My First Novel's Inspirations ~ Part 7a ~ Education

Hello and welcome to another Monday blog post. I hope you are enjoying your summer so far and I thank you for spending part of it with me.

Education is a BIG topic. I'll try to hit the high points, especially those that pertain to my novel, but needless to say it will be a drop on a drop in the bucket of information that is out there on this subject. In order to keep this a reasonable size post, I plan to break it into subparts. Let's start with boys born to the wealthy.

The best way to talk about this subject is education based on classes and gender. The differences in education at each level of social standing varied quite a bit. Although there were certain forms of public education, it wasn't available everywhere or to everyone and the information taught was given out on pretty much a need to know basis. Let's scratch this surface shall we? 

The wealthy had several choices when it came to the education of their sons. Let's look at some of those choices.

Tutors

"Upper-class families often hired tutors to educate their sons. Much of the aristocracy believed that schools "were sinks of iniquity, where boys learned nothing but a smattering of Horace and very gross, unpolished manners." Thus, it was generally thought preferable to have a young man educated in the home until he was ready to attend a university. Tutors were either parish incumbents or young men leaving college. They were paid well and treated with respect. Tutors taught reading, writing, Greek and math. They also assisted the family in teaching the young gentlemen manners, social graces, and proper decorum with servants." 

Great Public Schools

I'm going to mention this, but I didn't go into this in my novel. It's just interesting. 

"The typical great public school—such as Eton, Harrow, Winchester, Westminster, Rugby, Shrewsbury, or Charterhouse—evolved from an institution founded by a single benefactor during the late Middle Ages or Renaissance. Such charitable foundations, almost invariably for males only, had usually been intended to educate local boys from relatively humble backgrounds. From about the 17th century the upper classes took increasing advantage of the tuition afforded by these foundations. As pupils paying the market rate became more numerous, the schools were increasingly transformed into boarding establishments."

"If a young upper-class gentleman did go to school, he usually went to either Eaton or Westminster. The curiculum at these institutions often included: classical studies, writing, arithmetic, Euclid, Greek history, Pope, and antiquities. Westminster commenced instruction at six o'clock in the morning, whereas Eton began at the later hour of eight o'clock in the morning. They studied until eight in the evening with plenty of breaks for meals and recreation." 

Higher Education

The two Universities that were attended most by the young men from wealthy families, were Oxford and Cambridge. Here is a little history about these institutions:

The University of Oxford

"The history of the University of Oxford has lasted almost a millennium: Although no distinct founding date is known, the oldest records of teaching at Oxford date back until 1096. The oldest university in the English-speaking world is one of the world’s best universities and frequently tops national and international rankings." 

"The 18th century, when Oxford was said to have forsaken port for politics, was also an era of scientific discovery and religious revival. Edmund Halley, Professor of Geometry, predicted the return of the comet that bears his name; John and Charles Wesley's prayer meetings laid the foundations of the Methodist Society."

Just for the fun of it...

"The University has also a pretty impressive alumni including 58 Nobel prize winners (who have either studied or taught at Oxford), 27 British prime ministers, famous writers including Lewis Carroll, J. R. R. Tolkien, Philip Larkin, Vikram Seth and W. H. Auden, along with actors such as Michael Palin, Hugh Grant and Kate Beckinsale. Oxford has also produced at least 12 saints and 20 Archbishops of Canterbury."

The University of Cambridge

"The history of the University of Cambridge is closely tied to its no. 1 rival, the University of Oxford...When a number of Oxford scholars were forced to leave following disputes with the local townspeople, a number of them went to Cambridge and established a new school in 1209. Cambridge went on to be one of the best, most influential universities in the world." 

"In 1728 it was estimated that the population of Cambridge was 6,179. (There were also 1,599 inhabitants of the university). By the standards of the time Cambridge was a fair sized town.

Cambridge continued to develop during the 18th century. The first newspaper in Cambridge appeared in 1744....In the early 18th century Daniel Defoe said of Cambridge: 'the trade of the town very much depends on them (the colleges) and the tradesmen may be said to get their bread by the colleges, and this is the surest hold the university may be said to have of the townsmen and by which they secure the dependence of the town and consequently their submission.'" 

(The list of the University of Cambridge notable alumni is pretty long, but if you are interested follow this link.) 

Well, that's all I have this time. I know it is a tremendous amount of information, but I hope it gives you a better idea of what the education for the boy and young men of the wealthy looked like back in the 18th century in England.

Have a great week and may the Lord God bless you and your family with faith, hope and love.

