ISBN: 9780297830788

There is an insatiable interest in well-written books with a wealth of new source material and a vigorous standpoint on the place of women in history, in this case their roles as wives, c… More...

There is an insatiable interest in well-written books with a wealth of new source material and a vigorous standpoint on the place of women in history, in this case their roles as wives, chatelaines and keepers-up of fashion in decoration and entertainment in the great Power Houses of Britain. Large town houses and country estates were created in the large part to overawe and to reinforce social and political prestige; with that went the presentational requirements needed to impress: fashion in clothes, carriages and entertainment, and in terms of an appropriate backdrop, lavish interiors and exotoc gardens. Rosemary Baird has selected 10 women whose married state as consorts to powerful men required them to take on a wide variety of roles. This is a fascinating account of their lives, taken very often from diaries, letters and new research in family archives.; Society, Politics & Philosophy, Weidenfeld & Nicolson<

ISBN: 9780297830788

In the 18th and 19th centuries, to become Mistress of the House was the natural prospect of women born into Britain's wealthy aristocratic familes. An advantageous marriage would bring wi… More...

In the 18th and 19th centuries, to become Mistress of the House was the natural prospect of women born into Britain's wealthy aristocratic familes. An advantageous marriage would bring with it an important ancestral home--a visible expression of power, prestige, and good taste. Rosemary Baird introduces us to ten of these remarkable women, detailing their accomplishments in the creation and running of Britain's great houses. We also learn about their education and training, the marriage market, and their obligations as leaders of fashion, interior design, and society. Based on diaries, letters and family archives, "Mistress of the House is a fascinating work of social history. Rosemary Baird was educated at Cambridge and Oxford; a former consultant at Sotheby's, she is now Curator of the Goodwood Collection. Media >, [PU: Weidenfeld & Nicolson]<