Miss Hobson Conductress of the Quadrilles

Miss Hobson who, according to the Bath Directory of 1819,  lived at 13 River Street was a teacher of dancing and Conductress of the Quadrilles at the Upper Assembly Rooms.

Before the 19th century no other dances required a conductor. So what made the quadrille different? The minuet had emerged as a court dance for the upper eschelons of society people for whom mastering this dance was part of their job as courtiers and this largely explain its demise over the course of the Geogian period. Country dances had an effective system where inactive couples waiting to dance would observe the dance several times before it reached them, so they would know the figure by the time they danced it. The cotillion only had one short figure to memorize. The set of "changes" of the cotillion were always the same changes and thus relatively easily memorised.

A Charity Ball in Bath in 1801

We learn from the Annuls of Bath from 1801 that "The Battle of Copenhagen had been fought, and, while all who were blest with the means, had been recently straining every nerve to relieve their famished townsmen, yet they were not unmindful of those brave fellows who had fought and suffered in their country's cause, before the walls of that city.

A Ball, suggested by Her Royal Highness the Duchess of York, (then a visitor in this city,) was given at the Upper Assembly Rooms for the benefit of the brave men who were wounded, and the widows and families of those who fell on that occasion. The notice was short, but the cause was patriotic, and found immediate way to every grateful British bosom. The room was crowded with all that was noble, loyal, and beautiful in the city. The amount of the clear profits was £536, which sufficiently indicates the number and liberality of the company who attended. One of the most heartfelt pleasures of the evening resulted from the presence of the venerable father of Nelson. His dress and demeanour were as unassuming as the bravery of his noble son was conspicuous, and it is needless to say he claimed and received every mark of respect and veneration."

The Battle of Copenhagen of 1801, also known as the First Battle of Copenhagen to distinguish it from the Second Battle of Copenhagen in 1807, was a naval battle in which a British fleet fought and defeated a smaller force of the Dano-Norwegian Navy anchored near Copenhagen on 2 April 1801. The battle arose over British fears that the powerful Danish fleet would ally with France and a breakdown in diplomatic communications on both sides.

The Duchess of York started life as Princess Frederica Charlotte of Prussia, the eldest daughter of King Frederick William II. She became the wife of Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, second son of King George III.

The marriage was not a happy one, after three years, it had become apparent that the Duke and Duchess of York would have no issue. Frederica Charlotte and Frederick separated. The Duchess retired to Oatlands Park, Weybridge, where she lived until her death in 1820. Their relationship after separation appears to have been amicable, but there was never any question of reconciliation.

She is described as: "clever and well-informed; she likes society and dislikes all form and ceremony, but in the midst of the most familiar intercourse she always preserves a certain dignity of manner", and :"probably no person in such a situation was ever more really liked." In 1827 (after her death), she was called: "a harmless but an eccentric little woman, with an extraordinary fondness for cats and dogs, some indications of the German severity of family etiquette, which gave her household the air of Potsdam, and but a slight share of those attractions which might retain the regards of a husband—young, a soldier, and a prince." High-stakes gambling is reported to have taken place at Oatlands. Frederica kept many dogs and was apparently very devoted to monkeys.

In a letter in May of 1801, Jane Austen shared her hope that with the Duchess's departure from Bath, food would become cheaper, particularly fish.

Nelson's father was the Reverend Edmund Nelson a Norfolk Rector from an old Norfolk family. He regularly wintered in Bath often sharing accommodation with Nelson, Nelson's wife Fanny and one of Nelson's sisters. Edmund would die the next year 1802.

Countess of Moira’s Lilt

"A Selection of Elegant & Fashionable Country Dances Reels Waltzes &co for the ensuing season 1808 including those much admired Neapolitan & Maltese Pandean Airs, arranged for the Piano Forte or Harp also Flute or Patent Flageolet, with an accompaniment for the piano forte or harp by August Voigt" included the dance the Countess of Moira's Lilt.

A Lilt was a Scottish term for a cheerful tune.

Elizabeth Rawdon, Countess of Moira in the Peerage of Ireland (23 March 1731 – 11 April 1808), was a literary patron and antiquarian; she also held five English peerages in her own right. She was born at Donington Park, Leicestershire, England and died in Moira, County Down, Ireland.