In Christ,
Sandy

P.S. Today is my Anniversary! My husband and I have been married for 30 years! I love you, Carlos! Happy Anniversary! 💓💕💗

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My First Novel's Inspirations ~ Part 6 ~Servants

Hello and Welcome! So glad you could come! Whether you are a first time visitor or you've been here many times, make sure to subscribe so don't miss any future posts. 

Today, we talk about the servants in my story. Not them specifically, but their positions, what they might have worn, what their job descriptions probably were and the hierarchy of servants. I plan to talk about the select few that made their way into my story, but I am just touching a small part of the types of servants there were and still are in some cases.

Some of the servants in my story had bigger roles than others of course, but I'll try to mention each one anyway to help those who may not know what a certain servant mentioned would have done.

Butler and Housekeeper

"The butler was the highest ranking servant and final authority on everything pertaining to the management of the household. His orders came directly from the master and the power he wielded was absolute. Conversely, as the admiral (or general) of the house, his tushie was on the line more than anyone else. His was a role with incredible responsibility. Imagine the breadth of affairs he was ultimately responsible for! Without superior management skills, a man simply could not rise to butler level. No one became a butler without years of service in lower servant roles and impeccable references.

"The Academy Where Butlers Are Born"

Additionally, and probably most importantly, the butler’s relationship with the housekeeper had to be favorable. She was his right-hand helper, nearly on equal footing, and as mentioned above, with so many servants directly under her command, smooth running of the house critically depended upon these two working in concord. Technically he was the boss over the entire household staff so he could, and probably often did, issue orders whenever and to whoever he needed to. Nevertheless, the butler primarily oversaw the duties of the footmen while the housekeeper oversaw the maids."

Valet and Lady's Maid

"The valet is sometimes referred to as the “gentleman’s gentleman.” Often, in finer homes he was of foreign extraction. In the manner of keeping a “French cook,” many British gentleman sought the skills of a foreign valet. There were certain servants, such as the governess, the valet, etc., who did not quite fit into the categories of upper servants and lower servants. Through his connection to the master of the house the valet was often among others of Society at sporting events, social engagements, etc. This placed the valet in a position to know the latest gossip of those with whom his master associated and made him a figure of “authority” when the upper servants dined in the steward’s quarters. 

The valet was not required to dress in house livery, and most valets dressed in the manner of country gentleman or business owner. His main occupation was to make certain his master appeared to the best advantage. The valet’s job was to see his master well-dressed and immaculate, to the point that the master was free to wile away his time without fretting." 

"a lady’s maid needed to have an arsenal of various skills, and many of a lady maid’s talents were connected with her mistress’s toilette and wardrobe. Duties included selecting clothing and millinery that highlighted and improved her mistress’s complexion and figure. It also meant a lady’s maid was responsible to protect, maintain, and repair her mistress’s skin so that she would be less likely to suffer from age spots, freckles, pimples, moles, warts, wrinkles, or other skin imperfections. Headdresses and hairstyles were another vital component of a mistress’s toilette, and no woman wanted to look ridiculous just to be in vogue. A lady’s maid also had to balance the latest fashions, makeup, and millinery styles with her mistress’s physical advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, the lady’s maid had to ensure that when her mistress stepped into the street, the mistress reflected her best work." 

Chambermaid and Grounds Keepers

You may hear these servants called by other names such as, Housemaid, Upstairs maid or Gardener, but their titles are pretty self explanatory, but...

"Chambermaids:  Attended to the chambers or rooms.  Dusted, swept, made beds, warmed beds, took care of fires, attended dressing room, and cared for windows." 

"the housemaid or the chamber maid empties the slops, keep up the fires both in this and the bedroom (if wanted) and keeps the rooms in perfect order. Previous to her mistress retiring for the night she will have looked out her night clothes and aired them well; and she will not only now but at all times when she goes to dress carry up hot water for washing etc and when she is gone to bed she will carefully examine all her clothes and do all that is necessary to be done to them before she folds them away."

I enjoyed learning about the English gardens in my research. The skill it took to design and maintain the gardens, lawns, walkways, lakes, etc., is quite impressive.

"All of the groundsmen from the boss on down were far more than simple gardeners. There wasn’t a single chore from cutting the grass to erecting an elaborate structure to clearing the paths of debris that they weren’t responsible for and prodigiously skilled at. Above all, be assured that these men (and women) perfected their art with passion and loving care. Furthermore, they weren’t only in charge of the ornamental pleasure gardens but also the extensive herb and kitchen gardens, and fruit bearing trees required to feed the family and guests."

