1816 January Blue Carriage Dress, English. High neck but no collar, front is fitted but back has slight fullness and very short bodice. Puffed roll to decorate the hem, trimmed in bias cut blue satin, long sleeves finished at wrists with satin, gloves of white kid and āsandalsā or shoes of blue kid leather. Head-dress Ć la mode de Paris is an unusual cap of white lace and decorated with two rolls of ribbon. āWe are indebted to the tasteful fancy of Mrs. Bean, of Albemarle Street, for both our dresses this month.ā Fashion Plate via Rudolph Ackermann’s ‘The Repository of Arts’.
Jane Austen and her contemporaries would have worn this style of outdoor, or carriage ensemble with a coat over a dress. These outdoor dresses were labelled a variety of names. In England, this might also have been called a Walking Or Promenade dress, or Pelisse. In Europe, it would be called a Redingote.
Definition: Pelisse, Walking Dress, Carriage dress, Promenade Dress, Redingote. Long, fitted coat sometimes cut away in front to show off the dress underneath. Originally made for men with several capes and trimmed with large buttons, they were adapted to add an additional, and warmer, layer to the typical white muslin dresses worn in the early 1800s. Those light weight dresses were good in summer but not suited to harsh winters. Over the carriage dress, a shawl could be added as well as a muff to give a warm and comfortable outfit for traveling by carriage.
1860 Corset, American. Cotton, metal, and bone. Manufacturer: Langdon Batcheller and Company, A1851-1860 ca. Blue Ribbed Silk Corset, English. Front and Back. Front hooks and back lacing. via Museum of London, UK. museumoflondon.org.uk
As some of my historical romance books are set in a house in Grosvenor Square, its history fascinates me.āÆHow about you? Do you love the history associated with Grosvenor Square? āÆThe Jamison family in Embracing Scandal and Scenting Scandal live in Grosvenor Square.
Grosvenor SquareāÆ-āÆPronouncedāÆĖÉ”rovna’, is a largeāÆgarden squareāÆin the exclusiveāÆMayfairāÆdistrict and theāÆcentrepiece of the Mayfair property of theāÆDuke of WestminsterāÆand takes its name from their surname, “Grosvenor”.
In 1710, SirāÆRichard GrosvenorāÆobtained a licence to develop Grosvenor Square and the surrounding streets and development started around 1721. Grosvenor Square became one of the most fashionable residential addresses in London from its construction until theāÆSecond World War, with numerous leading members of the aristocracy in residence.āÆThe early houses had five or sevenāÆbays, basement, three main stories, and an attic. Colen CampbellāÆproduced a design for a palatial east side to the square featuring thirtyāÆCorinthianāÆcolumns but this was not carried out and in the end most of the houses were built to individual designs. There wereāÆmewsāÆbehind all four sides.āÆMany houses were rebuilt later and acquired an extra storey. Number 23 (later 26) was rebuilt in 1773ā74 for theāÆ11th Earl of DerbyāÆbyāÆRobert AdamāÆand shows how grandeur of effect and sophisticated planning might be achieved on a confined site. It was demolished and rebuilt again in the 1860s.
1761 – Sir Richard Grosvenor, the 7th Baronet, was createdāÆBaron GrosvenorāÆof Eaton in the County of Chester
1784 – Became Viscount BelgraveāÆandāÆEarl GrosvenorāÆunderāÆGeorge III. āÆ
1831- At coronation of WilliamāÆIV,āÆRobert Grosvenor, the 2nd Earl Grosvenor,āÆbecameāÆMarquess of Westminster
1874 – Queen Victoria created the titleāÆ Duke of WestminsterāÆand bestowed it uponāÆHugh Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster.
Current title holder isāÆGerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of WestminsterāÆand hisāÆseat is atāÆEaton Hall, Cheshire The Dukedom and Marquessate are in theāÆPeerage of the United Kingdom The rest are in theāÆPeerage of Great Britain.āÆTheāÆcourtesy titleāÆof the eldest son and heir to the Duke isāÆEarl Grosvenor.
