Searching for Regency London

News.
One Night as a Courtesan is out. 
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Regency London

It is always fun to have something new to show and tell, but I did promise you a blog so staying with Hampstead Heath, I next walked to Keats House

Keats became much better known after his death and it makes me feel quite sad to know that such a talented young man died young, age 25, died almost alone, and was unrequited in love. The woman  he loved lived in the same house in a separate apartment. He lived here from 1818 to 1820 and it was where he wrote his most intensely moving poems.

 It is a small house and very peaceful, even though it is surrounded by a subdivision of houses.

It was not the happiest afternoon for me, I think I found it to affecting that someone so talented should have so little time.

There is lots to be read about Keats, his work, his life, but I don't think I wish to do more than show where he lived.

So that is all from me tonight.


Until next time, Happy Rambles.

Flora and Fauna of Regency England ~ September

by Ann Lethbridge

Here are some of the not so favourite creatures you will find in the Regency at this time of year.


September is a time for wasps, August too. Never my favourite insect it becomes a real nuisance if you want to eat out of doors. They also eat any fruit that is ripe on the trees.



Another not favourite is the earwig. It is an old wives tale that earwigs go in ears, isn't it?

Earwigs are predisposed to hiding in warm humid crevices and may indeed occasionally crawl into the human ear canal (much like any other small organism). yuch.

I defy the Saint Helena earwig at three inches long to climb in anyone's ear. I only mention it because Saint Helena was Napoleon's home during the Regency.

And to creep myself out.

Oh now I'm itchy. But we can't have just all the pretty stuff, can we.

So one last creature in the ych category for September.

Snails. They breed in September and our Diarist says:

The gardener ought to consider that this and the succeeding month are the breeding months of earth-worms and snails, and, therefore, that one of those reptiles destroyed now, is as good as a dozen killed in spring.

Now if you can bear to walk amid the flora and fauna after that --- Happy Rambles.

Where am I?

Today, I am blogging at http://community.eharlequin.com/content/being-there. Do pop in and answer my question.

Regency Fashion for September

by Michele Ann Young

Sorry to be missing for a week, I have had family visiting. Now it is the end of the summer I hope I can get back into the swing of things.

September Fashion

I am sure you have no trouble recognizing this as a mourning gown.  Interesting to me is that for once we have the front of one gown and the back another. They look almost the same.

This plate is from 1805 From the Ladies Museum

The first is a chemise dress of Italian gauze; full front, fastened in the centre with a jet broach, over a black sarcenet slip; sleeves and front trimmed with black net trimming, fastened with bugles. Leather gloves, and black jean shoes.

The second gown is made of of imperial lustre and has short sleeves. Gloves and shoes are the same as the first figure.

I couldn't resist this one, although it seems odd to me that this would be a fashion for September because it is.....


A Fashionable Sea-Side Walking Dress From La Belle Assemblee, 1810


It is described as follows:


A gown of white French cambric, or pale pink muslin, with long sleeves, and antique cuffs of thin white muslin, trimmed with Mechlen edging; made high in the neck, without a collar, and formed in points at the centre of the bosom, with three rows of letting-in lace; confined down the front of the dress with small buttons; and hemmed round the bottom with three rows of deep Mechlen lace; made rather short, and worn over trowsers of white French cambric, which are trimmed the same as the bottom of the dress.

A cap composed of lace and light green silk trimming, tied under the chin, with a bunch of natural flowers in front. Hair in full ringlet curls, divided in the front of the forehead. A figured short scarf of pale buff, with deep pale-green border, and rich silk tassels; worn according to fancy or convenience; with gloves of pale buff kid; and sandals of pale yellow, or white Morocco, complete this truly simple but becoming dress.

Isn't this interesting. She is wearing trowsers. And look at the strappy sandals. Don't they look like something we would wear today? It is very unusual to see a gown buttoned down the front I think. I am glad to see this as I am currently working on a seaside scene. Fortuitous is the word I am looking for, I think.

That is my fashion article for this month.  Flora and Fauna up next.  Then we return to London.  Until next time, Happy rambles

Searching for Regency London

Fenton House Continued
by Ann Lethbridge

Another view of the garden just to tempt you.





There are two more smaller rooms on the first floor, and their size make photographs less than satisfactory, so I can give you only a glimpse. Note that the first room also had a powder room and the second was originally linked to the master bed room.















Interestingly enough there were six more small rooms in the "attic". I assumed this was where the servants would sleep. But no. Although they could only be reached by the servants' staircase, these would have been family rooms too. Likely the younger children. Most of the families inhabiting this house had from seven to nine children. I was unable to visit these rooms on this occasion but it is on my list for another time.

The servants would have slept in the basement, not open to visitors.

Next time we have our fashion article, before we do more searching in London. Until then Happy Rambles.