SOCIAL ENGLAND.
SOCIAL ENGLAND
UNDER
THE REGENCY.
BY
JOHN ASHTON,
AUTHOR OF "SOCIAL LIFE IN THE REIGN OF QUEEN ANNE," "OLD TIMES,"
"DAWN OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY," ETC.
WITH 90 ILLUSTRATIONS.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. II.
London:
WARD AND DOWNEY,
12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
MDCCCXC.
Dcoration
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Page
Anti-Corn Bill riots Riots in the north Ratification of the Treaty of Peace with America Attempt to steal the Crown Epithets applied to Napoleon The Prince of Wales' debts
CHAPTER II.
News of the Battle of Waterloo Rejoicings After career of Napoleon His abdication and flight Goes on board the Bellerophon Arrives at Torbay His habits on board Ordered to Plymouth Crowds try to get a glimpse of him His protest against being sent to St. Helena Transferred to the Northumberland Opinion as to the Prince Regent's conduct towards him Sails for St. Helena
CHAPTER III.
Effects of Napoleon's capture The Navy in 1815 Margate and Ramsgate French Prisoners of war Treaty of Peace with France Napoleon's house A soldier's letter A zealous Lord Mayor Hotels and clubs in 1815
CHAPTER IV.
1816.
Day of Thanksgiving "Battle for the Standard" Return of the troops Frozen game brought over by Esquimaux The Regent's practical joke Rejection of the Prince of Orange by the Princess Charlotte, and acceptance of Prince Leopold as her husband Her marriage "The Rl Whiskers" The Regent's yacht
CHAPTER V.
Riots and agrarian outrages Colliers, &c., coming to London "England in 1816" Riots in Newgate Marriage of the Duke of Gloucester A chimney sweep's wedding Cruelty to a "climbing boy" The Mortar at St. James's Park Lighting by means of Gas The Coinage
CHAPTER VI.
Smuggling "Resurrection Men" More riots Orator Hunt Meetings at Spa Fields Riots arising therefrom Execution of one of the rioters The King's health
CHAPTER VII.
1817.
Visit of the Grand Duke Nicholas of Russia Stones thrown at the Regent Issue of the new Silver Coinage Riots and arrests for sedition First issue of Sovereigns The Case of Abraham Thornton and appeal by battle The Queen at Bath Death of the Princess Charlotte Richard Owen and his scheme "The Fortunate Youth" "Caraboo"
CHAPTER VIII.
1818.
Distress among discharged Seamen Finding the Scotch Regalia Strathfieldsaye bought for the Duke of Wellington The Kyrle Society Royal Marriages Annoying the Queen Riotous schoolboys The Regent mobbed Death of Queen Charlotte
CHAPTER IX.
1819.
Sale of the Queen's effects Duke of York has custody of the King The "Dandy horse" Loss of, and finding the King's jewellery A public dinner A Royal freak Unqualified medical practitioners Emigration to America "The fair Circassian" Birth of Queen Victoria Napoleon's carriage An Irish witness
CHAPTER X.
Reform Meetings Peterloo Orator Hunt's entry into London The King's last illness and death
CHAPTER XI.
A foreigner's view of England The packets Roads People Posting Mail and Stage Coaches Amateur coachmen Fast driving Perils of travelling A lioness attacks the Mail Dog-carts and donkey-riding The Streets and Houses
CHAPTER XII.
London improvements The Country Gleaning Dairying and out-door Washing The Gipsy
CHAPTER XIII.
Ladies' dresses The Dandizette Waltzing The Quadrille Almack's Women's education Women's work Women Soldiers and Sailors Female rowing match Female pedestrian Gretna Green Marriages Some curious marriages
CHAPTER XIV.
The Man of the period Drinking habits Dandies Lord Petersham A Dandy's diary Gaming Prize fighting Country Sports
CHAPTER XV.
Eating and drinking Recipe for Punch The Stage Baron Geramb Romeo Coates Actors and Actresses Mrs. Jordan
CHAPTER XVI.
