Victoria's Vibes -- a blog

Speaking about London Mansions...Part Five

8/24/2019

Last week, I presented Burlington House in Piccadilly, now the Royal Academy of Arts. This week, Devonshire House, long gone and replaced by a graceless office building just opposite the Green Park Tube Station.

Above, Devonshire House in 1896. The tall walls enclosed a courtyard. Behind the house originally, the gardens abutted the gardens of Lansdowne House, giving a clear view up to and including Berkeley Square. In the map below, Devonshire House is at the bottom, with its large garden behind it; Lansdowne House is center left facing its garden which meets the lower end of Berkeley Square.

Above, original plans for Devonshire House, designed by architect William Kent, as shown in Colen Campbell's publication Vitruvius Britannicus.
In 1665 Lord Berkeley, commander of the Royalist Forces in the Civil War, built Berkeley House on this site. Later it was purchased by the Duke of Devonshire, and shortly thereafter, it burned down in 1733. The third Duke of Devonshire and his descendants lived here after its completion in 1740 until it was demolished in the 1920's, dividing their time among a number of houses, particularly their lavish country house Chatsworth in Derbyshire. Below, top row, William Cavendish, (1748-1811) 5th Duke; and Georgiana Spencer Cavendish, (1757-1806) his first duchess. Lower row, l to r, William Cavendish, 6th Duke (1790-1858--the bachelor duke) and, Elizabeth Hervey Foster Cavendish, (1759-1824) the 5th duke's second duchess.

Though the outside of Devonshire House was stark and sober in red brick with little embellishment, the interior was sumptuously decorated as befit the home of a leading Whig family well known for its elegant entertainments.

Some pictures from the 19th century show the magnificent rooms.

To celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897, the 8th Duke of Devonshire and Louisa, the Duchess, gave a Fancy Dress Ball at Devonshire House. The newspapers declared it the highlight of the Season.

Top left to right: Duke and Duchess of Fife, costumed from the period of Henri II; the hostess, Duchess of Devonshire as Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra; Lower L to R: Prince of Wales (future Edward VII) as Grand Master of the Knights Hospitallers of Malta; and Daisy, Princess of Pless as Queen of Sheba.
Photographs taken at the ball, 286 in all, can be seen on the website of the National Portrait Gallery, London.

The famous trompe d’oeil violin from London, painted by Jan van der Vaardt (1653-1727), is now at Chatsworth in State Music Room.

Almost opposite the site of the house, in Green Park, are the gates below, once at Devonshire House and before that, they belonged to Berkeley House.

The Garden facade of the house.

Much of Devonshire House was stripped before the wrecking crew arrived in 1920. The furnishings were shipped to Chatsworth where they were stored for almost 100 years.

The Devonshires held a big sale in 2010 selling the contents of many attics and storage rooms in Derbyshire. William Kent fireplace surrounds and woodwork were among the most sought-after items in the auction.

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Speaking About London Mansions, Part Four

8/17/2019

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Part Four of excerpts from my talk at the Beau Monde Conference July 23, 2019, in New York City, takes us to Piccadilly again and to Burlington House, now the home of the Royal Academy of Arts.

When this drawing was made about 1707, the open fields behind the house are clearly shown. Today, the building is substantially altered and it sits in the most congested area of Mayfair in the heart of London. Below is the view during the Annual Summer Exhibition of 2018. I am not sure what the large red disc represents, but the statue of Sir Joshua Reynolds, first president of the R.A., is suitably draped in flowers.

Burlington House is familiar to most of us as the home of the Royal Academy of Arts since 1867. But before that, it was a mansion belonging to aristocrats, among the first of the large mansions built along Piccadilly after the restoration of Charles II in 1660. The original house was built by Sir John Denham in red brick. Unfinished, it was sold in 1667 to Richard Boyle, first Earl of Burlington. Another Richard Boyle, his grandson, became the 3rd Earl at the age of ten in 1704 and he inherited the house.

