1715-1790 ca. Miniature Sable Pocketbook, France. Glass beads strung on linen, or sablé, woven silk and metallic binding. Miniature envelope-style pocketbook. Polychrome opaque and translucent glass beads strung with linen thread, held together by interlocking looping stitches, or sablé. Designs on white ground, cupid shooting arrow at blue and red hearts. Borbon arms surmounted by coronet, red heart with five keys. Gilt-galloon binding. Blue silk taffeta lining. Cardboard foundation. via Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. mfa.org
East and West India Docks London’s Historic Places
The East India Docks was a group of docks in Blackwall, east London, north-east of the Isle of Dogs. In 1607, the East India Company decided to build its own ships and leased a yard in Deptford. In 1614 the East India Company ordered William Burrell to begin work on a bigger yard for repair, construction and loading of out-going ships. The site selected was at Blackwall, which was further down river and had deeper water, allowing laden ships to moor closer to the dock. During the early 17th century, the site was enlarged repeatedly. Later in the 17th century, the East India Company reverted to its practice of hiring vessels, although many owners who chartered their vessel to the East India Company had them built at Deptford and Blackwall.
Before 1800, the Thames river was overcrowded with ships. They carried cargoes of tea, china and cloth in their lower parts along with casks of water, salted meat, beer, wine and rum for their crews. Brandy, wine, and tobacco were also shipped and stored in the warehouses. In 1800, the London Dock Company was formed and the planned docks in Wapping went ahead in 1801. The first was the West India Dock. In 1806, the East India Company opened their own docks to the north-east of the West India Docks after deciding that the Brunswick Dock at Blackwall, where ships were fitted out, was unsuitable for storing cargo.
The Brunswick Dock, which had originally been connected directly to the Thames to the south, became the Export Dock. To the north the company built a larger 18-acre (7.3 ha) Import Dock. Both were connected to the Thames via an eastern entrance basin. The number of ships discharged in the docks rose from 354 in 1804, to 598 in 1808, and to 641 in 1810. In 1808, the warehouses were full, as blockades prevented the re-export of goods. The dock company calculated that the almost total prevention of theft made possible by the building of the docks was saving West India merchants almost £400,000, and the Exchequer about £150,000 each year. During the 1840s and early 1850s, shipping and tonnage handled at the East and West India docks increased so much that dividends of 5 and 6 per cent were paid.
The East India Docks didn’t have many warehouses because cargoes were taken straight to their warehouses in the City. So instead of building warehouses, the company built private toll roads like Commercial Road and East India Dock Road to carry traffic to and from the docks.
The company made large profits on tea, spices, indigo, silk and Persian carpets. The tea trade alone was worth £30m a year. Spice merchants and pepper grinders set up around the dock to process goods. Although the East India docks were smaller than the West India Docks, they handled up to 250 ships at one time and East Indiamen of 1000 tons but larger ships and steam power reduced the importance of the dock.
The West India Docks were a series of three docks, quaysides, and warehouses built to import goods from, and export goods and occasionally passengers to the British West Indies. In 1802, the first dock opened on the Isle Of Dogs. When they closed for commerce in 1980, the Canary Wharf development was built around the wet docks by narrowing some of their broadest tracts.
The docks were constructed in two phases. The two northern docks were constructed between 1800 and 1802 for the West India Dock Company and were the first commercial wet docks in London. For 21 years, all vessels in the West India trade using the Port Of London had to use the West India docks by a clause in the act of Parliament that had enabled their construction.
In 1838 the East and West India companies merged. The southern dock, the South West India Dock, later known as South Dock, was constructed in the 1860s and in 1909 the Port Of London Authority took over the West India Docks,
The docks played a key role in the Second World War as a location for constructing the floating Mulberry harbours used by the Allies to support the D-Day landings in France. Following the Second World War, in which all the docks were badly damaged, the East India Docks were confined to occasional Channel Islands traffic and to the maintenance of dredger equipment.
The docks were the first London docks to close, in 1967. Today the docks have been mostly filled in. Only the entrance basin remains, as a wildlife refuge and an attractive local amenity. The area is predominantly residential with several major developments around it.
Weird Historical Pants for Men. No wonder men needed valets! It wasn’t just women struggling into tight fitting clothing!
