Thursday 18 April 2013

Regncy Snippets - Christmas

Around Christmas 1814  a large family party was gathered at Blehheim* among whom were Lord Blandford, his wife and three of their children. Their days were passed in te traditional country way, with riding and wild duck shooting, and a good deal of eating and drinking.

The Profligate Duke by Mary Soames.

In the Iberian Peninsula.

"In every interval between our active services, we indulged in all manner of trick and amusement...We lived, united as men always are who are about to face death in the face on the same side, and, who, caring little about it to each new day added their lives as one more to rejoice in...We invited them every evening to a dance at our quarters...alternately...We used to dance the bolero, fandango and waltz and we wound up early in the evening with a dish of roast chestnuts."

Sir John Kincaid of the 95th Rifles which was in the light Division.

"Here for the first time in the Peninsula we kept Christmas. Every man contributed money, meat or wine. A sheep or two were bought and killed. Plum puddings were baked, etc., Plates, knives and forks, were not pelentiful. We managed to diminish the stock of eatables in quick time. For desert we had apples; and for a finish, two or three of the bandsmen played merry tunes, the men warmed their toes by dancing jigs and reels."

John Cooper of the 7th Royal Fusiliers, 1813.