Britain had progressed in the development of a parliamentary democracy progressively and it is interesting to compare the environment in Britain to that of France. As George was setting up in Brighton France went through revolution and the execution of its monarch.
The original building was the farm house. It is a typical design of the period. It had a perfect view of the fishermen bringing in their nets on the Steine. Men of his society would normally never be so close to the fishermen. In this he was expressing a popular ‘Romanticism’. As the country embarked on industrialisation artists idealised the country life. The fashion included building pretend cottages and dressing up as poor Shepherd’s, this was described as the thrill of fashionable romantic poverty”. However they knew nothing of how the poor actually lived there. Romanticism also influenced some other areas of, literature, music and architecture, it also encouraged full expression of your emotions rather than being calm and orderly.
At that time the Prince was in substantially in debt and under some financial pressure which may have influenced his choice of relatively cheap Brighton compared to say Bath as a base and initially it constrained re-development. Subsequently he married officially and gained more funds and then took on the Regency when his father fell ill and gained yet more funds. With each stage of life and access to more funds, he re-developed the farmhouse into the Marine Pavilion which in turn was replaced by the Royal Pavilion.
The term ‘Marine Pavilion’ was applied when the farm house was enlarged and improved. It was constructed in a French neo-classical style. You can see the same influences in the Preston Manor building built some what earlier in the 18th Century. It will thus have been influenced by the architects and their patrons who traveled over Europe on their “Grand Tours” and who brought back ideas which influenced house building for the rich strongly in the 18th Century. In the 18th and 19th Century the upper middle classes educated their children ( mainly but not exclusively the boys) by a ‘Grand Tour’ across Europe and what they saw and indeed collected on these travels heavily influenced the design and content of their homes. The Prince had a great love of France, was fluent in the French language and before the revolution had many visitors from the French court. A particular friend was the Duc d’ Orleans who introduced him to many expensive things such as fancy paper, waistcoats, underclothing and scent which all thoroughly entranced him. The design was very similar to a very famous neo-classical building in Paris which is the ‘Hotel De Salm’ which the Duc will have known.
The architect of the marine pavilion was (Sir) Henry Holland he was one of the best architects of the time and very well respected. Thus the prince was engaging the equivalent in reputation of today’s Sir Richard Rogers but one not at the cutting edge of design.
Royal Pavilion.
In the period 1815-21 the building was essentially rebuilt to a new Indian theme design. The Indian theme had started with a stable block for 60 horses designed in 1802 and completed in 1808. Under the architect Nash this theme was amplified to create the structure we all now recognize as the ‘Royal Pavilion”
India was by the time of construction part of the growing British “empire”. There was increasing trade and travel to the region although no evidence the Prince visited India or indeed China. The only other Indian styled house in England was Sezincote. India and China will have had an exotic quality at the time and that may have influenced the choice for what was used a holiday home and palace of pleasures.
As far as I can see the style was not subsequently copied. That may be a reflection on the cost of the design and build but more likely those other rich patrons preferred the Roman and Greek influences for when they built their own trophy homes. Rather like the current Duke of York’s Sunningdale home it remains a radical but not imitated tribute to the style and wealth of Royalty.
The internal design of the building reflected its purpose as a place for gastronomic and musical pleasures and the society of intimate friends. This was a departure for if you travel through traditional royal buildings up to that point you see how rooms we would today regard as private would be open to the court . Dressing of a monarch could be open to more people.
Several features reflect the technological changes of the time. The great dome is supported by an iron frame only 17 years after the first iron bridge was created and whilst the Navy fought in wooden ships. The Yellow paint used had only become commercially available 12 months previously.
Within the kitchens were several modern features. A hot plate, twin spits and advanced ventilation. The Prince’s bath was very sophisticated with plumbing unlike the guests who made do with tin baths supplied by pail. There were reasonable sophisticated arrangements for human waste with the early inclusion of water closets.
There were features to compensate for constraints of the time. At a time before electric light there is extensive use of glass and mirrors to make best use of available light. It was also the first palace to have gas lighting.
Royal Patronage of new devices is a common theme over history. It reflects their wealth mainly and on occasions their attitudes. George was certainly interested in his personal comfort and that of his guests and that is reflected the priorities of the house.
The house also was extensively carpeted. Belgian carpets, long the European centre for carpets and wall hangings was joined by Axminster Carpet from the UK and area that was going to innovate in carpet production in the 19th century
One of the major themes of the interior was the “Chinoiserie”. Wall papers and lacquer ware made in China and incorporating images of china. China was another part of the world still being explored by westerners in the 18th century. It is not appreciated that at the time China was probably the largest economy in the world and it would only loose out in relative terms to the UK, US and Western Europe as those economies industrialized through the 19th Century.
