Regency Era Love & Marriage - Follow-on Session & Digital 'Course'

'Love & Marriage in the Age of Austen' Digital 'Course'

As I mentioned at Sunday's talk, I have amassed quite a lot of material on the topic, so intend to develop a digital 'course' on the subject, to allow anyone interested to consider the subject at their leisure.

This will provide more in-depth information, sources (& opportunities to take a closer look at these), & discussion - including

• the 'course' book that I've nearly finished on the topic; 
• probably a series of audio talks - and possibly a short audio tour;
• a selection of relevant sources (copies of texts & illustrations) 
• maybe a quiz or two. 

As I've lots of other work in progress, at this point I'm unsure when this will be available, but I'll try to release it in time for Valentine's Day, if not before.

'Romantic Relics & Amorous Artefacts in the Age of Austen'

To celebrate Valentine's Day, I'm planning to provide another session (in early / mid February 2019) on Love in the 'Age of Austen'  (working title: 'Relics & Amorous Artefacts in the Age of Austen'), to complement the Love & Marriage talk I gave on Sunday. 

There will be some cross-over with the last session, so that I may provide a stand-alone talk; but I'll also provide additional material. As the lovely ladies that came along the other day belonged to a book group, I focused more on Jane Austen's novels than on material culture. For the next love & marriage session I intend to take a closer look at material remains (and provide prints, newspaper articles, ballads, etc. again - with more time to explore these vibrant sources). 

Participants will have opportunities to handle and consider a wider range of artefacts, and examine other material traces of love in the past (integrating studies of burials, landscapes, housing, etc.). This will include more data from my on-going research on local love, marriage, and married life.

I shall provide more information closer to the time.

Mrs. Leach's Academy: Forthcoming Events 2018

The following represents an updated provisional list of dates and times, and prospective topics; more details will be posted nearer the scheduled dates (please not: entry to these event is by pre-purchased ticket only - except the HoD, which is free entry: confirmed booking is essential - see the bottom of the page for more information; tickets are usually made available about a month prior to events, until about 3 days before).

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'A Manoeuvring Business...' Love and Marriage in the 'Age of Austen' Talk

Sunday 24 June, 2018, 7-8.30 pm, Derby

Many adore the romances of Jane Austen’s novels, but how did people actually experience love and marriage in the late 1700s and early 1800s? Join Georgian lady Mrs. Leach to explore these issues, through material remains and other historical evidence from Derby and beyond, and celebrate the Royal Wedding by discovering courtship customs and wedding traditions in the past.

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Age of Austen Time 'Tec Taster Tournament

Sunday 16 September (Heritage Open Days: now confirmed), Derby. (Free entry by pre-booked tickets.)

Can you solve a Regency history mystery?! Apply skills of deduction, and adopt archaeological approaches, to investigate and interpret evidence – an ‘Austen Age’ award awaits the winning Time ‘Tec!

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True Tales from the Grave Halloween History Talk: Death and Burial in the 'Age of Austen'

Friday 2 November, 2018, 6.45-8.15 pm, Derby

Join Georgian lady antiquarian Mrs. Leach to discover funerary and mortuary customs and beliefs of the late 1700s and early 1800s, in Derby and beyond.

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Christmastide in the ‘Age of Austen’ Talk: Regency Revels, Georgian Gambols and Festive Fare

Sunday 16 December, 6.45 - 8.15 pm, Derby

 Join Georgian lady antiquary Mrs. Leach to discover Christmas customs, traditions, & pastimes of the late 1700s & early 1800s; revive Regency revelries, rituals, & recipes for this feast of festive fun and games - and if you like, come along in period costume!

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The time allotted for events may include discussions, exhibits, and quizzes, etc., following talks and other presentations.

Further details and confirmation of dates, times, and ticket prices will be provided via this Blog, Facebook Page, Twitter, and Mailing List (to join, send an email headed 'Join List' to this address; personal details will not be shared without prior permission); for text updates, text 'Join Mrs Leach' to 07903 237953; or a postal mailing list is available (write to Mrs Leach, 1 West Park Road, Derby, DE22 1GG), if access to emails, texts, or the internet is difficult.

Tickets

Booking is essential: due to venue, subject matter, materials, and teaching / learning methods, only a small number of places are available for each session; admission only by ticket (receipt of ticket provides confirmation of seat reservation), at the time and date specified on the ticket.
Ticket prices TBC (I aim to charge below £5 / £10, depending on materials; third party venues may impose additional entry costs; and online box offices may charge booking fees).

Tickets will be available via an online box office (which may charge an additional administration fee); or on request to Mrs. Leach: contact via this website; email: antiquarianacademy (at) gmail (dot) com; phone (text only): 07903 237953; or post: Mrs. Leach, 1 West Park Rd., Derby, DE22 1GG, UK. 

To avoid dissappointment, and ensure entry to events, and reservation of a place, it is important that those interested in attending events read the information, terms, and conditions regarding ticket sales, seat reservation, cancellation, and access, available on this page - before buying tickets: by purchasing (a) ticket(s), the buyer(s) agree(s) to these terms and conditions.

Tickets usually go on sale about one month before each event.

Christmastide in the Age of Austen - Second Chance for tickets!

As Mrs. Leach's Academy is like other lady tutors of this age in her home, she requires a day or two to transform her common parlour into a venue suitable for the reception of her respected patrons, fore knowledge of numbers an imperative. The tickets she thus issues for entry are made available up until this preparation time.

Not assured of the attendance of sufficient numbers prior to preparations for today's meeting (which might otherwise allow the entertainments planned for the gathering to proceed), it must sadly be cancelled.

However, since having to take this regretful decision, she has received enquires expressing interest in attending the event, and has consequently rescheduled the talk for the evening (7-8.3 pm) of Wednesday 20 December, 2017. 

This provides time to reinstate the materials dismantled and returned to those kind enough to loan artefacts of interest, once cancellation was deemed necessary.

Tickets are available from the same box office as previously, here. To keep abreast with information on this talk, see the Facebook page, or follow her Tweets.

She hopes that this new date and time suits interested parties, who she looks forward to seeing next week.

After the Exhibition

Well, now that the Heritage Open Days exhibition, the Material Worlds of Jane Austen, had passed relatively smoothly into history, I may allow myself to breathe a sigh of relief! I was gratified with such a turn out - and to meet so many interesting people, with whom it was a pleasure to speak. I very much enjoyed both preparations for the event, and the occasion. 

The artist currently in residence at the Academy was unable to capture an image of the event (numbers precluding such an endeavour), though he intends to produce an illustrative record of the displays that might be accessed in that magical realm I believe to be known as the 'world wide web'. 

If any visitors did themselves make a visual record of the event, I would most appreciate copies! 

Much encouraged by responses received, I shall continue with my plans to hold Halloween and Christmas events, at which I very much hope to meet again visitors to the exhibition. I will provide further information and updates through the usual channels: this ephemeral medium (through the blog and dedicated pages); Twitter; and Facebook; as well as posters and leaflets, as soon as I am able to confirm plans.

Many thanks to those who supported and attended the exhibition.

Academy Opening: Archaeology of the 'Austen Age' Exhibition - CBA Festival of Archaeology Free Event

Well, it has been a while since my last communication!

I have been extremely busy preparing for the Academy opening next month (I hope to post illustrations regarding this event soon). Although preparations continue a pace, I feel a great need for a brief respite from my labours, to revive my body and gather my thoughts – and I might as well chat as sit in silence!   

I shall put an advertisement in the local press (which, in my time, is the Derby Mercury), alerting prospective patrons to the commencement of Academy services. What do you think – shall this suffice?

The Academy will open with a small public exhibition, held between the hours of two and four o’clock, in the afternoon of Saturday 15 July (I shall elucidate a little further below; in the meantime, here is a copy of the handbill that publicises the event, for your appraisal). 

Unfortunately, I shall have to request that patrons leave their carriages a short walk’s distance from the Academy, as resident’s vehicles congest the narrow roads. Restrictions are already in place (due to the propensity of students at a nearby higher educational establishment to avoid paying the parking fee imposed by their institution), and carriages not displaying permits might feel the force of the local constable. I shall provide a plan of the location of nearby road-side standing for vehicles (no charge at the weekends) anon.