Above, l to r, Richard Boyle; Tribuna of the Uffizzi by Johann Zoffany; William Kent.
While the 3rd Earl was still a child, his mother, Juliana Noel Boyle, second Countess of Burlington, had ceilings painted by Italian masters in the baroque style. As a teen, the 3rd Earl traveled on several Grand Tours and became a devotee of the architectural style inspired by Andrea Palladio, who built villas in the Veneto in northeastern Italy. By 1718, the 3rd Earl took charge of his Piccadilly mansion and chose fellow Palladian practitioner Colen Campbell to work on the house. William Kent, who had traveled in Italy with the 3rd Earl, took over most of the interiors. This triumvirate can be considered with Inigo Jones as responsible for the Palladian Style in British Architecture which dominated for many years and greatly influenced other nations, particularly colonial America and the first decades of the United States.

L to R, Andrea Palladio, Palladio's Villa, Chiswick House.
Despite all the Victorian additions of another storey to the Burlington House and the constructions of side pavilions, which house several learned societies, some of the original state rooms designed by Kent still survive in a suite known as the John Madejski Fine Rooms, named to honor the donor of the restoration funding in 2004. These were the first Kentian interiors in England …dating from 1719, including these plaster putti above the doorcases.

Last year the Royal Academy completed an ambitious project to enlarge their school and exhibition space by adding the building at the rear – or non-Piccadilly side, with new galleries and an additional entrance and academic facilities. This area, opening onto Saville Row, was all a part of the Burlington estate two to three centuries ago. I highly recommend exploring the old and the new at Burlington House next time you are in London.

Once the 3rd Earl had Burlington House in hand, he earned his honorary title as 'the architect earl' by designing and building Chiswick House, now on the west side of metropolitan London, but at that time in rural Twickenham. Among the many properties inherited by Burlington was a Jacobean mansion used as a summer retreat. After a fire in 1725, Lord Burlington redid the house, adding a villa with a connecting structure. The mansion itself was pulled down in 1788 leaving the villa, part of the connecting link, and the gardens. The villa now known as Chiswick House was used as an office, gallery, and rooms for entertaining.

Lord Burlington used his great wealth in sponsoring the work of many artists, architects and musicians. Handel was first a guest at Chiswick in 1712, and came back many times. The English Heritage Guidebook to Chiswick comments on the character of Burlington’s work: “Lord Burlington’s principal objective was to recreate the architecture and gardens of ancient Rome (and) re-establish its meaning…which told a story or painted a moral. Chiswick House incorporates an allegorical exposition of the polite arts; its garden includes reference to political liberty.”
Chiswick House, incidentally is pronounced Chis-ick, with a silent W as is usual in British names…Warwick, for another example.
The beauty of the house is in its symmetry, its proportions. Geometric shapes, circles, squares, octagons, all combine to create perfect balance. Based on the principles of ancient Greek architecture as reinterpreted by the Romans and Renaissance Italians, it is a pleasingly human scale which brings comfort and satisfaction in merely looking at the plans.
Each room flows from the central saloon under the shallow dome, one into another without barriers. The cornices and wall or ceiling paintings are the main decoration. Furniture was minimal and rearranged for specific purposes, as was usual in the days of many servants. Some rooms were used by Lord Burlington as a gallery for his collection of paintings.
Below, Burlington House in 1873, the Piccadilly facade.

The 3rd Earl of Burlington married Lady Dorothy Savile, daughter of the 2nd Marquess of Halifax, an heiress who brought additional estates to the family. They had no sons; his only surviving daughter Charlotte (1731-1754) inherited his properties; she was the Marchioness of Hartington, married to the eventual 4th Duke of Devonshire. Note that Charlotte had a very short life; her son William Cavendish (1748-1811) was born when she was a mere 17. But through her, the possessions of Lord Burlington passed into the hands of the Cavendish/ Devonshire family. Since the Devonshires already had a house on Piccadilly just a few doors away, they eventually sold the house to Lord George Cavendish, a younger brother of the 5th Duke of Devonshire. Lord George was named 1st Earl of Burlington of the second creation in 1831; He lived in Burlington House and built the Burlington Arcade on the west side of the house in 1818. Below, drawing of Burlington Arcade in 1827-28 by Thomas Hosmer Shepherd.

