Regency Reader Questions: Carlton House to a Charley’s Shelter

Thanks for the question, Marebear, and for being a Regency Reader!

This expression is related to gambling odds, and not a Heyerism as I found it in several Regency era pieces including Pierce Egan’s “Life in London”.

Takings, Or, The Life of a Collegian (1821)

Life in London (1821)

A Charley’s Shelter likely refers to a watchman’s box, and Carlton House of course refers to the London home of the Prince Regent.  Heyer alternatively uses the expression “Bank of England to a Charley’s shelter”, which is essentially giving someone fantastic odds.  I would think it would be akin to the modern expression “100 to 1 odds”.

This was another piece of sporting cant that Heyer picked up on and has since been used in other Regencies, mostly from the 80s and 90s.  Because I found limited record of this expression, mostly from the 1820s in sporting related books, I would assume it was a phrase used by sporting types but not necessarily ubiquitous.  As Carlton House would soon after be abandoned by Prinny for a more exalted abode, I would assume this expression was short lived.

Rachel Knowles has a great post about watchmen, if you are interested in learning more about the Charleys of the era: Regency History: Georgian watchmen – security on the night-time streets.  The post includes some satirical drawing featuring Charley shelters.

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