For all of you Pride and Prejudice fans out there, Monica Fairview, who has created the American branch of Pride and Prejudice's Darcy family, talks about her latest novel, The Darcy Cousins, on my blog:
I think people were afraid that washing too much might damage their health - they could catch chills if they took off the layers until summer. Of course the better off washed a bit more often; it was mainly the poor and perhaps some of them were cleaner than we think. I believe it was the earlier times that were really filthy, though the poor remained that way until better sanitation came in and they could afford to heat water and buy soap.
Hi Linda,
True, things were changing by the Regency.
People were afraid of baths because of the Black Death in the 14th century. One
theory of the plague's transmission was that water softened the skin and made it
porous, allowing infection to enter.
By the mid 1700's that theory was going by the wayside, and the benefits of
being clean were seen. Regency people were cleaner than Georgian people, if for
no other reason than they stopped powdering their hair. And, then, Beau Brummell
made cleanliness into an art.
Linda
--- In anneherries@..., "Linda Sole" <linda@...> wrote:
>
> I think people were afraid that washing too much might damage their health -
they could catch chills if they took off the layers until summer. Of course the
better off washed a bit more often; it was mainly the poor and perhaps some of
them were cleaner than we think. I believe it was the earlier times that were
really filthy, though the poor remained that way until better sanitation came in
and they could afford to heat water and buy soap.
>
> Anne Herries
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: lindabanche@...
> To: theromancestudio@yahoogroups.com ; TheWildRosePress@yahoogroups.com ;
SweeterRomanticNotions@yahoogroups.com ; Joanna Waugh Newsletter ;
redrosesforauthors@... ; SaSRPromo@yahoogroups.com ;
classicromancerevival@yahoogroups.com ; Romance at Heart ;
lindsaysromanticsgroup@yahoogroups.com ; anneherries@... ;
historicalromanceexcerptsandpromos@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 1:53 PM
> Subject: [anneherries] Promo: The Dirty Regency
>
>
>
>
> Why were people so dirty in Regency England? Cleanliness was not as we know
it now.
>
>
http://historicalhussies.blogspot.com/2010/05/regency-hygiene-or-lack-thereof-pa\
rt-i.html
>
> Linda
>
>
>
> Linda Banche
>
> Regency romance--most with humor, some with fantasy, and occasionally a
paranormal
>
> Lady of the Stars--4 stars from Romantic Times, 2010 EPIC EBook Competition
Finalist, Regency time travel available from The Wild Rose Press
>
> Pumpkinnapper--Regency Halloween comedy, available from The Wild Rose Press
>
> Website Blog Myspace Facebook
Twitter
>
I think also part of the answer might be the sheer amount of work involved. First you had to find a place to take a bath, preferably indoors and warm and hopefully not populated with too many people, then you had to drag in the tub or hip bath (usually metal, and both heavy and unwieldy). Then you had to build up a fire, draw the water, heat the water and fill the tub. Then, after you were clean, reverse the process. No wonder baths were a rare thing and often in poorer families the same water was used by every member in turn. Father first, then Mother, then children in descending order. Depending on the size of the family, the last bathers might have come out just as dirty as they went in. Of course, things were easier for the wealthy, but the amount of work was the same no matter who did it.
Our ability to turn a faucet and get clean hot water is something of a miracle. And it's only been around a couple of generations for the average people!
Susan
On Thu, May 13, 2010 at 6:33 AM, lindabanche <lindabanche@...> wrote:
Hi Linda,
True, things were changing by the Regency.
People were afraid of baths because of the Black Death in the 14th century. One theory of the plague's transmission was that water softened the skin and made it porous, allowing infection to enter.
By the mid 1700's that theory was going by the wayside, and the benefits of being clean were seen. Regency people were cleaner than Georgian people, if for no other reason than they stopped powdering their hair. And, then, Beau Brummell made cleanliness into an art.
Linda
--- In anneherries@..., "Linda Sole" <linda@...> wrote: > > I think people were afraid that washing too much might damage their health - they could catch chills if they took off the layers until summer. Of course the better off washed a bit more often; it was mainly the poor and perhaps some of them were cleaner than we think. I believe it was the earlier times that were really filthy, though the poor remained that way until better sanitation came in and they could afford to heat water and buy soap.
