the lady’s magazine
June 2018 UPDATE: until I supplement the links on this page, see the blog post with many more issues of The Lady’s Magazine.
Primary materials are the life-blood of research. And journals such as The Lady’s Magazine were quite possibly read by the likes of the Smiths and Goslings. Never mind they give us today a peek into the world as seen two hundred years ago. Gentleman’s Magazine is well-known to everyone – if for nothing else, its births, deaths and marriages. So now for the Ladies!
Issues are at books.google; index at the end of each; the magazine ran 1770-1837 (a complete run is on microfilm from Adam Matthew Publications (the same firm that microfilmed Mary Lady Smith’s diaries!). Note that NONE have been checked for continuity of pages… (a typical problem with books.google scans).
The Original Series, 1770-1818 (vols 1-49):
January-December 1778
January-December 1779
January-December 1786
January-December 1787
January-December 1790
January-December 1791
January-December 1796
January-December 1797
The New Series, 1820-1829 (vols. 1-10):
The Improved Series, 1830-1832 (vols. 1-5):
A merger with the Lady’s Monthly Museum had already occurred in 1828. Yet, after the further merger in 1832 with La Belle Assemblée (and, in 1838, The Court Magazine and Monthly Critic), even though these journals continued to be printed at separate locations and appear under their own title for some time, their contents were identical.
1844 (The Illustrated Belle Assemblee)
The Court Magazine:
January-June, 1836; July-December, 1836
January-June, 1837; July-December, 1837
January-June, 1845; July-December, 1845 [may begin ‘August’]
Lady’s Monthly Museum:
1825-26 (Ladies Museum)
January-December 1834
January-December 1835
January-December 1836
January-December 1837
The Ladies’ Cabinet of Fashion:
1840 – vol. 3
1868 – 2nd series
Geo. D. Doudney’s Monthly Fashion Sheet:
As the name implies, Doudney’s fashion sheets are small – 2 pages – but packed with description and a sketch, of men’s fashions. Concentrating on coats, trousers, waistcoats, the flyer was a marketing tool of Doudney, a Fleet-Street tailor.
February, 1835
March, 1835
April, 1835
different: Elegant Extracts – Poetry & Prose (1797)
Two Teens in the Time of Austen 
anievan said,
May 6, 2012 at 9:59 pm
I just found your three blogs. How do you find time for them all? They are terrific finds, and I look forward to following them. Really a lot better than the most blogs – substantive, unusual and interesting. I look forward to your 3 vol bio!
Janeite Kelly said,
May 12, 2012 at 11:14 am
Dear Anievan — find the time? lately: I don’t. As readers can tell — my poor Ladies and especially the book site are just unupdated. Gotta get internet at home… These trips to libraries are killing me, as more libraries tighten up the use of internet.
I have about half of chapter 1 of book one – it will be a bit of a wait.
BUT — announcement alert: I’m working on a book, information culled from the blog, but ordered by subject versus time; it will be a *free* Kindle book if all goes as planned… will keep you posted.
And thanks, for writing; always WONDERFUL to hear from readers – have them “like” posts – get some comments and reactions. Research is sometimes a lonely business…
k
anievan said,
May 12, 2012 at 11:25 am
Yay! Looking forward to the book. I feel for you on the library front. Sometimes even one’s alma mater can be most unwelcoming. Good luck!
Janeite Kelly said,
May 14, 2012 at 12:34 pm
The one thing I REALLY miss at my alma mater is they don’t support inter-library loan for alumni. Gosh, when I was working at a college that was a wonderful perk.
I’m lucky to live close by – but I might have to find home internet so I can get some work done!
I hope the Kindle works out — it will update, and certainly “rearrange” blog material; and give me some added “exposure”. I love it when people have diaries and letters, but they won’t know I’m looking if they don’t know about the research.
I love your enthusiasm! thanks….
k