Landowners in the Regency During Summer

by Donna Hatch
www.donnahatch.com


Ah, summer! It conjures up images of lazy summer days sipping lemonade and swimming. In mid June to early July, when the whirl of the London Season wound down because parliament ended, the gentry and aristocracy went back to their country homes. Which begs the question, since they were so rich and didn't have to work for a living, what did they do all day--especially in the summer? The answer to this may surprise you.

The British nobility never divided their wealth among their children; they left all of it to their heirs--usually their firstborn son. If they had no son, their entailed estate went to the next closest living heir and that was all pre-determined; there was no choosing an heir. (Certain things could be willed to those who are not the heir but that's a topic for another time) A younger son may inherit a lump sum when he reached adulthood, or he may receive an annual or month allowance. Sometimes that was enough for him to live off of, thus freeing him to enjoy hedonistic pleasures. However, most younger sons needed an occupation unless they inherited an in-entailed estate or money. They often became officers in the Royal Navy or army because they were educated. This was crucial when needing to read orders and write correspondence. Many became involved in the law as barristers, attorneys, and magistrates. Occasionally I hear of a younger son becoming a physician, but that seems to be rare. But for now, I will focus on those who don't have to work in an occupation for a living and who have a large estate for which they are responsible.

Wealthy landowners such as Mr. Darcy spent a great deal of time managing their lands. Think of it as being the CEO of a multi-million dollar corporation. Yes, he has upper- and mid-management, but there are many decisions only he must make, meetings he must attend, and a staggering load of responsibility. A Regency landowner had solicitors, land stewards, and workers, but he had the responsibility to care for a huge estate which usually included many different locations, houses, lands, and tenants. Think of it as owning a whole bunch of rental properties with tenants who constantly needed repairs and help with all sorts of things which affected the overall prosperity of the estate. He might also be involved in investing and buying or selling properties which might involve travel. How he managed the family estate would affect generations to come, a heavy responsibility to shoulder with much at stake, so most took this seriously.

In addition to caring for their estate, most landowners were involved in politics. If they were titled, they were expected to serve in the House of Lords. If not, many served in the House of Commons. Parliament for months at a time, which took them away from their lands in the country. Those who served in the House of Lords could be called into serve as jury if a peer went to trial. 

So even though a number of them did enjoy hedonistic pleasures, an honorable landowner's life was not all fun and games, not even in the summer.

Spring in Regency England and the Social Season

In the Pacific Northwest where I live, it's spring! Everywhere I look, something is in bloom. Every shrub, tree, and bulb has burst out in full color. It's magical!

Spring in Regency England meant not only flowers, but, more importantly, the Social Season. Usually a week or two after Easter, families in the upper classes headed to London to enjoy the biggest parties, soirees, and balls of the year. Many mamas went to find husbands for their daughters of marriageable age.

The Season began as a way of providing entertainment for families of those who served in Parliament. Regina Scott has a comprehensive list of when Parliament was in session, which varied from year to year. You can find that here. Parliament usually opened in February however, generally the Season only ran from ran from a few days after Easter until mid June or July when Parliament was no longer in session. This was because travel in Spring could be lengthy and difficult, and though men and women were in town when Parliament opened in February or when the Queen celebrated her birthday, they usually went home before Easter in time for Lent and to enjoy local and family Easter traditions. 

During Lent, they didn't hold balls and dances but did have dinners and routs and other entertainment.  Theatres had a abridged schedule and many oratorios and concerts were held.

Many did not come to London until after the Season began. Daughters didn't usually come up to London before Easter unless she had been out for awhile and had made her curtsy to the Queen. The week after Easter, the gentry and aristocracy came into town en masse.  There was no formal opening for the Season; it began when the first invitations went out. There were often three or four activities an evening so lots of people party hopped.

A number of ladies and gentlemen made matches during and after the Season, and was the goal of most mamas and their daughters. But for me, I will just enjoy the flowers and write about my heroines enjoying (or not) their social Season.

What do you enjoy most about Spring?

5 Fun Facts About Coming Out in Regency England

by Donna Hatch

www.donnahatch.com

To quote the famous first line of Pride and Prejudice: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

It was also a universal fact that a young lady of good breeding must be in want of a husband. Coming "out" during the Regency, was crucial to a gently bred young lady's future, since she basically had no future unless she married. Without being "out" she could not attend dinner parties or balls or any other society function. Basically, until she was out, she was considered a child. Here are some fun facts about this vital process.

1. The young lady's parents decided when she could come out—there was no set age. The very snooty Lady Catherine De Bourgh from Price and Prejudice exclaimed over the Bennett family’s five girls out at the same time. This suggests that the ages of the girls were not surprising, but rather that so many from one family were out at the same time. In Mansfield Park, people were surprised to learn that Fanny Price was not yet out, who, if memory serves, was seventeen (or nearly so) at the time. The age for coming out seems to have ranged from fifteen to eighteen.

2. Trips to London for the Season were not imperative to being out or finding a husband. Many young ladies married well to someone from their home or neighboring towns. However, a trip to London for the Season provided an exciting opportunity to meet any number of eligible bachelors, including sons of peers, and indulge in all the delights only London could offer.

3. Young ladies entering society were not called “debutantes.” During the Regency, that term applied to actresses debuting on stage. Sometime during the Victorian Era (which came after the Regency Era) the term gradually began to apply to young ladies coming out. About that time, parents started the tradition of throwing debutante balls. During the Regency, one may or may not have a ball for a young lady new to society.

4. Not every young lady took her bows to the queen. It wasn't necessary to curtsy to the Queen prior to entering society and coming out. In fact, unless the lady was a daughter of a peer who wanted to appear in court, or the newly married wife of a peer, bowing to the queen would have been totally unnecessary. Also, Queen Charlotte didn't hold drawing rooms (where young ladies could be presented to her) on a regular basis between1811 and 1818 to due her health.