So next time you browse through the elegant shops in the Burlington Arcade, remember this is the province of two of the greatest families of the realm. Below, photo from Wikipedia.

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My Talk on London Mansions...Part Three

8/10/2019

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Let's start today with Albany, a Piccadilly mansion altered and as famous today as it was when first built, perhaps even more so.

Above, Albany, or Melbourne House as it was then known, circa 1800. Built in 1771-76 by architect Sir William Chambers for Peniston Lamb, it was a three-story mansion, seven bays wide, with a pair of service wings flanking a front courtyard. Lamb (1745-1828) became the 2nd Baronet at age 23 in 1768 and was later named 1st Viscount Melbourne in peerage of Ireland and later as a baron in Britain.

This painting celebrates the marriage of Lord Melbourne with the 17-year-old Elizabeth Milbanke. Lady Melbourne became a leader of society in London and I find her one of the most fascinating of the characters of the era.

In 1792, Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, brother of the Prince of Wales, traded Melbourne House for his residence on Whitehall. In 1802 the Duke in turn gave up the house and it was converted by Henry Holland into 69 bachelor apartments (known as "sets").

Holland's new buildings of 1802–3 flank a covered walkway supported on thin iron columns; most sets have their own entrances. I found a few pictures on the net of apartments in Albany, all very hush-hush – the rules do not allow for publicity or talk to the press about other residents. No idea whose these were/are.
The sets at Albany, as it was known during most of the regency, were the homes of many distinguished men, including its architect Henry Holland, the poet Lord Byron, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, the author of the phrase 'It was a dark and stormy night,' Henry Brougham, and George Canning, who became Prime Minister in 1827. Among the more modern residents, when women (perish the thought) were finally allowed, were author Georgette Heyer, Anthony Armstrong Jones, and actor Bill Nighy.

Above, Albany today in Piccadilly, London.
When the Melbournes exchanged houses with the Duke of York in 1792, they moved from Piccadilly to York House in Whitehall, newly named Melbourne House and today known as Dover House. It is now the Scotland office right next to Horse Guards.

The portico opens onto the pavement of Whitehall and the rear of the house overlooks a small garden, once filled with roses, and the Horse Guards Parade.

In the 1750s, the house was built by architect James Paine for Sir Matthew Fetherstonhaugh (i.e. Fanshaw) and later remodeled by Henry Flitcroft for the first Duke of Montagu. It was redone again by Henry Holland for the Duke of York, from 1788 to 1792. The house was owned by the Melbourne family 1793 to 1830. After purchase by Baron Dover, it became known as Dover House and in 1999, it became the Scotland Office.

Elizabeth Milbanke, Viscountess Melbourne, age 21, painted by Richard Cosway. ©Royal Collection Trust.
Lady Melbourne was a leader of London's highest social set in the late 18th Century, politically influential, a friend and mistress of the rich and famous. She was a close confidante of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire.
Here is the famous triple portrait of Lady Melbourne, Georgiana, and Anne Damer, Witches Round the Cauldron, the three witches in Macbeth painted in 1775 by Daniel Gardner, a commentary on their influence at court and in political circles in the late 18th century.

Lady Melbourne's eldest son was her husband’s child, but her other children probably were not. The Viscount apparently knew this but he was busy with his own mistresses. Below, left to right, Peniston Lamb II (1770-1805), eldest son; William Lamb (1779-1848), 2nd Viscount Melbourne, suspected to be the son of Lord Egremont; and Frederick Lamb (1782-1853), 3rd Lord Melbourne, a diplomat and probably also a by-blow of Egremont's. A fourth son, George Lamb (1784-1834), may have been the result of Lady Melbourne's affair with the Prince of Wales. Click on the images for larger versions.

Lady Melbourne's children were closely involved with the families of the Devonshires and Bessboroughs. William, after the death of his elder brother, was allowed to marry Lady Caroline Ponsonby (1785-1828) though she died before he succeeded to his title. Caroline, below, became notorious for her affairs, particularly with the poet Lord Byron (1788-1824). At the same time, Byron and Lady Melbourne carried on a long and often intimate correspondence. In 1815, Byron married Lady Melbourne's niece, Annabella Millbanke. That marriage lasted only a year. After their daughter Ada was born, Byron left England never to return.

