Divorce

From 

The Law-dictionary: Explaining the Rise, Progress and Present State of the British Law:

DIVORCE, The separation of two, de facto married together, made by law: it is a judgment spiritual; and therefore, if there be occasion, it ought to be reversed in the spiritual court. Co. Lit. 385. And, besides sentence of divorce, in the old law, the woman divorced was to have of her husband a writing called a bill of divorce, which was to this effect; viz. I promise that hereafter I will lay no claim to thee, &c.—See title Baron and Feme, III. 2. VI. and particularly XI. See also title Marriage.

There are many divorces mentioned in our books; as causa prct contractus; causa frigiditatis; causd consanguinitatis; causa affinitatis; causa professions, &c. But the usual divorces are only of two kinds, i. e. a mensa Sf thoro, from bed and board; and a vinculo matrimonii, from the very bond of marriage. 

A divorce a mensa thoro dissolveth not the marriage; for the cause of it is subsequent to the marriage, and supposes the marriage to be lawful: this divorce may be by reason of adultery in either of the parties, for cruelty of the husband, &c. And as it doth not dissolve the marriage, so it doth not debar the woman of her dower, or bastardize the issue, or make void any estate for the life of husband and wife, &c. Co. Lit. 235. 3 Inst. 89. 7 Rep. 43. The woman under separation by this divorce must sue by her next friend; and she may sue her husband in her own name for alimony. Wood's Inst.62.

A divorce a vinculo matrimonii, absolutely dissolves the marriage, and makes it void from the beginning, the causes of it being precedent to the marriage; as precontract with some other person, consanguinity or affinity, within the Levitical degrees, impotency, impuberty, &c. On this divorce dower is pone; and if, by reason of precontract, consanguinity, or affinity, the children begotten between them are bastards. Co. Rii. 335. 2 Inst. 93, 687. 

But in these divorces, the wife, it is said, shall receive all again that she brought with her, because the nullity of the marriage arises through some impediment; and the goods of the wife were given for her advancement in marriage, which now ceaseth; but this is where the goods are not spent; and if the husband give them away during the coverture, without any collusion, it shall bind her: if she knows her goods unspent, she may bring action of detinue for them; and as for money, &c. which cannot be known, she must sue in the spiritual court. Dyer. 62. Nels. Abr. 675. This divorce enables the parties to marry again. But in the other cases, a power for so doing must be obtained by act of parliament.

Where lands were formerly given to husband and wife; and the heirs of their bodies in frank marriage; if they had been afterwards divorced, the wife was to have her whole lands; and by divorce an estate tail of baron and feme, it is said may be extinct. Godb. 18. After a sentence of divorce is given in the spiritual court causa precontracts, the issue of that marriage shall be bastards, so long as the sentence stands unrepealed: and no proof shall be admitted at Common-law to the contrary. Co. Lit. 235. 1 Nels. 674. In such case issue of a second marriage may inherit until the sentence is repealed. 2 Leon. 207.

 If after a divorce a mensa et thoro, either of the parties marry again, the other being living, such marriage is a mere nullity; and by sentence to confirm the first contract, she and her first husband become husband and wife to all intents, without any formal divorce from the second. 1 Leon. 173. Also on this divorce,as the marriage continues, marrying again while either party is living, hath been held to be bigamy within the stat. Uac. c.ll.—Cro.Car.333. 1 Nels.67-t.

A divorce for adultery was anciently a vinculo matrimonii; and therefore in the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth the opinion of the church 'of England was, that after a divorce for adultery, the parties might marry again; but in Foliambe's case H. 44 El.in the star-chamber, that opinion was changed; and archbishop Bancroft, by the advice of divines, held, that adultery was only a cause of divorce h mensa et thoro. 3 Salk. 138.

Sentence of divorce must be given in the life of the parties, and not afterwards: but it may be repealed in the spiritual court, after the death of the parties. Co. Lit. S3. 244. 7 Rep. 44. 5 Rep. 98. Upon the divorce of a man and his wife, equity will not assist the wife in recovering dower, at the husband's death, but shall leave her to the law; neither' ought the spiritual court to grant her administration, she not  being such a wife as is entitled to it; nor will the Chancer decree her a distributive share. Preced, Cane. Ill, 115,

Divorces may be obtained by act of parliament: and for 1 this purpose it is necessary that on the petition for the bill to the House of Lords, (where such bill usually originates) that an official copy of the proceedings, and definitive sentence of divorce a mensa e thoro, in the Ecclesiastical Courts, at the suit of the petitioner, shall be delivered at the bar on oath.—