Born as Elizabeth Hastings, she was the daughter of Theophilus Hastings, 9th Earl of Huntingdon and Selina Shirley, founder of the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion religious denomination. Elizabeth was 16th Baron Botreaux and 15th Baron Hungerford, in her own right (suo jure), inheriting the titles on the death of her brother Francis Hastings, 10th Earl of Huntingdon. She was the third wife of John Rawdon, 1st Earl of Moira.

Her husband was the Earl of Moira and Baron Rawdon of Moira, in the Irish Peerage; as his wife, she was Countess of Moira and Baroness Rawdon. She also inherited five English baronies from her brother Francis Hastings, 10th Earl of Huntingdon: Baroness Botreaux, Baroness Hungerford, Baroness de Moleyns, Baroness Hastings of Hastings and Baroness Hastings of Hungerford.

In 1780, Lady Moira archaeologically investigated the remains of a bog body found on her husband's land and published her findings in 1785 in the periodical Archaeologia. It was the first documented scientific investigation of a bog body ever.

After she died in 1808, her son inherited the baronies and proved his right to be Baron Hastings - he had also taken the family name of Rawdon-Hastings according to his uncle's will.

Augustus Voigt was a German composer who lived in London early in the nineteenth century. He composed many popular tunes, but he was better known for his skill in improving an existing melody. 

He was born in Germany and was said to have been a musical prodigy. He found himself in London in July 1803, just as the French took possession of Hanover. He decided to remain in London and worked as a jobbing composer and arranger. Over time, he built a substantial reputation in the world of dance music and collaborated with a number of the leading music publishers of the period.

A Derby rematch in Bath in 1780

Starting on the 19th of September 1780, there was a four-day race meeting on Claverton Down.

The first day started with a race for a £50 plate, which only attracted two runners.

The next race was a 50 Guinea sweepstakes for four-year-olds, which was cancelled.

This was followed by a race for three-year-olds over a 2-mile course. The entries advertised before the race were:

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland’s colt Polydore, by Eclipse out of a Spectator Mare

The Duke of Cumberland

Mr Luttrell’s bay colt Tetrarch, by Herod, dam by Careless

Mr R. Brereton’s chestnut colt by Lycurgus, out of an unknown mare

Mr. Davis’s chestnut colt by Conundrum, dam by Chrysolite

Sir John Lade’s brown filly Lady Ann, by Eclipse, dam by Snap

Mr. C Pigott’s bay filly by Cardinal Puff, out of Duenna’s dam

Mr O’Kelly’s colt Budroo by Eclipse, out of a Sweeper mare

Dennis O'Kelly, gambler, pimp, horse breeder 
and dealer

Mr Parker’s brown colt by Matchem, out of an Old England mare

Mr Brereton, Mr Davis, Sir John Lade, and Mr Pigott decided to pay a forfeit and withdraw their horses from an impressive entry.

In fact, Budroo and Polydore had competed in the Epsom Derbyfirst running of, Polydore coming 6th and Budroo coming 2nd out of a field of nine.

On this day, Budroo won, and Polydore came last.

The following year, Budroo beat the winner of the first Derby, Sir Charles Bunbury's Diomed,  at a 300-guinea rematch at Newmarket.

Budroo and Polydore were both the progeny of Eclipse, a remarkable animal who changed racehorse breeding and from whom most modern thoroughbreds are descended. Eclipse also connects O'Kelly, who owned him, with the Duke of Cumberland, whose uncle bred him.

Another Dancer Sparks a Riot

 The theatres of the eighteenth century often suffered from audience riots, and popular dancers failing to appear was often the trigger event.

An example is recounted in the 'Life of Mr James Quin', [1] Quin was a well-known actor-manager who retired to Bath.

"A new pantomime brought out at Drury Inne Theatre, which was to end with a grand dance; Madam Chateauneuf, the head dancer at that time was to have been the principal performer; but she being taken ill, the dance was necessarily set aside, though the managers published her name three successive nights, without making any apology for the omission.  The first night the audience remained pretty quiet: the second, they only hissed; but on the third night, they ushered out the ladies and began demolishing the house. The first motion that was made, and by a noble marquis, was to fire it, but that being carried in the negative, they began with the orchestra, broke the harpsichord and bass viols, together with the looking glasses, scenes and chandeliers, pulled up the benches in the pit, broke down the boxes, and even the royal arms."

