Unlocking the Mary Hamilton papers

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HAM/1/1/1/17

Account of a ball by Mary Hamilton

Diplomatic Text


27

      Account of ye. Ball at ye. Queens House Friday 16th: Febry. 1781
A little after 8 oClock their Majesties Princeʃs Royal --
Augusta -- Elizabeth -- Prince of Wales (& some of his Attendants
viz: Lord Southampton Lord Courtown Lord John Clinton Mr. Digby) Prince
Edward (his Governor Mr Bruyeres) Lady Charlotte Finch
Miʃs Goldsworthy Miʃs Hamilton aʃsembled in the Queens
first apartment -- we follow'd their M. to the Room were
all the Company waited -- there was a kind of drawing
Room ceremony wch. lasted some time -- the Doors of the
Salloon were then thrown open & ye. younger part of ye. family
were brought in -- viz: Prince Ernest, Prince Augustus -- Prince
Adolphus, Prince Octavious, Prince Alfred, Princeʃs Mary
and Princeʃs Sophia, (Prince Frederick & Prince William
absent the first at Hanover -- the latter at Sea) The Ball
began with Country Dances & every two dances partners
chang'd -- Pʃs: Royal & Augusta danced wth. P. of W. Duke of
Dorset, Lord Graham, Lord Westmorland, Lord Salisbury;
Princeʃs Elizabeth & Prince Edward danced together till
Supper time (a little after 12) & then went away) -- Prince of
W. danc'd wth: & ask'd most of ye. Ladies -- ye. Queens apartments
were all open and ye. Company at liberty to walk about


& make Card Parties -- In one Room was Tea &c &c &c
with Pages and proper attendants -- ye. Ball Room & other
apartments were entirely free not crouded wth- Lookers
on or attendants. the young Princes & Princeʃs's went
away at proper hours -- Princeʃs R & A staid the
conclusion of ye. Ball -- Their M: Princeʃs R & A. & 4 Ladies
of ye. Bedchamber went down a private stair to their
Supper Room viz one of ye. Kings apartments --
The Prince & all ye. rest of ye. Company went down
the Great Stairs -- in one Apartment was a Table
for the Chaperons -- in another, for the Dancers, at
which ye. Prince was at ye. head, & Lady Weymouth
as Chaperon at ye. lower end -- After Supper they
Return'd to ye. Q—— apartments Country Dances were
renew'd and ye. Ball concluded with Minuets.
The Q. sat in ye. Ball Room ye. Whole Eveg. & had
the Ladies that were not dancers at different times
to sit next to her. the K. play'd at Whist after Supper.
About ½ past five the Ball ended.
      The Ladies were all Dreʃs'd in Sacks -- & wore long lappets.



                             Dancers
Prince of Wales          Princeʃs Royal
Prince Edward          Princeʃs Augusta
Duke of Dorset          Princeʃs Elizabeth
Lord Graham          Ldy. Augusta Campbell
Lord Salisbury          Ldy. Salisbury -- Lady C: Talbot
Lord Westmoreland          Ldy. Eliz. Waldegrave
Lord John Clinton          Ldy.Hart. Herbert
Lord Lewisham          Ldy. Anne Lewisham[1]
Lord Hyde          Ldy. Eliz. Conway
Lord Fairford          Ldy. Isabella Conway[2]
Lord Cathcart          Ldy. Tryphena Bathurst
Lord Clive          Ldy. Cathcart
Lord Courtown          Miʃs Thynne
Mr. Legge[3]          Miʃs Murray
Mr. Greville          Miʃs North
Mr. Wyndham          Miʃs Anne North
Mr. West          Miʃs Sackville
Mr. North[4]          Miʃs C Sackville
Mr. Fitz-Roy          Miʃs Hamilton
Sr. Philip Hales
Mr. Talbot Mr: Digby Sr. C. Hotham


                             Who did not dance
The King          The Queen
Duke of Argyll          Dutcheʃs of Argyle
Duke of Roxburghe          Lady Holderneʃse
Duke of Montague Ld. Peterborough) Ldy. Dartmouth
Ld. Waldegrave          Ldy. Waldegrave
Ld. Gower          Ldy. Gower
Ld. Guilford          Ldy. Egremont
Ld. Hertford          Ldy. Hertford
Ld. Hillsborough          Ldy. Bathurst
Ld. Bathurst          Ldy. Courtown, Ldy. Weymouth
Ld. Aylesbury          Ldy. Stormont
Ld. Stormont          Ldy. North
Ld. Weymouth          Ldy.C Finch
Ld.G Germaine          Ldy. Southampton
Ld. North          Miʃs Goldsworthy
Ld. Southampton
Mr Bruyeres

