An Evening At Almack’s
Down the research rabbit hole
London’s high society at Almack’s from Wikipedia
If you had told me last week that the first research post that would make it out of my drafts and actually published to substack would be about Almack’s, I would not have believed you. I have a very mixed opinion of the place and while one of the things I love about the Regency era is the rules that society followed, as a woman living in the 21st century, the rules make me itchy, and so does Almack’s.
When I started writing my draft that will, all being well, become my debut, I had no idea that I would dislike writing balls and assemblies so much - the dance moves that need to happen while a poignant conversation is going on, the extra random people who need to be seen and not heard, the million moving parts - and, while I have cut down the number of actual balls I need to write, (and in future books removed them entirely), somehow the place that my characters spend the most consecutive chapters in is Almack’s. Inevitably, this has led me to a fair amount of research and I have spent the last few days waltzing walking around Almack’s.
But you didn’t come here for insight into my writing, today, you’re here for ‘An Evening At Almack’s’. My favourite history projects at school were ‘A Day In the Life of (insert awesome historical character)’, I thought I would indulge myself somewhat and give this post that kind of a spin, but, as I mentioned, I hate writing ball scenes, so I’m not coming with you… I will just get you ready for your evening, help you avoid social solecisms, and then send you on your way.
A small note: Almack’s went through a lot of iterations over it’s 80 years as the mainstay of the ton, for the purposes of this post we will mostly be hanging out in the regency era of Almack’s in King Street, St James with the lady patronesses ruling the roost. I have provided further reading at the bottom should you be interested in a period outside of the regency or want to know more about the history of how Almack’s came to be.
And now, on with your evening!
Congratulations!
Somehow or other you have managed to acquire a Voucher from the patronesses of Almack’s! The Ladies Commitee1, the most formidable queen bees amongst the ton, (perhaps the original Mean Girls?), have umm’d and ahh’d over your application and found you worthy. You paid your ten guineas2 and have avoided being socially ostracised, unable to fully hold your head up as you promenade down Rotten Row. You now have full access to the absolute crème de la crème of society, ergo, the ripest of pickings on the Marriage Mart.
But now that you have that illustrious Voucher in your hand, and your Wednesday evenings from April to mid July will be taken up with Assemblies, you must abide by the patronesses rules and not tumble from your perch…
Rules? What rules?
First, it is important that you are dressed correctly.
Women are required to wear formal evening dresses3 with long white gloves, and for debutantes, (that’s you), feathers in your hair. I know, I know, the ordeal is nerve wracking enough without a festoon of feathers to contend with. I didn’t make the rules.
Men must wear full evening wear comprising long tail coat, white cravat, knee breeches and silk stockings, and carry a chapeau bras.
And whatever you do, don’t be late!
How late is late?
Arrive no later than 11pm4. If you do, you will find the doors firmly locked barring your entry. No rank or fortune can reopen the doors for you. Doors open at 10pm so be prepared for a mad rush to get to Almack’s and in through the doors before 11pm and then settle in for dancing into the early hours of the morning.
Where to
Almack’s is situated on King Street, St James. You will know it by the not overly ornamental exterior, merely a grand façade and entrance with neoclassical mouldings around the door. The six large arched windows from the ballroom face out onto King Street. You can’t miss it5.
Once you have shown your Voucher to the doorman, Mr Willis, you will find three rooms. The largest and most important of the rooms is, of course, the ballroom and its musicians gallery. One hundred feet long and forty feet wide, decorated with enormous mirrors, gilt columns and medallion it is bound to be somewhat intimidating. The room is illuminated by 500 wax lights and between the heat of the candles and the number of people inside dancing about it may be extremely hot. Perhaps take the opportunity to take a deep breath before entering, and don’t forget your fan. Or your voucher! You will not be admitted without it. The Voucher not the fan.
The second and third rooms are for supper and cards. I know you are already hungry, perhaps feeling a little faint from the heat, so we’d better start there…
Supper
Supper is at 11pm6, but if you were hoping for a good feast with that exclusive hard won ticket of yours, I am afraid you are going to be disappointed. Your voucher gains you access to the best people in society (according to the Patronesses opinions, but you’re here so they must have good taste), not the best food.
You can expect to be ‘treated’ to bread and butter, cake (probably dry), tea, lemonade described as weak7 or orgeat (a drink distilled from barley or almonds and orange flower water). No wine, no champagne, no indulgences of any kind.
I would recommend eating a decent meal before you leave home, you are dancing until almost dawn remember.
What about the dancing?
Let’s start with finding a partner.
As a debutante in your first season, you have the dubious honour of having your partners selected for you by, you guessed it, the patronesses. A good way to meet people perhaps, and at least you both can commiserate on being thrust at one another. But depending on the number of couples, a single dance could be half an hour. While you may be blessed with the perfect partner first time, it’s a very long time to be saddled with a beastly dull fellow who only wants to talk about himself. And then what about the next partner the patronesses rustle up for you! Good luck!