Upon the second reading of the bill, the petitioner must attend the house to be examined at the bar, if the house think fit, whether there is any collusion respecting the act of adultery, or the divorce, or any action for Crim. Con.; and whether the wife was living apart from her husband under articles of separation. In all divorce bills must be contained a clause prohibiting the offending parties from intermarrying with each other, and evidence must be given, in the committee of the House of Commons, on the bill, that an action for damages has been brought against the seducer, and judgment for the plaintiff had thereon; or a sufficient reason given why such action was not brought, or judgment obtained. See the Standing Orders of the Two Houses.

A gentleman's servants

From Lord Chesterfield's letters to his son, which are an excellent insight into the life of

a gentleman in the mid 18th century, just a little earlier than the Malloren novels. 

"I would neither have that man, nor him whom you 
have already, put out of livery, which makes them both 
impertinent and useless. 

I am sure that, as soon as you 
shall have taken the other servant, your present man will 
press extremely to be out of livery, and (become) valet de chambre ; 
which is as much as to say, that he will curl your hair, and 
shave you, but not condescend to do anything else. 

I therefore advise you never to have a servant out of livery ; 
and though you may not always think proper to carry the 
servant who dresses you abroad in the rain and dirt, behind 
a coach or before a chair, yet keep it in your power to do 
so, if you please, by keeping him in livery."

Interesting distinctions that they take for granted. The valet de chambre was a high-ranking

servant and almost a companion. He would dress in style, and if he accompanied his employer

he would travel in the coach, or have a sedan chair of his own. Livery placed him closer to a footman. 

Not Georgian, but Regency -- RITA winning An Unwilling Bride is newly available now.

Enjoy!

Jo 

Arson in London

The book I'm finishing now, A Scandalous Countess, takes place in 1765, mostly in London, mostly in June.

I thought this event from the time had an unfortunate echo of current events. "A most desolating species of villainy seems to gain ground among the abandoned crew, that infest this metropolis, who, by setting fire to old buildings, sheds, and work-shops, burn down dwelling houses, and thereby facilitate the meant of robbery, on the profits of which they subsist. No lest than 7 or 8 discoveries of trains laid for this desperate putpose have been discovered and defeated within a few weeks. It is hoped, therefore, that sime severe law will be made to prevent a crime, which, one would think, the most profligate wretch in the world would tremble at the consequences of committirg."
The Gentleman's Magazine, 1765

Grosvenor Square

London Online has many interesting articles about London in the past.

There's a whole section about Grosvenor Square, a fashionable place in the 18th century and now.

There's a list of the residents in 1751
" the Rate Books for 1751 show that the Marchioness of Blandford, the Earl of Halifax, Sir James Dashwood, Lord Guernsey, the Duchess of Somerset, the Countess of Thanet, Lord Maynard, Peter Delmé, Lord Carpenter (who probably moved from Hanover Square where he was living in 1725), Dudley North, Lord de la Warr and the Earl of Jersey all resided here, all paying rental rates varying from £130 to £140. "


The section also says, "The earliest mention of any individual house in the Square is in 1739, when, according to the Gentleman's Magazine, the centre house on the east side, which had been built by a Simmons, was raffled for and won by two people named Hunt and Braithwaite. The possessors valued it at £10,000, but two months later they sold it to the Duke of Norfolk for £7,000."


So raffling off houses isn't a new thing.


Explore and enjoy!

An Unlikely Countess has absolutely no scenes set in London, never mind Grosvenor Square, but it is out now.

Jo :)

video

Inspired by the Oscars*G* I created a video over the weekend, mostly as a way to show some of the locations of An Unlikely Countess, though giving them context turned it into a bit of a book trailer.

Anyway, it was fun. If you want to do something with still images, I recommend Photo Story. It's an old programme, but it's a free download it from Microsoft, and once you learn its fairly simple ways, it's easy to use.

If you like it, I'd be delighted if you passed it on via Facebook, Twitter, and the usual places.
 Here's the link.

As you'll gather, my new book, An Unlikely Countess, is out soon. Like... tomorrow!

There's an excerpt here.

The cover is there, too. Google/blogger seems to have done something that means I can't post pictures.

Cheers,

Jo

A Valentine's poem

Is this some other odd mating ritual?