And no wonder it took both sexes so long to dress every day, often changing clothes four or five times a day!
Early on were Breeches – Short, close-fitting trousers that fastened just below the knees or above the ankles, with a horizontal front flap called the ‘fall’ and were worn with stockings. Boys of 3 – 6 years stopped wearing loose dress-type children’s garments and went into short pants instead, and were considered ‘breeched. In Regency times, breeches were worn tighter to show off a manly physique.
Then of course we had Pantaloons
By the late 1810s and beyond, these became popular and eventually they evolved into full length trousers. Originally pantaloons were made to suit shorter Hessian boots that fell below the typical knee-breech level and they were worn very form-fitting.
Buckskins – Fashionable trousers made from deer skin also showed off every curve of the man’s figure. How could ladies not want to peek? Oooh, what a display of fine, manly figure!! Swoon!
And so to more modern Trousers – The word Trouser came into usage in the late 1600?s, so we’ve had trousers around for a long time. But at first, they were mostly for lower classes. Revolutionary France started a trend for sans-culottes, which meant trousers or pantaloons instead of culottes, or knee breeches, which were associated with the aristocracy.
The styles of the revolution moved across to England and were taken up by those who either sided with revolutionary ideals or who took them up as part of a protest against the establishment set.
Early trousers looked strange because they were generally a bit looser than pantaloons or breeches, and ended at the ankles with slits on the side for foot access. They often needed under-the-foot straps to fix them in place.
Now here’s a couple of insider tips from a gentleman’s valet for you to remember –
– False calves can be created by padding so that a master’s calves fill out his stockings and make him look more muscular, especially when he is wearing knee-breeches. Every woman’s dream!
– For rotund gentlemen, tightly pulled corsets help keep the paunch to a minimum and enhance his figure.
– To keep trousers in place and prevent disgrace, braces( suspenders) can be worn under vests.
Even in cases of his master’s over-imbibing, or just plain clumsiness, a valet can ensure his lordship remains correctly clothes at all times when representing the household in public by taking a few early precautions.
Imagine the poor valet’s work if – a gentleman rode before breakfast – changed to join the family– spent the morning boxing with friends in looser attire – changed for lunch at his club with peers – changed for afternoon calls or a drive in the park with the women- changed for dinner with friends – changed into evening dress for a formal ball- arrived home just before daylight to change into his banyan( robe) to smoke his cheroot before bed – then rose 3 hours later expecting his clothes laid out so he could do it all over again.!!
No, I seriously do not want to go back in time and become either a lady’s maid or a gentleman’s valet
– although, if I had the choice…
Hmmmm….being in a gentleman’s bedroom…. does hold a certain appeal.
Suzi Love
1775-1825 ca. Black Silk Breeches, American or European. via Metropolitan Museum, N.Y.C., U.S.A. metmuseum.org1806 Young French Gentleman. Short Brown Castorine Coat Over Blue Tailcoat, White Cashmere breeches, yellow gloves, black top Hat. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.1804-1814 ca. Collage View. Breeches, French. Cream silk and linen. Buttoned waist, drop down front flap, or fall, extra fullness in the back for ease of movement, ties at the knees to keep in place. via Suzi Love ~ suzilove.com & Metropolitan Museum, N.Y.C., U.S.A. metmuseum.org1812-1813 ca. A man with a hat shaped as a balloon, green coat, white breeches, colored cravat. Hand-colored etching. 1812-1813 Le Chapeau en Ballon Series: Le Bon Genre Plate 51. Via British Museum, London, UK. 1807-1817 ca. Man’s Leather Breeches, American. Drop front buttoned flap at the waist, a drawstring at the back waist to adjust waist size, and drawstrings and buttons at the calves to keep the breeches secure when worn with high boots. via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org 1807 Pale Blue Tailcoat, French. White frilled shirt with extra high collar and cravat, vest, white knee breeches, white stockings, black shoes, gloves, bicorn hat and a curly hairstyle. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien. 1800 Outfit Of A Young Man, French. Grey cutaway coat, red vest or waistcoat, high white cravat, yellow breeches with red fob at waist, yellow gloves, black boots with tassels, hat and walking stick. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.1805 ca. Collage Leather Breeches, French. Buttoned and adjustable waist, back waist gusset for ease of movement, front fall flap, two tone fitted cuffs on legs with many buttons to fasten and hold in place on the legs. via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org 1790 British Consul’s Tan Leather Pants, Boston. Tan buckskin, fall front, brass and self covered buttons, breeches have leather ties at waist and at leg hems. via Augusta Auction 1806 Gentleman’s Daily Outfit, French. Bottle green tailcoat, knee breeches, snowy white cravat, white stockings, flat black shoes. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.1807 Gentleman’s Half Dress, French. Green cutaway tailcoat, white vest, white frilled shirt with very high white cravat, white breeches with red fob at waist, white stockings, black shoes, black top hat and carrying a cane. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien. Weird Historical Pants for Men. #regencyera ##regencyfashion #breeches https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819 Share on X https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819
Pagans burned a great log and a mammoth candle on the 21st of December, the shortest day in the year, because it was seen as the turning-point in the conflict between the contending forces of winter and spring.