Madame Chateauneuf was born in France on 15 April. 1721, and was orphaned while very young. She was adopted and brought up by a dancer named Chateauneuf, who later married her.

She first appeared in London under the name "Mlle" Chateauneuf, dancing in the French company managed by Francisque Moylin, which played at the Little Theatre in the Haymarket about 116 times from 26 October 1734 through 3 June 1735. How many times Mlle Chateauneuf danced that season is not recorded

1. Quin, James. The Life of Mr. James Quin, Comedian, with the History of the Stage from His Commencing Actor to His Retreat to Bath, Illustrated with Many Curious and Interesting Anecdotes of Several Persons of Distinction, Literature and Gallantry. To Which Is Added a Supplement of Original Facts and Anecdotes Arranged from Authentic Sources Together with His Trial for the Murder of Mr. Bowen. London: Reader, 1887. Print.

Proper positioning for dancing or conversing

TOMLINSON, Kellom (ca 1690-1753). The Art of Dancing Explained by Reading and Figures 1735

"Let us, therefore, to draw nearer to the Subject in hand, inquire into the Nature of those Positions that must be observed, in order to attain this sine [sic] and becoming Presence: And that our Readers may be furnished with proper Directions to arrive at the fame, tho' perhaps, our Rules may not be so perfect as could have been wished, we flatter ourselves they will be of no small Use and Advantage; wherefore, without farther Apology, I shall enter upon the Description of Possum in general.

Position, then, is the different Placing or Setting our Feet on the Floor, whether in Conversation or Dancing; and those for Conversation, or when we stand in Company, are when the Weight rests as much on one Foot as the other, the Feet being considerably separated or open, the Knees straight [sic], the Hands placed by the Side in a genteel Fall or natural Bend of the Wrists, and being in an agreeable Fashion or Shape about the Joint or Bend of the Hip, with the Head gracefully turning to the Right or Left, which compleats [sic] a most Heroic Posture; and, tho' it may be improper, in the Presence of Superiors, among Familiars, it is a bold and graceful Attitude, called the Second Positions: Or, when the Heel of the right or left Foot is inclosed or placed, without Weight, before the Ancle [sic] of that Foot by which the Poise is supported, the Hands being put between the Folds or Flaps of the Coat, or Waiste-coat [sic] , if the Coat is unbuttoned, with a natural and easy Fall of the Arms from the Shoulders, this produces a very modest and agreeable Posture, named the Third Position inclosed [sic] Or, if the inclosed [sic] Foot be moved open from the other, sideways, to the Right or Left, about the Distance of half a Foot, or as far as, in setting it down to the Floor, the Weight of the Body resting on the contrary Foot is not disordered by it, with the Toes handsomely turning out, the Hat under one Arm, and the other in some agreeable Action, the Head also turning a little from the Foot on which the Poise rests, this we stile the Fourth Position open, and it may be very justly esteemed a most genteel and becoming Posture."

“The Positions, from which Dancing dates its Original, consist of five Principles: As, first, when the Toes turning outwards, the two Heels are equally placed together. Secondly, when both Heels are ”
confidently separated or open. Thirdly, when the Poise rests upon one Foot, the other being inclosed or placed before the Ancle of that Foot by which the Weight is supported. Fourthly, when the inclosed Foot is advanced upon a right line, about the Length of a Step in Walking. And, Fifthly, when, the Heel of the advanced Foot is so crossed and placed before the Toe of that Foot on which the Body rests, as that the Turning may be made, and yet one Foot not. in the lead, interrupt the other. 

Hairdressing in the 1780s

This advert appeared in the Bath Chronicle in 1781. The term peruke is a synonym for wig. A gentleman's wig consisted of the toupee or front hair and the back hair. At this time, most wigs were either made of human or animal hair, including the hair of horses, cows and foxes or textiles such as mohair or silk.

During this period, the toupee came to be known as the 'brush' or 'feathered part'. The emphasis in this decade was on width rather than height.

A bag wig gathered the back hair in a black silk bag. This type of wig fell out of fashion in the 1790s.

There are no unambiguously labelled eighteenth-century illustrations of bob wigs, but they are understood to have been wigs with short, tight curls at the bottom.

Of course, all wigs would be powdered even if they were already grizzled.

