The economic realities of a house party–not all fun and games for the host!

While running a country estate was often an expensive prospect, hosting a house party brought that expense to a whole different level. Since the entire affair often amounted to calculated display of wealth, guests were often treated to the best of everything. Said guests also probably expected what they experienced to be the best the host and hostess could offer and likely made judgements accordingly. No doubt much talk would be generated by what was or was not provided to a house party’s guests.

Some of the costs of a house party

Servants might be outfitted with new livery and additional servants hired for the duration to accommodate the needs of the guests. The best glasses, china, and silver were used for meals—which meant a lot of extra labor for the servants (or sometimes they were purchased for the occasion!)

Then there was the food! Gracious, just so much food. It wasn’t just a matter of the extra mouths of the guests and their servants to feed. That would have been far more manageable.

Hosts were expected to serve lavish dinners which could include dozens of dishes for each dinner, not to mention expensive (and often imported) alcohol and desserts. It was not unknown for families to live very modestly apart from the house parties in order to afford their guests when they came. The alternative might be incurring heavy debts for the endeavor.

Entertaining the guests also came with a cost. Indoor entertainments might seem inexpensive, but writing papers for letters, new sheet music for the pianoforte, fresh decks if cards, new games, and even the accoutrement for home theatricals could add up quickly. And if balls and parties were held as well, musicians, food, and candles to light the long evenings had to be acquired.

If outdoor amusements were pursued, then fishing tackle and shooting supplies might have to be provided. Horses and their tack would have to be managed for those who chose to ride or drive. Equipment for outside games like lawn tennis, croquet or lawn bowls might need to be obtained or at minimum maintained.

Costs for the guests too!

All this is not to say that guests’ pocketbooks escaped unscathed. Since house parties were often an opportunity for ostentatious displays of wealth, guests brought their finest fashions, many, many of them. Informal garments for morning, outfits for sport, attire for receiving visitors, apparel for balls, formal dress for dinner. Clothes. All of the clothes. So many, that new clothes might have to be acquired or older ones freshened up in anticipation of the visit. Even if a house guest did not incur expenses for new clothes, they still have to face the issue of vails.

Vails were tips for the servants who attended one while visiting. Every servant one interacted with from the porter who carried bags in from the carriage to the maid who made up the room each day, expected recompense from you for the extra work a guest caused them. The expense was heavy enough that some would forgo a house party to avoid the cost! While an invitation to a house party might be exciting to receive, it behooved one to count the cost before accepting.

Find out more about Regency era amusements here
Find out more about Gentlemen here
Find out more about Ladies here
Find out more about the House Party here

References

Hatch, Donna. “Regency House Parties.” Donna Hatch. June 15, 2018. Accessed May 10, 2019. https://donnahatch.com/regency-house-parties/.

Scott, Regina. “The Delights of a Regency House Party.” Regina Scott. Accessed May 10, 2019. http://www.reginascott.com/houseparty.html.

Lane, Maggie. Jane Austen and Food. London: Hambledon Press, 1995.

Pool, Daniel. What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew. New York: Simon and Schuster,1993.