If possible I shall try to get a few dance lessons

This is a quote from Elizabeth Canning's letter to her mother on the 4th November 1798 when she was visiting Bath. At this time, she was in her early twenties and would have had a choice of teachers, among them[1]:

Anna Fleming proprietor of the long established Fleming family business which she ran with her assistant Miss Le Mercier in John Street.

Mrs Elliston and her partner Kitty Fleming, Anne's sister, who had set up their public establishment in Chapel Row in 1796 but in addition offered private lessons at 5 Pulteney street with the additional inducement of lessons in “art of reading and speaking with propriety” from Elizabeth's glamorous husband Robert rising star of the Bath and London Stage. 

There was also Charles Metralcourt who had returned to Bath in 1795 and who had been a ballet master at the London Opera House and offered his deep knowledge of the steps of the newly fashionable Scottish and Irish dances.

Susan Sibbald, a young boarder at the Belvedere school in Bath at the very end of the eighteenth century has left us a rare account of what a dance class of this period was like. The tall, erect, stoutish Miss Fleming would arrive at the school in her sedan chair to teach them minuets and figure dances while Miss Le Mercier concentrated on the basic steps and positions. A violinist came with them to
play the tunes. From time to time Miss Fleming would call out, 'Now ladies, do credit to Bath', and reward her best pupils with a bonbon from an amber box or a flower from her bouquet.

Notes:
1. Letters Barnett Elizabeth (Bess nee Canning) - Bath Library Reference Collection

Rules for attending public balls in the first decade of the nineteenth century

In his book “An Analysis of Country Dancing” published in 1808 the London dancing master Thomas Wilson gives the following advice to those attending their first public assembly:

“The regulations of some well known assemblies are already before the public. As the Bath Guide contains the rules and etiquette of their balls, which for public balls are perhaps the genteelest and best conducted of any in England, I have in the following lines given only such general hints as ought to be observed in all assemblies whether public or private.

Every Lady on entering the ball room must be presented by the Master of the Ceremonies with a ticket, on which is inscribe the number of her call (except Ladies of title, who claim their precedence according to their rank or seniority), which she should pin in a conspicuous place, to prevent any confusion or misunderstanding respecting places."

By the 'number of her call' Wilson means her place in the set for the country dances so she would stand below ladies with a lower number but above ladies with a higher number. Gentlemen dancing together would always go the bottom. These rules in part reflect Georgian concern with social rank but were mainly introduce to avoid the disorder that otherwise broke out as people lower down the set fought for spaces or tried to intrude their friends.

"Any Lady or Gentleman wishing to dance a Minuet must, as soon as they enter the room, make known their intentions to the Master of the Ceremonies."

This is because the Master of the Ceremonies played a crucial role in managing the dancing of minuets. The minuet was a couple’s dance where one couple danced at a time before an admiring or more often critical company. After the first couple had danced the man retired and the Master of the Ceremonies would bring the woman a second partner. The minuets continued until all the ladies who had stood up for them had danced with two men. The succession of dancers was governed by strict rules of precedence arbitrated by the Master of the Ceremonies.

"No Gentlemen must enter the ball room with whole or half boots on, or with canes or sticks in their hands; nor are any pantaloons considered a proper dress for the assembly room."

"When Country Dancing has commenced, and the top couple have gone down three couple, the next couple must go off."

Unlike modern practice, the dances were called and danced by the top couple and the rest of the set waited for them to arrive before they started. While modern dancers might find such a way of operating rather tedious with long waits before dancing for contemporary young people it must have afforded a welcome and rare opportunity to talk and flirt. It is possibly also worth pointing out for those used to modern practice that both three and two couple dances were danced in continuous long sets, modern callers break up three couple sets to avoid the 2nd and 3rd couples having to cope with constantly changing their numbering.

"When every couple have gone down the dance, and the couple who called it have regained the top and gone down three couple, the dance is finished; for the next dance they stand at the bottom.
Number 2 calls the second dance, and so regularly on through the company”

Wilson refers to the rules of the Bath assemblies at this time which can be found in the Bath Guide of 1803.

For the Upper Rooms:

"The following are the rules and regulations entered into by the subscribers of the Dress Balls:
Resolved,

That the power of direction and control relative to the public amusements in the rooms, is in the subscribers to the Dress Balls, and them only.