Cushions were used to pad out ladies' hair to help build the higher and fuller styles which were fashionable throughout the eighteenth century. However, at this time, the height of the coiffure was beginning to decrease.

In front, the hair was usually frizzed out to give extra width to the face, and below the mass of the hair at the back of the nape of the neck, a 'banging chignon' was usually included. In this decade, the chignon was sometimes twisted or even plaited.

Feathers worn in the hair were more popular in the eighties than in the previous decade, and fancy caps, ribbons, pearls and lace were also worn.

Such luxuriant hairstyles might necessitate the wearing of a complete wig.

Natural hair and wigs were almost always powered, especially on formal occasions.

Number 3 today

By the decade's end, Bally had moved the business to his house in Burton Street.

1 Burton Street Today

A man's hair cut and dress cost 1s 6d, or about £111 at today's values.

It is worth noting the distinction and price difference between a lady's hair being dressed for the morning or fully dressed for appearing at a formal public event.

Up With The Orange a dance from 1814

This is taken from "Up with the Orange. A fashionable country dance to which are added two favorite French country dances or cotillions for the year 1814. The proper figures are affixed to each air."

The suggested figures are:
    
The 1st and 2nd couples advance and foot it in the centre, Then turn into place down the middle and up again - swing corners  - pousette.  

The title probably refers to the Prince of Orange, for whom 1814 had been a big year as he had been promoted to lieutenant-general in the British Army and had become engaged to Princess Charlotte, the only daughter of the Prince Regent.  

William and his wife Anna Pavlovna (1816)

                                                                                                

The London dancing master Thomas Wilson tells us in his 1808 publication An Analysis of Country Dance how to swing corners correctly at this period.

The Gentleman at B, turns the Lady at A, with his right hand, who moves to D, while the Gentleman
moves to C.

Jane Austen on drunkenness and adultery at the rooms

Jane Austen's letter to her sister Cassandra 12th - 13th May 1801. Jane was staying with her Aunt and Uncle in their home in the Paragon.

"In the evening I hope you honoured my Toilette & Ball with a thought; I dressed myself as well as I could, & my finery was much admired at home."

On Mondays, the Ball at the Upper Rooms was a formal dress ball. This was the last but one Ball of this season.

"By nine o'clock my Uncle, Aunt and I entered the rooms & linked Miss Winstone on to us."

The Ball started at 7 o'clock, so the Austens were probably timing their arrival to avoid the demanding and increasingly unpopular minuets.

"Before tea, it was a rather dull affair; but then the before tea did not last that long, for there was only one dance, dance by four couple. Think of four couple, surrounded by about an hundred people, dancing in the Upper Rooms at Bath! After tea we cheered up; the breaking up of private parties sent some scores more to the Ball, & tho' it was shockingly & inhumanly thin for this place, there were people enough I suppose to have made five or six very pretty Basingstoke assemblies."

Since the early 1790s, there had been an increasing fashion for attending private parties before considering moving on to the assemblies. This was one factor that led to the introduction of the much more informal fancy balls. The Austen party may have been particularly sensitive to numbers attending the Upper Rooms as her uncle had a financial interest in the rooms, having subscribed funds to their construction.

"I then got Mr Evelyn to talk to & Miss Twisleton to look at; and I am proud to say that I have a very good eye at an Adulteress, for tho' repeatedly assured that another in the party was the She, I fixed upon the right one from the first. A resemblance to Mrs Leigh was my guide."

The Twisleton family was related to the Austen family via the Leighs. Miss Twisleton was Miss Mary Cassandra Twislton, whose older sister Julie Judith Twislton married Jane's cousin, James Henry Leigh of Adlestrop, in 1786. Mary Cassandra had moved to Bath with her mother, Lady Saye and Sele, in 1800 following the end of a legal action that had made her notorious and allowed her cousin to brand her as an "adulteress."

At the age of 16, Mary Cassandra married Edward Ricketts. The marriage collapsed 7 years later when her husband discovered incriminating letters between his wife and Charles Taylor. The following year the Bishop of London granted Ricketts an Episcopal divorce. Not content with this, Ricketts applied to the House of Lords for a civil divorce. At the hearing, several witnesses swore they had seen Mary Cassandra visit her lover's house, and some commented on her dishevelled appearance on leaving. The most damaging evidence was provided by a maid who testified that Mary had boasted in graphic detail of Taylor's prowess as a lover compared to her husband's performance. Ricketts was granted his divorce in 1799.