Below we have dreadful poetry, even dreadful doggerel, but it shows the traditions of the past. The one referred to is when the names of unmarried men were put in one bowl and of unmarried women in another. Then each picked a name from the opposite bowl.

Verses to a young Lady in Hull, presented on
Valentine-Day. (1755)

Since Valentine, that Saint benign,
To all the Sons of Adam,
Did leave this Day, as who should lay,
Let each Man chuse his Madam.

Then blame who can, since I'm the man.
As much as is my daddy ;
If I persue, and wish for you,
More than sot other lady.

You are my right, for yesternight,
With scrips of paper rolled
I drew your name, which made my flame,
Too high to be controlled.

Now every night, your image bright,
A moment leaves me never ;
O that it wou'd, be still so good,
With joy I'd sleep for ever.

Grant then, dear miss, some hopes of bliss.
If I deserve your notice ;
If not be free, and let me see,
My chance, not worth a groat is.

But if you frown, or tell the town,
My passion then is over;
For if you be, not kind to me,
At once you lose a lover.

But should you fear, my plaint to hear,
Nor e'er intend to do it,
There's, no such man, prove it who can,
As Valentine or poet.

May you enjoy St. Valentine's Day, however you mark it.

Jo

A little bit more on coach travel.

From a letter by Benjamin Franklin re December 1764
"You wonder how I did to travel 72 Miles in a short winter Day...But the Roads here are so good, with Post Chaises and fresh Horses every ten or twelve Miles, that it is no difficult Matter. A Lady that I know has come from Edinburgh to London, being 400 Miles, in three Days and half"

Ben Franklin on breakfast

He's not specifically talking about breakfast, but there's interesting information there about the range of foods eaten.

 This is from  History Caper

I've added the paragraphing to make it easier to read.

The Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser

January 1766

---

"Homespun" Celebrates Indian Corn

To the PRINTER.
VINDEX PATRIAE, a writer in your paper, comforts himself, and the India Company, with the fancy, that the Americans, should they resolve to drink no more tea, can by no means keep that resolution, their Indian corn not affording "an agreeable, or easy digestible breakfast."

Pray let me, an American, inform the gentleman, who seems quite ignorant of the matter, that Indian corn, take it for all in all, is one of the most agreeable and wholesome grains in the world; that its green ears roasted are a delicacy beyond expression; that samp, hominy, succatash, and nokehock, made of it, are so many pleasing varieties; and that a johny, or hoe-cake, hot from the fire, is better than a Yorkshire muffin --

But if Indian corn were as disagreeable and indigestible as the Stamp Act, does he imagine we can get nothing else for breakfast? -- Did he never hear that we have oatmeal in plenty, for water-gruel or burgoo; as good wheat, rye, and barley as the world affords, to make frumenty; or toast and ale; that there is every where plenty of milk, butter, and cheese; that rice is one of our staple commodities; that for tea, we have sage and bawm in our gardens, the young leaves of the sweet white hickery or walnut, and, above all, the buds of our pine, infinitely preferable to any tea from the Indies; while the islands yield us plenty of coffee and chocolate? --

Let the gentleman do us the honour of a visit in America, and I will engage to breakfast him every day in the month with a fresh variety, without offering him either tea or Indian corn.

-- As to the Americans using no more of the former, I am not sure they will take such a resolution; but if they do, I fancy they will not lightly break it. I question whether the army proposed to be sent among them, would oblige them to swallow a drop more of tea than they chuse to swallow; for, as the proverb says, though one man may lead a horse to the water, ten can't make him drink. Their resolutions have hitherto been pretty steadily kept.

They resolved to wear no more mourning; -- and it is now totally out of fashion with near two millions of people; and yet nobody sighs for Norwich crapes, or any other of the expensive, flimsey, rotten, black stuffs and cloths you used to send us for that purpose, with the frippery gauses, loves, ribbands, gloves, &c.;thereunto belonging. --

They resolved last spring to eat no more lamb; and not a joint of lamb has since been seen on any of their tables, throughout a country of 1500 miles extent, but the sweet little creatures are all alive to this day, with the prettiest fleeces on their backs imaginable.

Mr. VINDEX's very civil letter will, I dare say, be printed in all our provincial news papers, from Nova Scotia to Georgia; and together with the other kind, polite, and humane epistles of your correspondents PACIFICUS, TOM HINT, &c.;&c. contribute not a little to strengthen us in every resolution that may be of advantage, to our country at least, if not to yours. HOMESPUN.
The Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser, January 2, 1766

Coach travel

(I posted this in response to a question on my Malloren World Wiki about how travel worked in the 18th and early 19th centuries.)

