Regency Trivia: Holding up One’s Hair.

For some reason, I decided to make sure my use of “hairpin” was correct and used during the Regency. Imagine my surprise to learn the first written mention of a hairpin was in 1818. Now, we all know that spoken words are frequently used for up to 20 years before anyone writes them down in something that will be preserved. That said, it was interesting. It was then I went down the rabbit-hole. Fortunately, it wasn’t a long one. In 1725, hairpins were called hair-needles. The first mention of a pin for the hair was 1580, when a “bodkin” or big needle was used to keep hair up. In the late 18^th century they were called “skewers.”

Instruments used to hold hair up were made of wood, bone, and metals. Bone hair pins date from to the Romans. Unfortunately, we don’t know what they were called.

#RegencyTrivia #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalRomance

Read Full Post »

Regency Trivia – The 1830s Gown

We rarely mention the 1830’s gowns. So, while I was researching something else (the story of my life) I found a few videos on 1830s gowns and other things. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrX2Qsyy77Q

#RegencyRomance #HistoricalFiction #Regency #ReadaRegency

Read Full Post »

Release Day for Believe in Me!

It’s finally release day for Believe in Me!

Marriage has worked out quite nicely for her older sisters, yet Lady Augusta Vivers is certain it would end her studies in languages and geography, and stop her from travelling. But when her mother thwarts her plan to attend the only university in Europe that accepts women—in Italy—she is forced to agree to one London Season. Spending her time at parties proves an empty diversion—until she encounters the well-traveled Lord Phineas Carter-Wood. Still, Europe awaits . . .

Phineas has studied architecture all over the world, yet Augusta is his most intriguing discovery yet. How can he resist a woman who loves maps and far-off lands? But her longing for all things foreign hinders any hope of courtship. When he learns her cousins have offered a trip to Europe, he secretly arranges to join their party. For he is determined to show Augusta that a real union is a thrilling adventure of its own. And when their journey is beset by dangerous obstacles, he gets far more opportunity than he bargained for . . .

Amazon https://amzn.to/2kBb73b

B&N http://bit.ly/2HUgIuC

BAM http://bit.ly/2HVvHEG

Google Play http://bit.ly/2lfQCJQ

Kobo http://bit.ly/2sjC2VE

iBooks https://apple.co/2xtw0GN

Read Full Post »

Regency Trivia – How Boys Learned to Dance

During Regency dancing was an extremely important skill to have. Everyone from the very poor to the very rich learned to dance. The only differences were the types of dances, the way they were preformed, and where they were held.

Boys began learning to dance at young children, about the age of five or six. The same time girls started. As the dances became more complicated—and they were during the Regency—young men had dancing instructors to teach them the steps and refine their skills. There were even children’s “balls” where they could practice.

Two resources are “The Complete System of English Country Dancing,” by Mr. Wilson, a dancing master of the time, and “A Dance with Jane Austen: How a Novelist and Her Characters Went to the Ball” by Susannah Fullerton

 

#RegencyTrivia #HistoricalRomance #Regency #ReadaRegency

 

Read Full Post »

Regency Trivia – How Being Married Changed Your Life

Marriage was a truly life changing event for a lady during the Regency. Here are at least some of the ways life changed.

When you went for a walk you could go with just a friend, or even a gentleman who was not your husband without benefit of a maid or footman. Although, going alone in London, even Mayfair, was not well advised.

You were allowed in a closed coach alone, with a coachman with a gentleman who was not your husband or close relative.

You could wear any color you wanted.

You did not have to dance with a man just because he asked you to dance.

You could have a gentleman escort you to a ball or other event, and he didn’t have to be your husband or a close relative.

You were privy to scandalous conversations the other matrons and widows were having.

You could take a lover (although, most husbands like discretion).

You could spend time in the card room.

You could speak with a gentleman without a “proper” introduction.

You were no longer asked to show your proficiency on a musical instrument.

Unless your husband was really unreasonable, no one read your correspondence.

You were in charge of your own household and household staff (except for the butler who always worked for the master if there was one)

You could hire your own lady’s maid if you didn’t like the one your mother selected for you.

