Queen Charlotte visits Bath, October 1817

In October of 1817, Queen Charlotte was recommended by her physicians to visit Bath. She had been struggling with poor health--'spasms' and pain-for some time and it was hoped the spa town would refresh her health and spirits.

The 'Annals of Bath' described her arrival:

 

 The rest and change of scene seemed to help. Her Majesty took an airing the next day, and in the following days visited the Pump-room, received city officials at her house, and visited a charitable institution, Bailbrook Lodge, of which she was patron.

Within days however, disaster struck the Queen, and the nation. Princess Charlotte died in childbirth at Windsor. Queen Charlotte departed Bath in haste on November 7. The funeral, the attendant ceremonies, and grief took a toll on the Queen's health. By November 24, she returned to Bath, but this time the Queen's visit was notable for its lack of ceremony. She stayed a month taking short excursions and attending briefly at the Pump-room every morning.

'Walks Through Bath', written in 1819 by Pierce Egan, described the Queen's House, and provided an illustration of it.

 

Queen Charlotte died just under a year later. Her visit to Bath passed into history.

But the house in which she stayed has survived in part. Queen Charlotte's Orangery, 93a Sydney Place, a bed and breakfast inn, purports to be part of the original building. And a stock photo website has two pictures taken at the site (which I cannot reproduce with paying) here http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-metal-plaque-commemorating-queen-charlotte-living-in-georgian-city-60444771.html and here http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-window-of-queen-charlottes-house-bath-somerset-england-76922087.html

Queen Charlotte's visit to Bath, touched by tragedy, lives on in word and in stone.

'Til next time,

Lesley-Anne

Sources: Annals of Bath
              Walks Through Bath
              and several Memoirs of Queen Charlotte are all available for download from                 Google Books.

Mr. Fawkes's New Gallery

In light of the recent movie about J. M. W. Turner, it seems appropriate to return to the great artist of the Regency. Indeed, the Regency would be greatly diminished had Turner not existed; its sensibility and style would be irrevocably altered.

But we approach Turner this time from the point of view of  one of his most ardent supporters, Walter Fawkes.

I can do no better than to quote Wikipedia for the basics of Fawke's biography:

Walter Ramsden Hawkesworth Fawkes (2 March 1769 – 24 October 1825) was a Yorkshire landowner, writer and Member of Parliament (MP) for Yorkshire from 1806 to 1807.

Fawkes is be best remembered, however, as the intimate friend and one of the earliest patrons of J.M.W. Turner, the artist. Turner had a welcome and a home at Farnley Hall, Fawkes's Wharfedale residence, whenever he chose to go, and used to spend months at a time there. Mr. Ruskin has borne eloquent testimony to the influence of Fawkes, Farnley, and Wharfedale on the genius of Turner, and the Turner collection still existing at Farnley Hall contains about two hundred of the artist's choicest works.

JMW Turner and Walter Fawkes at Farnley Hall by John R Wildman

In 1819 Walter Fawkes decided to display his collection of Turner's work along with the paintings of other British artists. He set up a gallery in his home in Devonshire Place and Turner prepared a drawing of the room.

Every major magazine of the time reviewed the exhibition when it opened in the spring of 1819. And they were delighted.

From The New Monthly Magazine, June 1, 1819 

The Literary Gazette and Journal of Belles Lettres had a little trouble getting to the exhibit, and felt it important enough to catalogue their efforts:
 March 27, 1819

 April 24, 1819

 May 1, 1819

A year later The Repository of Arts reported again on the exhibit, but made no secret of its disappointment in the limited access available.
From Ackermann's Repository of Arts, June 1820

Given the criticism that Turner's work sometimes garnered, we are fortunate that far-sighted, intelligent people such as Walter Fawkes recognized greatness when they saw it.

Mr. Fawkes's Gallery must have been a wonderful thing to visit; a delight for a spring nearly two hundred years past.

'Til next time,

Lesley-Anne

"Observations on Fancy-Work"

With considerably fewer entertainment options available than in our current day, the Regency lady was left with only a few courses open to her for the occupation of her leisure at home. She could read, draw, or undertake plain or fancy sewing. But her leisure time was extensive, and myriad handicraft projects were devised and published by such magazines as Ackermann's Repository of Arts. Here is one such craft, given several pages in the June 1810 issue of the journal.

 Of course, Ackermann's shop offered for sale all the materials needed to complete these crafts.

 

There were eight pages of embossed ornaments illustrated, from the simplest of forms to the very most intricate designs from classical inspirations.

If you would like to see all eight pages, let me know and I can email them to you.

'Til next time,

Lesley-Anne