattice work and continued in a straight line down to the hem. Headdress is a gold net caul, enclosing the hair at the back and finished in front with a Mechlin veil displaying the hair on the forehead and falling over the left shoulder. Necklace and armlets are a single row of Bohemian pearl with topaz or diamond snaps. Grecian scarf of rich Andalusian silk, contrasted with the robe and wrought at the ends in a deep Tuscan border of gold or colored silks. White satin slippers, trimmed with brown foil or gold, French kid gloves, opera fan of white crepe with a border of jessamine. Fashion Plate via Rudolph Ackermann’s ‘The Repository of Arts’. I can picture aristocratic women wearing this sort of gorgeous outfit to the opera or an evening event.

1809 July Opera Dress Round convent robe of Egyptian brown tissue worn over white satin underdress, ornamented at feet, bosom and sleeves with broad Antique lace, out on full, and narrowing in front, white satin appliqued stomacher embellished with gold lattice work and continued in a straight line down to the hem. Headdress is a gold net caul, enclosing the hair at the back and finished in front with a Mechlin veil displaying the hair on the forehead and falling over the left shoulder. Necklace and armlets are a single row of Bohemian pearl with topaz or diamond snaps. Grecian scarf of rich Andalusian silk, contrasted with the robe and wrought at the ends in a deep Tuscan border of gold or colored silks. White satin slippers, trimmed with brown foil or gold, French kid gloves, opera fan of white crepe with a border of jessamine. Fashion Plate via Rudolph Ackermann's 'The Repository of Arts'.
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