Hello everyone!
The phrase, 'The Season is Upon Us,' used to mean that THE Season, as in the London Social Season, was imminent. Centuries ago, The Season began in April, usually around the time Parliament returned from its winter break and was once again in session. It ran through late July. During this time, members of the elite (nobility, gentry, etc.) would 'go up to London' to their town house (literally), and attend any number of social events, including theatre evenings, balls and dances, dinner parties and large charity events. At the conclusion of the Season in mid August ('the glorious twelfth') the elite would return to their country estates and the hunting/shooting seasons would begin.
The Season was convenient, because the MPs and their families were in town while Parliament 'sat,' (although as they do today, they did their fair share of jumping up and yelling at each other). It was also handy for young unmarried members of the upper classes to be 'launched' into Society. For women this meant presentation at Court, to the reigning monarch.
The Season began as a custom in the 1600's, and carried on through the 1800's, only losing steam after World War I, when social mores and priorities shifted. Additionally, economics during the period just prior to the War caused many noble families to drastically downsize or lose altogether their family estates in the country. This meant they no longer had the wherewithal to maintain two homes and settled on either one or the other. Fancy events started to be held in large restaurants and other public spaces, too, and after the Second World War, in 1958, Queen Elizabeth II abolished the official presentation of debutantes to the reigning monarch.
While elements of The Season remain today, the much more democratic society means that it has changed quite a bit from the formal, rule-governed season of past centuries. Today, significant Season 'events' include many things that anyone with a ticket may attend, including the Proms concert, theatre in the West End (equivalent to NYC's Broadway), the horse races at Ascot, the Chelsea Flower Show, the Derby, the Henley Regatta, Wimbledon, and various other sports matches.
In the 18th and 19th century, the Season was a really, really important time for young women in particular. In that period, marriage--and a 'good' marriage--was the goal of most single women, as well as the goal of their families. A daughter who married well could mean the difference between subsistence living for her siblings and parents, and a comfortable life. Equally, a son who married a girl with a good dowry or some money or property or both, would bring credit (as well as cash) to his family. In some cases, this was also the difference between near poverty and a good life.
Although it's fair to say that women's opportunities in the 18th and 19th centuries were far more restricted than men's, men had their own share of rules and regulations they had to live by. Because most estates were 'entailed,' the eldest son inherited everything. The second son usually went into the army and perhaps eventually into politics, although the seat in the House of Lords would go to the eldest son along with the estate. A third son usually went into the Church, and was given a 'living' or a parish church and house, either on his family's estate or on the estate of a relative. Any other younger sons made their way as best they could: you can see why marrying well was quite important for men, as well as for women!
The importance of marrying well was, of course, a pivotal motivation in many 18th and 19th century novels, particularly Jane Austen's. Austen takes rather a jaundiced view of the whole matter: while acknowledging its importance in the society at the time, she also indicates an understanding that society could and should perhaps change so that women's opportunities would be broadened. Additionally, Austen searingly portrays families--especially mothers--whose entire mind is completely obsessed with making a good marriage for their children.
However, given the society at the time, The Season played a key role in accomplishing good matches, and the excitement and preparation for it should not be misunderstood or made light of by the perhaps more enlightened society we have today.
So, what does this have to do with The Oldest House or the Period Clothing Exhibit there? Did the Smiths or the Sturdevants or any of the later tenants of The House have any kind of social Season here in rural northeastern PA?
Probably not formally, no. Although in my historical novel A River in Time, I have a scene where a Harvest Dance is held at a local social hall behind a tavern, I have no way of knowing if this would have been done. But I do know that people in 1781, just like people today, liked to get together socially from time to time and visit, chat, and perhaps eat, drink and dance. Therefore, even if there was no formal 'Season' here in the wilds of northeastern PA, people likely took advantage of the better weather and had a series of social gatherings in the spring and summer months.
However, it was probably a different story in the bigger cities. Remnants of The Season, which was still extremely popular and in full swing in 1781 when The Oldest House was built, no doubt made their way across the ocean and to the East coast of the U.S. Cities like Boston, Philadelphia and New York had their own 'elite' such as Boston's Brahmins, the residents of Philadelphia's Society Hill and Rittenhouse Square, and New York's '400.' They also had their own versions of The Season, and it is not completely unthinkable that people who lived in the Wyoming Valley--who had, after all, come from New England and/or Philadelphia and New York City originally--had some kind of series of dances and parties during the fine weather.
Dr. William Hooker Smith, who had The Oldest House built for his son's family, was a leading figure in the Wyoming Valley, with several interests in mining and other lucrative endeavors. He and his second wife, Margery, may well have been among the social elite at that time. Although we have no primary source documents that delineate Dr. Smith's, or Mrs. Smith's, lives and personalities, we do have a rather telling artifact of the Smiths' social status: the House, itself.
To us, The Oldest House is a small, rustic just-above-a-log-cabin type dwelling. However, consider what it must have been at the time it was built.
There were very few other houses out here in rural Braintrim, which was still part of Luzerne County. The Oldest House was built partially into the side of a small hill, and was built to face the Susquehanna River, which was the main 'highway' back then. As such, its three storeys would have been immediately visible to visitors and travelers, unlike today, when people arrive at the back of the House and see only two stories.
In 1781, then, the approach to the House was far more impressive. Additionally, the size of the House is quite remarkable for its time, and the 'lean-ter' added about 1791 made the dwelling even larger. Although by today's standards the House is not large, back in 1781 it was very likely considered to be so. Apocryphal stories of the House being used for a time as an Inn of sorts--whether officially or unofficially--support this theory.
But it is the fact that at the minimum, two separate bed chambers were built on the upper floor that indicates the grandeur of The Oldest House for its time. In 1781, it was not customary (regardless of what is portrayed in Hollywood films) to have separate bed chambers: a family would usually all sleep together on an upper floor in a dormitory style arrangement. The fact that the top floor of the House had both a dormitory style space as well as two separate bedrooms makes it remarkable.
So, back to The Season. As you walk through The Oldest House during our open hours this spring and summer, try to look at it with 18th century eyes. Try to imagine how grand it must have seemed to river boat travelers. Try to envision the 'River Room,' where we have our genealogy research area and small gift shop, cleared for a dance, perhaps, or a party like Izzy and Josh's wedding reception in my second historical novel, Treachery in Time. Try to think about the Master and Mistress of the House getting ready for a party or a dance, or perhaps something quite important in a nearby village like Tunkhannock, or even one of the larger towns in the Wyoming Valley. When you walk through the upstairs, try to recall the significance of the separate bed chambers. And as you tour the Period Clothing Exhibit, remember that the people who lived in The Oldest House probably wore clothes very similar to these: the gowns might have been worn to dances and parties, and the day dresses for visiting or for doing work at home--there are even two authentic early 19th century aprons in the display this year that were certainly worn for whatever house work Mrs. Smith or later, Mrs. Sturdevant, might have engaged in.
So we welcome you to The Oldest House during our 'Season!' We open May 15, and should be open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 1-4, throughout the summer.
See you during the Season!
