1812
Having chosen love over status, Catherine started married life ‘under the very happiest auspices’.1 One can only imagine what went on behind the closed doors of the marital bedchamber, but William was a man of renowned prowess. Whatever techniques he employed certainly put a glow in Catherine’s cheeks and a twinkle in her eye. Close friends noticed ‘how tenderly she loved him’,2 while her rapt expression made it clear to everyone that the couple ‘lived together on very affectionate terms’.3
Sparkling as brightly as the diamonds that adorned her throat, Catherine looked ‘singularly beautiful’ and blissfully happy.4 She was now one of the most fashionable women in London. Her new lady’s maid was an accomplished hairstylist with a keen eye for fashion, ensuring that her mistress always looked immaculate, with curls piled informally on her head during the day and more elaborate styles reserved for the evening. Good grooming gave Catherine a permanently glossy sheen. Her flawless creamy complexion was like a blank canvas and, with the help of a little paint, her lady’s maid could transform her into a masterpiece. At Queen Charlotte’s birthday celebrations, newspapers singled out Catherine for praise, describing her outfit as ‘a profusion of diamonds, draperies of white and silver . . . headdress blue and white ostrich feathers. This dress was singularly beautiful.’5 At another function Catherine dazzled in ‘white satin richly embroidered with plumes of gold, studded with silver . . . headdress feathers and diamonds’.6 Stylish, feathered and bejewelled, Catherine had come a long way since her coming-of-age portrait.
Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, had been the ‘Empress of Fashion’,7 but since her death in 1806, newspapers had been searching for a new leading lady to brighten up the society pages. Catherine was proving a worthy replacement, particularly since her wedding outfit had caused such a sensation. When the ensemble was put on display by her robe-maker, ladies flocked to the shop, queuing round the block for hours to get a close look.8 Fashion magazines agreed that the breathtaking outfit ‘excelled, in costliness and beauty, the celebrated one worn by Lady Morpeth at the time of her marriage, which was exhibited for a fortnight at least by her mother, [Georgiana] the late Duchess of Devonshire’.9 Catherine’s use of swansdown was a particularly popular innovation, copied widely the following winter. In November 1812, The Lady’s Magazine commented on the influx of swansdown trimmings on satin pelisses, velvet cloaks, hats, bonnets, and on evening dresses ‘round the bosom and sleeves’. In Hull, a milliner boasted of his fine selection of dress hats from London, most notably ‘the Tylney Long’.10
Catherine had blossomed into the nation’s foremost female celebrity and fashion icon. The fact that she chose to exhibit her wedding dress suggests that she was aware of her influence, and that she actively courted fame. Being a leader of style was high maintenance, particularly in an era that was dubbed the ‘Age of Elegance’. Catherine often changed her outfit several times a day before embarking on daytime calls, walks in the park, shopping trips or supper engagements. An even stricter dress code applied for evening wear, with semi-formal dinner dresses or formal ballgowns required, richly embellished and made from shimmering silks and satins. Catherine spent so much money on clothes that dressmakers competed for the privilege of calling on her at home with their latest designs or bolts of rare material. Mrs Thomas’s establishment in Chancery Lane was typical of the places she frequented when shopping in London. The front shop was fitted with counters tempting customers to purchase material, buttons, ribbons, silver lamé and all types of trimmings. The discreet back rooms were reserved exclusively for ladies with serious amounts of money to spend. Pretty apprentices paraded in front of clients, modelling a variety of the latest fashions, while Mrs Thomas was on hand to suggest variations, a different colour or finer fabric perhaps.
Ultimately, it was up to the woman herself to create a unique look that would make her stand out from the crowd. In keeping with the fashion of the time, Catherine’s style was understated elegance, wearing beautifully cut gowns that rippled and flowed, while sculpting and skimming her curves in all the right places. Although she favoured simple white fabric, her evening gowns were often delicately embroidered with threads spun from real gold or silver, making her distinctive in the midst of a gathering as she shimmered iridescent in the candlelight. Dressed all in white, this approach focused attention on her glittering necklace and tiara; an explosion of diamonds that made Catherine appear like a celestial vision. This cemented her public image as an angel, all virtue and goodness.