It's a bit complicated, but some people used their own horses for the whole journey. In that case they would travel more slowly as the horses would need rest, food, and water.

A few very rich people would either keep their own horses along routes they traveled frequently -- ie Rothgar Abbey to London.

An alternative for the rich planning a journey in advance would be to send out teams of horses to await along the route. But that would be extraordinary.

Mostly those with money would hire both chaise and horses right from the start and travel at speed because the chaise was a light vehicle and they'd change the team every 10 miles or so.

Most people who traveled did so by a public coach or by wagon, as Petra does in A Lady's Secret. Or walked.

BTW, if traveling by chaise, there were connection options.
1. If they were a long way from the post roads someone from home could drive them to the inn, or a plain coach from the posting inn could come to collect them.
2. If they were nearby and the road not too rough, the chaise would come to the door.

Cheers,

Jo

A template for a Regency ball?

The following is from Thomas Peacock's novel Headlong Hall. Though it's satirical, we can assume that the details of the ball are accurate. I've given the main points below in italics and made bold the text evidence that comes after. I've also cut out chunks that were irrelevant to this. The text is available on line if you want to read it all. Some of the text below is garbled.

A "set" was two dances. So the "first set" is two dances, but a lady would take one partner for the two. Thus, a set. Each set lasts half an hour. That would be a pretty good workout, I think. In this case supper was served after the third set, and included musical performances by the guests. They then returned to the ballroom for more sets.

Balls started late and went on till dawn. Guests didn't sleep at the house. They took breakfast and went home.

After having danced a set with a lady, a gentleman may not dance the next, but he can reclaim her, if she's willing, for the one after.

I have cut this from below this, which was a commonly held position on the benefits of a dance.

"It has the advantage of bringing young persons of both sexes together, in a manner which its publicity renders perfectly unexceptionable, enabling them to see and know each other better than, perhaps, any other mode of general association. Tete-atetes are dangerous things. Small family parties are too much under mutual observation. A ball-room appears to me almost the only scene uniting that degree of rational and innocent liberty of intercourse, which it is desirable to promote as much as possible between young persons, with that scrupulous attention to the delicacy and propriety of female conduct, which I consider the fundamental basis of all our most valuable social relations."

Another passage. "As to the men, the case is very nearly the same with them. To be sure, they have the privilege of making the first advances, and are, therefore, less liable to have an odious partner forced upon them: though this sometimes happens, as I know by woeful experience : but it is seldom they can procure the very partner they prefer, and when they do, the absurd necessity of changing every two dances forces them away, and leaves them only the miserable alternative of taking up with Boiiieiiuiig, uiaagrecabls perhaps in itself, and at all events rendered so by contrast, or of retreating into some solitary corner, to vent their spleen on the first idle coxcomb they can find."

The following is the original text, cut about a bit.

The ball-room was adorned with great taste and elegance, under the direction of Miss Caprioletta and her friend Miss Cephalis, who were themselves its most beautiful ornaments, even though romantic Meirion, the pre-eminent in loveliness, sent many of its loveliest daughters to grace the festive scene.

Numberless were the solicitations of the dazzled swains of Cambria for the honour of the two first dances with the one or the other of these fascinating friends: but little availed, on this occasion, the pedigree lineally traced from Caractacus or King Arthur: their two philosophical lovers, neither of whom could have given the least account of his great-great-grandfather, had engaged them many days before.

Mr. Panoscope chafed and fretted like Conwy in his bed of rocks, when the object of his adoration stood up with his rival: but he consoled himself with a lively damsel from the vale of Llwyd, having first compelled Miss Cephalis to promise him her hand for the fourth set.

The ball was accordingly opened by Miss Caprioletta and Mr. Foster...

When the two first dances wore ended, Mr. Escot, who did not choose to dance with any one but his adorable Cephalis, looking round for a convenient seat, discovered Mr. Jenkison in a corner by the side of the Reverend Doctor, who was keeping excellent time with his nose to the lively melody of the harp and fiddle. Mr. Escot seated himself by the side of Mr. Jenkison, and inquired if he took no part in the amusement of the night ?

ME. JENKISON.