That the weekly publick [sic] amusements in these Rooms, during the season be as follows:

Monday night ………………………………………..Dress Ball
Tuesday night ………………………………………..Card Assembly
Wednesday night……………………………………..Concert
Thursday night………………………………………. Fancy Ball"

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 William Bunbury.

"N.B. The Rooms to be open every day, Sunday excepted, for cards, and every other Sunday evening for a promenade.

The subscription of one guinea to the Dress Ball shall entitle such subscribers to admission every ball night, and also to two tickets transferable to ladies only.

That a subscription of half a guinea to the Dress Balls shall entitle such subscriber to one ticket each night not transferable. Young ladies and gentlemen at their school vacation will be admitted when introduced by a subscriber.

That a subscription of half a guinea to the Fancy Ball shall entitle such subscriber to one ticket every ball night; this ticket not transferable."

It is always difficult to attribute modern day equivalents to historic prices but in this context, a guinea would approximately equate to spending £1300 today.

"That the dress and fancy balls shall begin as soon as possible after seven o’clock, and conclude precisely at eleven, even in, the middle of a dance."

These timings are derived from the contract with the musicians.

"That in future every person, on admission to these rooms on dress and fancy ball nights, shall pay 6d for tea"

6d equates to about £30 today.

"That a reasonable time be allowed between the minuets and the country dances, for Ladies of precedence to take their places; and that those who shall stand up after the dance is begun, must take their place for that dance at the bottom.

That no lady do permit another to come in above her, after she takes her place in the set.
That ladies who intend dancing minuets do wear lappets; and it is requested that the rest of their dress be as conformable as possible to this distinction, regard being had to the prevailing fashion of the times. It is also hoped that the gentlemen will accommodate their dress to the ladies."

By this date, there was increasing resistance to conforming  to a dress code based on the formal court dress of many decades ago in an age of muslin and empire lines,

Ball Gown circa 1805

"That the three front seats, at the upper end of the room, be reserved for ladies of precedence of the rank of Peeresses of Great Britain or Ireland.

That the gentleman’s annual subscription for the use of the coffee and card room be one guinea; for two months half a guinea.

That the ladies subscription for the use of the room every Tuesday evening during the season for a card assembly be 5s.

That no gentleman in boots or half boots be admitted into any of these rooms on ball nights, public card or concert nights.

That no person be admitted into any of these rooms on dress ball nights without a ticket; but no ticket of admission to the card-room be required on fancy ball nights from such persons as subscribe to the walking subscription."

The walking subscription entitled you to promenade inside the rooms where you could be assured that you would only meet other members of fashionable society.

"That non subscribers be admitted to the promenades on Sunday evening: gentlemen paying one shilling and ladies six pence, tea included.

That the renters of these rooms having agreed with the subscribers to furnish twenty six dress balls on the guinea subscription and thirty fancy balls on the half guinea subscription, no annual account of the expenditure be required of them.

That the musical band of these rooms do consist of twelve performers, including an harp, tabor, and pipe; each performer to be allowed a sum not exceeding half a guinea on each ball night for his attendance, which money is to be taken from the subscription of the respective balls.

That the musical band at the Pump Room, in lieu of a former establishment; viz five guineas a week paid by each room taken from the subscription to the dress balls be allowed:

From the corporation ------------------------------------ 50l
From the Upper Rooms---------------------------------- 50l
From the Lower Rooms---------------------------------- 30l

Each party on rotation to let the band have the use of a room for an annual concert, gratis

That no persons be permitted to play with cards left by another party.

That no hazard, or unlawful game of any sort, be allowed in these rooms on any account whatever, nor any cards on Sunday."

Hazard was a dice based gambling game from which the modern casino game craps may have evolved

"That all future orders and regulations agreed to in general meeting be inserted in the subscribers’ book; and signed by the chairman of the meeting for the time being: such orders and rules not to be altered by any authority whatever, but at a general meeting of the subscribers; and that the said book be deposited in trust with the renters of the rooms, to be produced at any time when a meeting of subscribers to the dress balls be assembled, or when three or more subscribers shall desire the same.
That not less than nine subscribers to the dress ball be competent to call a general meeting upon any business relevant to these rooms.; the said nine to leave a summons signed with their names, upon the table for the space of one week previous to such meeting; which summons shall also express the particular purpose for which such meeting is called, and shall be published in the Bath papers.
That the master of ceremonies, on receiving information of persons acting in opposition to these resolutions, do signify to such person, that, as master of ceremonies, it is his duty to see the orders of subscribers properly enforced.

