L30/11/329/23

Letter from Elizabeth Yorke to her mother, Anne Lindsay, Lady Balcarres. Report of the ‘pomps and vanities’ of St Patrick’s Hall on the 18th of February.

Feb 1802

From: 1802 To: 1802

There was a ringing of bells and firing of canons. A levee in the Presence Chamber in the morning attended by all parties; rebels, royalists, papists and protestants. Amused by an overheard conversation between the Lord Lieutenant’s pages, commenting on the amount they had to do when Her Majesty’s pages only had to hold up her train in the evening. Describes clothing; his Excellency had a coat of dark brown Irish cloth, worked entirely and richly in gold embroidery with a mixture of gold coloured chenille. The waistcoat was white satin and gold. The work was done by a set of Moravians. The writer’s train of 3 yards was a purple poplin striped with silver. The trimming and white crape petticoat was very rich in gold spangles, and she wore her diamond tiara. Anne [daughter] had a silver dress, very shining, and a long train of pale pink satin trimmed with silver. Lady Margaret was handsomely attired in white and gold. About 10 o’clock the party set off from the apartments with 8 aides de camp in pairs, the steward and the Comptroller of the Household with white wands, the Captain and the Colonel of the ‘Battle Axes’, the Lord Lieutenant and his pages, the chamberlain and the Lady Lieutenant with 3 yards long of train and her two pages. With this procession they proceeded to St Patrick’s Hall. As they enter, the band strike up ‘God Save the King.’ The ladies on each side are seated on 4 rows of benches, 2 of which are covered with red and are only for ‘Noble Bottoms’. All rose as the party entered. The Hall is about 80 feet long, and they proceeded to their two arm chairs of velvet and gold with matching footstools; after they were settled, the company sat down. Anne was to dance the first minuet for the first time in her life without her master. She danced with Sir Charles Vernon, the Chamberlain, and she kept her ground better than could have been expected. She danced a tolerable minuet, and very graceful, even in it’s awkwardness. Lindsay came next, he danced with a poor frightened mouse, a daughter of Lady Portarlington. Four aides to camp came next; all danced sufficiently well. When the Country dances began the Lord and Lady Lieutenant rose, and taking different sides of the room spoke to the two rows of Nobles and Honourables ‘(ladies I mean, for no men sat down)’ before returning to their large soft chairs. Writer describes her feelings on such formal occasions. As there has been no Lady Lieutenant for the last four years, the writer’s appearance had a greater effect. At about 1 o’clock they entered the supper room, a circular room of 36 feet with a handsome ornamented table in the middle and a sideboard all around, other rooms were prepared, but no seats; the company of 600 could in no other way be accommodated. The ‘red benches’ have the right to the first cut (a practice abolished by Lord Cornwallis, the previous Lord Lieutenant, but restored by Lord Hardwicke). The rooms were superbly lighted; all manner of wines given at supper. It was past 2 o’clock when they got home to the private apartments, heartily tired. Their chairs are placed in St. Patrick’s Hall a little before an arch which supports the orchestra. The arch is decorated with crimson damask curtains. All the household, the military and men of rank stand behind, which forms a sort of curve on each side of the chairs. Writer and Lord Hardwicke go to charity sermons, which are very fashionable in Ireland. Travel in a coach and six with 4 footman, 3 more with a pair of horses, 3 footman to one and 2 to the others. The service begins as soon as they enter. £20, £30 or £50 is given by Lord Hardwicke to these charity sermons, and there are a great many of them. There are great sums raised for the poor by collections every Sunday besides, but being no poor rates, they are still ill off. Public amusements are often for charity; the Rotunda is a very pleasant place of amusement for the benefit of the Laying In Hospital. Tea, cards and dancing. The writer went there in her chair with her 4 ‘Battle Axes’ and 6 footman.

item

Yorke, Elizabeth,
Yorke, Philip (3rd Earl of Hardwicke),
Lindsay, Anne,
Yorke, Anne,
Yorke, Margaret,
Vernon, Charles,
Lindsay

family correspondence, Dublin, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, clothing, dancing, balls, sermons, charity