Do you need more factual and visual information for your historical fiction? History of fashion, music, peerage and customs in 18th and 19th centuries. Non-fiction series full of gorgeous pictures and engraved fashion plates. A visual history of fashion, music, peerage, social manners and customs from late 1700s to late 1800s, or 18th and 19th centuries.
I love these snippets from Captain Gronow’s Recollections 1864. Even though they were written after the Regency, they give us fun bits of information about Almack’s Assembly Rooms, the Prince Regent or later King George IV.
“Good society at the period to which I refer was, to use a familiar expression, wonderfully “select.” At the present time one can hardly conceive the importance which was attached to getting admission to Almack’s, the seventh heaven of the fashionable world. Of the three hundred officers of the Foot Guards, not more than half a dozen were honoured with vouchers of admission to this exclusive temple of the beau monde; the gates of which were guarded by lady patronesses, whose smiles or frowns consigned men and women to happiness or despair. These lady patronesses were the Ladies Castlereagh, Jersey, Cowper, and Sefton, Mrs Drummond Burrell, now Lady Willoughby, the Princess Esterhazy, and the Countess Lieven.
Almack’s: Exclusive temple of the beau monde. The gates of which were guarded by the lady patronesses,The Ladies Castlereagh, Jersey, Cowper, Sefton, Willoughby, Princess Esterhazy, and Countess Lieven.
From Captain Gronow’s Recollections 1864.
The most popular amongst these grandes dames was unquestionably Lady Cowper, now Lady Palmerston. Lady Jersey’s bearing, on the contrary, was that of a theatrical tragedy queen; and whilst attempting the sublime, she frequently made herself simply ridiculous, being inconceivably rude, and in her manner often ill-bred. Lady Sefton was kind and amiable, Madame de Lieven haughty and exclusive, Princess Esterhazy was a hon enfant, Lady Castlereagh and Mrs Burrell de tres grandes dames.
Many diplomatic arts, much finesse, and a host of intrigues, were set in motion to get an invitation to Almack’s. Very often persons whose rank and fortunes entitled them to the entree anywhere, were excluded by the cliqueism of the lady patronesses; for the female government of Almack’s was a pure despotism, and subject to all the caprices of despotic rule: it is needless to add that, like every other despotism, it was not innocent of abuses.
Almack’s
The fair ladies who ruled supreme over this little dancing and gossiping world, issued a solemn proclamation that no gentleman should appear at the assemblies without being dressed in knee-breeches, white cravat, and chapeau bras.
From Captain Gronow’s Recollections 1864.
1815 The First Quadrille at Almack’s Assembly Rooms, London. Left to Right: Marquis of Worcester, Lady Jersey, Clanronald MacDonald and Lady Worcester. “It was not until 1815 that Lady Jersey introduced from Paris the favourite quadrille, which has so long remained popular. I recollect the persons who formed the very first quadrille that was ever danced at Almack’s: they were Lady Jersey, Lady Harriett Butler, Lady Susan Ryde, and Miss Montgomery; the men being the Count St Aldegonde, Mr Montgomery, Mr Montague, and Charles Standish.” From The Reminiscences of Captain Gronow 1810-1860.RL_1_D2D_Regency Overview RetailerLinks
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How many dukes were there in England in 1804? The number varied from year to year, depending on which titles became extinct etc. From: 1804 Kearsley’s Complete Peerage via Google Books (PD-200)
1804 Nine Princes of the Royal Blood, some of whom are Dukes.
Prince of Wales, Duke of York, Duke of Clarence, Duke of Kent, Duke of Cumberland,
Duke of Sussex, Duke of Cambridge, Duke of Gloucester, Prince William.
1804 Eighteen English Dukes, excluding the Prince Royals holding the title of ‘Duke’.
Norfolk, Somerset, Richmond, Grafton, Beaufort, St. Albans, Leeds,
Regency Life Series: Images, information, funny anecdotes give overview of Jane Austen’s and Bridgerton times. #bridgerton #RegencyEra #JaneAusten #BritishHistory https://books2read.com/suziloveROver
What did ladies do and wear in Jane Austen’s time, or early 1800s? #Regency #History #nonfiction Books 4 and 5 Regency Life Series. Young Lady’s Day and Older Lady’s Day in Books 4 and 5 in the Regency Life Series. These books depict the often-frivolous life and fashions of ladies in the early 1800’s, or during the lifetime of Jane Austen, but also gives a glimpse into the more serious occupations ladies may undertake. Through historic images, historical information, and funny anecdotes, they show how a lady fills her day, where she is permitted to go, and who she spends 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. Young Lady’s Day ~ Older Lady’s Day