As the late great extension of the city puts it out of the power of the master of ceremonies to be regularly informed of the several persons who arrive here, he hopes they will be so indulgent to him as not to charge him with want of attention, if he should happen to omit visiting them; and that he publicly requests that they will, on their arrival, cause their names, with their places of abode, to be inserted in a book kept at the pump rooms for that purpose, which will afford him such information as will enable him to comply with his own wishes, and the expectations of the public."

The Master of Ceremonies played a vital role in arbitrating matters of precedence and controlled access to assemblies so he needed to know who he was dealing with as can be seen from the next clause.

"And as it is extremely desirable that all improper company may be kept from these rooms, he requests also, that strangers, as well as ladies and gentlemen, will give him an opportunity of being introduced to them, before they hold themselves entitled to that attention and respect, which he is ambitious and ever will be studious to show to ever individual resorting to this place"

For the Lower Rooms:

"The Master of Ceremonies very respectfully submits the following regulations to the company which are considered as the established rules of the rooms.

1st  that the balls shall begin as soon as possible after seven o’clock and conclude precisely at eleven.

2ndly That the seats at the upper end of the rooms be reserved for Peeresses.

3 dly That Ladies who intend dancing minuets do wear lappets and it is requested that the rest of their dress may correspond with this distinction.

4 thly That a reasonable time will be allowed between the minuets and country dances for ladies of rank to take their places; those who stand up after the dance is called, must go to the bottom for that dance, after which should they wish to take their precedence, on application to the Master of Ceremonies; he will put them in their place.

5thly That ladies do not permit other couples to stand above them after the set is formed; and they are particularly requested to continue in their places after they have gone down a dance, until the rest of the couples have done the same.

6 thly That gentlemen cannot be admitted to the room on ball nights in boots or half boots; nor are pantaloons considered proper dress for a ball.

7thly That no hazard or unlawful games will on any account be allowed in these rooms ; nor cards on Sunday

8 thly That each lady and gentleman on public nights pay six pence on entering the rooms =, which will entitle them to tea.

8tly The ladies may, if they please wear hats in the public rooms in the evening, except on ball or concert nights: Gentlemen are not to wear boots in the public rooms of an evening, nor spurs to the pump room of a morning

9thly That no Hazard or unlawful games will be allowed in these Rooms on any account whatever, nor cards on Sundays.

Lastly That Ladies or Gentleman coming to town, give orders that their names and places of abode be entered in the Pump Room books; and the Master of the Ceremonies thus publicly requests the favour of such Ladies and Gentlemen to whom he has not the honour of being personally known, to offer him some favourable occasion of being presented to them, that he may be enabled to shew that attention, which it is not more his duty than his inclination to observe."

The state of the quadrille in 1815

The London dancing master Thomas Wilson in his preface to his book The Quadrille Instructor, gave the following assessment of the state of quadrille dancing in 1815.

"Quadrilles are of that Species of Dancing that at present claim a high precedence in Fashionable Circles  and from their partaking greatly of the style of Cotillions in their Composition may notwithstanding their more fashionable appellation and their more short and less complex Figures be properly considered as petite or short Cotillions."

Wilson's view of the quadrille as a shortened and simplified type of cotillion fits well with the general trend for the fashionable company to choose more straightforward shorter dances with less strict dress codes. In Bath, this trend was marked from the late 1790s by the replacement of cotillion balls with fancy balls with no minuets, fewer cotillions, more country dances and a relaxed dress code.

Interestingly in a letter to her niece in 1816, Jane Austen says, " Much obliged for the Quadrilles, which I am grown to think pretty enough, though of course, they are very inferior to the cotillions of my own day"

"The Figures in this set of Quadrilles will be found to differ from those already published and which have been copied (from their being well known and to save the consequent trouble of composing new ones) into almost every collection of recent date. It being the Author's intention to accommodate those persons who wish to dance these Quadrilles as well as the others he has -adapted his Music to suit both; thereby affording the choice of two sets of. Figures instead of one; added to a clear Elucidation of them by proper Diagrams on a principle in point of explanation that he trusts will be found very superior to any others-, as they not only describe the various positions of the dancers but also shew the lines in' which they are to move from one situation to the other."

