Elizabeth Chivers: Diary of a London Tourist, 1814
The Museum of London has produced a spectacular illustrated account of the London tour of Elizabeth Chivers, a resident of Bath. In 1814, twenty-eight-year-old Elizabeth and her younger sister Sarah, accompanied by their unnamed uncle (in his own carriage), left home on March 14th. Readers travel with them through such familiar places as Devizes, Marlborough, Bray, and Hounslow Heath. We halt with them at their hotel in Covent Garden. Here, with Miss Chivers, we see London in 1814 through the eyes of an untiring tourist. The Chivers sisters also were doing a bit of sleuthing, turning up places associated with several uncles (“late” as well as present) and even where “Father and Mother first became acquainted.”
Custom House, London
- Part 1: Days 1 thru 5, Noble Squares and Charming Cheesecake”
- Part 2: Days 6 thru 14, “From Royal Menagerie to Murderous Gardener”
- Part 3: Days 7 thru 21, “From Bedlam to Bath”
What makes the presentation extra special? The illustrations from the collection of The Museum of London, with captions that tell a bit more about what Miss Chivers saw, and whether something no longer exists. Helpful notes as well tease out the places visited or seen.
To actually walk in the footsteps of such Regency visitors – you might enjoy a copy of Louise Allen’s Walks Through Regency London. Great for the armchair traveller too.
The Local Historian
From time to time, I come across access to journals. The Local Historian is the publication of the British Association for Local History. It publishes in January, April, July and October (so a new issue due). (Feb2020: the link has been fixed; click on cover photo to access their back issues.)
Issues cost £5, when published within the last three years. Older issues are available FREE of charge on their website. More can be read about each journal article when looking up the individual issue; for instance, Joyce V. Ireland’s “Quasi-Careers for ladies in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries: Schools in Chester and Warrington” in the above issue.
The journal also features REVIEWS – which surprised me with a review of Miss Weeton: Governess and Traveller, edited by Alan Roby. I have the 1970s reprint of Miss Weeton’s Journal of a Governess. Roby’s book is described as “a new edition,” and includes information about Nelly Weeton’s later life. I bought the new edition when in the UK over Christmas 2018/New Year’s 2019.
Second Choice: Canceled Chapter, Persuasion (Jane Austen)
Having spent last weekend (Thursday thru Monday) at Kansas City, Mo, for the 200th celebration of Persuasion, of course the conversation turned from the wonderful chapter Jane Austen wrote to the chapter she canceled. I have the multi-volume set of Chapman’s third edition of the Novels and Works of Jane Austen – and knew he had included the canceled chapter in the volume dealing with Persuasion. A friend was interested in reading it.
Indeed, Chapman’s source is James Edward Austen Leigh‘s MEMOIR of Jane Austen (2nd edition).
At the AGM (Annual General Meeting) of JASNA I got to read a letter to James Edward Austen (as he was in 1828, the date of the letter), congratulating him on his engagement to Emma Smith (my diarist) [and therefore one of the Two Teens in the Time of Austen]. But that is news for another post.
Clicking on the link above – or the picture of the books – will take you to Internet Archive (Archive.org), where you can find many of Chapman’s Austen volumes. I will include links on the Authentic Austen page. To me, Chapman’s volumes are just the right size, fitting comfortably in the hand and I prefer them over the large Cambridge edition of everything.
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Some second thoughts myself: should you wish to read CHAPTER 9 before reading the canceled Chapter 10. The link is to volume IV of the 1818 first edition (ie, volume 2 of Persuasion). Links to ALL the first and early editions are on the Authentic Jane Austen page (above). Also included are Jane Austen Letters & the Morgan Library’s online exhibition that was formed around their holdings of Austen letters.
I Spy: Lady M
Always I am intrigued by a new book, and when this one popped onto my screen I was very interested:
It’s not a book I’ve ordered yet, but the subject – Viscountess Melbourne (thus, the Lady M. of the title!), and the time period covered (1751 to 1818) are too tempting to stay away long. Must admit, I’m always hopeful (and usually disappointed) that I will find it locally and get to have it NOW rather than waiting for the mail.
And what a fetching cover portrait!
The subject is Elizabeth Milbanke (she was aunt to Byron’s wife Annabella Milbanke), later Lady Melbourne; watchers of the TV series Victoria will recall the young Queen Victoria calling Elizabeth’s son “Lord M.”
Read some REVIEWS:
- Regency History (Rachel Knowles)
- Daily Mail [more about Lady M. than Lady M]
- Lil’s Vintage World (YouTube video) [3rd book reviewed; 5 min. video]
Search for Jane Austen: Kansas City AGM
Returned Monday evening from the 2018 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA), held this year in Kansas City, Missouri. It was a very FILLED five days. This year’s core topic was the novel Persuasion – celebrating its 200th anniversary.
Some highlights:
- Readings by actress AMANDA ROOT, from her production-era journal and from the novel Persuasion;
- Kristen Miller Zohn, speaking on “‘A State of Alteration’: Stylistic Contrasts in the Musgroves’ Parlor,” which addressed costume as well as furnishings;
- Sheryl Craig giving an inspiring lecture on “The Persuasion of Pounds”;
- and, in a rare “virtual” presence (on the phone and over the speaker system), Gordon Laco informing a rapt audience about the Royal Navy, films, and his own naval history.
I shared lunches with colleagues and dinners with friends I hadn’t seen in a year (ie, the last AGM). It felt good to get back on track after a sabbatical from any research these last two months.
If any of the more than 900 (a record-breaking number attending a JASNA AGM!) members and companions come across this blog post – and you have a photo of self and “Jane Austen”, who was a life-sized cutout posted outside the banquet and ball room Saturday night, please let me know. A friend with intense interest in the “Rice Portrait” was told about it, but too late to see it for herself. The portrait purports to be an early (circa 1789) portrait of young Jane Austen. She “posed,” parasol and all, and had many who visited with her – so I know that Jane exists in many a selfie.
Two Teens in the Time of Austen 