From Harpers Bazaaar “The Yule-block, or Christmas-log, with its warm welcome, extending even to the poor and the stranger as they gathered around the hospitable board is being gradually supplanted by the Christmas-tree.”
Formerly the Yule-log, a huge section of the birch, was cut from a tree selected on Candlemas-day, which so late as the time of Queen Elizabeth was the last day of the Christmas holidays. On the following Christmas-eve it was dragged in and placed upon the hearth with great ceremony, the merry-makers pulling with a will, and singing the while the modernized Christmas carol commencing,
“Come, bring with a noise,
My merrie, merrie boys,
The Christmas-log to the firing.”
It was then kindled with a brand from last year’s Christmas fire, which, if it was not thus kept continually burning, still linked the merrymaking of one Christmas-time to that of another.
In Ramsgate, Kent, and the Isle of Thanet, the custom styled “hodening” is still in vogue. The “hoden,” which appears to be a cross between the “white horse” and the Klapperbock of the Germans, is accompanied by a number of youths in fantastic dress, who go round from door to door ringing bells and singing Christmas carols.
Music history from the 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries. Pianos, pianofortes, harps, viols, violins played during Jane Austen’s times. Musical Instruments were so important in most of the more affluent households in history that large industries grew all around the world to manufacture instruments, musical accessories, and to print sheet music. Musical instruction and encouragement could be found everywhere and both young ladies and gentlemen were encouraged to have musical appreciation. And of course, playing music was on the list of social requirements for all young ladies desirous of becoming a wife and homemaker.
London became Europe’s leading centre for the manufacture of scientific instruments and this led to the manufacture of more musical instruments as well as factories developed and rail transport helped the faster distribution of goods to regional areas. One of the first places that music was used to tell stories and to share enjoyment was in Christmas music. Because music was such an integral part of households, music was always a feature in Magazines. There were advertisements everywhere for musical instruments for sale, for sheet music, and for music lessons. And of course, of most interest to the ladies were the hundreds of fashion plates included in magazines where people were depicted with their musical instruments.
The word ‘carol’ comes from the old French ‘carole’ for a song written and played as a courtly dancing song. Carols then took on a more popular form, telling stories and celebrating religious themes for all seasons until the late 19th century when they became associated with Christmas.
Carols took the place of Psalms in all churches on Christmas Day and, as the whole congregation could join in, were greeted with huge approval. Carols were passed on orally from place to place, often with different words or tunes. The published carols included songs still popular today, including The First Noël, I Saw Three Ships, and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. This collection was followed by compilations of carols from other scholars such as William Sandy’s works in 1833 and 1852.
Because wild boar was the most feared animal, serving it at a meal represented the victory of good over evil. During the 17th century, wild boar became extinct in Britain so a pig’s head was used instead. The head was often presented on a decorated platter with an apple in its mouth and carried in by bearers in a dramatic manner. The tradition of serving ham for Christmas lunch or dinner probably came from the idea of serving boar’s head or roasted boar joints to guests at Christmas.