Caro Lamb held many of her popular waltzing parties at Melbourne House in Whitehall. Today, the handsome Rotunda is still intact but not likely to be a venue for dancing. Elsewhere in the building, some remains of its former glory can be seen among the furnishings of a working government office. William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, became Prime Minister in 1834, again in 1835 until 1841, serving King William IV and the young Queen Victoria.

Throughout its two-hundred-fifty years, this building has maintained its quiet dignity and beautiful proportions. Unlike the Albany, it is no longer famous and the home of distinguished personages. But here's to you, Scotland office, for 250 more years.

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Speaking About London Mansions, Part Two

8/3/2019

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Here I am, July 23, 2019, presenting a talk on London Mansions to The Beau Monde Conference in New York City. Sorry to admit that I did not quite finish the power point, but attendees will get their own copy. And I will post the highlights here.

Since we focus on the Regency period, a sub-set of the Georgian era in Britain, we should start with the primary residence of the young George, Prince of Wales, Prince Regent 1811-1820, and King George IV 1820-1830. Below, a few images of George, presenting a variety of viewpoints!

The Prince Regent, often known as Prinny, was well known for his free-spending ways, many of them devoted to architecture and decor. He viewed himself as the First Gentleman of Europe, a connoisseur of the arts. But history remembers him also as a reckless spendthrift with minimal interest in the welfare of the average resident of his realm but careful attention to his own creature comforts. His father, George III, despaired of his heir's excess.
Below, a selection of paintings of rooms in his residence, Carlton House, between Pall Mall and St. James Park.

Blue Velvet Room, Golden Drawing Room, Gothic Dining Room, Conservatory, 1-r, top to bottom. More examples are easily available on the web. Below, two versions of the Entrance Hall, left, by Henry Holland, right, the later a version of Prinny's obsession with Chinoiserie.

Prince/King George IV acquired many objects and suites of furniture, and often redid the rooms in his houses, inside and out. He was responsible not only for Carlton House and his Brighton Pavilion, but also for much of the existing decoration of Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Lots of similarities abound. Below, the Crimson Drawing Room in Carlton House on the left, and on the right, the State Dining Room in Buckingham Palace.

Carlton House was built in 1714 for Baron Carleton. Later it was sold to Frederick (1707-1751), Prince of Wales, son of George II and father of George III. Augusta (1719-1772), Princess of Wales, lived there after her husband died. In 1783, the future Prince Regent was given Carlton House along with £60,000 to fix it up. To simply say he exceeded his budget would be a vast understatement. Below, Carlton House behind its screen of columns in 1811.

Prinny was renowned for his lavish entertainments at Carlton House, the estrangement from his wife, Caroline of Brunswick, and his unpopularity with the public. His only legal child, Princess Charlotte of Wales (1796- 1817) died in childbirth, leaving the House of Hanover without an heir in the next generation. George and his brothers had many by-blows from their series of long and complicated affairs, but only his brother Edward, Duke of Kent, managed to marry and sire Princess Victoria, who became Queen in 1837. Below, Carlton House pictured in Ackermann's Repository in 1809.

Once Prinny became King George IV on the death of his long-suffering mad father, George III, in 1820, he moved into Buckingham Palace and set about remodeling that. He and the favorite architect of his later life, John Nash (1752-1835), had a vast plan to create a new London thoroughfare, Regent Street, leading from St. James Park to the newly developed Regent's Park.The plan called for demolishing Carlton House, which was done by 1826.

Above, A Squeeze at Carlton House, c. 1825, by Robert Cruikshank. Below, Items from The Royal Collection, formerly belonging to Carlton House. Remember to click on each for larger images. Top row, left, from the Chinese Drawing Room. Adam Weissweiler made this pier table, 1789, one of the first expressing Prince George’s delight in Chinoserie.
Right, a selection of the Prince Regent's extensive collection of Sevres Porcelain, showing his taste for the exotic and extravagant.

