The London Season
The London Season coincided with the sitting of Parliament. This could begin any time after Christmas, depending
upon the success of the hunting season in the country. The season usually began in earnest after Easter session break,
since many families remained in country until midwinter or even as late as March.
May signified the 'official' start of the season with an annual exhibition at the Royal Academy of Art. Thus began a
whirlwind of court balls and concerts, private balls and dances, parties and sporting events.
The Derby, an event for the masses, was held in May or June.
Parliament adjourned for this race. Ascot was more exclusive,
and attended by the upper classes. The season peaked in the
June fortnight between Derby and Ascot. July hosted the
Henley Regatta and cricket contests, with particular attention
given to school rivals Oxford and Cambridge, and Eton and
Harrow.
Parliament always adjourned on August 12, the opening of the
grouse season. Everyone went north and the fashionable
deserted London come August.
On a typical day in the season, families would rise early to go riding in Hyde
Park. Rotten Row, a sandy track, was the preferable place to be seen, or the
Ladies' Mile for the gentler set. Ladies trained throughout their girlhood to
become experts in mounting, riding gracefully while still in command of the
horse, shaking hands with friends from the saddle, and dismounting. They also
learned to control their horse so as to avoid accidents in crowds.
After riding came breakfast. Ladies then went shopping or took care of
household chores like paying bills. They would only make morning calls on
those they knew extremely well. A well-bred person never called on casual
acquaintances in the morning. After lunch, men would go to Parliament or the
club. Ladies paid more calls, thus filling the hours between 12p.m. and 5p.m. Calls did not exceed 1/2 hour in length,
and from 10 to 20 minutes was considered adequate. If others arrived while paying a call, the first caller would
politely leave.
No low-necked dresses nor short sleeves should be seen at day receptions, nor white ties or dress coats. Elegant
jewellery and laces were also reserved for the evening.
Dinner was at 6p.m. or 7p.m., followed by a soiree or opera. At the opera, a gentleman always escorted his lady in,
walking side by side with her unless the aisle was too narrow. She took the inner seat, he the outer. A gentleman
would never leave his lady's side from the beginning to the end of the performance. If she did not wish to join the
promenade at intermission, he remained with her in their seats.
Balls and dances started at 10p.m. and went as late as 3 a.m. The
ensemble played an equal number of waltzes and quadrilles, with one
or two other dances. Programmes listed the schedule of dances. Balls
normally opened with a waltz, followed by a quadrille. Gentleman
could be introduced to ladies at a ball solely for the purpose of dancing,
but could not presume to further the acquaintance afterward.
At a ball, the hostess provided dressing rooms for ladies and
gentlemen, with at least one servant in each to handle guests' needs. A
complete set of toilet articles was supplied in the dressing rooms for
emergencies.
The London Season coincided with the sitting of Parliament. This could begin any time after Christmas, depending
upon the success of the hunting season in the country. The season usually began in earnest after Easter session break,
since many families remained in country until midwinter or even as late as March.
May signified the 'official' start of the season with an annual exhibition at the Royal Academy of Art. Thus began a
whirlwind of court balls and concerts, private balls and dances, parties and sporting events.
The Derby, an event for the masses, was held in May or June.
Parliament adjourned for this race. Ascot was more exclusive,
and attended by the upper classes. The season peaked in the
June fortnight between Derby and Ascot. July hosted the
Henley Regatta and cricket contests, with particular attention
given to school rivals Oxford and Cambridge, and Eton and
Harrow.
Parliament always adjourned on August 12, the opening of the
grouse season. Everyone went north and the fashionable
deserted London come August.
On a typical day in the season, families would rise early to go riding in Hyde
Park. Rotten Row, a sandy track, was the preferable place to be seen, or the
Ladies' Mile for the gentler set. Ladies trained throughout their girlhood to
become experts in mounting, riding gracefully while still in command of the
horse, shaking hands with friends from the saddle, and dismounting. They also
learned to control their horse so as to avoid accidents in crowds.
After riding came breakfast. Ladies then went shopping or took care of
household chores like paying bills. They would only make morning calls on
those they knew extremely well. A well-bred person never called on casual
acquaintances in the morning. After lunch, men would go to Parliament or the
club. Ladies paid more calls, thus filling the hours between 12p.m. and 5p.m. Calls did not exceed 1/2 hour in length,
and from 10 to 20 minutes was considered adequate. If others arrived while paying a call, the first caller would
politely leave.
No low-necked dresses nor short sleeves should be seen at day receptions, nor white ties or dress coats. Elegant
jewellery and laces were also reserved for the evening.
Dinner was at 6p.m. or 7p.m., followed by a soiree or opera. At the opera, a gentleman always escorted his lady in,
walking side by side with her unless the aisle was too narrow. She took the inner seat, he the outer. A gentleman
would never leave his lady's side from the beginning to the end of the performance. If she did not wish to join the
promenade at intermission, he remained with her in their seats.
Balls and dances started at 10p.m. and went as late as 3 a.m. The
ensemble played an equal number of waltzes and quadrilles, with one
or two other dances. Programmes listed the schedule of dances. Balls
normally opened with a waltz, followed by a quadrille. Gentleman
could be introduced to ladies at a ball solely for the purpose of dancing,
but could not presume to further the acquaintance afterward.
At a ball, the hostess provided dressing rooms for ladies and
gentlemen, with at least one servant in each to handle guests' needs. A
complete set of toilet articles was supplied in the dressing rooms for
emergencies.
