History of Britain - Bath and the Georgians

History of Britain - Bath and the Georgians

The Georgian Period of British history is a period which takes its name from, and is normally defined as spanning the reigns of, the first four Hanoverian kings of Great Britain (later the United Kingdom), who were all named 'George': George I, George II,George III and George IV. The era covers the period from 1714 to 1830, with the sub-period of the Regency defined by the Regency of George IV as Prince of Wales during the illness of his father George III. Bath is known for its 2 halves ... Georgian Bath and Roman Bath (see photo).

Much of the inner city of Bath, is Georgian in style and was built in the period. More than 1500 buildings in the city are protected, and they are all part of the reason why the city is a World Heritage site.

Many great characters helped to develop the city, as we see it today, but I am going to focus on one man in particular..... Beau Nash.

A very colourful character, Nash was born in Swansea in Wales. He attended Jesus College, in Oxford, got tired of college life and returned home to his father. He then served as an army officer, briefly, after his father purchased him a commission and was then called to the bar, but made little of either career. He was a prolific gambler , and In 1704 he moved to Bath (following his 'society' gambling friends), and eventually became Master of Ceremonies at the rising spa town of Bath, a position he retained until his death. He lived in a house on Saw Close (now at the main entrance to the Theatre Royal), and kept a string of mistresses. He played a leading role in making Bath the most fashionable resort in 18th-century England.

His position was unofficial, but nevertheless he had extensive influence in the city until early 1761. He would meet new arrivals to Bath and judge whether they were suitable to join the select "Company' of 500 to 600 people who had pre-booked tables, match ladies with appropriate dancing partners at each ball, pay the musicians at such events, broker marriages, escort unaccompanied wives and regulate gambling (by restraining compulsive gamblers or warning players against risky games or cardsharks). He was notable for encouraging a new informality in manners, breaking down the rigid barriers which had previously divided the nobility from the middle-class patrons of Bath, and even from the gentry.

Although the Corporation of the city funded an elaborate funeral for Nash, he was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave. There is a memorial to him at Bath Abbey church in Bath.

The death of Nash caused quite a stir at the time, with the celebrated author, Oliver Goldsmith being moved to write The Life of Richard Nash as early as 1762.

Nash was a notorious gambler who was forced to move in with his mistress, Juliana Popjoy, due to his debts. Upon his death, Juliana Popjoy was so distraught, she spent the majority of her remaining days living in a large hollowed out tree in Frome. Near her own death, she moved out of the tree and back to her birth home where she herself died.

A tragic but very true story ~