Above, left, Throne or Council Chair, 1812, by Tatum, Bailey & Sanders; right, Throne Room Candelabra, 1807, made by Peter Bogaerts, carver, and Paul Storr, goldsmith, from a set of four placed beside the throne at Carlton House until moved to Windsor in 1827. Many of the works of art, the furniture and decorative art objects were moved to Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, or the Brighton Pavilion. I attended an exhibition of some of Prinny’s collections at the Queen’s Gallery in 2011. They are going to do a similar exhibition again starting in Nov. 2019.

GEORGE IV: ART & SPECTACLE
The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace
Friday, 15 Nov 2019 - Sunday, 3 May 202

From the website:
George IV is arguably the most magnificent of British monarchs and formed an unrivalled collection of art, much of which remains in the Royal Collection. As Prince of Wales and, from 1820, magnificent king, he purchased paintings, metalwork, textiles, furniture, watercolours, books and ceramics in vast numbers, many of these works by the finest artists of the day. Bringing together Dutch and Flemish masterpieces, magnificent portraits by Sir Thomas Lawrence and Sir Joshua Reynolds, delicate French porcelain, intricate goldsmiths' work and elegant books and drawings, this exhibition will present George IV's life through the art that enriched his world.

After Carlton House was demolished, part of the space was used to create Waterloo Place, which today is not much more than a parking lot. Sadly. In the center is the Duke of York Column, commemorating the Prince Regent's brother, Prince Frederick, Duke of York, set 1834.

Also built here were the two rows of houses known as Carlton House Terrace. The handsome white stucco structures were built between 1827 and 1832, designed by John Nash and enhanced by Decimus Burton. The people who lived in the mansions were leading political and social leaders of the era, including P.M.s Lord Palmerston, Earl Grey, and William Gladstone.
More London Mansions next week.

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Speaking about London Mansions

7/27/2019

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Hard to believe that our chapter of Romance Writers of American, the Beau Monde, is 25 years old. I remember most of the beginning. I had already published a novel co-written with a friend, but I was new-ish to the regency world. Nevertheless, I dived in whole-heartedly. Is that a mixed metaphor or what?

In addition to the pre-conference bash with my fellow regency addicts on Tuesday, April 23, and all the hoopla of RWA's packed schedule, I am looking forward to lots to do in New York City. The last time RWA met there in 2015, we actually saw Hamilton while it was in Broadway previews. We thought twice about it, because tickets were pricey and I wasn't so sure I'd like a hip-hop musical. But we went and ADORED it. Couldn't have been more wonderful -- and of course "everyone" at home was totally envious.

We also saw and loved An American in Paris...who knew it had never been on Broadway before? Concert piece and movie, yes. It was wonderful, if not as unique as Hamilton. This year? We'll see!

We have plans for several exhibitions and I am determined to make it to the Whitney this year and stroll the Highline. Also visit the Hudson Yards. And some old favorites like the Morgan Library and the Frick as well as a slice of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Here is a room I will stop by to greet again, the Dining Room from London's Lansdowne House in Mayfair. It is one of the buildings I talk about in my presentation to The Beau Monde on "London Mansions." Below, Lansdowne House as it was in the early 19th century.

In the 1930,'s a large section of the house was demolished and that is how the dining room and the saloon ended up in museums, the latter in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, below.

The remainder of the house and some additions are now The Lansdowne Club, 9 Fitzmaurice Place, London. Below, The Palm Room, Spencer House, London.

More London Mansions, next week...

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MORE ABOUT MY NEW STORY...

7/20/2019

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The Anthology is free with your Amazon Kindle Unlimited membership...or $.99 on regular Kindle. Enjoy!

Here is synopsis of the story:
  Miss Sarah Kinnard is the youngest of ten children, and when her father’s death and her mother’s grief delayed her London Season, she found herself with no options but to accompany a friend to the countryside, or to play nursemaid to her sisters’ children.
  The countryside seemed an excellent choice – until she met the man responsible for the renovations of the manor house at which they were staying. The man who, just by his presence, made her feel things that she had never felt before. Captain Benjamin Lockhart took on the role of renovation manager to give himself something to do, as he healed after the war. It was a new life that he found comfort in, until the arrival of Miss Kinnard, when he found himself desiring more from life than he had ever considered before.
  Can the restoration of a long abandoned manor house also restore the joy of life and love for two souls somewhat abandoned by their families?