No. The universal cheerfulness of the company induces me to rise: the trouble of such violent exercise induces me to sit still. Did I see a young lady in want of a partner, gallantry would incite me to offer myself as her devoted knight for half an hour: hut as I perceive there are enough without me, that motive is null. I have been weighing these points pro and con, and remain in statu quo.

MR. ESCOT.

MR. ESCOT.

...Then suddenly place before him a chandelier, a fiddler, and a magnificent beau in silk stockings and pumps, bounding, skipping, swinging, capering, and throwing himself into ten thousand attitudes, till his face glows with fever, and distils with perspiration: the first impulse excited in his mind by such an apparition, will be that of violent fear, which, by the reiterated perception of its harmlessness, will subside into simple astonishment. Then let any genius, sufficiently werful to impress on his mind all the terms of the communication, impart to him, that, after a long process of ages, when his race shall have attained what some people think proper to denominate a very advanced stage of perfectibility, the most favoured and distinguished of the community shall meet by hundreds, to grin, and labour, and gesticulate, like the phantasma before him, from sunset to sunrise, while all nature is at rest, and that they shall consider this a happy and pleasurable mode of existence, and furnishing the most delightful of all possible contrasts to what they will call his vegetative state—would he not groan from his inmost soul for the lamentable condition of his posterity ?

The spcond set of dances was now terminated, and Mr. Escot flew off to reclaim the hand of the beautiful Cephalis, with whom he figured away with surprising alacrity, and probably felt at least as happy among the chandeliers and silk stockings, at which he had just been railing, as he would have been in an American forest, making one in an In

Squire Headlong was now beset by his maiden aunt, Miss Brindle-mew Grimalkin Phoebe Tabitha Ap-Headlong, on one side, and Sir Patrick OTrism on the other: the former insisting that he should immediately procure her a partner; the latter earnestly requesting the same interference in behalf of Miss Philomela Poppyseed. The Squire thought to emancipate himself from his two petitioners by making them dance with each other; but Sir Patrick vehemently pleading a prior engagement, the Squire threw his eyes around till they alighted on Mr. Jenkison and the Reverend Doctor Gaster; both of whom, after waking the latter, he pressed into the service. The Doctor, arising with a strange kind of guttural sound, which was half a yawn and half a groan, was handed by the officious Squire to Miss Philomela, who received him with sullen dignity: she had not yet forgotten his falling asleep during the first chapter of her novel, while she was condescending to detail to him the outline of four superlative volumes. The Doctor, on his part, had most completely forgotten it; and though he thought there was something in her physiognomy rather more forbidding than usual, he gave himself no concern about the cause, and had not the least suspicion that it was at all connected with himself. Miss Grimalkin was very well contented with Mr. Jenkison, and gave him two or three ogles, accompanied by a most risible distortion of countenance, which she intended for a captivating smile. As to Mr. Jenkison, it was all one to him with whom he danced, or whether lie danced or not: he was, therefore, just as well pleased as if he had been left alone in his corner : which is probably more than could have been said of any other human being under similar circumstances.

At the end of the third set, supper was announced, and the party, pairing off like turtles, adjourned to the supper-room. The Squire was now the happiest of mortal men, and the little butler the most laborious. The centre of the largest table was decorated with a model of Snowdon, surmounted with an enormous artificial leek, the leaves of angelica, and the bulb of blanc-mange. A little way from the summit was a tarn, or mountain-pool, supplied through concealed tubes with an inexhaustible flow of milkpunch, which, dashing in cascades down the miniature rocks, fell into the more capacious lake below, washing the mimic foundations of Headlong Hall. The Reverend Doctor handed Miss Philomela to the chair most conveniently situated for enjoying this interesting scene, protesting he had never before been sufficiently impressed with the magnificence of that mountain, which he now perceived to be well worthy of all the fame it had obtained.

Now when they had eaten and were satisfied," Squire Headlong called on Mr. Chromatic for a song: who, with the assistance of his two accomplished daughters, regaled the ears of the

Squire Headlong returned thanks with an appropriate libation, and the company returned to the ball-room, where they kept it up till sun-rise, when the little butler summoned them to breakfast.

My next book featuring a Regency ball is the reissue of Forbidden Magic. Read an excerpt here.

Cheers,

Jo

A faery curse in Georgian England.

"My favorites include Neil Gaiman’s The Thing About Cassandra, Jo Beverley’s The Marrying Maid..."

That's from a review here of Songs of Love and Death, an SF anthology edited by Gardner Dozois and George RR Martin.

