France in an Uproar

Published by Cahusac in 1790 [1]

Since 1789, France had indeed been in an uproar as the French Revolution began with the storming of the Bastille.

1. Twelve Country Dances, with their basses, for the year. 1790: with proper directions to each dance.

• London : T. Cahusac, [1790]

Round Top and Bottom Couples

This diagram is taken from Thomas Wilson's "English Country Dancing", published in 1820.

Wilson describes this as one of the many "new" figures he is introducing to country dancing.

Hoops

Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 19 September 1765

'Ther will be a ball as usual at Mr Simpson's Rooms on Monday next, being the anniversary of their Majestyies [sic] Coronation; subscribers of which are taken in at both Rooms No Ladies to be admitted to dance a minuet, without a lappetted head and full dress hoop; and such minuet dancers as chuse [sic] to dance country-dances must be attended by a woman servant to put the hoops off, as no hoops (be their size large or small) are allowed in country dances.'

The sheer size of hoops made them a problem when moving around, and carriages and doorways had to be modified; even then, women often had to enter rooms sideways; small rails were put in place around tables to stem the risk of small objects being swept off the top by entrant hooped skirts. For this reason, they were increasingly not permitted in country dances which at the Assemblies meant large numbers dancing in close proximity. At one court ball in 1780, the ladies were said to have worn such large hoops that they took up as much room as four people[1]. Mr Neal, the treasurer of the Charitable Musical Society of Dublin, made it a proviso for attendees at his new music hall that women remove the hoops from their skirts and men remove their swords so that 700 people could be squashed in.

1. Peg Plunkett: Memoirs of a Whore by Julie Peakman

Two Dances from 1795

Published by Cahusacs: Thomas Cahusac, Sr., and his two sons Thomas, Jr., and William Maurice were instrument makers in London during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century.

Racing Women

In 1748, the Bath Journal of August 8th:

‘Advertisement, the following ASSES were entered to run on the Town-Common Thursday last; the Names they were enter’d by were, Merry Pintle, Spanking, Roger, Morecock, Turpin, Mouse, Perrdy, Spider, Picksey, Pug, Jan Parsons, Roger &c. They were rode by Boys, and the Plate was won by Jackey Skares’ Ass Merry Pintle - There were Six Thousand Persons on the course, and some of Distinction who came many miles to see the Sport - a Smock and Hat were run for at the same Time by Girls.’

There are a couple of things of interest here; firstly, how popular ass racing was and how well-known many of the asses were. The second is that it is an early Bath reference to the popular Georgian sport of smock racing. It probably also tells you something about contemporary attitudes toward working-class women: the Asses were the main attraction and were named.

Another advert for a similar event featuring asses and girls provides further information. The Smock race would consist of three heats; the winner would get the smock, the second would get the hat, and the third would get half a crown, which gives some idea of the considerable value of the clothing. Women who wished to compete were required to report to the Common-house by 3 p.m. on the day. The asses won a guinea for first, 5 shillings for second and half a crown for third. 

Smocks or shifts were the essential all-purpose undergarment for Georgian women worn beneath stays and gowns during the day and often also in bed at night. The smocks offered as prizes were usually made of high-quality linen and often trimmed with lace and ribbons. The prize smock was often displayed hanging from a nearby flag pole or tree branch. 

Rowlandson 1811

Smock races were popular entertainment throughout the Georgian period partly because they served the almost insatiable demand for opportunities for gambling but also, and perhaps primarily, because they allowed opportunities for the male spectators to see young women wearing loose clothing, which often became disarranged and flushed from physical exertion. This is amply illustrated in the above Rowlandson print.

From all the reports and the many prints, competition among the often desperately poor women was fierce. There do not seem to have been any actual rules, and the women freely tripped and barged over their rivals, often knocking them into the dust. The more violent the race became, the more audiences would roar their approval and acclaim the eventual victor would receive.

Smock races took place in various locations around Bath throughout the eighteenth century, including the Parades and Lansdown and were a feature of many fairs.

First well documented race meetings in Bath

William Capell

John Cheny (1727–1750), in his racing calendar, carries details of the first well-documented race meeting in Bath on the 25th of September 1728. The meeting took place on Claverton Down when William Capell, 3rd Earl of Essex’s horse Smiling Ball, beat three other horses over three four-mile heats coming first in all of them for a prize of 50 guineas.

Smiling Ball, we learn from "The Turf Register and Sportsman & Breeder's Stud-book" by William Pick, had been bred by Mr Gaze of Lincolnshire and sold to the Earl of Essex.

Smiling Ball’s sire was bred by Sir Matthew Peirson, Bart and got by Old Merlin out of a dam bred by Mr Curwen, got by his Bay Barb; grandam by the Curwen Old Spot, out of a daughter of Lord D’Arcy’s Woodcock.

At Newmarket, in April 1728, Smiling Ball, carrying 9st, beat Lord Gower’s Miss Wilkins, carrying 8st 7lb over four miles for a prize of 200gs. Incredibly only three hours after that race, and carrying 7st, he beat Lord Hallifax’s Partner, by Jigg, carrying 9st over a four-mile course, thus winning the Earl another 200gs.

He won 80gs at Stamford, beating Mr Bertie’s Ladythigh; walked over for 50gs at Oxford; his next race was the meeting at Bath,

After Bath, he went north and won the Gold Cup, value 50gs at Warwick, beating Mr Cole’s Singlepeeper and Mr Howe’s Lampire.

