The Georgian Age

1714–1837

Typically this period in history is associated with the reign of Queen Victoria (1837 to 1901), but many commentators start the period five years earlier in 1832, with the passage of the Reform Act through parliament. Which is when, arguably, many of the political sensibilities and horse-trading associated with the Victorians were first established.

The Georgian Era was the period in British history from 1714 to c. 1830–1837 named after the Hanoverian kings George I, George II, George III and George IV. The definition of the Georgian era is also often extended to include the relatively short reign of William IV, which ended with his death in 1837. The sub-period that is the Regency era is defined by the regency of George IV as Prince of Wales during the illness of his father George III. The transition to the Victorian era was characterized in religion, social values, and the arts by a shift in tone away from rationalism and toward romanticism and mysticism.

The Georgian Era begins in 1714, upon the death of his second cousin Queen Anne, George Louis, Elector of Hanover, succeeds as the new King, George I, of Great Britain and Ireland, the former of which had itself been established in 1707. This is the beginning of the House of Hanover's reign over the British Crown. It ends in 1837 with the transition to the Victorian era. King William IV, last of the Hanoverian kings, dies on 20 June, ending the Georgian era. He was succeeded by his niece, Queen Victoria.

The Georgian era was a time of immense social change in Britain, with the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution which began the process of intensifying class divisions, and the emergence of rival political parties like the Whigs and Tories.

In rural areas, the Agricultural Revolution saw huge changes to the movement of people and the decline of small communities, the growth of the cities and the beginnings of an integrated transportation system but, nevertheless, as rural towns and villages declined and work became scarce there was a huge increase in emigration to Canada, the North American colonies (which became the United States during the period) and other parts of the British Empire.

The Georgian period coincides with the global expansion of Britain and represents an almost continual state of warfare (including the Seven Years War [1756-1763], the Colonial Revolt [1775-1783], the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and the Napoleonic Wars [1803–1815]). Despite the loss of some of the American Colonies in the American War of Independence (which was regarded as a national disaster and was seen by some foreign observers as heralding the end of Britain as a great power) the Georgian age sowed the seeds of the worldwide British Empire of the Victorian and Edwardian eras which were to follow).

It was also a time of immense social change in Britain with social reformers bringing about radical change in areas such as the abolition of slavery, prison reform and social justice. Philanthropists and writers such as Hannah More, Thomas Coram, Robert Raikes and Beilby Porteus, Bishop of London, began to address the social ills of the day, and saw the founding of hospitals, Sunday schools and orphanages.

This period also saw a flowering of science and technology that lay the foundations of the Industrial Revolution. Many of the leading lights were members of the Lunar Society a group of intellectuals, innovators and industrialists including Erasmus Darwin, Matthew Boulton, Joseph Priestly and Josiah Wedgewood who would meet in Birmingham for a series of debates and whose journeys home were illuminated by the full moon.

As in previous ages, meals were often quite simple, but served frequently. However, the rise of a moneyed working and professional class meant that there were changes to meal-times with a modern-style breakfast introduced in the morning and the main meal of the day moved from lunchtime (as it was in earlier periods) to later in the day. Trade with Asia and the development of bone china also meant that tea, for the first time, started to become a staple drink. Below you will see a typical day's meals:

Breakfast:
People would still rise with the dawn, on a typical day the household would be up from 6am, but the breakfast meal would not be served until 9am. A typical breakfast would consist of:

toast, rolls, cheese, tea, coffee, chocolate, or ale

Lunchtime:
The mid-day meal, known as Nuncheon or Luncheon was typically a snack served at an inn. Indeed, Dr. Johnson’s dictionary of 1755 defiend luncheon as: 'as much food as one’s hand can hold'. Even within the Georgian home the meal would typically consist of:

ale or tea, bread and meat or cheese, pies and pasties

Dinner:
During the Georgian period the main meal of the day was gradually moved up from mid-day to three and then to five or six in the evening. This was, at least in the more affluent households, a far more elaborate meal, consisting of three or four courses and one such meal was recorded in detail by the Franco-American writer, Louis Simond on his journeys to London:

First course:
Oyster Sauce, Fish, Fowls, Soup, Vegetables, Roasted or Boiled Beef, Spinage, Bacon, Vegetables

Second Course:
Creams, Ragout a la Francoise, Pastry, Cream, Cauliflowers, Game, Celery, Macaroni, Pastry.

Dessert:
Walnuts, Raisins and Almonds, Apples, Cakes, Pears, Raisins and Almonds, Oranges

Tea:
It is during this period that the practice of taking tea became commonplace, however unlike today, where it comes between lunch and dinner at about 4pm, tea was typically served about an hour after the evening meal.

The Georgian period saw the beginnings of a new wealthy class who made their money from trades: cotton, iron, silk and pottery that was the impetus for establishing Britain as an industrial and trading empire. Such people required larger households than previously.

Also, the expanding empire brought in a new middle class of tradesmen and professionals who served the East and West India companies and who came home with a taste for new foods and new spices and who could, themselves, run a modest household.

There were therefore servants in these new household who would perform a broader range of duties that in the large houses of the past. It was for these people that Hannah Glasse, in 1747 published her: The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, a cookery book written in plain English and which made cookery accessible. The book was a phenomenal success and it's often said that it ushered in the era of the dinner party as a social gathering. Where elegant food could be prepared simply and at modest cost.

Here you will find a cross-section of Georgian fare, from the well-known recipes of Hannah Glasse to the recipes of less well known cookery writers and the food of the working man and the humblest of families.