The peak of the popularity in Chinoiserie was the middle of the 18th century and appeared in numerous country houses by the early 19th century this would not have been regarded as high fashion or trend setting rather there use reflected the Princes own taste which was developed to the full in the Royal Pavilion. In 1805 Lady Bessborough is quoted as saying, “the Prince says that he had it so because at the time there was such a cry against French things”. Chinoiserie was first used in the Marine Pavilion at a time of war between France and England.
The Pavilion incorporated servant’s accommodation. To us in the 21st century the whole concept of servants seems alien. With the current Royal household being one area of society that clings on to having servants. This was however before the two world wars, automatic washing machines and the end of widespread domestic servitude. It is worth recalling that slavery was still legal. That most men, and all women, did not have the vote. None of the current health and safety or employment protections existed. There was no national retirement age and few pensions. The pavilion was following the norms of the time amongst the upper classes of having extensive domestic help. The evidence of wages suggests that the royal household was a fair employer for the time and members of the Royal Household did enjoy pensions.
One of the Princes priorities was food. He incorporated a dinning room with capacity for thirty people. Intimate by the standards of royal entertaining. He brought over the equivalent of Marco Pierre White or Jamie Oliver in the form of the famous French chef Marie Antonin to create special meals which were very fashionable.
In an era before television entertainment was focused on conversation, cards, music and dancing. As we have seen from Jane Austin’s novels the carpets would be moved away to create dancing spaces. The Pavilion included space for all these activities.
One change to the internal arrangements of the house was created by the Prince’s increasing bulk. His bedroom was moved down stairs.
Summary
Did the pavilion reflect fashionable tastes in:
Architecture and design?
Fashionable – no. The external design does not follow a trend or create one. It was radical for England. It was appropriate to the needs of a dissolute prince. George was very involved in all aspects of design and construction and this design must have reflected his personal taste and self confidence.
Internal Design. Chinoiserie was no longer a fashionable item. When installed it would appear the fashion was waning but seen in the Pavilion it was apparently copied. From the stately houses of 19th century we have visited it was not common or a sustained fashion. Again it reflects the Princes preference and the resources of his two decorators
Other design features. The French furniture and European plate was certainly a common fashion for the era and class.
In some respects the house was innovative. In plumbing and kitchen features. A plumbed bath, Yellow paint, water closet and hot plates are now common for all classes of society but they were innovative then and subsequently copied and thus “fashionable”.
Attitudes and way of life? The Prince was above all lazy and pleasure seeking. It is a feature of many societies and ranks. His father when mentally stable did not approve but could not affectively constrain his son or indeed his brothers. His father’s values were of service to the people, upholding royal protocol and a high standard of morality. The prince adopted the behaviour of the more libertine set and did it to extremes when his money allowed. Something common to most eras. There are, however Princes of Wales that have more balance in their lives and many of the aristocracy new and old put much more effort into “good works” through religious or humane motives. . His brother when taking over the pavilion made a reaction against George’s excesses by cutting costs and dismissing French staff.
George pretended to dabble in politics but the time of regal power had gone and George lacked the goodwill and experience of his successors and even his father is better regarded by history
George followed the fashion in terms of social order. His servants had their place.
Like the Queen of France he followed the fashion for pretending to live as a common man when he first moved down. He had his romantic idly of a country cottage. Initially cost constraints may also have influenced his choice of a farm house.
Like the romantic poets he developed a habit for laudanum a drug related to opium. There was little or no understanding of addiction or distinction or disapproval between that drug, which was regarded as medicinal, and say alcohol.
George’s interest in food, drink, music, cards and dancing are universal but pursued with vigour at the time by some one with the time money and absence of TV. Having French chefs and his own band he entertained his friends and high society royally.
Getting drunk was certainly popular and could thus be described as fashionable and the Prince certainly indulged. It would be later in the century that fashions for abstinence would develop in certain sectors of society as the consequence of the drinking culture were appreciated.
When he first came to Brighton he located himself in the fashionable centre. He was attracted by the society of attractive women and the many pleasures of Brighton including racing, music and taking the waters. He chose a location away from the court of his father who visited sedate Weymouth.
Nothing I have read deals with the attitudes to religion. Does that mean the Prince was an atheist and society did not require him to observe the protestant religion given how important religion had been previously? Attitudes to race are apparently non issues in the era; there are very few people of obvious racial minorities although one with a muslim name is in the service of the prince.
Attitudes to the French. We know that George loved the French, was very friendly with many people from the French court. Loved French cuisine in the period of the pavilions however the French aristocracy was deposed and there were many years of war with France.