> > Anne Herries > ----- Original Message ----- > From: lindabanche@... > To: theromancestudio@yahoogroups.com ; TheWildRosePress@yahoogroups.com ; SweeterRomanticNotions@yahoogroups.com ; Joanna Waugh Newsletter ; redrosesforauthors@... ; SaSRPromo@yahoogroups.com ; classicromancerevival@yahoogroups.com ; Romance at Heart ; lindsaysromanticsgroup@yahoogroups.com ; anneherries@... ; historicalromanceexcerptsandpromos@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 1:53 PM > Subject: [anneherries] Promo: The Dirty Regency > > > > > Why were people so dirty in Regency England? Cleanliness was not as we know it now.
> > http://historicalhussies.blogspot.com/2010/05/regency-hygiene-or-lack-thereof-part-i.html
> > Linda > > > > Linda Banche > > Regency romance--most with humor, some with fantasy, and occasionally a paranormal > > Lady of the Stars--4 stars from Romantic Times, 2010 EPIC EBook Competition Finalist, Regency time travel available from The Wild Rose Press
> > Pumpkinnapper--Regency Halloween comedy, available from The Wild Rose Press > > Website Blog Myspace Facebook Twitter
Subject: Re: [anneherries] Re: Promo: The Dirty Regency
I think also part of the answer might be the sheer amount of work involved. First you had to find a place to take a bath, preferably indoors and warm and hopefully not populated with too many people, then you had to drag in the tub or hip bath (usually metal, and both heavy and unwieldy). Then you had to build up a fire, draw the water, heat the water and fill the tub. Then, after you were clean, reverse the process. No wonder baths were a rare thing and often in poorer families the same water was used by every member in turn. Father first, then Mother, then children in descending order. Depending on the size of the family, the last bathers might have come out just as dirty as they went in. Of course, things were easier for the wealthy, but the amount of work was the same no matter who did it.
Our ability to turn a faucet and get clean hot water is something of a miracle. And it's only been around a couple of generations for the average people!
People were afraid of baths because of the Black Death in the 14th century. One theory of the plague's transmission was that water softened the skin and made it porous, allowing infection to enter.
By the mid 1700's that theory was going by the wayside, and the benefits of being clean were seen. Regency people were cleaner than Georgian people, if for no other reason than they stopped powdering their hair. And, then, Beau Brummell made cleanliness into an art.
Brummel made cleanliness fashionable. There are always those who follow fashion.
Luckily for us in this case, or we'd all still be dirty.
Linda
--- In anneherries@..., "Linda Sole" <linda@...> wrote:
>
> No idea. What?
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: lindabanche@...
> To: theromancestudio@yahoogroups.com ; TheWildRosePress@yahoogroups.com ;
SweeterRomanticNotions@yahoogroups.com ; Joanna Waugh Newsletter ;
redrosesforauthors@... ; SaSRPromo@yahoogroups.com ;
classicromancerevival@yahoogroups.com ; Romance at Heart ;
lindsaysromanticsgroup@yahoogroups.com ; anneherries@... ;
historicalromanceexcerptsandpromos@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 1:37 PM
> Subject: [anneherries] Promo: More Regency Hygiene with Beau Brummell
>
>
>
>
> What does a fashion plate have to do with hygiene?
>
>
http://historicalhussies.blogspot.com/2010/05/regency-hygiene-or-lack-thereof-pa\
rt-ii.html
>
> Thanks,
> Linda
>
>
> Linda Banche
>
> Regency romance--most with humor, some with fantasy, and occasionally a
paranormal
>
> Lady of the Stars--4 stars from Romantic Times, 2010 EPIC EBook Competition
Finalist, Regency time travel available from The Wild Rose Press
>
> Pumpkinnapper--Regency Halloween comedy, available from The Wild Rose Press
>
> Website Blog Myspace Facebook
Twitter
>
Katherine Ashe, debut author of the Regency historical, SWEPT AWAY BY A KISS, visits Historical Hussies today to talk about something we're all interested in: Sex!
Since she writes historical, her post is about Historical Sex:
Subject: [anneherries] Promo: What We're All Interested in--Sex!
Katherine Ashe, debut author of the Regency historical, SWEPT AWAY BY A KISS, visits Historical Hussies today to talk about something we're all interested in: Sex!
Since she writes historical, her post is about Historical Sex:
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