"The Music may be composed either in triple or common time (the former is preferable) and the tunes adapted to this purpose should be either, of French Origin or composed in the same easy style. The only merit attached to the Music hitherto published as Quadrille. Music.is to be found in those parts that are taken from other Composers, for instance a part of the Overture in "The Lady of the Manor" is introduced in “Le Duc de Wellington;” a part of a drinking song in “The Siege of Belgrade” in “Le Cuirassier;” the Minor Part of the same Opera in “La poule Anglaise;” the first strain of an old quick March (which is also a part of the Ballet of “Tamerlane and Bajazet'') in one of the;”Trenise''of which there are several."

"The lady of the manor" was a comic opera performed at the Theatre-Royal in Covent-Garden from about the 1770s. The Siege of Belgrade was a comic opera in three acts it incorporated music by Mozart, Salieri, Paisiello and Martini. It premiered on 1 January 1791 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in London, with great success. Tamerlane et Bajazet was a grand heroic ballet performed at the King's Theatre Haymarket in the first decade of the nineteenth century.

"Another favourite Quadrille may be found wholly taken from the Overture in Lodoiska, and one of the Finales has for its subject the old song of 'The Arethusa'. Many others are composed in the style of Hornpipes and in other styles either so obsolete or with droning Minors as to be altogether incompatible with modern taste."

Lodoïska was an opera by Luigi Cherubini first performed at the Théâtre Feydeau in Paris on 18 July 1791. The Saucy Arethusa was a nautical song which was part of a "musical entertainment" titled The Lock and Key, performed at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, in 1796.

"In the Composition of Quadrilles the number of strains are generally three, they may be made to consist of two three or four strains beyond which they seldom extend they are all however considered as Rondos and provided the Music be correct invariably finish with the first strain. It is customary in performing them for the Dancers to wait until the first strain is played and if it be not marked with a repeat the dance commences with the second strain."

Charles Mercie Master of the Ceremonies

Charles Mercie opened his public dance academy at number 5 Argyle Buildings, now street, in October 1790. He had probably been giving private tuition for some time prior to that.

No 5 Argyle Street

Sometime around 1791/2, he visited Paris to update his knowledge of the latest French dances, he paid a further visit to Paris in the spring of 1795.

It seems around this period, he was appointed Master of the Ceremonies at the Guildhall, which the Corporation maintained as an alternative to those provided at the Rooms for the fashionable company and from most of which they and their families were largely excluded.

A Modern Ball at the Guildhall

In 1798, Mercie had intended to relinquish the post but worried that no one else seemed to be stepping into the breach. He approached the Mayor and arranged terms on which he would conduct the season's balls. Unfortunately, the Mayor left Bath shortly afterwards without letting the other members of the corporation know what he had done. In the meantime, they had approached James Marshall, a local bookseller, to undertake the role. A compromise was reached, and Mercie and Marshall became joint Masters, and the first of the City Assemblies was arranged for Monday, December 31st.

By 1800 Charles had moved his dancing school to 15, Henrietta Street.

A Cotillion of the 1790s and its revolutionary links

In "The Gentleman & Ladies Companion containing the Newest Cotillions and Country Dances", published by the Norwich-based dancing master Trumbull in 1798, we find the following instructions for dancing the cotillion called. 

The Ca Ira Cotillion

"Balance all eight, then half round the same back again; 1^st and'2d couple (opposite) take your partner with both hands, chasse with her to your side with five steps, back again to your places balance with the opposite couple, then cross hands half round, back again with four hands round, a gentleman with the lady opposite balance in the middle, and set, the other gentleman with the opposite lady do the same, right and left quite round until to your places. The 3rd and 4^th couples do the same figures."

"Ça ira", which can be translated as - it'll be fine - is a song of the French Revolution, first heard in May 1790. It underwent several changes in wording, all of which used the title words as part of the refrain.[1]

The music is a popular contre danse air called Le Carillon National, composed by Bécourt, a musician of the théâtre Beaujolais. Marie Antoinette is said to have often played the music on her harpsichord.

The title and theme of the refrain were inspired by Benjamin Franklin while in France as a representative of the Continental Congress. Franklin was very popular in France. When asked about the American Revolutionary War, he would reportedly reply, "Ça ira, ça ira" ("It'll be fine, it'll be fine").

The song first became popular as a work song during the preparation for the Fête de la Fédération of 1790 and eventually became recognised as an unofficial anthem of revolutionaries.

At the 1793 Battle of Famars, the 14th Regiment of Foot, The West Yorkshire Regiment, attacked the French to the music of Ça Ira (the colonel commenting that he would "beat the French to their own damned tune"). The regiment was later awarded the tune as a battle honour and regimental quick march. It has since been adopted by the Yorkshire Regiment.

