Comfits — Regency Tic-Tacs^®

A cross-post from The Regency Redingote:

Not only did a great many people regularly brush their teeth during the years of the Regency, they were also concerned about bad breath when socializing with others. For that reason, many people carried small sweets about with them. In Shakespeare’s day they were called "kissing comfits," but by the time of the Regency they were referred to simply as comfits.

What exactly were these Regency breath-mints? Of what were they made, how were they made, and how were they carried?

Maria Edgeworth – Regency Promenade by Nancy Mayer

In our Regency Promenade today, Nancy Mayer looks at Maria Edgeworth, a prolific writer of adults’ and children’s literature who held advanced views on estate management, politics and education.

Maria Edgeworth by John Downman 1807

Maria Edgeworth 1767-1849
“As a woman, my life, wholly domestic, can offer nothing
of interest to the public.” Maria
*****************

 Maria Edgeworth was one of three children born to her father’s first, and least loved, wife.

Richard Edgeworth had four wives and twenty-one children. He had a large estate in Ireland.  He experimented with education , using his children as subjects.  Maria adored her father.

He brought her home from school when she was sixteen and set her as an assistant teacher to her siblings.

Maria Edgeworth

Maria’s family knew her as a warm, practical, volatile, loving person.

She became agitated over little upsets but was calm and efficient in major upheavals; she scoffed at the use of the supernatural and overly comic in books but enjoyed reading about them with her family.

She accepted her father’s philosophy of utilitarinism and incorporated its lessons in her stories for children.

Minature of Maria Edgeworth by Adam Buck c1790

She believed that a woman’s best profession was that of wife and mother, but never married.

She considered herself a critic of the feminist movement of Wollstonecraft and Mary Hays, but  her writings mark her as a closet feminist; she also demonstrated an interest and competence in “masculine subjects” such as science, accounting, and logic.

At first,  Maria wrote  her books in collaboration or with the suggestion of her father. However with Letters for  Literary Ladies and Castle Rackrent she wrote both of them without the knowledge of her father.

Hannah More and Her Circle   By Cheryl Bolen

Today, Cheryl Bolen reviews a book on Hannah More, who was an important figure campaigning for social reform in Regency England. But did you know that in her younger days the proper Hannah More had written for the stage and had become friendly with some of the leading lights of English theatre and literature? Once you have read Cheryl’s review of this biography of Hannah More, you may want to seek out the book at your local library to learn more about this fascinating woman.

Of Jehus and Jarvies

A cross-post from The Regency Redingote:

Readers of Regency romance novels are familiar with the ubiquitous figures of the jarvey and the Jehu on the box of one kind of vehicle or another. These two words are commonly used in modern writing interchangeably, as though they were synonymous. Yet, my reading of various Regency documents such as books, letters, diaries, newspapers and other periodicals over the years has led me to the conclusion that in actual fact these two words are quite antonymous. A jarvey is not a Jehu, nor is a Jehu a jarvey. Not to mention that a jarvey is not a coachman, but a Jehu might be.

So what is the difference between a Jehu and a jarvey?

A Primer on Regency Era Women’s Fashion by Kristen Koster at Impulsive Hearts.

A Primer on Regency Era Women’s Fashion by Kristen Koster at Impulsive Hearts.

"Parisian Ladies in their Full Winter Dress for 1800", an over-the-top exaggerated satirical Nov. 24th 1799 caricature print by Isaac Cruikshank, on the excesses of the late-1790s Parisian high Greek look, and the too-diaphanous styles allegedly sometimes worn there. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is an overview of women’s fashions in the Regency Era and the apparel they changed in and out of multiple times per day. This list isn’t exhaustive by any means and is rather representative of the upper classes rather than the working classes, but should give a good foundation in recognizing what an author is talking about and why they’re so focused on their characters being fashion conscious.

Before we get into the individual items of clothing, it’s important to realize some phrases we use today didn’t mean quite the same thing 200 years ago. For example, when we say “She was in a state of undress.” or “She was caught en dishabille.” The folks of the regency wouldn’t have batted an eye. It was quite common for ladies to entertain guests in their boudoirs while dressed in comfortable, but concealing gowns and robes. The terms “undress”, “half-dress” and “full-dress” were degrees of formality, not coverage.

“Undress” meant simply casual, informal dress in the Regency period. This would be the type of dress worn from early morning to noon or perhaps as late as four or five, depending on one’s engagements for the day. Undress was usually more comfortable, more warm, more casual, and much cheaper in cost than half dress or full dress.

“Half Dress” is perhaps one of the most difficult concepts to grasp about Regency Fashion. Basically it is any dress halfway between Undress and Full Dress. In modern terms it might be thought of as dressy casual or casual business attire in terms of formality, if not style.