Coachman, Stable boys and The Page

"Coachmen were the people entrusted with the management of a person’s carriage and horses. It was important they be reliable, honest, and wise, as a traveler’s safety depended on these traits. For instance, when traveling in a coach, loose nuts and bolts occurred frequently. “A Careful Coachman” was said to be the person willing to check the coach every fortnight for any possible loose nuts or bolts and then screw them tight but also do it with such 'care [as to] not to injure the Paint with the Wrench.'"

"A groom or stable boy is a person who is responsible for some or all aspects of the management of horses and/or the care of the stables themselves. The term most often refers to a person who is the employee of a stable owner, but an owner of a horse may perform the duties of a groom, particularly if the owner only possesses a few horses."

"In medieval times, a page was an attendant to a knight; an apprentice squire. A young boy served as a page for seven years, from the age of seven (after cutting hair) until he was fourteen. At age fourteen, he could graduate to become a squire, and by age 21, perhaps a knight himself. Similar pages served in castles, and great houses fetching things and running messages for aristocrats and royalty. These boys were often the scions of other great families who were learning the ropes of the manorial system by watching and learning. Their residence in the house served as a goodwill gesture between the two families involved and helped them gain political contacts for their adult lives. A reference to this kind of page is found in the Christmas carol "Good King Wenceslaus": "Hither, page, and stand by me, if thou know'st it, telling...."

"Boys of humble background might also gain a similar place in a great house. According to the International Butler Academy , these pages were apprentice footmen. Unlike the hall boys, who did heavy work, these pages performed light odd jobs and were liveried when the aristocrat was entertaining."

The following pictures aren't from my time period, but they give a representation of a Page.

Servant Hierarchy

Credits

That's all I have. I hope you enjoyed a look at the servants that inspired me. Thanks again for coming. If you haven't started the June Read & Review for this month, go to my website to see how you can take part. May God bless you and your family this week with faith, hope and love.

In Christ,

Sandy

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My First Novel's Inspirations ~ Part 5 ~ Men's & Boy's Clothing

Welcome! I'm glad you've come for another visit. I'm going to jump right in today, because if I let it, this one could take awhile, but I'll try to hit the highlights and keep it as short as possible.

Men's Clothing and Accessories

Noblemen and Gentlemen wore suits. Suit coat, pants or breeches, stockings and waistcoat were part of their everyday apparel. Below are pictures of some of the styles that inspired me as I thought about not only my main male character, but minor male characters also. Of course, the more wealthy you were would determine the quality and extravagance of the clothes. Although I didn't address it in my story, some of the very rich would even have jewels sewn into their clothing. 

The Poor Working Man would have had similar styles, but they would have been more likely to leave off a suit coat and gone without or worn a heavier coat. The materials would have been coarser and probably homemade. They also would have worn more neutral colors, because that would have cost less. Just by reason of working and living a harder lifestyle, their clothes would have become worn out sooner.

Cravats and Shoes

The cravat was an early form of a tie. These could be worn in different colors, but white seemed to be the most commonly worn. Also, the cravat could be tied in a variety of ways from fancy to plain. Here are some examples of the cravat.

             

I personally think that look is pretty attractive, maybe it'll come back in style one of these days...

Here are some shoes that would have been worn. I'm not really looking for these to come back. They speak for themselves.

Hats, Wigs and Hairstyles

During this time many men wore wigs from the poor to the rich. Just like the clothes, they could be extravagant or simple. Hats were worn as part of their outfits. The gaps were wide between the wealthy and poor. Each part of the dress, could be an indicator of what class a person belonged to. Hairstyles were worn short or long. Many would keep their hair short though since they wore wigs.

Poor Boy's Clothing (the street urchin)

Most of the clothing during this time period for children, simply looked like small adult clothing. I didn't have any wealthy children in my story, so I didn't spend my time there, but I do have some adults and children servants I'll plan to talk about in another post. Here are a few examples of what the poor boys of the time may have dressed like.

If I'm thinking of the poor children in England's past, my mind goes to Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. Who remembers the pitiful children of that story, especially Oliver? 

So, there you have it. I know I had more pictures this week and didn't write as much, but a picture is worth a....ooops a writer can't say that! 😉 

Anyway, come back again next week, where I plan on looking at some of the servant's inspirations for my story.  If you are enjoying this series, I'd love to hear about it in the comments below!

Come visit my website, I've been making some updates. You'll also learn about our Read & Review for this month. It's not too late to start. Hint: You don't have to buy a book this time.

So glad you came! May God bless you and yours this week with faith, hope and love. 

In Christ,

Sandy

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