The Age of Elegance is the final book in Arthur Bryant's trilogy "devoted to the England that beat the French Revolution and Napoleon. This covers Regency England, a wonderful rich plum-pudding of a subject. It is the England of Wellington and Castlereagh, Scott and Byron and the Lake poets; of George Stephenson and Humphrey Davy, of Cobbet and Robert Owen. An England bursting with vitality and creativeness - getting on with the industrial revolution at home while successfully fighting the French Revolution abroad.!
Showing posts with label Regency England. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Regency England. Show all posts
Sunday, 21 July 2013
Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Regency Snippets - Forced off the Land
"Enclosures, game laws, contributions to the Poor Relief, forced many husbandmen off their land and into stinking factories. After Waterloo falling price for corn, Corn laws and taxes added to poor people's hardships.
Taken from my notes on Arthur Bryant's history books.
Taken from my notes on Arthur Bryant's history books.
Tuesday, 23 April 2013
Regency Snippets - Costume The Beau Monde 1807
January, 1807 a description of the clothing from "The Beau Monde" magazine 1807.
"The return of the rigid season brings with it once more to every loyal bosom the happy occasion of doing honour to the birth-day of our gracious and aimiable Queen. Fancy and taste have been long busy in making preparations, and the condescension of a noble lady has enabled us to aniticpate some of the characteristics that are likely to distinguish the habilments of the day. The design which she has given us the honour to communicte brings the whole into a central point of consideration, and we have therefore only to describe it.
Illustration - Ladies - The hair dressed in natural curls round the face, with a coronet, bandeau or other ornament in gold - feathers of every kind. The body, sleeves and petticoat, of rich, full coloured satin or velvet the draperies of gauze or tiffany spotted with gold embroidery, the trimmings and false sleeves of the same, edged with rich lace, and the cords and tassels that festoon the draperies of gold. The bracelets round the sleeves, the zone and the binding of the petticoat to be of plate gold, we suppose in commemoration of the lately achieved conquest of South America.The petticoat is decorated with artificial wreaths of white thorn made in relief.
Illustration - 2 - Gentlemen - Dark green or other dark colour coat and small-cloaths of silk, velvet or fine cloth, covered with a small spot somewhat lighter of the same kind of colour, edged with silver lace, and embroidered with any kind of wild flower of acknowledged British growth:waistcoat of white satin, embroidered in a very light pattern of gold thread. Silk stockings perfecly white.
"The return of the rigid season brings with it once more to every loyal bosom the happy occasion of doing honour to the birth-day of our gracious and aimiable Queen. Fancy and taste have been long busy in making preparations, and the condescension of a noble lady has enabled us to aniticpate some of the characteristics that are likely to distinguish the habilments of the day. The design which she has given us the honour to communicte brings the whole into a central point of consideration, and we have therefore only to describe it.
Illustration - Ladies - The hair dressed in natural curls round the face, with a coronet, bandeau or other ornament in gold - feathers of every kind. The body, sleeves and petticoat, of rich, full coloured satin or velvet the draperies of gauze or tiffany spotted with gold embroidery, the trimmings and false sleeves of the same, edged with rich lace, and the cords and tassels that festoon the draperies of gold. The bracelets round the sleeves, the zone and the binding of the petticoat to be of plate gold, we suppose in commemoration of the lately achieved conquest of South America.The petticoat is decorated with artificial wreaths of white thorn made in relief.
Illustration - 2 - Gentlemen - Dark green or other dark colour coat and small-cloaths of silk, velvet or fine cloth, covered with a small spot somewhat lighter of the same kind of colour, edged with silver lace, and embroidered with any kind of wild flower of acknowledged British growth:waistcoat of white satin, embroidered in a very light pattern of gold thread. Silk stockings perfecly white.