I mounted a long search to find the perfect 'portrait' of my heroine, Miss Sarah Kinnard and eventually I found this lovely miniature of Georgiana Russell, Duchess of Bedford, by a artist identified only as Walker. So snow I have another search to mount--who was Walker and what else did (s)he create? I anticipate hours and hours on websites such as the marvelous miniature collection at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Hours of pure contentment?? Definitely for me!

So to me that is Sarah, and I love her pensive pose with tousled hair and simple gown. Delicious.
Below, a few of the images from the un-stately home, Calke Abbey, that served as inspirations for my story. Thanks, National Trust.

Next week, I'll start relating some of the tidbits I found while preparing my talk on London Mansions for The Beau Monde in NYC.

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A NEW STORY

7/13/2019

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My latest story, Sarah's Summer Surprise, will be published on July 23, while I am cavorting at The Beau Monde's Conference in New York City, part of the Romance Writer's of America's annual meeting.

It's part of an anthology entitled Regency Summer Escape combined with stories by Arietta Richmond and Regina Jeffers, all of us Amazon best-selling authors.

That is the cover for my individual story, featuring a portion of a fashion print from June 1813 La Belle Assemblee. Full details were in last week's blog.

This is how I visualize my hero, Captain Ben Lockhart, recovering fro wounds suffered at the Battle of Waterloo, on half-pay, and thrown into a task for which he feels unqualified: the restoration of a dilapidated estate in Sussex. This portrait, identified by keen-eyed fellow author Regina Jeffers as a picture of Andrew Copland painted by George Watson before 1807. I will have to see what else I can find about the handsome Mr Copland. Thanks again Regina.

If you want to learn more about how this grotto figures into the story, please go to Kindle and order it! Is that cheeky enough? I took this picture of an old and abandoned grotto at Calke Abbey in Derbyshire in 2018. It actually inspired the story.

More about the story next week!

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My Fashion Plates...and so on

7/6/2019

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Below, Coeffeur a la Romaine, Robe de Percale, from Costume Parisien, 1816

When I first attempted to immerse myself in Regency Data, of course I had no idea what I was getting myself into! Did any of us? I fell in love with regency novels so long ago I can't remember when. No doubt my first introduction was Jane Austen, which I read in high school and college as required novels in English Literature. I wasn't in love yet, though I doted on Austen and became a Janeite.

I fell in love with Georgette Heyer's Regency Romances, which made me appreciate Jane Austen even more. And the new ones, some published by people I actually knew! Sharon and Tom Curtis wrote some wonderful novels as Laura London...a few years ago???

Learning everything I could about the Regency Era, its history, culture, lifestyles, and fashion became my obsession.

Ackermann's Repository, Half-Dress,February, 1809, Above.
While traveling in England, I found some fashion plates in various print shops. I bought some, framed them, and hung them above my desk for inspiration.

From Ackermann's Repository, April 1810 Gentleman's Full Dress

From the text: "Superfine corbeau colour coat, with covered buttons; white marcella waistcoat singe-breasted; light sage-green or cream-colored kerseymere breeches...the cravat is still worn high and full."

I also discovered ebay and the many prints available there, for a wide variety of prices. Now I have many more than I can display, so they are in acid-free sleeves in notebooks.

Afternoon Promenade Dress La Belle Assemblee June, 1813
“Short dress of jaconet muslin, made rather scantier in the skirt than they have been worn, and cut down as much a possible all round the bosom and back of the neck. The body is full, but drawn in at the top of the back, which is ornamented with a white silk button, and confined to the waist by a girdle of rich white figured ribband; a jacket of the same materials as the gown, fastened to the waist by a white silk button, completes this truly elegant dress, which is unequalled for tasteful simplicity. Over this our fair pedestrians throw a sky-blue scarf...Necklace and earrings of white cornelian. Johnston parasol. This elegant appendage to the walking costume is also of sky-blue silk, and finished with a rich and deep fringe; it has very recently made its appearance, and is already a general favourite.”