And then I'm linked with Diana Gabaldon.
"Two of my top picks along with Diana Gabaldon would be Jo Beverley with her inventive tale "The Marrying Maid" inspired by Titania and Oberon's continual toying with humankind..."

Read more here.

The stories range from contemporary to historical, from horror to romance. You can guess where my story fits! It's Georgian and completely a romance, but tangled up with an ancient faery curse that could kill my hero and all his family.

Available now in hardcover, Kindle, and other e-book forms.

Enjoy!

Jo

World War I ships

Have a bit of spare time? Old Weather is looking for people to transcribe the logs of Royal Navy ships during the First World War. They're primarily gathering weather data to add to what we know about weather trends in the 20th century, but historians and others are also hoping to glean a bit of extra information from the notes added to the logs. Mostly they're boring day-to-day, but every now and then there are names, which could be useful -- for example to people doing genealogy -- and sometimes dramas such as sickness and death.

This can't be computerized as computers are bad at reading handwriting.

You don't have to commit to any amount of time and could just do a little now and then, but it could be both useful and interesting. I did a bit, and I'll go back now and then, and it's easy once you've done a couple.

Click here to see more.

Let me know if you try it, and how it goes!

Jo

A self-made Georgian gentleman

I've blogged about the Aske Hall in Yorkshire, and the man who built it.

Come and read the story. http://www.wordwenches.com

Jo

more travel

I'm adding more about travel because in addition to sharing this stuff with interested readers, it's a way to file it on line in case I need it on he road!

In the days of machinery, however, the magnates generally travelled to London by other means. One mode was the procession of nine or ten days in all the solemn state of lonely grandeur; (as related in the previous blog) the other by obtaining a partner in the lighter expense of a chaise.* " Wanted," says a Darlinijton Mercury of 1773, " a partner in a post chaise to London, on Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday next. Enquire of the Post Master in Darlington."

In the Ettrick Diary there is a curious and painful account of a journey to London, performed by the squire and his lady on horseback ; of their misery and consternation when their horse "Dragon" fell lame ; and of tlie frightful expenses of the journey, which are partly accounted for by the dolorous husband, " because his wife would have all her own way.'

In days of old, there was a discreet decree among travellers on horseback, and even by stage coach, that when Sunday came, it should be a day of rest for both man and beast in the slow progress on the road.

About 80 years ago, there was but one post chaise in Darlington, and it had only three wheels. When another innkeeper set up an opposition chaise to it, the rival hosts adopted the practice which prevailed up to a recent period at bathing places, of watching the approach of chaises into the town, and handing cards to the travellers, soliciting their favours.

Here's the account of a journey. The book scan isn't great. I've corrected where I'm sure, but left the rest. The money is in pounds, shillings, and pence. l for pound, which is easily missed. s or / for shillings. d for pence. So 21. 3s. 5d should be 2l 3s 5d -- two pounds, three shillings, and five pence.

1762, Jan. 29. Paid bill at Darlington for chaise and horses. II. 1s. 1d.:

at Northallerton, 2l. Is.

Boroughbridge, all night, 2l. 3s. 5d. .

Wetherby, breakfast, 10d. Id.: (this seems cheap as elsewhere it's a number of shillings)

Aberforth, dinner, II. &s. OtI. :

Ferrybridge, all night, 3l. Is. Id.:

Doncaster, dinner, II. 13s.5d.:B

arnbymocr, all night, 11. 14*. Urf. :

Tuxford, breakfast,6s.:

Carleton, dinner, II. 9s. Sd.:

Newark, all night, '21. 18?. 7.W.:

Grantham, dinner, II. 13». .Wrf. :

Cotesworth, all night, 21. 14s. OJrf.:

Stamford, dinner, 21.10s. Rd.:

Stilton, all night, 21." IBs. id. :

Bngden, dinner, 21. 6*. 5Ad. :

Biggleswade, all night, 31. 2s. 4d.:

Stevenage, breakfast, II. Is. flrf.:

Hatfield, dinner, II. 18s. 5d.:

Barnett, all nipht, 31. 4s. Od. :

It gets more expensive as he goes south, but a night seems to be 2-3 pounds, dinner 1-2 pounds, which probably included wine.

Another account. fifteen days hire of six coach horses, coachman, and postillion, from York to Darlington and from thence to London, and return to York, at II. 15s. Od. a day, 26. 5s. Od.

