Georgian Courtship: love and marriage in 18th-century England
You're Dead to Me
BBC
4.7 • 11.8K Ratings
🗓️ 10 February 2023
⏱️ 58 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Greg Jenner is joined by guests Dr Sally Holloway and comedian Cariad Lloyd in the long 18th century to explore Georgian love and courtship. Forget Bridgerton and Jane Austen – this is a historical how-to guide to finding a spouse in Georgian England. This episode takes you through a typical courtship in the era, from where to meet a potential partner, what gifts to buy them, and how much involvement your parents might have in the whole affair. This was a time when penning a love letter was a serious commitment, whilst sweets and spoons were considered flirtations of the highest order!
You’re Dead To Me is the comedy podcast that takes history seriously. Every episode, Greg Jenner brings together the best names in history and comedy to learn and laugh about the past.
Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Bethan Davies Written and produced by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Emma Nagouse and Greg Jenner Project Management: Isla Matthews Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Executive editor: Philip Sellars
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Did you know that you can listen to many of your favourite podcasts first on BBC Sounds? |
| 0:07.0 | Like, you're dead to me, where you can hear the latest episode 28 days earlier. |
| 0:11.6 | So catch it before it becomes history. |
| 0:14.6 | Good things come to those who don't wait. |
| 0:16.4 | Listen to your favourite podcasts first on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:21.7 | BBC Sounds, music, radio podcasts. |
| 0:26.9 | Hello and welcome to You're Dead to Me, the Radio Comedy Podcast, that takes history seriously. |
| 0:31.8 | My name is Greg Jenner. I'm a public historian, author and broadcaster. |
| 0:35.4 | And today we are channeling our inner Colin Firth's |
| 0:38.2 | and emerging soaking wet from the Lake of History to bring you a special Valentine's Day |
| 0:43.0 | guide to love and courtship in Georgian Britain. And to help us navigate this topic with sense |
| 0:48.8 | and sensibility, we have two very special guests. In History Corner, she's a Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellow in History and History of Art |
| 0:56.5 | at Oxford Brooks University, where she studies the history of gender and emotions in 18th and 19th century Britain. |
| 1:02.3 | Indeed, she's the author of The Game of Love in Georgian, England, courtship, emotions and material culture. |
| 1:07.6 | Perfect for us is Dr Sally Holloway. Welcome, Sally. |
| 1:10.6 | Thank you very much. |
| 1:11.7 | I'm happy to be here. |
| 1:12.9 | Delighted to have you here. |
| 1:14.2 | And in Comedy Corner, she's a comedian, actor, improviser, author and podcaster, a quintuple |
| 1:18.8 | threat. |
| 1:19.6 | You'll know her from the award-winning podcast Griefcast, which is now a beautiful book, |
| 1:23.3 | and you'll have seen her on all the telly, including Kevin News for you, QI, and would lie to you, but more importantly, you'll remember her from our podcast episodes on the European |
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