 

#RegencyTrivia #HistoricalRomance #ReadaRegency #Historical

Read Full Post »

Regency Trivia – Dressing

This video is mostly accurate as it pertains to dressing during the Regency. The one part that stands out as inaccurate is the term palettes for drawers. The OED dates the US word to 1843. One almost must remember that Mary Shelley was a scandalous young woman.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91sRADqHQlM

Read Full Post »

Regency Trivia – When Was a Child Legitimate

When this question was asked I thought I’d addressed the subject previously, but apparently not. During the Regency, a child was a child of the marriage as long the child was born during the marriage, and the husband did not disclaim it. That is to say the child was the husband’s lawful and legitimate child—also known in the case of sons—as the heir of his body. It wasn’t until the late 1980’s that a man could dispute the legitimacy of a child born during the marriage, and it wasn’t until the 1990s that the biological father of the child could make a legal claim to be recognized as the child’s father when the mother was married to another man at the time of the child’s birth. All of this very helpfully came about as DNA started to be used in the courts to determine paternity. Although, DNA had been around since the 1960s, courts are notoriously slow to recognize new scientific methods.

#RegencyTrivia #HistoricalRomance #ReadaRegency #

Read Full Post »

Regency Trivia – The Dos and Don’ts of Being in the Company of Men.

I am going to assume this question is in regards to an unmarried lady who is not betrothed to the gentleman. This is probably not a complete list, but here goes:

A lady cannot be alone with a gentleman who is not either a very close relative (father, grandfather, brother, uncle) or guardian in a closed room or a closed carriage, or a carriage that either the lady or the gentleman is not driving.

A lady must have a chaperone of some sort (friend, maid, footman) when she is walking with a gentleman.

A lady may not speak with a gentleman if he has not been properly introduced to her.

A lady who must accept a dance offer from a gentleman if she has an open set left. If she does not, she cannot dance that set with another gentleman. Unless, of course, a gentleman strolls up and says, “My dance I believe.” Thus saving her from the man she doesn’t wish to stand up with.

A lady may not dance more than twice in one evening with a gentleman. This could get interesting as there could be as many as four entertainments in one evening.

A lady may ride in a sporting carriage with a gentleman without a chaperone to some place like the Park. She may not take off to Richmond (for example) alone with him.

She must have a groom with her when she goes horseback riding with a gentleman.

A lady may not accept jewelry or clothing from a gentleman. She may accept trifles such as flowers, poems, a fan, etc.

 

#RegencyTrivia #HistoricalRomance #ReadaRegency

Read Full Post »

Regency Trivia – Underage Marriage

I did address this in my post on marriage, but I’ll go into more depth based on the question I received.

There were two ways a minor could marry, with permission of her parent or guardian or fleeing to Gretna Green (one could have bans posted, but they’d probably be caught). If a minor was an orphan, he or she would most likely have a guardian. In fact, it would be very unusual for the minor not to have a guardian. A guardian was appointed by a will made by the father, or, if the mother had guardianship, by her. However, if there was no guardian, or the guardian has disappeared, then the minor would either have to wait until his or her majority (at 21 years of age), or go to Scotland to wed. The mere permission of the closest male relative would not be sufficient. The guardian would have to be appointed by either a will or a court.

#RegencyTrivia #HistoricalRomance #ReadaRegency

Read Full Post »

Regency Trivia – Private Parlors in Inns

You’ve all read about the private parlors in inns. Most inns catering to the gentry and aristocracy had at least one or more private parlors. The reason for private parlors is so that ladies were not in the common room where they could be exposed to swearing, bad manners, drunks, etc. And for gentlemen who did not wish to rub shoulders with the common man to have some privacy. Private parlors were quieter, cleaner, and warmer in winter.

So how did one rent a private parlor? One could reserve the parlor a head of time by writing the inn, or one could walk in and ask for a private parlor. If all the inn’s private parlors were occupied, a traveler could ask if they could share the room. The occupant did not have to allow it. The room was either reserved a head of time or it was first come first serve.

The pictures below give you an idea of the difference.

#RegencyTrivia #HistoricalRomance #ReadaRegency

Read Full Post »