 

5. Young ladies were required to have a chaperone with them at all times outside of their home or while entertaining a male visitor. Maids were not chaperones—they were too easily bribed or bullied. Male relatives were not generally considered chaperones, but they might do in a pinch, depending on the circumstances. The only truly appropriate chaperone was a matron or spinster of good character and family, and who spoke with a genteel accent, generally of the upper classes. Mothers or aunts were preferred chaperones. One might also hired companion, a respectable woman who’d probably fallen on hard times enough to need to earn wages, similar in class and situation as to those who became a governess.

As a mother of daughters, I’m kind of in favor of the idea of a chaperone. 

London Season in Regency England

by Historical Romance Author Donna Hatch
www.donnahatch.com

If you've ever read a Regency or Victorian Romance novel, or even any British historical novel set in the 18th or 19th century, you've probably come across the word "Season" (capitalized). Season does not refer to winter or spring but rather to the social whirl among the upper crust of British society during the spring. The Season originally began as a way for the families of men serving in Parliament to amuse themselves while staying in London, and so it remained for generations. Most families did not travel to and from their country estates to London during the autumn or winter months due to the difficulty of travel. However, after Easter, they seemed to be ready for society.

The dates which Parliament met varied from year to year. According to noted Regency researcher and author, Regina Scott, the dates parliament met were as follows: Parliament was in session during the following times:

• 1 November 1810 to 24 July 1811
• 7 January 1812 to 30 July 1812
• General election: 5 October to 10 November 1812
• 24 November 1812 to 22 July 1813
• 4 November 1813 to 30 July 1814
• 8 November 1814 to 12 July 1815
• 1 Feb 1816 to 2 July 1816
• 28 January 1817 to 12 July 1817
• 27 January 1818 to 10 June 1818
• General election: 15 June to 25 July 1818
• 14 January 1819 to 13 July 1819, before the 16 August 1819 Peterloo Massacre
• 23 November 1819 to 28 February 1820 (special session because of the massacre but ending early because of the death of George III)
• General election: 6 March to 14 April 1820
• 21 April to 23 November 1820 (including a special session beginning the third week of August for the trial of Queen Caroline).

Parliament always went into recess for Lent, which precedes Easter, a time when the members of Parliament, also referred to as MPs, retreated to their country homes. When they returned to London after Easter, they often brought their families, especially if they had sons and/or daughters of marriageable age to participate in what was often referred to as the "marriage mart."

The focus was not always to find a spouse. Some families simply came to renew acquaintances and amuse themselves after wintering in the country. Regardless, the ton descended on London en masse. Activities varied but popular amusements were dinner parties, balls, musicales, attending the theater or the opera, visiting museums, going riding in the park, visiting private zoos, and riding in hot air balloons, to name a few.

Almack's Assembly Rooms

There were also the coveted vouchers for weekly balls at Almack's Assembly Rooms where the Patronesses kept a tight rein over who would and would not be granted entrance based on family connections and behavior. Young ladies wishing to dance the scandalous waltz had to first receive permission from the Patronesses. According to Regency researcher and author Candice Hern, the Patronesses were, Lady Jersey, Lady Cowper, Countess Leiven, Mrs. Drummond-Burrell, Lady Castlereagh, Lady Sefton, and Princess Esterhazy.

The Season in London was also a crucial event for the working class. People arriving in London needed servants for their London homes because they typically transported very few of their servants from house to house. If a family did not own a house in London, they rented a townhouse. They also shopped. A lot. Ladies absolutely had to have fine gowns as well as shoes, hats, gloves, reticules—you name it. The wealthy also went to the theatre and opera, which meant more performers were needed. As you can imagine, the cost to attending a Season in London was staggering, but most considered it a worthwhile investment if their children got married to a good match.

In short, much of the prosperity of London depended on the Season and the beau monde who peopled it. Merchants and craftsmen earned a living, and the wealthy amused themselves and secured the future of their line. It seems to have worked pretty well for most.

The London Season plays a major role in my upcoming book, Heart Strings, but not in the usual way.

When forced to choose between marrying a brutish oaf or becoming another man’s mistress, Susanna flees to London with dreams of becoming a professional harpist. Entangling herself with a handsome violinist who calls himself Kit may be more problematic than sleeping in the streets.

With peril lurking in the shadows, Susanna’s imminent danger not only forces Kit to choose between his better judgment and his heart, but he must also embrace the life to which he swore he would never return.

Heart Strings is available now for pre-order Kindle and paperback.

The London Season

by Donna Hatch

The London Season began when titled lords came to London to attend Session of the House of Lords which coincided with Parliament. They typically met in October, November, December and then again in January through about April or so. There was really no set schedule, as far as I can see although the Queen held her birthday ball in January.Often the gentlemen came alone, but many probably preferred to bring their families, who then needed entertainment, and thus the Season came into being.

Since London was an undesirable place to live year-round, many would not come to London from their country houses until after Easter when the weather was better. The London Season generally ran from after Easter to June or July, after which most would return to their country estates. Some people lived in London all year round, except for brief visits to other houses. Later, under Queen Victoria, the Season became more definite and the whole debutante thing was formalized.

During the Regency Era, the Season usually included lavish balls, parties, dinners, and musicales. London also offered many other attractions; the zoo, many parks, museums, shopping, and other entertainment. The Season grew into an important part of meeting and marrying eligible gentlemen and ladies.

The season became a much bigger production after the Regency Era and really came into prominence in the late Nineteenth century, or the Victorian days. Still, the Season figures prominently in many Regency Historical Romance novels, including mine, since it was a time to bring together all the noble families and their children of marriageable age. This of course, invites all kinds of delicious possibilities.