: said coachman, extra present, 21. 2s. 0d: paid postillion do., II. Is. (tips?)

: May 17, conch and six horses, from London to Grange, 201. 14s. Od.: road expenses from London to Grange, 511. 6». 3J(i Total cost of journey, 1601. Is. 9-W

Rough, I know, but I don't have time to do better. Make of it what you will!

Jo

costs of travel in the past.

This travel budget is from 1762 from Darlington in the north of England to London for one lady. This is an 18th century account, and they take knowledge for granted, so interpreting can be tricky. However, it's clear this was seen as a vast amount of money for a trip to Town.

"Miss Ann Allan's journey up (London is always up) consumed nine days. Six coach-horses, a coachman and postillion, came from York for her (it was common for the hired post chaise to pick up at the door. The option was for someone to take the traveler to the nearest posting inn), and in the service were occupied fifteen days. (That implies that she had the same coachman and postilion for the whole journey, which is interesting, because it also implies that she used the same horses. However, the roads were so bad at times, that speed might not have been possible, and the lady might have wanted long breaks, in which case the horses could be rested, watered, and fed.)

The accounts next says "for which they were charged 261. 5s. Od., besides coachman and postillion's fees."

This sounds like nearly 270 pounds for the carriage and horses alone, almost 30 pounds a day. A poor labourer might have to try to live on 30 pounds a year!

On the return journey, the coach and six horses cost 280 pounds.

Then it adds that the road expenses back to Darlington were 611. 6s. 3. That must be the costs for stops, including overnight plus tolls, but it still seems an enormous amount. I assume the lady was traveling with some servants, but perhaps she took a retinue!

It concludes, "The total cost of the journey up and down was 1500 pounds,; and some 700 pounds were spent by the lady in town."

On Ann Allan, the Allan family were one of the most important in Darlington, and i found this note about the church. "The Church Plate consists of two large silver flaggons, two plates, and a chalice with a cover, given by Mrs. Hannah Eden and Mrs. Ann Allan: “Vasa sacra Deo et Ecclesiœ S. Cuthberti in Darlington humillime offerunt Hannah Eden et AnnaAllan, Anno Domini 1772.”

Also George Allan Esq. (who married Thomasine Prescott,) built Blackwell-Grange. His last surviving daughter, Ann Allan who died in 1787"

For a later Ann Allan, who bears some resemblance to Miss Haversham of Great Expectations, read here.

Jo

Visit my website here.

Dunkirk

Yesterday was the 70th anniversary of Dunkirk, and I thought it worth acknowledging. There's a series of pictures here.

It and the Battle of Britain are iconic events of WWII for Britain, but especially Dunkirk, because of the participation of ordinary people. It forms the background for an episode in the excellent Foyle's War, and also Paul Gallico's novel, The Snow Goose.

BBC recently did a play of this book. You can hear it here.


Jo

More on fabrics

My posts here are forwarded to my Facebook page, and I received these interesting comments there from Jo Koster.

"There's an exhibit on quilts currently at the V&A that shows lots of small bits of these fabrics. Interesting to see the smaller prints evolve as textile machinery grew more sophisticated but also as demands for smaller-scale pieces grew.

Here's the V&A link. http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/textiles/quilts-1700-2010/. People who are interested: try the "textiles resources" link on the left-hand bar. Lots of photos (download for free) and many other resources."

Thanks, Jo.

Jo

18th century fabrics

A lovely page on 18th century fabrics that is part of a great site on costumes.

Enjoy!

Jo

Eighteenth century servants

I've blogged about 18th century servants and their wages here.

Jo

wild weather in the past

A timely reminder that wild weather isn't new, and nor is nasty winter weather in England.

From the letters of Horace Walpole.
"Arlington Street, Feb. 22, 1762. (PAGE 173)

"As we have never had a rainbow to assure us that the world shall
not be snowed to death, I thought last night was the general
connixation. We had a tempest of wind and snow for two hours
beyond any thing I remember: *chairs were blown to pieces, the
streets covered with tassels and glasses and tiles, and coaches
and chariots were filled like reservoirs. Lady Raymond's house
in Berkeley-square is totally unroofed; and Lord Robert Bertie,
who is going to marry her, may descend into it like a Jupiter
Pluvius."

*chairs here means sedan chairs.

If you want to read his letters, and many other interesting old books, they're available on line in a number of places including Fullbooks

Jo :)

Coming in June -- click here.