The Italian Opera An uproar Catalani and her terms Vauxhall Musical prodigy Painters, Sculptors, Art exhibitions Literature and writers Bibliomaniacs George Bidder, the Calculating boy Musicians Medical men The Clergy Roman Catholic emancipation Joanna Southcott
INDEX
Dcoration
ILLUSTRATIONS TO VOL. II.
Page
RECRUITING
"ANSWER TO JOHN BULL'S COMPLAINT"
BONAPARTE ON THE QUARTER-DECK OF H. M. S. NORTHUMBERLAND
BOXIANA; OR, THE FANCY
"A SINGLE LIFE ON THE CONTINENT, STARVING ON SOUR KROUT!!"
"COMES TO ENGLAND, IS MADE A GENERAL," &c.
"RL WHISKERS," 1816
HENRY HUNT, ESQ.
"THE NEW COINAGE; OR, JOHN BULL'S VISIT TO MAT OF THE MINT!!"
"A PEEP INTO THE PUMP ROOM; OR, THE ZOMERSETSHIRE FOLK IN A MAZE," OCTOBER, 1817
ROBERT OWEN, AUGUST 21, 1817
"SALES BY AUCTION! OR, PROVIDENT CHILDREN DISPOSING OF THEIR DECEASED MOTHER'S EFFECTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THEIR CREDITORS!"
"MAKING MOST OF 10,000 PER AN."
"THE HOBBY HORSE DEALER"
"THE LADY'S ACCELERATOR"
"HIGH LIFE BELOW STAIRS!!"
MASSACRE AT ST. PETER'S; OR, "BRITONS, STRIKE HOME!!!"
GEORGE III.
MARKET WOMEN
THE WAGGON
THE POST CHAISE
THE MAIL COACH
SOWING BROADCAST
USING THE FLAIL
THE PLOUGH
THE FARM LABOURER
GLEANERS
DAIRY FOLK
WASHING CLOTHES
MOUNTED BUTCHER BOY
THE GIPSIES
WALKING COSTUME. 1812
LADIES' HEAD-DRESS
NO. 1 AND 2, 1811; NO. 3, 1812; NO. 4 AND 5, 1813
NO. 1 AND 2, 1814; NO. 3 AND 4, 1815
FASHIONABLES OF 1816 TAKING THE AIR IN HYDE PARK
BELLES AND BEAUS; OR, A SCENE IN HYDE PARK, AUGUST 12, 1817
A DANDYESS, 1819
WALTZING
AT THE SPINNING-WHEEL
MAKING PILLOW LACE
MILK WOMAN
CONVIVIALITY
A PORTRAIT (LORD PETERSHAM)
LORD PETERSHAM. 1815
DANDY ON HORSEBACK
A DANDY
PLAYING AT BOWLS AND QUOITS
LOTHARIO, AS PERFORMED BY MR. COATES AT THE HAYMARKET THEATRE, DECEMBER 9, 1811
A CLOWN AND A GRASSHOPPER
A PHYSICIAN
TWO OPPOSITE CHARACTERS
Dcoration
Dcoration
SOCIAL ENGLAND UNDER THE REGENCY.
CHAPTER I.
Anti-Corn Bill riots Riots in the north Ratification of the Treaty of Peace with America Attempt to steal the Crown Epithets applied to Napoleon The Prince of Wales' debts.
At home our domestic peace was seriously interrupted at this time. Doubtless, with a view to assuage the agricultural distress, a measure was proposed, prohibiting the importation of corn, except when it had reached a price considered by the great body of the consumers as exorbitant. This, having once tasted comparatively cheap bread (the quartern loaf was then about 1s.), his Majesty's lieges did not like, and meetings against it were held all over the place, and Resolutions passed, the first of which is as follows, the others all hingeing upon it:
"1. Resolved. That it is the opinion of the Committee, that any sort of Foreign Corn, Meal, or Flour, which may, by law, be imported into the United Kingdom, shall, at all times, be allowed to be brought to the United Kingdom, and to be warehoused there, without payment of any duty whatever."
The Mob, in those days, were even more unthinking than they are now, and, whilst the respectable portion of the community were agitating in a legitimate manner, they