I must also note that there are no public sanitary facilities; and that hand-vehicles, such as perambulator, may find it difficult to circumnavigate the confined rooms of my abode, or be daunted by the shallow step into the property. But I shall endeavour to aid those with mobility difficulties, for whom (by prior arrangement) I may be able to locate standing for one small carriage closer to my establishment.

The exhibition not only launches the Academy, but takes place as part of the annual Council for British Archaeology Festival of Archaeology (as described in the pages of their virtual book – known as a ‘website’, I believe; I can only imagine that some kind of alchemy – or witchcraft – has brought about this baffling medium).

I shall now say a little more on the exhibition. This July we mark a notable anniversary of the passing of that talented authoress, Jane Austen, and over the following year, I shall commemorate her life with talks, walks, and workshops that explore the material culture and other attributes of her time. The exhibition introduces some of the material I will discuss during these events, using extracts from her novels and letters, and from early biographies, to consider a number of topics to illuminate everyday experiences in the late 1700s and early 1800s, from a Derbyshire perspective. For your perusal, I have prepared manuscripts containing further information:

But  I  must  now  return  to  my  labours,  and  ask  that  you  might  call  another time to see how the Academy progresses.

                                             Yours, &c., &c., Mrs. Leach

Drawing Lots for Love! St. Valentine's Day Traditions.

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Love is certainly in the air at Lymehurst Cottage (home of the Academy)!

In preparation for several salons and soirées on love and marriage that I aim to present (and perhaps host at the Academy), I have for some time been delving deep into romance during the ‘long eighteenth century’ (with regard to my work, usually covering the late 17^th - early 19^th centuries). I will perhaps provide one or two of these events in summer this year (those that concentrate upon the Regency period); and others (those on the Georgian Era more generally) at around this time next year.

These events will investigate a variety of topics relating to love and marriage in these eras – with particular regard to Derby and the surrounding area – examining a range of sources (including archaeological evidence and artefact collections; art and illustrations; print culture and newspapers; novels and poems; advice manuals; memoirs and diaries). In exploring attitudes towards love and marriage, they will consider the social, cultural, economic, and political settings of changing opinions and behaviour; and what material remains tell us something about how people expressed and felt romantic affection in the past. Events held on and / or around Saint Valentine’s Day will look at associated traditions of the day.

As today is Valentine’s Day, I shall provide a very brief a preview of work-in-progress. I am inevitably drawn to antiquarian interest, so present a topical excerpt from an eighteenth century theological (hagiographic) work. I follow this with something a little more down to earth: late eighteenth-century newspaper correspondence regarding the tradition of prospective suitors drawing lots for their Valentine!

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In his Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Principal Saints (published in the late 1750s), English Catholic priest Alban Butler (1710-1773) refers to early 17th century Swiss Valentine customs while writing of Saint Francis of Sales, Bishop of Geneva:[i]

He [Francis of Sales] severely forbade the custom of Valentines or giving boys, in writing, the names of girls to be admired and attended on by them; and, to abolish it, he changed it into giving billets with the names of certain saints for them to honor and imitate in a particular manner.

In the Derby Mercury newspaper, we read of traditions that seem to indicate continuing secular development of such 'Valentines' after the 17th century, in the form of drawing lots; clearly, not everyone agreed with perpetuating this 'ancient custom'!:

 

Derby Mercury, 7 March 1782 (above); 20 March 1782 (below)

As with other ostensibly ‘ancient’ customs (e.g., see the Halloween post), I cannot but ponder the extent to which antiquarian pursuits influenced the ‘revival’ of this practice – a topic that I continue to investigate. However, in this case the latter newspaper correspondent does not appear to be familiar with the move from secular (romantic) to ecclesiastical (saintly veneration) ‘billets’ in the early modern period referred to within Rev. Butler’s work.

I will again here return to the theme of love & marriage; but for now, I must return to the archives.