Before this, the Twisleton name had already featured in a sexual scandal through Mary Cassandra's older brother Thomas's marriage to Charlotte Anne Frances Wattell, who was the daughter of John Wattell Esq and niece to Sir John Stonehouse. At about the age of eighteen, she had met, through a mutual love of performing in amateur theatricals, Mary's brother Thomas James Twisleton, the youngest son of Lord Saye and Sele. Twisleton was 18 and still at school, but within four months had eloped with her to Gretna Green. According to her husband, Mrs Twislton had very expensive tastes. She had "reduced him almost to poverty", and when he had attempted to remonstrate with her, she had "declared to go on the [professional] stage, where she knew she possessed the talent to support herself in affluence". He strongly opposed her plans, and when she went behind his back to meet Harris, the proprietor of the Covent Garden Theatre, he sought and obtained a deed of separation in 1794. At this time, the couple had five children, of whom only one daughter survived to maturity. However, before Twisleton got a divorce bill passed in 1798, Charlotte gave birth to a son as the result of an affair with a merchant named Stein. Stein acknowledged paternity and helped with his education.

Charlotte Twisleton around 1796

"She is not so pretty as I expected ; her face has the same defect of baldness as her sister's, & her features not so handsome; she was highly rouged & looked quietly & contentedly silly than anything else. Mrs Badcock & two young women were of the same party except when Mrs Badcock thought herself obliged to leave them, to run round the room after her drunken husband. His avoidance, & her pursuit, with the probable intoxication of both was an amusing scene."

This Mr Badcock may well be the young man mentioned in a letter preserved in the Bath library describing a ball in the Upper Rooms nine years earlier in 1792:

"It was amazingly crowded, although the minuets had not begun, so much so that we found some difficulty to get seats. I was very much entertained with the bad minuet dancers especially with a Mr. Badcock who was obliged to stand up with seven or eight Ladies successively, to the great diversion of the spectators. I believe there were twenty minuets which was rather tiresome, but at last the Country Dances began."

Making your dancing look effortless, smooth and steady.

In his 1822 book Elements of the Art of Dancing the Edinburgh dancing master, Alexander Strathy recommends the following exercise as a way of mastering this skill.

“PLACE your feet in the fifth position, keep the body upright, rest on the leg that is behind, raise the heel of the foot that is before, and slide the foot on the point slowly to the second position. The knee should be straight, as the foot arrives at the second position; place the heel of the foot which you have moved, keeping it forward; rest the body on it, and at the same time raise the heel of the other foot, which you now slide on the point into the fifth position before, keeping the knees straight, and the heel forward, that you may form the position closely; then do the same thing to the other side. This exercise should be also performed, by entering the foot behind in the fifth position.

Then, in the same manner;' from the fifth to the fourth position forward.-Place the feet in the fifth position, balance the body on the leg that is behind; raise the heel of the foot that is before, slide the foot on the point to the fourth position forward, keeping the knees straight; place the heel, and rest the body on the foremost leg, then slide up the foot that is behind, to the fifth .position behind.
Continue to do this several times forward, then backward. Do the same thing with the other foot before.”

Feet Positions

Anne Bland music publisher

Anne Bland is an important figure for those interested in the dance music of the period of Jane Austen's life and novels. Anne Bland, who has no connection with the music publisher John Bland, began her music publishing business in London 1784. 

Anne Bland was established at 23 Oxford Street prior to 1790 and issued sheet music and yearly sets of dances.   Anne partnered with E. Weller in 1792, forming Bland and Weller. In addition to their publishing activities, which included a large number of country-dance collections, many of which survive, and the first English edition of three Mozart piano sonatas (k280, 282, 283), they were also piano and wind instrument makers. Anne Bland as "Music Seller, Oxford Street" is given in the Musical Directory for 1794. 

Early English pianoforte by Bland and Weller
23 Oxford Street

In 1805, the firm purchased from Dibdin, the composer, musician, dramatist, novelist and actor, the copyrights of 360 of his songs together with his musical stock, which they then reissued. Anne Bland retired in about 1818, and a sale of plates and copyrights took place though Weller carried on the business as Weller & Co. until 1820.