1826 House Of Lords In High Debate. From A Regency Gentleman’s Life. From The English Spy By Robert Cruikshank.
Light-hearted look at a young man’s day in the early 1800s. Depicts the ups and downs of a young gentleman’s day in the Regency Era, or Jane Austen’s years. Through historic images, historical information, and funny anecdotes, it shows how a young man about town fills his day, where he goes, and who he spends time with. This light-hearted look at the longer Regency years is 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. Regency Life Series Book 3 Young Gentleman’s Day.com/suziloveYGD
1817 April Ladies’ Voucher for all the Wednesday balls at Almack’s Assembly Rooms, London, U.K. in April 1817. The voucher is for the Marchioness of Buckingham to attend the balls at Almack’s “on the Wednesdays in April 1817.” There are initials in the lower right hand corner marked, “MD”. These initials might be for Mary Marchioness of Downshire who may briefly have been a patroness ca. 1816-1817. The red wax seal is also intact on the front. “Pall Mall” is written on the back of the card.Via Huntington Museum, California, U.S.A. https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p15150coll7/id/10672/
Subscribers to Almack’s were allowed to bring a guest to a Ball, if they were approved first. They called at the Rooms in person and were either granted a Strangers Ticket of admission or were banned. Rooms were open for supper, gaming dancing lasting the night. At eleven o’clock, doors were closed and no one, not even celebrities were admitted. Once a young lady making her debut during the London Season had been granted a ticket to Almack’s, her social standing was assured. The Patronesses introduced the debutante to people of importance and selected her dance partners.
Fan of Regency London in the times of Jane Austen and Bridgertons? Regency Overview Book 1 Regency Life Series #JaneAusten #RegencyEra #Bridgerton #Nonfiction #amwriting https://books2read.com/ROver
1800s Different Degrees Of Nobility In Great Britain and Ireland. FIVE LEVELS.
BENEATH THESE COME THE BARONS: The rank and precedence of Baronets is immediately after the younger sons of Barons, and before all Knights, whether of the Order or Knights. When the Order of Baronets was first instigated, its numbers were limited to 200. Members were carefully selected from the most wealthy and distinguished families of landed gentry. In the reign of the first Charles, it was the stimulus and reward for devoted loyalty. Later, it was often bestowed as an honorary recompense for sufferings and attachment when royalty was unable or unwilling to give solid remuneration. FROM: 1835 Debrett’s Baronetage of England
PRINCES of the BLOOD ROYAL: The Sovereign’s sons, brothers, and uncles are styled Princes of the Blood Royal, and have precedency of all other dukes, with the title of Royal Highness, which title was also, by special warrant, in 1816, conferred on the duke of Gloucester, deceased, and, 6th April 1818, on Prince Leopold of Saxe Cobourg (King of the Belgians). FROM: 1840 Debrett’s Peerage of the UK
THE PRIVILEGES OF THE PEERS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. The nobility of England enjoy many great privileges, the principal of which are as follow:-
1. They are free from all arrest for debts, as being the king’s hereditary counsel
lors. Therefore a peer cannot be outlawed in any civil action and no attachment lies against his Person. This privilege extended also to their members of the lower house, till the year 1770, when their lordships joined the house of commons in a bill for abolishing it.
2. In criminal causes they are only tried by their peers, who give their verdict, not upon oath as other juries, but only upon their honor: and then a court is fitted up for the purpose in the middle of Westminster hall, at the king’s charge.
3. To secure the honor of, and prevent the spreading of any scandal upon peers, or any great officer of the realm,there is an express law called scanda lum magnutum by which any man convicted of making a scandalous report against a peer of the realm ( though true ) is condemned to an arbitrary fine , and to remain in custody till the same be paid .
4. Upon any great trial in a court of justice a peer may come into the court and sit there uncovered. No peer can be covered in the royal presence without permission for that purpose, except the lord baron of Kinsale, of his majesty’s kingdom of Ireland. In case of the poll tax, the peers bear the greatest share of the burden, they being taxed every one according to his degree.
