Gentlemen's Lodgings in Regency London

By Cheryl Bolen

While living in London around 1820, Polish scholar Krystyn Lach-Szyrma wrote in his journal—later published in his native country as a travel guide to Great Britain—that the best way for a gentleman to board in London was in what the French call pensions. These were private homes of impoverished widows of tradesmen, lawyers or clergymen.

Owners of these pensions advertised by posting signs in the windows or on doors of their establishments or on a wall at the Royal Exchange. Lach-Szyrma said it was even better if the establishment were recommended by someone. The boarder, too, had to come with recommendations.

In addition to a private bedchamber, the boarder had access to and could entertain in the public rooms, and he was able to take his meals with the proprietress and other guests.  

“Living in such a house is the cheapest way for a foreigner to live,” Lach-Syzrma wrote. He paid £7 a month, but this included “extras” such as servants, drinks and desserts that accounted for £2. He claims that there were households where one could live for £4, but such an establishment could not offer “the company of bright and intelligent people to further their social education.” 

Each bedroom was carpeted and provided all the necessary furniture. Sheets and bedding were changed every week. A room’s size and whether it was on the first or second floor influenced the price.  

Breakfast was served in the dining room every morning at nine. This consisted of tea, toast with butter, soft-boiled eggs and cold meat. Between breakfast and lunch, served at one, the gentlemen boarders read the newspapers which they subscribed to either individually or jointly. Few participated in the lunch of cold meat, cheese and bread because of pursuing their affairs. Unlike breakfast, lunch was served in the drawing room.

Dinner, served at five, consisted of five dishes, beginning with fish and ending with cheese. Desserts and drinks, except for beer, were the responsibility of the boarders. After dinner, men lingered with their wine.

After spending about four years in Great Britain, Lach-Szyrma published his observations on the country in Polish, but this rich resource was not published in English until 2009 when it was translated into English, annotated by Mona Kedslie McLeod of Edinburgh University, and published as London Observed. – Cheryl Bolen’s three Pride and Prejudice novellas have now been published in one volume, available in print or digital and titled Pride and Prejudice Sequels. Her Georgian novella Only You has just been released electronically and sells for $.99.

English Country Dancing

by Guest Author, Jenna Jaxon

English Country Dance

One of the standards in English ballrooms, known as early as 15th century is the country dance, or “contra dance” that you will find mentioned very often in literature through the 19th and into the 20th century, and especially during the Regency period. A country dance is performed often in longways sets, and danced in sets of two or three couples, but may be danced by as many as four, although rarely with five or six couples. In Pride and Prejudice, you may remember, Mr. Bingley vows that he loves nothing so much as a country dance.
In the usual make-up of two couple sets, partners will dance with each other, and with each of the other couples in their set. Through the various figures of each dance (almost every piece of music had its own dance associated with it), the first couple progresses down the line, changing or progressing to the next set of couples. When they reached the end of the lines, they are usually left out for one full completion (during which they can actually converse together for a time!) before being progressed back into the set, now as the second couple. “Sir Roger de Coverly,” “Mad Robin,” and “Jamaica” ae all longways sets, although one list has some 550 different country dances in it, the majority longways sets.
Fortunately, today, in English Country Dances, the different figures are called by a caller, just as in square dancing, at least until you get the hang of the steps. During the 18th and 19th centuries, they didn’t often call the dances, however, a list of the dances to be performed were usually given ahead of time, so the dancers could familiarize themselves with the dances.
If a lady is engaged to dance with a gentleman, they are partners. In the set, you also have a neighbor, the person standing next to you (if a lady, the lady next to you), and you have a corner, the person on the diagonal to you. Most dances are done with a walking step or a skipping step. (And believe it or not, this gives you quite a workout!) Usually the dance begins with an “honor,” a bow or curtsey, and often a dance movement called “set to” as in “set to your partner.” This is a small sideways moving step, first right, then left. After this, it all depends on the dance itself. Dancers may be called on to “circle” (usually left then right), to “cast,” meaning to turn away from your partner and move down one place along the outside of the set, to “star” (a circle in which corners hold hands creating a star formation), or “hey,” a weaving figure in which you take hands and weave all the way around your set.
English Country Dancing is a major component in my newest series, Handful of Hearts. Each book of the series begins on the same night, at Lady Hamilton’s ball. So almost all of my couples dance during that night or others during their time of courtship. Heart of Desire, Book 2 of the series, has several dancing sequences using these and other country dance figures. I hope you enjoy them!

HEART OF DESIRE

Follow your heart to find your desire

Miss Katherine Locke is irked to start her third season dancing with the disagreeable Lord Haversham, her brother’s friend and her own arch enemy. After three years out, however, she’s finally interested in the dashing Lord Finley—only to find out her cousin has set her cap for him too. To make the man jealous, Kate feigns interest in Lord Haversham, only to be shocked to find the handsome lord apparently falling for her. With time running out, should she accept his suit and risk falling in love despite herself?