Nearly all of the older houses were demolished during the 20th century and replaced with blocks of flats in a neo-Georgian style, hotels and embassies.āÆThe central garden was originally reserved for the occupants of the houses but is now a public park managed byāÆThe Royal Parks. Grosvenor Square. Grosvenor Square has been the traditional home of the official American presence in London sinceāÆJohn AdamsāÆestablished the first American mission to theāÆCourt of St. James’sāÆin 1785. Adams lived, from 1785 to 1788, in the house which still stands on the corner of Brook and Duke Streets.āÆDuring World War II,āÆEisenhowerāÆestablished a military headquarters at 20 Grosvenor Square, and during this time the square was nicknamed “Eisenhower Platz”.
The former American Embassy of 1938ā1960 on the square was purchased by the Canadian government and renamedāÆMacdonald House.āÆIn 1960, a modern USA EmbassyāÆwas built on the western side of Grosvenor SquareāÆand caused controversy in the mainlyāÆGeorgianāÆand neo-Georgian area.āÆIn 2008, the United States Government chose a site for a new embassy in theāÆNine ElmsāÆarea, south of theāÆRiver ThamesāÆwithāÆwith relocation completed by 2016 or 2017.āÆIn October, 2009,āÆEnglish HeritageāÆgranted Grade II listed status to the building which means new owners will not be allowed to change the facade.
Grosvenor Square in Literature InāÆLittle DorritāÆby Charles Dickens the Barnacles are said to live at “four Mews Street Grosvenor” which “was not absolutely Grosvenor Square itself but it was very near it”. Caroline Bingley makes a comment regarding the local dance ināÆPride and PrejudiceāÆ”We are a long way from Grosvenor Square, are we not, Mr Darcy”. It appears in the title of several novels includingāÆThe Lonely Lady of Grosvenor SquareāÆbyāÆMrs. Henry De La PastureāÆ(1907)āÆandāÆThe House in Grosvenor SquareāÆby Linore Rose Burkard (2009) In Oscar Wilde’s playāÆLady Windermere’s Fan, the Duchess of Berwick says, “I think on the whole that Grosvenor Square would be a more healthy place to reside in. There are lots of vulgar people live in Grosvenor Square, but at any rate there are no horrid kangaroos crawling about.”
1807 Cotton Linen Shirt, British. Non-regulation shirt worn under uniform. High collar to allow room for a stock, fullness and pleated sleeves enable wearer to fit into tight arms popular in coats. The men in Jane Austen’s life would have worn a shirt like this, especially if they were in the military as many men were during the Napoleonic Wars. via Royal Museums Greenwich collections.rmg.co.uk
Scenting Scandal: Lady Laura Jamison: āFor the sake of propriety, I was ensuring your garments were intact.” #HistoricalMystery #VictorianRomance #RomCom https://books2read.com/suziloveSS
1812 February Winter Walking Dress, English. Scarlet Merino wool pelisse lined with straw colored sarsnet, trimmed with light colored spotted fur attached with loops of black silk cordon and rich frog tassels, broad fur in front forming a tippet, pointed at back, narrow fur passes from top of sleeves, worn over a white dress, yellow winter hat, gray gloves, and paisley shawl. Fashion Plate via John Belle’s La Belle Assemblee.
Definition Merino Wool: Finest quality wool, originating in Spain. Just before and during the Regency, Merino sheep were exported from Spain into Britain and other parts of Europe. Napoleon supported Merino growth in France. In 1808, after French invaded Spain, King George purchased additional 2000 Merinos for royal flock but Britain too wet for thriving industry. Other countries i.e. Australia, began producing fine quality Merino.
I can picture Jane Austen and her female friends and family wearing a Pelisse, or Walking Dress, Or Redingote, like this to keep them warm when shopping or paying visits to friends. During the Regency Era, out door activities were encouraged and outside clothing needed to be more practical and with thicker fabrics, such as Merino wool. Tunics gave an additional layer to thin dresses and walking dresses, pelisses, Redingotes and half cloaks were worn and accessorized with cashmere shawls and oversized fur muffs.
The Duke of St. Martin asks Lady Rebecca Jamison, āWho protects you from the current set of fire-breathing dragons?ā #HistoricalRomance #Mystery https://books2read.com/suziloveES
“And who protects you from the current set of fire-breathing dragons?”
