Reading the Regency

The London Season

Although the social season revolved around Parliament and the Royal Court, the arrivals and departures of peers and their families could also be impacted by General Elections, Royal birthdays, wars and even the weather. Over time, due to improvements in the roads and transportation in general, the dates when Parliament sat began to drift later in the winter, because families didn't have to arrive so early to avoid travelling in the worst of the winter weather.

Between 1790 and 1799, the most common month for Parliament to open was November and it closed most often in June. Between 1800 and 1809, Parliament opened most frequently in January, and most often closed in July. From 1810 to 1819, the opening of Parliament was equally split between November and January for the majority of that period, while it closed in July for eight of those nine years.

Even when the MPs and Lords were sitting in Parliament, that didn't necessarily mean the parties would begin. Families with a strong interest in politics could spend longer in town than those who were purely interested in the social aspect of the season. In 1810, Parliament opened on the 1st November, and on the 23rd of that month, Countess Grenville observed that "London is trying to be a little gay. The Duchess of Gordon gives parties, but I hear they are dull ones."

There would have been some fashionable entertainment available throughout the Parliamentary session, but the number of people in London was highest between Easter and June. In the church calendar, the date for Easter Sunday is movable, meaning its date changes depending on the year. Between 1790 and 1820, the earliest Easter Sunday was 22nd March 1818 and the latest was 22nd April 1810.

A book published in 1810, which included a "Review of the state of society in 1807" adds that: "London becomes a mere blank after the 4th of June. Nobody remains in Town; it is too hot, too suffocating! Every body, therefore, retires to their seats, if they have them; and the rest fly to Margate, Ramsgate, and Brighton."

The very latest Parliamentary session ended on 14th August 1807, but that was an unusual circumstance. Parliament had been dissolved in April that year prior to a General Election and they didn't return until 22nd June. The gentlemen and lords in Parliament would normally prefer to be back on their country estates comfortably before the 12th of August, which was the beginning of the grouse shooting season.

A Brief Calendar of the London Season

Because the season mirrored Parliament, the following twelve-month list of events runs from October to September, to give a better overall view of events through the Parliamentary year as they might have been available. This list includes specific events that might be celebrated, places where the Ton would congregate, and businesses that offered entertainment for them.

Throughout this period, most of the entertainment would have been provided by private fashionable parties, and these are described in more detail under the chapters on "Fashionable Entertainments".

Opening and closing dates changed over time as businesses appeared or disappeared, or new events were inaugurated. Theatre opening and closing dates in particular could vary from year to year. The following calendar has been compiled from sources published 1802, 1804, 1807, 1813 and 1818.

~ = dates not fixed, and could vary a few days before or after.

October

1st - British Museum opens.
~5th - Royal Circus, Astley's Amphitheatre of Arts* and Saddler's Wells Theatre closes
~5th - Royalty Theatre and Astley's Olympic Pavillion opens
(* in some years Astley's Amphitheatre and the Royal Circus remained open to the beginning of November)