Monday, 22 April 2013
Regency Snippets - The Last London Frost Fair - 1814
It was and exceptional winter that caused 'Old Father Thames' to freeze solidly enough for people to walk across - rather than pay a boatman or the toll on the bridge - but the holding of fairs on such occasions had a long history. There were fairs in 1564, 1608, 1634, 1715, 1739 and 1789.
In 1811 the river froze hard leaving only a narrow channel so that people could walk on it from Battersea Bridge to Hungerford Stairs. But only three years later it froze hard again at the beginning of January after a week-long fog. The streets were piled high with snow, the ice on the river dirty and 'lumpy' but firm enough on the 30th for 70 people to walk across from Queenhithe to the opposite bank. More people soon ventured onto the ice and by Monday, February 1st the river was so solid from Blackfriars Bridge to some way below the Crane Stairs that thousands were tempted onto it.
By Tuesday the whole area was a fair. The 'main road' was named City Road and went straight down the middle of the Thames rather than across it. It was lined on both sides with about 30 stalls decorated with streamers, flags and 'signs', set up for the sale of porter, spirits, and other drinks (unlicensed) as well as for skittles, dancing, and a variety of games. The next day, Wednesday, was the same. In addition 8 or 10 printing presses had been erected, the typographers setting up their type for the printing or cards and broadsides to commenmorate the great frost...
On Thursday, to most people the ice seemed to be a solid rock. The fair continued to grow and attract more visitors. There were swimgs, bookstalls, skittles, dancing-booths, merry-go-rounds,sliding barges, just like Greenwich and Bartlemy Fairs. Friday the 4th brought even more, and scores of pedlars...
The Thames watermen far from being ruined made a huge profit by charging a toll of twopence or threepence to enter 'Frost Fair' - and demanding a tip on leaving. Some were rumoured to have made £6 a day...
In 1823 London Bridge was rebuilt upstream and the old one demolished in 1831. The new arches re-directed the flow of the river so that it was too swift to freeze.
In 1811 the river froze hard leaving only a narrow channel so that people could walk on it from Battersea Bridge to Hungerford Stairs. But only three years later it froze hard again at the beginning of January after a week-long fog. The streets were piled high with snow, the ice on the river dirty and 'lumpy' but firm enough on the 30th for 70 people to walk across from Queenhithe to the opposite bank. More people soon ventured onto the ice and by Monday, February 1st the river was so solid from Blackfriars Bridge to some way below the Crane Stairs that thousands were tempted onto it.
By Tuesday the whole area was a fair. The 'main road' was named City Road and went straight down the middle of the Thames rather than across it. It was lined on both sides with about 30 stalls decorated with streamers, flags and 'signs', set up for the sale of porter, spirits, and other drinks (unlicensed) as well as for skittles, dancing, and a variety of games. The next day, Wednesday, was the same. In addition 8 or 10 printing presses had been erected, the typographers setting up their type for the printing or cards and broadsides to commenmorate the great frost...
On Thursday, to most people the ice seemed to be a solid rock. The fair continued to grow and attract more visitors. There were swimgs, bookstalls, skittles, dancing-booths, merry-go-rounds,sliding barges, just like Greenwich and Bartlemy Fairs. Friday the 4th brought even more, and scores of pedlars...
The Thames watermen far from being ruined made a huge profit by charging a toll of twopence or threepence to enter 'Frost Fair' - and demanding a tip on leaving. Some were rumoured to have made £6 a day...
In 1823 London Bridge was rebuilt upstream and the old one demolished in 1831. The new arches re-directed the flow of the river so that it was too swift to freeze.
Thursday, 25 October 2012
Kisses and Romance
To celebrate the publication of my new mystry/romance novel False Pretences I’m quoting Flavius.
“Drink to me with thine eyes only; or if thou wilt, putting the cup to my lips, fill it with kisses, and so bestow it upon me. I, as soon as I behold me, thirst; and, taking hold of the cup, do not apply that to my lips but thee.”
Flavius Philostratus
Orator and Author c..170 – c.244
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