Regency Reader Questions: Seasons and Wards

Regency Reader Question
My question is rather specific, so please forgive that, but I have not any luck in finding any information for this problem. In my book, the girl is left an orphan, and she is then sent to live with a friend of the father (since he chooses who will be the next guardian), who is of higher rank. This is after she lives a low life, working and all, before she is taken in (for reasons that aren’t needed to be specified). Later, after she has lived with the family for a while, she is sent to a season in London. Living under that persons wing, how would she be treated at the Season? As a ward of a, let’s say, second class family? And, if she were to have a few other connections with other second class families, would they be more acceptive of her? How about if she were to “come out” in a smaller ball first? I read somewhere that it was not rare for a gentlemen to marry a common girl (in larger seasons and such) if they carried themselves better than a noble debutante. I also read that a patroness could take a beautiful and talented common girl to London and show her off, and I guess that could be acceptable. However, I am not sure this information clarifies the situation of the ward, as I put above, it is a bit different and I really do not know just how bad the reaction would be from the nobility of London. Or if it even would be acceptable at all to send a ward to a London season.

Source of Question Research

Thanks for the question, Melany! The ward or orphan is one popular trope in the Reg Rom world, so I am not surprised you have some questions.

I am not sure what you mean by “second class” so my answer will be perhaps a bit more generic than you hoped, but hopefully helpful nonetheless. You also don’t mention the time period in which your story takes place, which does make a difference. I am assuming Regency era, but please note for the Victorian era things would’ve likely been different ( I have included an article from 1873 about ball giving and going to give you some flavor of Victorian Seasons).

For landed gentry and noblemen, a young ladies debut often consisted of presentation at court, typically followed by a ball at her family’s London home during the Season, and hopefully then admittance into exclusive places like Almacks (although this was usually reserved for the more distinguished families). Presentation at court would have been limited between 1811-1818 due to failing health of the Queen. For those not making a court debut (necessary for future appearance at court/participation in court activities likely for Duchesses, etc) a ball hosted at a family home would usually be the order of the day.

For a girl with likely no fortune or family connections, if her guardian thought she had a chance at making a “good” marriage and found her to be presentable (accomplished, good manners, creditably fashionable) he (with the sponsorship of an elegant female) might host a small ball or event for her. Likely attendance would include a smaller selection of the ton, most likely not upper orders.

I am not sure about the gentleman marrying a “common girl” based on deportment/countenance alone. Marriage for noble gentleman were, for the most part, contracts for wealth/prestige. A common girl with a large income (like the daughter of a Cit) might be swallowed as a wife if the family was hurting for money (I recommend reading A Civil Contract for an example of this).

That being said, fiction is fiction and artistic license can imagine thousands of scenarios outside the realm of historical accuracy.

Here is a Victorian account of presentation at Court which is similar to the Regency experience:
CHAMBERS’S ENCYCLOPAEDIA, 1878