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Notes


 1. This person seems to be a relative of Lord Lewisham's, though not traced at present. Lord Lewisham did not marry until 1782.
 2. This could refer either to Isabella Anne Ingram-Seymour-Conway (1759-1834), or to her sister-in-law, Isabella Rachel Seymour-Conway (1755-1825). The former is perhaps the more likely, as her husband Francis Seymour-Conway was Cofferer of the Household from 1780 to 1782, although he does not appear in this list. The latter's parents, Lord and Lady Hertford, appear further down the list.
 3. This would seem to refer to one of the sons of Lord and Lady Dartmouth (brother of Viscount Lewisham). The most likely candidates are either Arthur Legge (c.1756-1835) or Edward Legge (c.1756-1827).
 4. This likely refers to one of Lord North's sons, either George Augustus (1757-1802), Francis (1761-1817) or Frederick (1766-1827) (later 5th Earl of Guilford). It is unlikely to be Francis in this case as he had attained the rank of Captain in the army at this point in time and would have been referred to as such. Another possibility is Brownlow North, the bishop of Winchester at that time.

Normalised Text



     
A little after 8 o'Clock their Majesties Princess Royal --
Augusta -- Elizabeth -- Prince of Wales (& some of his Attendants
viz: Lord Southampton Lord Courtown Lord John Clinton Mr. Digby) Prince
Edward (his Governor Mr Bruyeres) Lady Charlotte Finch
Miss Goldsworthy Miss Hamilton assembled in the Queens
first apartment -- we followed their Majesties to the Room where
all the Company waited -- there was a kind of drawing
Room ceremony which lasted some time -- the Doors of the
Saloon were then thrown open & the younger part of the family
were brought in -- viz: Prince Ernest, Prince Augustus -- Prince
Adolphus, Prince Octavious, Prince Alfred, Princess Mary
and Princess Sophia, (Prince Frederick & Prince William
absent the first at Hanover -- the latter at Sea) The Ball
began with Country Dances & every two dances partners
changed -- Princess Royal & Augusta danced with Prince of Wales Duke of
Dorset, Lord Graham, Lord Westmorland, Lord Salisbury;
Princess Elizabeth & Prince Edward danced together till
Supper time (a little after 12) & then went away -- Prince of
Wales danced with & asked most of the Ladies -- the Queens apartments
were all open and the Company at liberty to walk about


& make Card Parties -- In one Room was Tea &c &c &c
with Pages and proper attendants -- the Ball Room & other
apartments were entirely free not crowded with Lookers
on or attendants. the young Princes & Princess's went
away at proper hours -- Princess Royal & Augusta stayed the
conclusion of the Ball -- Their Majesties Princess Royal & Augusta & 4 Ladies
of the Bedchamber went down a private stair to their
Supper Room viz one of the Kings apartments --
The Prince & all the rest of the Company went down
the Great Stairs -- in one Apartment was a Table
for the Chaperones -- in another, for the Dancers, at
which the Prince was at the head, & Lady Weymouth
as Chaperone at the lower end -- After Supper they
Returned to the Queen apartments Country Dances were
renewed and the Ball concluded with Minuets.
The Queen sat in the Ball Room the Whole Evening & had
the Ladies that were not dancers at different times
to sit next to her. the King played at Whist after Supper.
About ½ past five the Ball ended.
      The Ladies were all Dressed in Sacks -- & wore long lappets.



                            
Prince of Wales          Princess Royal
Prince Edward          Princess Augusta
Duke of Dorset          Princess Elizabeth
Lord Graham          Lady Augusta Campbell
Lord Salisbury          Lady Salisbury -- Lady Charlotte Talbot
Lord Westmoreland          Lady Elizabeth Waldegrave
Lord John Clinton          LadyHarriet Herbert
Lord Lewisham          Lady Anne Lewisham
Lord Hyde          Lady Elizabeth Conway
Lord Fairford          Lady Isabella Conway
Lord Cathcart          Lady Tryphena Bathurst
Lord Clive          Lady Cathcart
Lord Courtown          Miss Thynne
Mr. Legge          Miss Murray
Mr. Greville          Miss North
Mr. Wyndham          Miss Anne North
Mr. West          Miss Sackville
Mr. North          Miss C Sackville
Mr. Fitz-Roy          Miss Hamilton
Sr. Philip Hales
Mr. Talbot Mr: Digby Sr. Charles Hotham


                            
The King          The Queen
Duke of Argyll          Dutchess of Argyle
Duke of Roxburghe          Lady Holdernesse
Duke of Montague Lord Peterborough) Lady Dartmouth
Lord Waldegrave          Lady Waldegrave
Lord Gower          Lady Gower
Lord Guilford          Lady Egremont
Lord Hertford          Lady Hertford
Lord Hillsborough          Lady Bathurst
Lord Bathurst          Lady Courtown, Lady Weymouth
Lord Aylesbury          Lady Stormont
Lord Stormont          Lady North
Lord Weymouth          LadyCharlotte Finch
LordGeorge Germaine          Lady Southampton
Lord North          Miss Goldsworthy
Lord Southampton
Mr Bruyeres

