From the Divine to the Ridiculous...

Regent fashions for women were ever changing and not always for the better  ...

 

 

 

 

Images with thanks to Eighteenth Century Journals

Unusual Entertainment for the Prince Regent

Taken from The Lady’s Magazine, or Entertaining Companion for the Fair Sex; Appropriated Solely to their Use and Amusement. Vol. 47. - 1816:

"On the Prince Regent's return from Lady Heathcote's route, his carriage being called, the carriage of some nobleman being near the door would not draw back, and a grand fracas took place between the gentlemen of the whip for nearly five minutes.  His Royal Highness had the pleasure of standing at the door during this novel entertainment"

I wonder if bets were laid?!

It also would probably have been better for his health if the Prince Regent had tried a more modern form of transport ....

The History of the Office

Before the BBC became excited (like the rest of us!) about the birth of a new royal baby they carried  a story about the invention of the modern office drawing on the writings of Charles Lamb (1775-1834).  Lamb worked for the East India Company for thirty years.

The quotes are great and certainly resonate today.  My personal favourite is:

"In 1817, the holiday allowance of £10 a year was cut for new members of staff, Saturday became a full working day and the equivalent of the Christmas office party, the "yearly turtle feast", was scrapped.

Lamb wrote to a colleague John Chambers, who was off work with scurvy, complaining about some of the changes.

"The Committee have formally abolish'd all holydays whatsoever - for which may the Devil, who keeps no holydays, have them in his eternal burning workshop.""

To read more see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23372401 or listen to Programme 1: The Beginnings of the Modern Office on BBC iplayer (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0375byp)... the programme is available for seven days from 22 July.

Regency Fashions - Part 1

As you can image because I make period costume I have a fascination with the actual magazine detail of what was worn by the fashionable ladies of Britain.  Rarely are images available but the descriptions are detailed enough for anyone to produce a working version today.

This is the first of a series of these descriptions (I have to thank British Periodicals and The Open University for making these and so much more available).

 

 

December Fashions 1809

(from Ackernmann's Repository of Arts etc)

 

Fashions for Ladies

 

 

A Tyrolese Walking Dress

 

A fine cambric or jaconet muslin round robe with long plaited sleeves and worked antique front;  bordered at the feet with needle work or appliqued lace.  Elastic belt, confined behind with a bow and ends of ribbons.  A plain shirt, with high collar, sitting close to the throat, and trimmed at the extreme edge with plaiting of French net.  A rosary and cross of blended gold and amber.  A Tyrelese coat of shaded green, or drake's-neck velvet, lined throughout with amber sarsnet, and trimmed with gold or Chinese floss binding.  The Amazonian helmet, composed of the same materials, ornamented with a patriotic band and bow, towards one side, a curled ostrich feather tipped in gold, on the other.  Slippers of amber velvet, with black bindings and rosettes.  Gloves of York tan.

 

 

Evening Dress

 

A white satin round robe with demi-traine.  A short sleeve of interjoined lace and gold beading.  A military front, composed of gold cord and frogs.  A palerine of white satin with full collar, and border of swansdown, and a rich cord and tassel of gold.  A Grecian coif, of white satin, with appliqued border of lace and band of crescent of pearls.  A longsleeve of French lace, or a long glove of French kid, with bracelets and necklace of pearls.  Crimson slippers, with gold imperial trimming.  Ivory fan, with mount of crimson crape, ornamented with a border of gold jessamine.



David Starkey's Music and Monarchy

Just watched the first part of this engaging series that brings together the music of a given age with the idea of monarchy of that age.

I didn't know that Henry V composed music and that he had a choir and a group of musicians follow him on campaign and the special performance of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus in Westminster Abbey was truly moving.

On the whole well worth setting Sky to record the series!

Next week he moves onto Purcell (I wonder if he'll mention the oft forgotten John Garth and William Boyce?)


http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p018rf83

Theatre Reviews

The Telegraph has a review of a new production at the Globe Theatre, London about a production which seems well worth going to see (includes the trumpeter Alison Balsom)

"Dominic Cavendish completely falls for this panoramic, Purcell-filled survey of London as viewed in the wake of the Glorious Revolution of 1688"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-reviews/10191705/Gabriel-Shakespeares-Globe-review.html

Whilst The Stage reviews a production of Don Pasquale at  Glyndebourne

http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/38773/don-pasquale

 



Haunted London

I was looking for some info today and found the Haunted London website.

Well worth a look!   http://www.haunted-london.com/

The house above is 50 Berkeley Square, apparently the most haunted house in London, and used to be the home of George Canning.