La Belle Assemblee, June 1809, Kensington Garden Dress
I am not sure how this cloak is attached. The dress is very plain except for the hemline, and the hat is outrageous.

The Waterloo Dress in Black and White to mourn the dead. La belle Assemblee
July 1815. From the magazine:
“Waterloo Walking Dress
This very beautiful dress, which answers the double purpose of walking or dinner dress, is composed of clear muslin and is made in a most original and tasteful style: ...The body and sleeves, composed of an intermixture of black satin and clear muslin, are exquisitely fancied; they are made in a style of novelty, elegance, and simplicity which we never recollect being equalled in the mourning costume...Of the hat worn with this dress we can only observe that it is the most elegant and striking headdress ever invented for mourning; it is an intermixture of white satin and black crape, most tastefully ornamented with either black or white feathers...The above dress was invented by Mrs. Bell, Inventress of the Ladies Chapeau Bras and the Circassian Corset, and of whom only they can be had, at her Magazin des Modes, No. 26, Charlotte Street, Bedford-Square.”

I was lucky to acquire three volumes of bound LBAs from 1815 and 1816. Once I had read them several times each (well, not EVERY article) I was eager to donate them to a place where they would be protected. To me, the best spot was Chawton House Library in Chawton, Hampshire, UK.. Above, I am handing them to then-librarian Jacqui Grainger. Someday I will send over the rest of my collection.

Do you collect fashion plates? On paper? Or digitally? Nowadays it is possible to construct a superb collection -- right off Pinterest. Or try the websites/blogs/Facebook pages of experts and collectors like Candice Hern, Regency Encyclopedia, Rachel Knowles, Jane Austen’s World, E.K. Duncan, Susana Ellis, and others.

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NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL REDUX

6/29/2019

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Last winter, we were at the beautiful white sand beach in Naples Florida on April 15, 2019, when our phones lit up with the horrifying news that Notre-Dame de Paris was on fire.

Immediately my thoughts flew to my first visit there many years go. I recalled the awe with which I wandered around the great cathedral, entranced by its ancient spiritual aura, beyond religion to the deepest, most mysterious meaning of life.

The sounds of the cathedral contributed to my reverence, for most of the voices spoke in languages I hardly understood, in Latin or in French...and in a way I never appreciated before, the very incomprehensibility (I hope that is a word) created a solitude in me that enhanced my emotional reactions. I have never forgotten that experience.

When we returned home from the beach, we switched on the tv and of course were immediately immersed in the tragedy in Paris. Even the grandchildren were engrossed by the pictures and commentary. We watched the intricately carved wooden spire burn and collapse, over and over again.

As the days passed, we were all pleased to hear Notre-Dame would be restored and/or repaired. Some places were not as severely damaged as once feared. Compare the pictures below with the first picture from my visit in 2014 at the top of this blog.

Nevertheless, the damage was horrendous.

Rose windows and other stained glass creations were mostly saved.

When I returned from Florida to Milwaukee I scoured my picture files for views of Notre-Dame. I even found a few old slides from the days of 35 mm. Kodak camera. Below, a few of the more recent shots, from a steamy day in Paris in 2014 when the Cathedral was delightfully cool, though crowded with visitors. Nevertheless, I managed lots of pictures without a soul in evidence.

I wonder if the wooden model was saved?

I wonder if I will ever see Notre-Dame de Paris completed? Since I spend my time aboard mostly in England, perhaps not...but I have my memories. A bientot!

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BATHING IN BATH

6/22/2019

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What does one do in Bath? Why bathe, of course.

The Cross Bath, by John Chessell Buckler around 1825
This print shows the Cross Bath as it looked in the late Georgian era.

This view of the Cross Bath and Bath Street is by John Claude Nattes, dated 1804.

Below, the Cross Bath in July, 2018, back in operation as part of the Thermae Spa.

Below, another facade of the Cross Bath

In today's Bath, it is once again possible to enjoy the waters of the hot springs at the Thermae Bath Spa. View the video.