She raised her chin. “I’ve outgrown such childishness.”
She lowered herself to the closest settee, a demonstration of ladylike maturity and a reprieve for her trembling knees.
“Pity.” His forehead furrowed into a pained frown. “Ah.
That’s why you wore a disguise. And why you came so late at night.”
She nodded. “The consortium watches our house and tracks our movements. In order to speak with you alone, I was forced to dress like this and sneak out the servant’s entrance in the dark. Although luckily, the syndicate’s inner circle doesn’t want me dead. Not yet.
“Wonderful!” He glared at her. “Your blithe not yet offers such comfort to my nerves.”
She glared back. “Oooh! I cannot explain if you interrupt with your sarcastic jabs.”
He dipped his head, and then waved a hand. “I apologize for my uncertain temperament this evening. Please, tell me about Peggy, and what she did at your Women’s Society.”
“She writes — No, she wrote the letters for women who wish to invest in stock ventures. We were trying to keep their identities, and their objectives, a secret.”
“Why? Because they’re women? Because jobbers stood for them in the Exchange?”
She raised a brow. “For someone only recently returned to London, you appear exceedingly well acquainted with the inside activities at the Exchange.”
He shrugged. “I’ve spent every spare moment since my return settling the family’s finances. Naturally, I’ve looked in at the Foreign Funds Room a time or two. Nobody in my position can afford to let bank balances sit idle, despite some labeling it as trade.”
“I’m impressed, Cayle. You detested accounts when your father wanted you to learn.”
Once more he shrugged, yet his show of nonchalance appeared overdone. “Perhaps it was more of not liking the methods of the educator, rather than the subject being taught.”
She shuddered at her recollection of the late duke’s disciplinary methods. “But you’re correct,” she said, pushing away images of birch rods twanging on bare flesh. “Some in our prudish society frown upon a gentleman of your caliber frequenting auction rooms. But, for a woman, it’d be an outrage.”
His eyes fixed upon her, all signs of his earlier fatigue vanished. “I can well imagine.”
“Though legally nothing prevents a woman from owning shares,” she said, assessing his concentration by the tense way he held his long, muscled body. “Visiting members are vetted at the door. Bank managers and jobbers pay eight guineas a year to enter the main Exchange room, yet self-righteous men evict females.”
“So, is it your gender that sees you under threat?”
“Not merely our gender. When the consortium heard we invested in secret, and often did very well, at first they became alarmed. Then, they became angry. Very angry indeed.”
“I can well imagine men abhorring being bested by a female.”
Want a glimpse into the life of a young lady in Jane Austen and the Bridgerton years? #bridgerton #RegencyEra #JaneAusten
Young Ladyās Day is Book 4 in the Regency Life Series. This book depicts the often-frivolous life and fashions of a young lady in the early 1800ās, but also gives a glimpse into the more serious occupations a young lady may undertake. Through historic images, historical information, and funny anecdotes, it shows how a young lady fills her day, where she is permitted to go, and who she is allowed spend time with. These light-hearted looks at the longer Regency years are an easy to read overview of what people did and wore, and where they worked and played. There is plenty of information to interest history buffs, and lots of pictures to help readers and writers of historical fiction visualize the people and places from the last years of the 18th Century until Queen Victoria took the throne. https://books2read.com/suziloveYLD
Love the life of Jane Austen and her stories? Fan of the Bridgerton series? Reader or writer of the early 1800s, or Regency Era? For information and pictures, try Regency Life Series by Suzi Love. Light-hearted series about Regency Era, or early 1800s. For writers, readers and history lovers.
Thes books use historic images, historical information, and funny anecdotes to give an overview of life through the late Georgian and the Regency years. A light-hearted look at the people, places, and fashions of the times, plus an easy to read overview of the politics and economics. There is plenty of information to interest history buffs, and lots of pictures to help readers and writers of historical fiction visualize the people and places from the last years of the 18th Century until Queen Victoria took the throne.
Try Books 1-5 Regency Life Series by Suzi Love. Regency Overview – Young Gentleman’s Day – Older Gentleman’s Day – Young Lady’s Day – Older Lady’s Day