Demons in the Sky sing "Ça ira" as the blade of the guillotine severs the head of Louis XVI in this British print published just four days after the king's execution on 21 January 1793.

1. Who wrote Ca Ira French Revolution? – Poletoparis.com. https://poletoparis.com/who-wrote-ca-ira-french-revolution/

A Bath Tailor's shop of the 1820s

Mr Drake claims to have worked for Stultz and Co. this is the company founded by Johann Stultz who in an earlier decade was the preferred tailor of London’s aristocracy including the most famous of dandies, George Brummell and the Prince Regent, who by 1822 was on the throne as George IV.

By habit Drake mean ladies riding clothes in modern values, Mr Drake was offering these at around £400.

Pelisse 1817

A pelisse was originally a short fur-lined or fur-trimmed jacket that was usually worn hanging loosely over the left shoulder of hussar light cavalry soldiers but by this time when military clothing was often used as inspiration for fashionable ladies' garments, the term was applied to a woman's long, fitted coat with set-in sleeves and the fashionable Empire waist. Although initially, these Regency-era pelisses copied the Hussars' fur and braid, they soon lost these initial associations, and in fact were often made entirely of silk and without fur at all. They did, however, tend to retain traces of their military inspiration with frog fastenings and braid trim. 

Super cloth and superfine cloth are grades of pure wool fabric. Saxony was the highest grade woollen and worsted dress fabric and was made from the wool of German merino sheep. Imperial usually implies cloth woven using a mixture of colours or fabrics in the weave.

The fashionable greatcoat of this decade was often angle length, with a deep rolled collar (with or without lapels.) Fur was still in fashion for facing, and buttons were large. The greatcoat was usually gathered at the shoulders (en gigot sleeved).

The frock coat was a form of undress, the clothing worn instead of the dress coat in more informal situations. Morning coats were cut light in the skirts and rather shorter than the evening coats. 

Kerseymere is a fine woollen cloth with a fancy twill weave.

Russia drilling or drill is a stout twilled fabric usually made with hemp linen.

Nankeen Trousers 1818

Nankeen is a kind of pale yellowish cloth, originally made at Nanjing from a yellow variety of cotton, but subsequently manufactured from ordinary cotton which is then dyed.

Jeans cloth was a cotton fabric.

Valencia was famous for producing high-quality silks and toilenet was a kind of poplin medium weight fabric made of wool or a mixture of wool and cotton or silk and cotton.

Waistcoats of this period were often made of gaily coloured material and the dominate style was single brested certainly for evening wear. They were cut longer in the waist and began to aquire a peak known as the hussar cut at the bottom of the front edge. The collar continued from the lapel and was rolled right down to the opening, leaving only two or three buttons closed. Waistcoats with straight standing collars were also worn.

Marseilles is a strong cotton fabric with a raised pattern

13 York Street Today

The Wiltshires and the Lower Rooms

The Wiltshire's were a very wealthy and influential Bath family who made their money as carriers, transporting high-value goods between London and Bath, selling mineral water and in banking.

Thomas Rowlandson A Carrier's Waggon

In addition to these enterprises, they also became proprietors of one of the rooms on the parades. The first Wiltshire to take charge was Anne Wiltshire who ran the rooms from 1744 to 1747. The Bath Journal of 23 September 1745 tells us that the subscription Anne charged to use the Rooms was a guinea and they opened at 11 am.

Wiltshire's Rooms

Anne's son John Wiltshire took over in 1747 and ran them until 1762.

John was the brother of Walter Wiltshire who took over the running of the Rooms until 1767. Both brothers were prominent Freemasons and Walter was elected a Councillor in 1746 and went on to be Mayor in 1772, 1780 and 1791. We learn from the Bath City Council Minutes of 1746 that the Council was indebted to Walter Wiltshire to the tune of £7,700 or around £900,000 today.

Walter also claimed sole London agency for the sale of Bath bottled water at his depots at the White Bear, Piccadilly and the White Swan at Holborn.

Shockerville House
Walter Wiltshire's House

The New Bath Guide of 1766 tells us that John decorated his rooms with a "Portrait Picture and Bust of the Late Richard Nash Esq. beside many curious landscapes." The latter is of some interest because the Wiltshire brothers through both their work and Freemasonry were mixing with many important artists including Gainsborough.

Wiltshire's Rooms