Thermae Spa video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6Ny0MbxS4Y

Quoting from the website of the UK Groundwater Forum:
"The Bath Hot Springs rise in the centre of the city of Bath in Somerset. Around 1.3 million litres of water flow from the springs every day at a temperature of around 40 °C. There is some debate about the source of the water but the generally accepted hypothesis is that rain water falling on the Mendip Hills to the south of the city infiltrates the Carboniferous Limestone and flows to the north, beneath the North Somerset coal field reaching a depth of 2.5 km from where it obtains its heat. It then rises up through fractures in the Jurassic rocks beneath the city. The chemistry of the water is dominated by calcium and sulphate with sodium and chloride also in high concentration

"There are three separate springs in Bath, the largest and most significant is the King’s Spring which rises within the Roman Baths Museum. The smaller Hetling Spring and Cross Bath Spring are located approximately 150 m to the west of the King’s Spring. The thermal spring water emerges from funnel-shaped gravel deposits under the city. Each spring is tapped at depth by a borehole, which draws water from below the shallow gravel deposits to deliver clean thermal water to the drinking fountain in the Roman Baths museum and the local spa complex."

Above, the fountain for drinking the mineral-rich spring water in the Pump Room.
Returning to the Therme Spa, I had a wonderful morning in the pools, and I have to admit, I felt great. The placebo effect? Perhaps, but I'll take it. Highly recommended if you are in Bath. I was definitely invigorated! Below, since pictures are not allowed inside, for obvious reasons, this is from the website. It perfectly captures the ambiance of the open-air pool.

Above, the statue of Bladud overooking the Kings Bath. The legend of Bladud’s pigs and their miraculous recovery from skin disease after wallowing in the mud near hot springs is renowned in the history of the city. How true is it may be questioned, but claims that Bladud, once hailed as a prince, thus cured himself of leprosy and founded the tradition of bathing in the hot springs is too delicious to be forgotten. The truth is lost in the mists of times, but has endured since the first century BCE. Below, the Roman Bath.

All those who came to Bath—Celts, Romans, Saxons and everyone—believed the waters were helpful whether bathed in or drunk from a cup. The Romans turned the city into a luxurious spa, the remains of which are a major tourist attraction. Wikipedia supplied this intelligence: the “word SPA is associated with the Latin phrase ‘Salus Per Aquam’ or ‘health through water’.” Drop that at your next appointment for a massage.
Below, a Georgian period view of the King's Bath outside the pump room., by Thomas Rowlandson, 1798, from Wikipedia.

After the Romans left Britain, the springs were gradually forgotten and buried. However, the water continued to flow and by the 17th century, its healing properties were rediscovered. During the 18th century, Bath grew in importance, in beauty, and in the celebration of pleasure.
All of this was based on the treatment of almost any complaints people could imagine and the existence of all kinds of care, from quacks and snake oil salesmen to doctors who actually studied medicine. Below, Hospital of St. John the Baptist, Founded 1174, an alms house still in operation.

Below, the Royal Mineral Water Hospital, built 1740's. Its current status is pending, until recently a part of the National Health Service, but perhaps undergoing some changes. I found reports the building was for sale, but not further word.

If you have followed my meandering posts on my week in Bath in July 2018, you my have noticed the colorful owls here and there on the streets. A public art sculpture project, 82 Minerva's Owls were decorated and stood in Bath until auctioned off in September 2028, bringing over £ 140,000 for local charities. Below, few of my photos, while hooting farewell to Bath, for now.

And why Minerva's Owls, you might ask. That dates back to the Romans, whose goddess of wisdom was Minerva.= and her symbol was the owl, known from prehistory as a source of wisdom. The earlier Celts had dedicated the springs to their goddess Sulis. The Romans simply merged the two into Aqua Sulis, a shrine to Minerva.
Below, a gilt bronze head of Sulis Minerva found in Stall Street in 1727 and on exhibition at the Roman Baths, photo via Wikipedia.

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Victoria Hinshaw, Author

Here I will share some of my articles on favorite topics, such as English Country Houses, the Regency Royals, Jane Austen, and the like. Some of these articles have been published elsewhere, probably on the blog I share with Kristine Hughes and Louisa
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NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL REDUX

BATHING IN BATH

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