Typical surviving dance collections include:

24 Favorite country dances, hornpipes and reels with their proper figures for the German flute or violin as performed at court and all public assemblies 1807
24 Favourite Country Dances, Hornpipes and Reels with their proper figures for the German flute or violin. As performed at court and all public assemblies.A typical country dance tune and instruction book printed in London in 1803
Bland and Weller’s Annual Collection of Twenty-four Country Dances for the year 1797, with their proper Figures. For the Violin
Bland and Weller’s annual Collection of twenty-four Country Dances for the year 1798, with their proper figures, for the violin
Bland and Weller’s Annual Collection of twenty-four Country Dances for the Year 1799, with their proper Figures. For the violin and German flute, etc.

Bland and Weller
Clarinet

Mr De La Main - Dancing Master

The European Magazine and London Review Volume April 1797 obituary  “Lately, at Bath, Mr De la Main, formally a wine-merchant and dancing master".

There is some evidence of Thomas De La Main operating as a dancing master in Bath as early as 1757.

Thomas De le Main opened a public dancing academy in his house in Westgate Street, where he taught both ladies and gentlemen in September 1768. Prior to that, he had been teaching private pupils and the students of a local boarding school.

By 1774, he was also trading as a wine merchant out of 4 Westgate Street. Sometime in early 1775, the wine business was in the hands of Robert De Le Main, probably Thomas's son.

By 1775, De La Main was organising balls at the New Rooms to show off his students' skills. These seem to have been held on Saturdays with a 6:30 start time.

By 1776, when the business was sold, Robert had acquired a partner in the wine merchants called Mr. Higgs.

In the winter of 1778, Thomas De La Main from Bath was running a dancing academy in Dublin.

Thomas was still running dancing classes in Bath as late as 1786.

In April 1797, the Chronicle announced, "died, in a very advanced age, Mr De La Main, formerly an eminent wine-merchant and dancing master of this city."

Artists and the Rooms

The Assembly Rooms were magnets for the rich and fashionable of the Georgian age. Consequently, those who made their living from the rich wanted to be close to the rooms.

This effect can be seen most clearly from moves by three famous Bath portrait artists when the Upper Rooms were opened and became the most fashionable of the Bath Rooms.

Thomas Gainsborough moved from near the Abbey to the Circus, where he lived at number 17; William Hoare moved from Queen Square to Edgar Buildings, and Thomas Lawrence's father brought his young genius of a son to live at 2 Alfred Street, where he built his reputation by painting small pastel portraits of the visitors to the Assemblies.

A pastel portrait by Thomas Lawrence from the 1780s

William Hoare was the first fashionable portraitist to settle in Bath, and he remained the leading portraitist there until the arrival of Thomas Gainsborough in 1759. He remained the favourite of his powerful patron, the Duke of Newcastle, his family, followers and political associates. Included amongst his other important patrons were the Earls of Pembroke and Chesterfield and the Duke of Beaufort. With Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds, he was a founding member of the Royal Academy.

Sir Thomas Lawrence was the second president of the Royal Academy. Lawrence was a child prodigy. He was born in Bristol and began drawing in Devizes, where his father was an innkeeper. He moved to Bath at age ten in 1779, where he supported his family with his pastel portraits.

the body is in motion, and is thrown into all postures, frequently into very indecent ones

In his book “TRAVELS THROUGH PORTUGAL AND SPAIN, In 1772 AND 1773” RICHARD TWISS, F. R. S. (1747-1821) describes the Fandango being danced an inn in Mafra in Portugal,
“The dance itself is for two persons, and much like the Dutch plugge dansen. I imagine the Dutch, by having been so long under the Spanish dominion, have retained this dance, as well; as many other customs. For instance, the veils ; which are large square pieces of black silk, that the women, when walking, throw over their heads, and keep nearly closed over their faces. The Spanish name is velo the Dutch call it saly. The custom of smoking tobacco the inhabitants of the Netherlands have probably also derived from the Spaniards. The pronunciation of the two languages in the harsh and guttural G, is exactly the fame.

