The Georgians at Easter

Happy Easter Everyone! Let's take a look at what the Georgians got up to during Easter.

Starting with historical figures: Frances Burney the 18^th century novelist, diarist and playwright, wrote in a journal letter on Easter Sunday, 1790, that she had spent time contemplating a long-forgotten tragedy that she had once worked on, entitled ‘Edwy and Elgiva.’ It had been a year and four months since she had last looked at, or even thought about it. She wrote that she was ‘planning and methodizing, and [writing] 3 or 4 regular scenes.’ – Notes from Frances Burney Journals and Letters.

Meanwhile, James Boswell journaled about his Easter in 1763. He breakfasted with a friend and they ‘were so happy so pleasingly forgetful of everything but the immediate participation of cordial friendly discourse, that we did not go to church, altho’ it was Easter Day[,] that splendid Festival.’ He later had dinner with another friend and they had a ‘hearty English dinner.’ Boswell, later made up for forgetting to go to church for Easter, by reading the church service alone at home that night.

Samuel Johnson was reflective and melancholy during Easter, he writes in his Prayers and Meditations in 1765 ‘Since the last Easter I have reformed no evil habit, my time has been unprofitably spent, and seems as a dream that has left nothing behind. My memory grows confused, and I know not how the days pass over me. Good Lord deliver me.’ It seems he was in a similar mood at Easter, 1776, as James Boswell mentions in Life of Johnson ‘after having been at St. Paul’s Cathedral, I came to Dr. Johnson according to my usual custom. It seemed to me, that there was always something peculiarly mild and placid in his manner upon this holy festival.’

Easter is of course a religious festival, and most Georgians would no doubt have spent the morning in church or in religious contemplation. I found this hymn in the Ipswich Journal - Saturday 21 April 1764

Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

However, once the religious side was out of the way, the Georgians celebrated in their usual over-the-top manner! There were balls to attend, such as the one below:

© The Trustees of the British Museum. Museum number: C,2.1181-1187
"Mr Goldham is desired by the Lady Mayoress to present her Compliments to [Mr Edwd Wheler & Miss Whelers] and to request the honor of their company to a Ball at the Mansion House on Easter Monday 1812 at Ten O'Clock. / It is particularly requested that this card may be brought & deliver'd to the gentlemen in waiting and may be transferred in families". [31 South St Grosvenor Sqre]".

When it comes to Easter activities in the long eighteenth century, it seems an Easter hunt was a must: 

© The Trustees of the British Museum Museum number: 1876,1014.52

© The Trustees of the British Museum. Museum number: 1866,1114.657

 Perhaps ‘Rural Sports for Easter’ was more family friendly and a little safer than a hunt, although it sounded like it had the potential to get rowdy!

© The Trustees of the British Museum. Museum number: 1862,1011.465 

What are you eating this Easter - A roast dinner? Chocolate eggs? Can I tempt you to try this 1755 recipe of roast leg of mutton:

A New and Easy Method of Cookery by Elizabeth Cleland · 1755

And finally, here is an Easter-Monday round up from the Hereford Journal - Thursday 27 April 1786, giving us further clues as to how the Georgians spent their time enjoying the Easter festivities:

Image © Midland News Association. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.