So in a single year, he won his owner 710gs worth or approximately £65,000 at today's values. This, of course, does not include his Lordship's winnings at the betting post.

In 1729, he won £50 carrying 10st at Guilford, beating Lord Onslow’s Singlepeeper and Mr Bennet’s Bumper He then won another Gold Cup, value 50gs at Andover and £30 at Grantham, beating Mr Heneage’s Whitenose and three others; 40gs at Leicester; and 10gs at Epsom.

At stud, he sire several notable horses, including Mr Mewburn’s Smiling Ball, Sir Harry Harpur’s Darling, Mr Shaw’s Ploughman, Mr Barker’s Venture, Mr Arundale’s Fancy, Lord March’s Roderick Random, and several others. 

The other horses in the race were:

Mr. Kirby's Black horse Collier
Rev. Mr Thorpe's Chestnut gelding Frostyface

In Bath, we have another record of racing on the 1st and 2nd November 1728 featuring two races, one for six horses over three four-mile heats for 20 guineas won by Mr Longton’s unnamed grey horse. The second race was for Galloway’s and was won by Mr Proctor’s grey mare Northern-Nancy.

Bath Races 1757

"It is thought there will be good Sport at our Races several horses are already here and many more are daily expected" Bath Journal September 1757.

The 1757 meeting started on Wednesday the 5th of October 1757 on Claverton Down with a race for a purse of fifty pounds for any horse, mare or gelding, that had not won the value of fifty pounds (matches excepted); five-year-olds to carry eight stone seven pounds; six year olds nine stone seven pounds; aged ten stone seven pounds bridle and saddle included; best of three-four mile heats.

Five horses were entered ahead of time:

• Mr Smart’s Grey mare Grey of Greys Five years old
• Mr Moore’s Chestnut horse Six years old
• Mr Butler’s Grey Horse Sterling, Six years old
• Mr Parham’s Bay horse Vortigern Aged

On the day, Lord Bruce entered his horse Fox at the post

Lord Bruce

This is almost certainly Thomas Brudenell-Bruce, 1st Earl of Ailesbury KT (30 April 1729 - 19 April 1814), styled The Honourable Thomas Brudenell until 1747 and known as Lord Bruce of Tottenham between 1747 and 1776. He subsequently served as Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire from 1780 to 1782.[1]
.
Vortigern won the first heat but took the turn at the post too short in the second which brought down both horse and rider. Victory in the race finally went to Starling.

On Thursday the 6th on the same course, they ran for a purse of fifty pounds, for any horse, mare or gelding that has not won more than one fifty pound plate this year; five years old to carry ten stone four pounds; six years old eleven stone four pounds; aged twelve stone, bridle and saddle included; the best of three-four mile heats. Six horses were entered before the meeting:

• Mr Scudamore’s Grey horse Sober John Six years old
• Mr Howe’s Bay horse Mercury Five Years old
• The Earl of Eglington’s Grey horse Gog Magog Aged
• Mr Cornwall’s brown horse Redstreak Aged
• Mr Roger’s Grey mare Chastity Five years old
• Mr Jennison’s Grey horse Why not Aged

Alexander Montgomerie, 10th Earl of Eglinton, one of twenty siblings, was the eldest son of the 9th Earl of Eglinton and Susanna Montgomery, Countess of Eglinton the earl's third wife and a renowned society beauty. Alexander planned and built the conservation village of Eaglesham in 1769 around the basic plan of a capital 'A' (for Alexander). The Earl introduced the young James Boswell to the joys of London society in the early 1760s, and figures prominently in Boswells London Journal, 1762-63. He was the Grand Master Mason of the Grand Lodge of Scotland from 1750-51. We know that the Earl was present in person because the Bath Journal records his arrival sometime between September 19th and September 26th. 

There were no horses entered at the post despite pre-meeting expectations that there would be.

Mercury won the first heat and Redneck the last heat by a narrow half-length. The purse was awarded to Redneck but Mercury won the stakes as the "second bell horse."

The horses had to be shown and entered on the Saturday before the day of running, between the hours of twelve and six, at Mr Figg’s, at the Lamb Inn in Bath, and be subject to the articles produced at the time of entrance. Certificates of their qualification for each of the purses had to be produced at the time of entrance, or before the day of running no less than three reputed running horses had to start for either of these purses. Owners had to pay two guineas entrance per horse if they were subscribers to the Bath races, and five shillings to the Clerk of the Course; a non-subscriber paid three guineas and five shillings to the Clerk of the Course, or double at the post. In the event that only one horse, was entered for a race, his owner would win ten guineas for the walk-over, and his entrance money returned and if only two they would get five guineas each, and their entrance money returned. Any disputes would be settled by the gentlemen who could afford to be in the stands.

No horses were to be plated (shod) by anyone but a smith that had subscribed half a guinea to the organisers. No persons would be allowed to sell any liquor on the Down unless they had subscribed one guinea. The stakes of each day for the second bell horse, etc. The winning horse etc. of the first day not to start for the second purse.

There were back sword contests in the Market Place Tuesday before the races and on Friday after the races and the will be a Ball each night of the races in the Town Hall.

1. G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume I, page 63. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage.