by Julie Buck As we look at schools in Jane Austen’s time, and the role of needlework within that schooling, I think it’s important that you understand two things. First of all, you need to know what a sampler is. And secondly, you need to see how girls’ schooling developed from earlier centuries to arrive at what Jane Austen found when she was sent off to boarding school. A sampler is an example or sample … Continue reading →
Regency Life Major Topics (scroll down for full index) Amusements Children Christmas Colorful language Food and drink Gentlemen Housekeeping Ladies Medicine Transportation Full Regency Life Index Accomplishments Addiction Amusements Annulment Army Babies Bachelors Balls Barouche Barrister Bathing Beauty Betrothal Books Boxing Day Breech of promise Budget Calling cards Caroling Carriage Chaise Chaperones Charity Children Chocolate Christmas dinner Christmas eve Christmas Traditions Christmas Day Cleaning Clergy Clergyman’s duties Clothing and accessories Coach Coffee Colorful … Continue reading →
In addition to the country dance, reel, cotillion and quadrille, several other dances might be found at a Regency ball or assembly. The minuet was a hold over from the prior century and required special dress and training. Old fashioned, formal balls would open with couples doing the minute, one at a time. This practice fell out of fashion in the early 1800’s. Napoleonic Ball – Menuet During the 1700’s, English country dances spread … Continue reading →
Dances of the Regency era were lively and bouncy. Ladies pinned up the trains of their ball gowns for ease in performing the steps. Steps ranged from simple skipping to elaborate ballet-style movements. Country dances, the scotch reel, cotillion, quadrille made up most of the dancing. Many versions of these dances existed and often the lady of the leading couple would get to select the specific one that was to be danced. In the … Continue reading →
In a society governed by strict rules regulating the interaction of the sexes, the dance floor provided one of the only places marriage partners could meet and courtships might blossom. And the best dancefloor was to be found at a private ball. “The characteristic of an English country dance is that of gay simplicity. The steps should be few and easy, and the corresponding motion of the arms and body unaffected, modest, and graceful.” – … Continue reading →
