Comments for Georgian Gentleman

Comment on 18th Century Pronunciation – those difficult words where the spelling doesn’t match the spoken word. by Keith

Keith — Fri, 18 May 2012 01:19:27 +0000

The more one reads 18th century script, the easier it is to understand it.
Excellent post, thank you.
Regards, Keith.
A Woodsrunner’s Diary (blog).

Comment on A lady with a fine muff, what more could you ask for? by Sarah Waldock

Sarah Waldock — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:56:27 +0000

wonderful! they were ridiculous things, I have written a character who grumbled that the size of muffs made her feel as though she had her hands in a sheep, so she wasn’t far off the ideas of the time [1796]

Comment on 18th Century Pronunciation – those difficult words where the spelling doesn’t match the spoken word. by Tim Holt-Wilson

Tim Holt-Wilson — Thu, 17 May 2012 07:46:51 +0000

East Anglia is a good place to find evidence of strange dissent between spelling and diction, which has its roots in spoken continuity with a Mediaeval past. Think of Garboldisham (pron. ‘Garblshum’, which presumably keeps a link with its ancient root name ‘Gaerbald’s Ham’ (see Ekwall), though many now pronounce each syllable); also, Happisburgh, pron. ‘haysbruh’ from ‘Haep’s Burga’.

Comment on From Eighteenth Century Wallpaper to the price of cognac… by GeorgianGent

GeorgianGent — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:51:19 +0000

I haven’t an answer to that. But it reminds me of the comment by a builder who was working on the premises, when treatment work against Death Watch Beetle was being carried out. He sagely remarked “There’s only one thing holding these old buildings together – and that is History”. How true!

Comment on From Eighteenth Century Wallpaper to the price of cognac… by Sarah Waldock

Sarah Waldock — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:36:26 +0000

Great post, very informative – I almost have to try to work this into a story. Anyone know when hanging paper on canvas coverings went out of fashion? [I'm thinking with new houses, when did they have to be built to not have this done....]

Comment on From Eighteenth Century Wallpaper to the price of cognac… by GeorgianGent

GeorgianGent — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:32:13 +0000

Hah, there’s no stopping them now I’m afraid. I will, as you suggest, keep on carrying on…

Comment on From Eighteenth Century Wallpaper to the price of cognac… by GeorgianGent

GeorgianGent — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:30:51 +0000

Thanks – interesting to have it confirmed by an expert! My offices were in Orchard Street Bristol, built around 1717.The “wall” was hard and taut as a drum (but of course sounded hollow when tapped). Being a Listed Building, I suspect I should have obtained Listed Building Consent to plaster the wall prior to repapering but if so I am afraid to say this formality was overlooked!The decorator was not amused since he was on a fixed price contract – and I rather took the view this was his area of expertise (decorating an old building), not mine! I suspect he never quoted again for a Georgian building without first tapping furiously all round the room!

Comment on From Eighteenth Century Wallpaper to the price of cognac… by Suzanne Gotro

Suzanne Gotro — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:47:17 +0000

Love the blog. Carry On!

Comment on From Eighteenth Century Wallpaper to the price of cognac… by Patrick Baty

Patrick Baty — Wed, 16 May 2012 09:40:04 +0000

A very interesting post. One often comes across the many-layers-over-stretched-hessian phenomenon in early 18th century buildings. When full-height panelling became unfashionable in the ca.1740s it was common to remove the panelling above the chair rail and replace it with a flushed-out surface in the form of hessian stretched over a timber frame. This was usually covered with lining paper and painted or hung with wallpaper. Over the years more layers of wallpaper / paint were added and the surface eventually becomes quite hard. It is only when trying to take a sample with a sharp blade that it becomes clear what lies underneath. When I sampled the 1720s house that Jimi Hendrix had lived in I found an example of this on the first floor.

Comment on And how the French view the English…. (1814) by GeorgianGent

GeorgianGent — Wed, 16 May 2012 06:09:01 +0000

Ahh, the hats! Can’t stand the awful ones worn by the english trio. Give me feathers, great plumes of them. Adds height and shape, and sets the face off to perfection! What is the odd migraine? A price to pay for style and elan !
Ladies of the Eighteenth Century: If you want comfort, stay at home and wear something “sensible”.If you want style – copy the French even if it does make your head ache!