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 Notes

[i] Alban Butler & Bernard Kelly (Ed.) n.d. The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Principal Saints, Vol. I. London: Virtue & Company Ltd., p.125.

Journal of a Lady Antiquary: January 6th (Twelfth Day)

 Twelfth Night cake (from late 18th century book of ballads, The Twelfth Cake. A Juvenile Amusement, Reginald Spofforth) 

With preparations yet to complete for tonight’s Twelfth Night celebrations, journeyed into Derby this afternoon to make some essential purchases; but also with hopes of catching a glimpse of the great Twelfth cakes. The crowds around the pastry cooks were large, and it was with relief that I heard no cries of ‘thief’ among the multitudes; London newspaper reports (published in the local press - until the later 19th century, confined to the Derby Mercury) had made me wary of the pickpockets such gatherings attract.[i] I was also gratified to see that another Twelfth Day custom of the Capital (news of which I encountered in a book of days) seems not to have taken hold in our more practical town: that sport of errant youth, the nailing of the gowns and coat tails of lady and gentlemen onlookers to the shop front, and to one another![ii]

Twelfth Day: clothes nailed to pasty-shop windows. William Hone (1835) The Every Day Book vol. 1 

But, returning to the confectionery! I have heard of colossal cakes of the past – such as the 45-pound cake, with 45 decorations (I suspect that the number 45 is a reference to the 1745 Jacobite uprising), said to be sent to the radical John Wilkes in 1769![iii] I hope that the cake due to be delivered this evening is substantial, but not to this extent!

The competition for the best Twelfth Cake, baked by local pastry-cooks, and viewed by numerous townsfolk, has become popular in Derby, as elsewhere. I took interest in the above newspaper article (Derby Mercury, January 8th 1823) that describes their various and elaborate designs.

The advertisement shown above (on the front page of the Derby Mercury) demonstrates that Twelfth Night was good for the confectionery business! (In this case the cake show, as with other festivities, was held on the 7th, due to the 6th falling on the Sabbath.)

I must now return to preparations, and to welcome my guests (who are due to arrive imminently); I hope to write a favourable report of the party, after they have departed on the 8th!

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[i] Derby Mercury, 4th January 1787.

[ii] William Hone (1835) The Every Day Book vol. 1

[iii] Derby Mercury, 13 January 1769.

Journal of a Lady Antiquary: January 1st

With a view to betterment, I have decided to begin the New Year by keeping a journal. It is unlikely that I shall write every day; and what I do write will merely document my activities and thoughts so that I might reflect upon my progress throughout the coming year. Entries will first appear as posts (labelled 'journal'), and will be collated on the Journal page. 

My first entry is as follows:

January 1st (New Year's Day)

Made merry last night in celebrating the turn of the year. Although piqued by antiquarian interest to try the ancient beverage of wassail, I found the aroma unappealing (the spices almost overwhelming), and resisted temptation. By the sore heads of the gentlemen this morning, I feel my lack of adventure vindicated! I shall endeavour to find a less pungent receipt for another occasion, so that I might taste the potion oft claimed as instrumental in bringing about a royal marriage between our Saxon and British forebears (despite my misgivings regarding the veracity of the Hengist and Horsa legend)![i] 

Notes

[i] In Book VI, Chapter 12 of the 12th century Historia regumBritanniae, Geoffrey of Monmouth writes of the marriage in the 5th century between the British king Vortigern, and Rowenna, daughter of Anglo-Saxon invader, king Hengist. Vortigern is said to have fall in love with her after drinking what is popularly supposed to be the beverage now known as ‘wassail’ (whereas in the legend the significance of the term is as a toast, the drink perhaps being another intoxicating beverage). Bearing in mind the late date of this text; its political agenda; use of sources that were themselves potentially inventive; and that the more closely contemporaneous Gildas mentions none of these characters by name in his 6th century De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae, the legend rests on dubious footings. For a balanced discussion of the legend, see (2013) Worlds of Arthur: Facts and Fictions of the Dark Ages (Oxford: OUP), by the eminent specialist on this period, Guy Halsall.