“Full dress” was the most formal kind of dress in a Regency Lady’s wardrobe. Full dress was worn for the most formal occasions — evening concerts and card parties, soirees, balls, and court occasions. “Evening dress” referred to outfits suitable only at evening events, but was a specific subset of “full dress”.

1817 walking costume (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Art of the Cravat for the Regency Gentleman by Kristen Koster

Following on from her Primer of Men’s Regency fashion, Kristen Koster now explains The Art of the Cravat for the Regency Gentleman.

One of the fun things about writing historicals is you have to learn all this really cool trivia. You need to be able to set the stage and do it in a believable manner. This includes how to properly dress your characters.

Contemporary heroes have life easy. They pretty much only have to know how to tie a half-Windsor knot and their heroines always step in to rescue the day if they’ve forgotten or get fumble-fingered. And then there’s the clip-on bow tie for formal wear.

Not so the Regency rake! His valet was under much more pressure to make his master presentable and indeed, even to shine above the rest and be perceived as unique. Instead of a couple of basic ways to tie that already nicely formed strip of silk that’s decorated in a rank suitable fashion, the Regency buck (or at least his man) was expected to be familiar with a far more numerous array of styles.

A Primer on Regency Era Men’s Fashion by Kristen Koster

A Primer on Regency Era Men’s Fashion by Kristen Koster at Impulsive Hearts.

Beau Brummell wears a Regency period dress coat as daytime dress. The coat is able to close and the tails are knee length. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Regency Men’s Fashion.

The terms Undress, Half Dress, and Full Dress were applied to men and women.

For men, “Undress” would include having his jacket and cravat removed, something that was not done in polite or mixed company if the gentleman could avoid it. Dressing gowns and robes also fit this bill for gentlemen lounging at home. “Half Dress” for men would be less elaborate knots in their neck cloths, much simpler and more casual styles of clothing. “Full Dress” and “Evening Dress” are the equivalent of today’s black tie affairs. Almack’s was a special case, where gentlemen of the ton were expected to wear breeches instead of trousers.

Alphabet of Gems:  The Language of Stones During the Regency

A cross-post from The Regency Redingote:

First introduced in France as the eighteenth century slipped into the nineteenth, and despite the ongoing Napoleonic wars, this particular type of sentimental jewelery soon crossed the English Channel to become all the rage in England, just as the Prince of Wales was poised to become Regent. The majority of this kind of jewelery had a romantic theme, though there were instances when it was used to register political protest. Though these jeweled messages were very popular in Regency England, they have yet to find their way into any Regency romance which I have come across.

How precious gems first began to express tender sentiments, two hundred years ago …

Regency Promenade – Henry Paget From Scandal to Hero by Nancy Mayer

 Nancy Mayer looks at the life of Henry Paget in today’s Regency Promenade.

Sir Henry William Paget (1768-1854), 1st Marquess of Anglesey, 2nd Earl of Uxbridge

From Scandal to Hero.

Lord Paget, Earl of Uxbridge, Marquess of Anglesey.

 When Henry was born, his father had the surname of Bayly and  was Lord Paget. 

The father adopted Paget as a surname when he was created  the Earl of Uxbridge in 1784 . At that time, Henry became Lord Paget by which name he was known until 1812.

Henry, Lord Paget married Lady Caroline Villiers, daughter of the 4th Earl of Jersey  in 1795, and had eight children with her.

Lord Paget was a member of parliament from 1790 to 1804 as well as between  1806 to 1810. Though he was elected to a seat in Parliament, Paget was also an active military officer.

Wikipedia says: Paget raised the regiment of Staffordshire volunteers and was given the temporary rank of lieutenant-colonel in 1793. He rose rapidly in rank after he had some experience. 

The Regency had the Lord, but not the Tea

A cross-post from The Regency Redingote:

Earl Grey, that is.

In the last several months, I have read at least three novels set in the English Regency in which the characters are depicted drinking Earl Grey tea. Which was completely impossible, since Earl Grey tea was not introduced in England until the reign of William IV. The tea was named after King William’s Prime Minister, who had been instrumental in the abolition of slavery, the restriction of child labor and the passage of the Reform Act of 1832, which finally brought sweeping changes to the British electoral system.

The legend and the facts behind Earl Grey Tea …

Oh, Foolish Foolscap!

A cross-post from The Regency Redingote:

Or, something like that. How many characters in how many Regency romances have written or received a missive on a sheet of foolscap? More than I can count. So, just what is foolscap?