Marcus, Lord Haversham, is in a tight pinch. His estates are failing and worse, he’s just lost three thousand pounds to his best friend, Lord Ainsley. Ainsley’s solution: have Marcus marry his shrewish sister and he’ll cancel his gambling debt plus give him ten thousand more pounds for her dowry. With nowhere to turn, Marcus agrees, praying he can keep word of the wager from Miss Locke long enough to charm her into marrying him. But can he avoid falling in love himself?

EXCERPT
The music had a lively air and Miss Katherine Locke would’ve thought herself fortunate to be out again in Society after a long, cold, dull winter in Somerset save that her partner, Lord Haversham, was the rudest man in London. Well, his lordship was about to discover that Kate Locke was not one to suffer fools lightly.
“So you refuse to allow your sister to waltz, yet you are quite willing to stand up with me and dance this, according to you, most scandalous of dances.” Kate smiled into the odious wretch’s face. “My lord, I should say that smacks of hypocrisy.”
“Indeed.” Lord Haversham turned them skillfully at the end of the floor. “I would say it showed a want of character in your brother for allowing you to dance it with me. The waltz should be danced by married couples and no one else.” He pulled her close against him, so their bodies almost touched.
She gasped at her proximity to the rogue. How dare he make a spectacle of them on this crowded dance floor?
“You see?” he whispered, peering into her face, his gaze intent upon her mouth.
All she could see were his cool gray eyes, as the crisp scent of his sandalwood cologne filled her nose.
“Ainsley should be horsewhipped for allowing it.”
“I’ll see to it he horsewhips you if you don’t let me go.” Kate gave a hopping step and smashed her foot down on top of his.
Lord Haversham lurched forward, actually falling onto her.
For the briefest moment, they stood pressed together in a warm embrace that made Kate tingle all over. Then outrage swept through her, and she pushed him away. “How dare you,” she seethed, trying to pull away from him.
“That was your fault, and you know it. And if you make a scene that results in me having to marry you, I swear I will lock you in the tower at my grandfather’s castle and throw away the key.” Lord Haversham righted himself and smiled at her with clenched teeth.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jenna Jaxon is a best-selling, multi-published author of historical romance in periods ranging from medieval to Victorian.  She has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager.  A romantic herself, she has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise.  She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own stories. She lives in Virginia with her family and two rambunctious cats, Marmalade and Suger.  When not reading or writing, she indulges her passion for the theatre, working with local theatres as a director.  She often feels she is directing her characters on their own private stage.

Jenna is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America and is very active in Chesapeake Romance Writers, her local chapter of RWA.

She has equated her writing to an addiction to chocolate because once she starts she just can’t stop.

FIND JENNA HERE:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jenna-Jaxon/146857578723570
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jenna_Jaxon
Blog: https://jennajaxon.wordpress.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4960704.Jenna_Jaxon

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History of British Folk Music

Folk music, created by ordinary people and often shaped by events in their lives, was handed down from one generation to another. Many of the British folk songs I found were silly or bawdy. Some sung by sailors revealed their homesickness and hope for safe journey. However, a great number were sad or at least bittersweet, giving a glimpse into their sorrows and heartbreaks. Dozens of them are still sung today by families and by professional artists.

What are the origins of these wonderful tunes? By definition, folk music, also known as World Music, has no identifiable origin. Widely sung and widely known, this kind of music belongs to the people. It is meant to be sung, shared, and enjoyed freely. Many of these well-known folk songs date back at least to the time of the Anglo-Saxons in England.

Folk music is as different from court music as peasants differ from royalty. While court music required orchestral instruments and often the harpsichord, folk music could be played by instruments the common folk possessed including the lute, dulcimer, tabor (a type of drum), bagpipe, hurdy-gurdy (an early-day fiddle), and reed instruments such as the shawm and crumhorn. I suspect a great number of the folk simply sang the familiar tunes as they worked or when they gathered. Since most of the common folk could not read or write, they handed down their music orally and learned it aurally. For this reason, the tunes and even the words changed a bit depending on the locale that performs it.

Probably one of the most well-known folk songs of today is Danny Boy. The King's Singers have a beautiful recording of this piece:

As a child, I heard many of them sung by various groups such as Paul Simon and Art Garfunkle. They do a lovely version of Scarborough Fair. You can view the YouTube video with lyrics here:

You can also find a great number of British folk songs here and I suspect you will recognize a great number of them:

http://www.contemplator.com/england/

What are some of your favorite British folk songs we still sing today?