But to return to the fandango. Every part of the body is in motion, and is thrown into all postures, frequently into very indecent ones.    Stamping the time with the feet, and playing all the while with the castanets which are a kind of small shells of ivory, or hard wood, of which two are rattled together in each hand.    When they have not these instruments, they snap with their fingers and thumbs.    The dancers approach, turn, retire, and approach again; the man with his hat on.    I afterwards saw this dance to greater perfection on the stage, to the music of the whole orchestra.   It seems the tune is always identically the fame. When these dancers were tired, and in a profuse sweat with the violence of the exercise, their place was immediately supplied by another couple, as the room was  by this time filled   with most of the decent people of the village, who having danced in their turns, I disregarded the musician,  and passed the remainder of the evening in playing a rubber at whist with my landlady, her husband, and her sister.”

In his book The Code of Terpsicore in 1830 Carlo Blasis Italian dancer, choreographer and dance theoretician

"A young girl, of bold character, places in her hand two castaguettes of sonorous wood. By the aid of her fingers she produces a clattering noise, and to that she keeps time with graceful motions of her feet. The young man holds a tambourine (or a tambour de basque, which, however, is now out of use), this he strikes with little bells, seemingly, as it were, to invite his companion to accompany him in gesticulation. While dancing, both alternately playing the same air, both keep time to its measure.

Every description of lascivious motion, every gesture that is offensive to modesty, and whatever can corrupt innocence and honesty is represented by these dancers, to the life. Alternately do they salute, exchanging amorous looks; they give their hips a certain immodest motion, then they meet and press their breasts together; their eyes appear half closed, and they seem, even while dancing, to be approaching the final embrace."

Given these descriptions it is not surprising to discover that in Georgian Bath performances of the Fandango seem to have been largely confined to the circus and the theatre.

Bath Chronicle 1822

The Giroux sisters who performed on the 3rd February were from a family of the theatrical dancers but had settled in Bath and Bristol where they ran successful dance academies.

Dancing in Bath 1792

A letter from Elizabeth Canning to her mother dated Tuesday, December the 11th, 1792 when she was about 16.

"they took me to the Rooms last night but for the novelty of the thing, I should have thought it very stupid. I saw a good many faces that I had met before, among the rest Mrs Smith and one of the Miss Scots, who is turned into a Mrs Mc Somebody, to the great delight of her Mama, my three Aunts, played cards, & were  successful the little one brought home her Louis D'Or, Jassum [sic] you, I was very much amused looking over the Table of Cassino [a card game of the type known as fishing], at which Aunt Fan played, and observing the faces & vexation of the losing party. We came home at ten O'clock - tomorrow I am to go to the undress Ball."

The ball Elizabeth attended at the Lower Rooms was the first of the new Fancy Balls, an innovation designed to combat the decline in attendance at the Cotillion Balls of the previous decade and increasing resistance to the rigid dress codes. Fancy Balls were, in Georgian terms, much more relaxed occasions Ladies could appear in hats or make any other elegant fashion statement they pleased, short of actual fancy dress costumes. Fancy balls started with a country dance, after which there was one Cotillion only, and then tea – after tea, a country dance, one Cotillion only and the evening ended with more country dances and the Long Minuet, famously illustrated by Henry Bunbury.



The term undress ball is a nickname given by the company to the new Fancy Balls and is a joking allusion to their not being Dress Balls.

The Fancy Ball at the Upper Rooms 
Thomas Rowlandson

Dress Balls were formal occasions which commenced with Minuets before moving on to Country Dances. Dancing ability and the ability to get the technical details and formalities right were key to admission to the beau monde in the eighteenth century, particularly at big formal assemblies. The minuet was the ultimate test of those skills. The minuet was a couples’ dance where the couple performed before the assembled audience and other dancers who were continually assessing their skills; everything from how they entered the room, their deportment and how they executed the steps through to how the gentleman handled his hat. The dress code was strict, with women wearing lappets and hoops. Special servants were provided to help them change for the country dances.

The Rooms in Verse - the 1730s

In 1731, The Gentleman's Magazine published a poem by Lady M M, "A Farewell to Bath," which contained the following:

"Lindsays and Hayes's both farewell,

Where in the spacious hall;

With bounding steps, and sprightly airs

I've led up many a ball

Where Somerville of courteous mein,

Was partner in the dance,

With swimming Haws, and Brownlow blithe;

And Britton pink of France."

Lady M M was Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, nee Pierrepont (baptised May 26, 1689, died Aug. 21, 1762), one of the most colourful Englishwomen of her time and a brilliant and versatile writer.