ASSEMBLY ROOM – Round-up of Regency and historical posts

ASSEMBLY ROOM – Round-up of Regency and historical posts          

         by Angelyn Schmid

The Proliferation of Newspapers in Regency England

 The Proliferation of Newspapers  in Regency England   

The Times Newspaper

                 By Cheryl Bolen

Despite heavy taxation, high cost, and government censorship that included prosecution for libel, newspapers proliferated during the Regency.

In 1816, there were 31 national newspapers, including 14 in London. Daily papers included The Times, The Morning Chronicle, Morning Post, and The Morning Herald.

The leading newspapers of those were John Walters’ Times, which catered to the Tories; James Perry’s Morning Chronicle, a vehicle for the Whigs; and The Morning Post, which was heavily supported by the Prince Regent. Each of these was a morning newspaper.

Evening newspapers included The Sun, The Courier, The Globe, The Star, The Traveller, and The Statesman. Other daily papers were The British Press, The Public Ledger, and The Morning Advertiser.

Newspapers published Monday-Wednesday-Friday included The London Chronicle, The London Packet, and The Evening Mail.

On Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday, the Commercial Journal, the St. James Chronicle, General Evening Post, and The English Chronicle appeared.

Those periodicals published only on Mondays included the Farmers Journal, Country Chronicle The News, the Hunt Brothers’ infamous Examiner, the National Register, and Bell’s Messenger.

Saturday-only publications included Cobbett’s influential Political Register and Mirror of the Times while Baldwin’s Journal appeared only on Friday, as did the Country Herald.

    Cost of newspapers was a hefty 7 pence. It was estimated that because of the high cost, each newspaper passed through twenty pair of hands. They were also available at coffee houses and circulating libraries.

The Wake in Regency England

A cross-post from The Regency Redingote:

The English wake during the Regency had nothing to do with the ceremony which many people in westernized nations today observe in honor and memory of someone recently departed. In fact, wakes in England by the early nineteenth century were considered by many such profane and unruly events that there were many efforts being made to suppress them completely. By the time the former Prince Regent, George IV, died in 1830, at least a third of the wakes in England had been abolished or severely curtailed. Few survived past the end of the reign of his niece, Queen Victoria.

The origins and history of the English wake …

Horseracing: The Thoroughbred of English Sports by Cheryl Bolen

Horse racing can be an exciting aspect of a Regency romance novel. In today’s article, Cheryl Bolen gives us a brief overview of the origins of the sport and some historical details about some of the most prominent racing venues in England.

Regency Railways by Linda Banche

Railways in the Regency era?

Linda Banche explains how Regency Railways did exist.

1808 Richard Trevethick's Steam Engine

Linda Banche says….. We think of the railroad as a Victorian invention, but railroads as we know them today got their start during the Regency.

Goods and people have always traveled from one place to another. But such movement was limited to what animal power could provide (hence the term “horsepower”) until the invention of the steam engine.

Laughing Gas by Angelyn Schmid

Laughing Gas at Landsdowne House  by Angelyn Schmid

Lansdowne House

The third Marquess of Lansdowne was no stranger to the rich and famous that came to the great London house. His father had hosted Benjamin Franklin (1706 – 1790) when the latter came to negotiate the terms for American independence.

One who was credited with the discovery of oxygen, Joseph Priestley (1733 – 1804) ran tame at Lansdowne House as well, living off the largess of the first marquess when he was still Lord Shelburne.

ASSEMBLY ROOM – Round-up of Regency and historical posts

ASSEMBLY ROOM – Round-up of Regency and historical posts –  March 2012

Almack's Assembly Room 1805-1825

Lighting in the Georgian period – so that’s where snot comes from: http://historicalromanceuk.blogspot.com/

Vauxhall Gardens By Rowlandson

Related articles

• Courtship Throughout History – Regency England(historicalhearts.blogspot.com)

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• Regency Romance: A Game Changer(austenauthors.net)

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• Basic Regency Etiquette(romancingthepast.blogspot.com)

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• Waltzing During the Regency, an Interview and Jane Austen and Ghosts(thethingsthatcatchmyeye.wordpress.com)

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• A Vision of the Regency — artist Frederic Soulacroix(lesleyannemcleod.blogspot.com)

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• The Upper Assembly Rooms, Bath(regencyhistory.blogspot.com)

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Regency Coin — What Did it Cost? by Shannon Donnelly

Regency Coin — What Did it Cost? by Shannon Donnelly

Proper Conduct by Shannon Donnelly

In Proper Conduct, Shannon Donnelly’s heroine spends a good deal of time worrying about money that is not there, particular after her father spends nearly 1,000 pounds on a horse.

Not an excessive sum to someone such as the Prince Regent, whose racing stud farm cost him 30,000 pounds a year.

But all these numbers seemed to need a bit of perspective.