To say nothing of the roast beef and plum-pudding, Christmas pies, furmity, and snap-dragons, the Yule-log and the mistletoe have not finally abdicated, while the boar’s head, decorated with rosemary or prickly holly, maintains its place at the English Christmas dinner, and is still served up in great state at the royal Christmas table. At Oxford, U.K., the boar’s head was carried in by the strongest of the guardsmen, singing a Christmas carol, and preceded by a forester, a huntsman, and a couple of pages dressed in silk and carrying the mustard which was regarded as a great luxury and an infallible digester.
The following celebrated carol of the Boar’s Head is found in the book of ‘Christmasse Carolles’ published in 1521 by Wynkyn de Warde:
The boar’s head in bande bring I,
With garlandes gay and rosemary,
I pray you all synge merely,
Qui estis in convivio.
“The bore’s head, I understande,
Is the chefe servyce in this lande.
Loke wherever it be fande,
Servite cum cantico.
“Be gladde, lordes, both more and lasse,
For this bath ordayned our stewarde,
To chere you all this Christmasse,
The bore’s head with mustarde.”
At Oxford, U.K., the boar’s head was carried in by the strongest of the guardsmen, singing a Christmas carol, and preceded by a forester, a huntsman, and a couple of pages dressed in silk and carrying the mustard which was regarded as a great luxury and an infallible digester. A similar custom appears to have prevailed in Genoa in the times of the Dorias when a boar decorated with branches of laurel and accompanied by trumpeters was annually presented to the Doria family by the Abbot of San Antonio at Pré at midday on the 24th of December.
Another Christmas Tradition is kisisng under the Mistletoe. So have fun this Christmas and find someone to kiss. The problem in hotter climates is to find the Mistletoe, of course. Darn!
Mistletoe was used by Druid priests 200 years before the birth of Christ in their winter celebrations. They revered the plant since it had no roots yet remained green during the cold months of winter. The ancient Celtics believed mistletoe to have magical healing powers and used it as an antidote for poison, infertility, and to ward of evil spirits. The plant was also seen as a symbol of peace, and it is said that among Romans, enemies who met under mistletoe would lay down their weapons and embrace.
Scandanavians associated the plant with Frigga, their goddess of love, and it may be from this that we derive the custom of kissing under the mistletoe. Those who kissed under the mistletoe had the promise of happiness and good luck in the following year. Mistletoe was associated with Christmas as both a decoration under which lovers kiss, as well as a protection from witches and demons. Sounds romantic, although mistletoe is actually a parasitic plant that grows on other trees or plants and comes in many varieties.
In Britain, mistletoe was mainly found in the western and southwestern parts, so the custom wasn’t even followed in all parts of England. But where the mistletoe custom was followed, it was hung in doorways and the greenery was watched by young gentlemen in hopes of catching a pretty girl to kiss, usually on the cheek.
Traditionally, a man was allowed to kiss a woman who was standing underneath mistletoe and bad luck would befall any woman who refused. In some places, it was the custom to pick a berry for each kiss and when all the berries were gone, no more kisses could be taken.
Christmas: Wassail Bowl History #Christmas #holidays #Traditions #Customs
The term wasseling refers to the jovial revelry and carousing that went on in historic England when all classes of society would gather around a common banquet-table and the wassail bowl and indulge in the most unrestrained joviality and merriment around.
Wassail Bowl: Most great houses had a wassel-bowl, or cup, frequently of massy silver. Toasts were “Drine heil,” or “Was hail,” from which the howl derives its name but were replaced around the nineteenth century by “Come, here’s to you,” or “I’ll pledge you.” Now, we toast with the simplified version of ‘Here’s to you’. As the hour of twelve approached, carol-singers would prepare and bell-ringers would place themselves at their post to usher in the morning of the Nativity with lots of rejoicing and with bands of music parading the towns.
In some parishes in the West of England, carol-singers adjourn to the church to sing in Christmas-day, a remnant probably of popery, as in Catholic countries there were frequently church-services held at this time. In the 16th century, Tusser prescribed for Christmas: good drink, a good fire in the hall, brawn, pudding, and mustard withall, capon, or turkey, cheese, apples, nuts, and jolly carols. In rich houses, a wassail cup would be filled with rich wine, sweet and spicy, and with roasted apples bobbing on the surface. In poorer houses, the cup would hold ale with nutmeg, sugar, ginger, and roasted crab apples.