All introductions will be made to you by your chaperone or the patronesses, you cannot simply go wandering up to the best looking man in stockings and ask him to dance. He must ask you. You’ll just have to catch his eye and wave your fan in a suggestive manner. It may be a good idea to brush up on the language of fans in the carriage before you arrive.
That waltz you have been reading about in newspapers is not yet allowed in Almack’s. You must content yourself to an evening of English country dance and Scottish Reels8. Even when the Countess Lieven introduces the waltz to Almack’s in 1814, don’t get too excited about it. You cannot just take to the floor wily-nily with your partner, no, you must both have been approved to waltz by one of the patronesses.
Incase you are worried you haven’t spent enough time on country dances with your dance master, Almack’s provides a ‘handy’ dance card for anyone feeling less confident about the steps. Be warned though, while useful, it may impede your gracefulness.
I fell off my horse in the park and can’t dance tonight
Why didn’t you say so sooner? Letting me ramble on about dancing as if it was the most important part of your visit to Almack’s. I sincerely hope your face does not appear, caricatured, in the newspaper tomorrow, and that your Vouchers will not now be revoked. Falling off your horse in the countryside? Acceptable. In the park? Good grief, child!
If you really aren’t dancing, you had better brush up on your small talk. If you were a man, I would recommend the politics of the day, but you aren’t, you are a debutante, therefore unlikely to be felt the correct conversationalist for the Member of Parliament who is holding forth about the latest issue he wishes to win votes for. It doesn’t matter your opinion, hush!
Surely a game of cards? You did mention a card room…
I did, didn’t I! However, I fear you may find that rather tame. The excessive gaming that was once welcomed at Almack’s was largely discouraged by Mr Willis who leased the rooms after William Almack died. The focus now is entirely on dancing and the extremely exclusive subscription assembly you are attending. You have noticed its exclusivity haven’t you?
While it is plausible you may find a gentle game of cards in the card room, you will not find yourself returning home an estate lighter. Unless, there is a particularly cut-throat dowager playing tonight who has tired of Almack’s as an evenings entertainment and has no fear of the patronesses. Perhaps it is better to simply sit looking interesting and listen to the latest gossip.
I’d rather stay at home with a book!
Excellent! What a good idea. As I did not earn myself a Voucher to Almack’s, that is precisely where you will find me. I have every intention of one day toppling a patroness from her perch but while I get my wardrobe and reputation in order, I shall content myself with reading about it…
My favourite glimpse at Almack’s is in Friday’s Child by Georgette Heyer (I have previously written an entire post about this book) there is a particularly fun scene on the steps outside Almack’s.
Regency Buck also by Georgette Heyer is another favourite of mine where the heroine unknowingly gives her opinions to Mr Brummell.
In my research I have found ‘Advice to Julia’ by Henry Lutterall written in 1820 which has some amusing lines on Almack’s. I think I need to add this book to my library immediately. I will share a soupçon of its delights with you:
‘All on that magic LIST depends;
Fame, fortune, fashion, lovers, friends;
‘Tis that which gratifies or vexes
All ranks, all ages and both sexes.
If once to Almack’s you belong,
Like monarchs, you can do no wrong;
But banished thence on Wednesday night,
By Jove, you can do nothing right.’
I hope you enjoyed your evening, whether you sallied forth to Almack’s or decided to stay at home and read after the bruising ride you had in the park.
Alice xo
Footnotes and Further Reading
1 The Ladies Committee - The exclusivity of Almack’s meant that these ladies could literally make or break you, fortune or birth were not enough to get into these ladies graces. For an in-depth biography of the ladies who held your fate in their hands and which of them reigned when, check out Georgette Heyer’s Regency World and Beatrice Knight’s post on Almack’s History.
2 10 guineas was about £1,100 by today’s prices
3 In some accounts I have seen a court dress that was modified for ballrooms
4 In 1814, Lady Jersey famously forbade the Duke of Wellington entry because he was seven minutes late. This rule did not relax until after 1835 but even then it only gave you an extra hour.
5 Unfortunately Almack’s was a casualty of enemy action in WW2 so if you were to look for it in London today, you won’t find it.
6 In some places I have seen midnight as the supper time, perhaps later in the century to coincide with the doors also closing at midnight.
8 The range of dances expanded around 1814 - 1815 when Lady Jersey introduced the Quadrille and as mentioned, Countess Lieven brought the waltz.
Websites and Books:
Georgette Heyer’s Regency World by Jennifer Kloester
The Season : A Social History of the Debutante by Kristen Richardson
Beatriceknight.com Regrom.com Theflowerletters.com Regencyhistory.net Regencysociety.co.uk Britainexpress.com Thegenealogist.co.uk Reginajeffers.blog Susannaives.com
I loved how restrictive Almack's actually sounds the more you learn about it. The locked doors, approved dance partners, even needing permission to waltz, it feels less like a social event and more like a carefully controlled system. No wonder it makes such an interesting setting for fiction.