Regency Reader Questions: Teenage Boys in the Regency

Regency Reader Question
Dear Mrs. Glover, I’m 17 years old. My history teacher has assigned me to write an essay/history report in first person narrative pretending I’m a teenage boy in Regency times and then compare it to my life as a teen, nowadays. I’m not asking anyone to do my homework for me, but, I would really appreciate it if/when it’s convenient for you, to get back to me with some tips and a little more information about this time period. If you’re too busy though, I’ll still understand. Thanks. Sincerely, Jake.

Thanks for writing in, Jake!  I think I may have already answered a post from one of your classmates, Samantha, about teenage girls, so thought it would be great to feature your question next.  I have to say I was charmed by your politeness and the earnestness of your request; your manners were exemplary and showed the type of character a gentleman from the era was expected to demonstrate.

As with a teenage girl, the life of a Regency boy would have very much depended on where he lived and how wealthy his family was.  Where things differed for young gentlemen, in particular, was their order of birth and their education.

While working or lower class boys, like girls, went to work at a fairly young age, a young boy from a wealthy family would have been educated.  I have some posts here, here and here that should be a good start for you to understand the education during the era.

If they came from a family of wealth and position, the eldest would have been the “heir” and the second the “spare” (ie, the one to inherit if something happened to the eldest brother).  The eldest would inherit pretty much everything from title to estates (and/or debt) and be responsible to take care of his family.  Younger brothers typically were sent to find noble professions, like in the clergy or military.  Clergymen went to University for further education at about your age, while young men more inclined for the military (and typically a third or fourth son) would have had a commission purchased to join at your age.  Alternatively, they could have worked for their brothers as estate managers, or chosen politics or the law.  It was typically more middle class men that worked in banking, owned factories, or worked as doctors.  Men might also chose to pursue scientific interests (some women did, too).

Young men in their teenage years would have dressed fairly the same as their older relatives.  Jane Austen’s World is a great era resource that has a fantastic primer on men’s clothing you will find helpful.

Regency romances love to showcase the younger men in their “salad days” up to a great many larks, pranks, and rakish behavior.  Young men had a bit more freedom than young ladies to pursue such things and so if they had the leisure time and blunt (money) they may have tried any number of these pastimes.  In particular, this was an era where gambling was rampant within the upper classes and a young man could easily ruin himself if he was taken in as a flat (person able to be tricked easily) by a sharp (gambling focused conman).

Although the Napoleonic Wars brought the practice to a near halt, very wealthy young men often took “The Grand Tour” at about your age or a bit older.  You can take the Grand Tour online here: http://www.umich.edu/~ece/student_projects/grandtour_tourism/grandtour.html

My Regency Resources page has a list of the various posts we have shared over the years as a type of index you can use to search for other content that may be helpful in building out your narrative.  I have also answered a variety of other reader questions over the years on everything from bathroom practices to glove etiquette.

There are also a variety of primary resources from the era marketed as a young men’s guides to the world or various subjects, which will undoubtedly impress your history teacher.  Here is a similar link to guides for young ladies, too.

I hope that has been helpful and I wish you the best with your essay!