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 1. This person seems to be a relative of Lord Lewisham's, though not traced at present. Lord Lewisham did not marry until 1782.
 2. This could refer either to Isabella Anne Ingram-Seymour-Conway (1759-1834), or to her sister-in-law, Isabella Rachel Seymour-Conway (1755-1825). The former is perhaps the more likely, as her husband Francis Seymour-Conway was Cofferer of the Household from 1780 to 1782, although he does not appear in this list. The latter's parents, Lord and Lady Hertford, appear further down the list.
 3. This would seem to refer to one of the sons of Lord and Lady Dartmouth (brother of Viscount Lewisham). The most likely candidates are either Arthur Legge (c.1756-1835) or Edward Legge (c.1756-1827).
 4. This likely refers to one of Lord North's sons, either George Augustus (1757-1802), Francis (1761-1817) or Frederick (1766-1827) (later 5th Earl of Guilford). It is unlikely to be Francis in this case as he had attained the rank of Captain in the army at this point in time and would have been referred to as such. Another possibility is Brownlow North, the bishop of Winchester at that time.

Metadata

Library References

Repository: John Rylands Research Institute and Library, University of Manchester

Archive: Mary Hamilton Papers

Item title: Account of a ball by Mary Hamilton

Shelfmark: HAM/1/1/1/17

Document Details

Author: Mary Hamilton

Date: not before 16 February 1781

Summary: An account of a Ball held at Queen's House on 16th February 1781 written in Hamilton's hand. The account notes that shortly after eight o'clock the Princess Royal, Princess Augusta, Princess Elizabeth, the Prince of Wales and a number of his attendants, Lady Charlotte Finch, and Hamilton amongst others, 'assembled in the queen's first apartment'. The party then followed 'their majesties' to a room where all the company waited where there was a 'kind of drawing room ceremony' that lasted some time after which the doors were opened and the younger members of the Royal family made their entrance. Prince Frederick [Prince Frederick, Duke of York, the second son of George III and Queen Charlotte, (1763-1827)] was absent from the Ball as he was in Hanover and Prince William as he was at sea.
    The ball began with country dances and partners were changed after each two dances. Hamilton lists the dancing partners of the princesses. She notes that the Prince of Wales danced with or asked most of the ladies to dance. The queen's apartments were opened and the 'Company at Liberty to walk about & make card parties'. Hamilton notes that the younger princesses and princes were 'away at the proper hours'. The Princess Royal, Princess Augusta and four ladies of the Bedchamber went down a private stair case to their supper room whilst the Prince and all the rest of the company went down the great stairs where a table was available for the chaperone's in one apartment, in another was a table for the dancers 'of which the Prince was at the head'. Lady Weymouth was 'Chaperon at the lower end'. After supper the ball was concluded with Minuets. The queen sat in the ballroom the whole evening and 'had the ladies that were not dancers at different times sat next to her'. The King played at Whist and about half past five the ball ended. Hamilton notes that the ladies all dressed in sacks and wore long lappets.
    Hamilton includes a list of all the dancers of which she was one and then lists those that did not dance.
    Original reference No. 27.
   

Length: 1 sheet, 527 words

Transliteration Information

Editorial declaration: First edited in the project 'Unlocking the Mary Hamilton Papers' (Hannah Barker, Sophie Coulombeau, David Denison, Tino Oudesluijs, Cassandra Ulph, Christine Wallis & Nuria Yáñez-Bouza, 2019-2023).

All quotation marks are retained in the text and are represented by appropriate Unicode characters. Words split across two lines may have a hyphen on the first, the second or both fragments (reco-|ver, imperfect|-ly, satisfacti-|-on); or a double hyphen (pur=|port, dan|=ger, qua=|=litys); or none (respect|ing). Any point in abbreviations with superscripted letter(s) is placed last, regardless of relative left-right orientation in the original. Thus, Mrs. or Mrs may occur, but M.rs or Mr.s do not.

Acknowledgements: Transcription and XML version created as part of project 'Unlocking the Mary Hamilton Papers', funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council under grant AH/S007121/1.

Transliterator: Christine Wallis, editorial team (completed 18 February 2021)

Cataloguer: Lisa Crawley, Archivist, The John Rylands Library

Cataloguer: John Hodgson, Head of Special Collections, John Rylands Research Institute and Library

Copyright: Transcriptions, notes and TEI/XML © the editors

Revision date: 17 December 2021

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