Evelyn Pierrepont,

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu
nee Pierrepont

She was the daughter of Evelyn Pierrepont, 5th Earl, later 1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull, and his first wife, Lady Mary Fielding. The Pierreponts owned extensive land holdings in Bath, and the family name is recalled in the street running into North Parade. Indeed, the Lower Rooms were built, at least in part, on Pierrepont land.

Because she was often the most socially important person at the balls, she usually stood in the first position in the line of dancers in country dances and would usually have danced the first minuet at the start.

Mrs Lindsay, a former opera singer, was the operator of the rooms which had been built on what is now York Street and Mrs Hayes, her sister, ran the rooms formerly operated by Mr Harrison, which were on the site now occupied by the derelict Island Club and known locally as Bog Island.

The "spacious hall" at Mrs. Lindsay's was probably no more than 26 feet in length, 30 feet wide and 30 feet high in 1730.

"Somerville of courteous mein" is probably James, the 13th Lord Somerville of Scotland, who had come to England in the 1720s and met and married, in Bath, the enormously wealthy local widow Anne Rolt, nee Bayntun.

Spring Balls of 1793

On Friday, the 12th of April, at the Lower Assembly Rooms, they held a benefit ball for the Master of the Ceremonies, Mr King. At benefit balls, the Master of the Ceremonies kept the profits. [1]

James King

On Monday, the 22nd of April, the New Rooms held a benefit ball for their man Mr Tyson.

On April 24th, Miss Flemings put on their spring ball at the New Rooms to showcase the students' talents from their dance academy.

Miss Flemings were the sisters Anne and Kitty, the then proprietors of the famous Fleming family dance academy, a prominent Bath institution since the 1740s and celebrated for throwing magnificent balls often attended by Royalty.

Source: Bath Chronicle 12th April 1793

The Grove a dance from 1796

The suggested figures for The Grove taken from "The Scholar's Companion - Cotillions and Country Dances – 1796. The scholar’s companion: containing a choice collection of cotillons & country-dances by M.J.C. Fraisier." of 1796

"First and 2d couples cross hands and back again, lead down the middle, lead up and cast off one couple; then the 1st gentleman sets to the 3d lady, whilst his partner sets to the 3d gentleman; then the 1st gentleman sets to the 2d lady, whilst his partner sets to the 2d gentleman; then the 1st gentleman turns his partner with both hands, placing her between the 2d and 3d ladies, and right and left at top."

The Africans a Dance from 1816

The suggested figures for The Africans taken from "TheTreasures of Terpsichore; OR,
A COMPANION FOR THE BALL-ROOM. BEING A COLLECTION OF ALL THE
MOST POPULAR ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCES, Arranged Alphabetically, with proper Figures to each Dance. BY T. WILSON, DANCING MASTER, from the King's Theatre, Opera House, AND AUTHOR OF 'THE ANALYSIS OF COUNTRY DANCING.'

Africans (The). 2 PARTS REPEATED.

Single Figure.

Set and change sides, down the middle, up again, right and left.

Or thus:

Hey of your own sides, cross over two couple. and lead up one.

During the Napoleonic Wars, the Cape Colony was annexed by the British and officially became their colony in 1815 and this may possibly have inspired the title.

Two Bath dances from 1797

The originally suggested figures for the country dance tune Victory. Taken from "Ten Country Dances and four cotillions with their basses for the pianoforte as they are now danced at Bath for the year 1797. Price 1s 6d. Printed for & sold at J&W Lintern's Music Warehouse, Abbey Church Yard Bath."

First and second Cu. set and Hands across ~ Same Back again ~ Lead down the,
Middle and up again ~ Right and left at Top 8 ~

From the same book come suggested figures for the country dance tune, The Whimsical Lover.

First & 2d. Cu ~ set & change Sides - The same Back again - Lead down the Middle & up again ~ Right & Left at Top ~

Lintern, J. & W. Abbey Church Yard were music sellers, publishers and agents for  the long-established London publishers Longman, Clementi & Co. and Cahusac & Sons at the sign of the "Two Flutes and Violin, opposite St Clement's Church in the Strand,"

The title "Victory" may well be inspired by the Battle of Cape St. Vincent (14 February 1797), where a British fleet under Admiral Sir John Jervis defeated a larger Spanish fleet under Admiral Don José de Córdoba y Ramos near Cape St. Vincent, Portugal.