Although it was important for a woman in Catherine’s position to look good, she did not lead a frivolous, idle existence. Marriage was a partnership; wives in the upper ranks of society played a crucial role and were often instrumental in their husbands’ advancement. Wellington summarized this perfectly, declaring that the primary duty of a wife was to ‘raise her husband in the eyes of the world’.11 Catherine supported William’s social and political aspirations by hosting dazzling events at Wanstead House. Mr and Mrs Long Wellesley were a good team. Although William had ultimate control at Wanstead, Catherine was responsible for the day-to-day running of the household, a mammoth task considering the sheer size of the mansion. Managing the army of forty-six indoor servants with calm efficiency, Catherine quickly earned the regard and respect of her new staff. Whenever she entertained on a large scale, hundreds of invitations had to be sent, innovative menus compiled, top-class performers hired and furniture rearranged to suit the gathering. The latter task was not as simple as it may sound, because Wanstead House was like a museum, stuffed full of family heirlooms, antiques and artwork, which Catherine had to catalogue to keep track of. In many respects she was like a curator overseeing her collection. In modern terms, she ran the equivalent of a marketing department and corporate entertainments business in order to promote her husband.
Catherine must have been doing a good job as William’s rising status in society was endorsed by an official royal visit. As heads of the military, the Dukes of York and Cambridge visited Wanstead Park to inspect the three regiments of East India Volunteers. Following the military parade, Catherine hosted an intimate banquet for forty guests. A feast was served in the Salon at four o’clock, while singers and musicians entertained. The dukes quit the gathering at nine o’clock, leaving the Long Wellesleys to enjoy the rest of the evening with their closest friends, including Catherine’s mother and sisters.12
Although Catherine played a major role in running the household, her husband took overall charge of the finances. As owner of Wanstead House, William had complete control of the marital home, and he also received all the rents from the estates. Under the terms of the marriage settlement, Catherine was entitled to receive her £11,000 pin money (£7,500 after deductions), but everything else went to William. In keeping with the common practice of the time, Catherine deferred to William’s judgement in all major decisions. As the era’s vast number of books and articles on the topic demonstrate, it was a wife’s duty to submit to her husband. In 1808, a popular magazine urged married women not to ‘overlook the word OBEY’.13 This dictate was not as oppressive as it may seem, because men usually wished for marital harmony and a happy wife. In fact, behind closed doors wily wives learned how to bargain or cajole until they got their own way. In the main, during the Regency, upper-class marriage was a bond of mutual respect, embodying warmth and tenderness. Catherine, the respectful daughter, became an equally devoted wife. She loved and trusted her husband and was content to concede to his wishes.
Whenever Catherine had a spare moment, she enjoyed walking in the gardens, taking long scenic strolls. Despite its proximity to London, Wanstead was very much a rural location with the house set amid 300 acres of parkland. The pleasure grounds had originally been laid out in a formal style by the celebrated George London, but had been modified by the bachelor Earl Tylney to create the more natural landscape advocated by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. Winding avenues led through woodland arranged with statues telling stories from mythology; there were follies, temples and a boathouse in the form of a curious grotto. Catherine relished the peace and tranquillity of her gardens, which were designed to create theatre and drama, surprising and delighting at every turn. The spectacular landscaping could be viewed from the upper floor of the house, and from the rear staterooms Catherine could see the gardens stretching out before her in a continuous panorama. A grass terrace walk almost as wide as the house ran in a straight line down to the River Roding, and the formal gardens contrasted perfectly with the surrounding wilderness, linked seamlessly by meandering walks that led to clearings, bowers or forest gardens.
Four months after the wedding, Catherine’s happiness became complete. On 16 July 1812, the Morning Chronicle announced, ‘Mrs Wellesley Long Pole, to the great joy of that family, is reported to be in the family way.’ Catherine walked about in a state of pure joy and wonder, stroking her still flat stomach, trying to absorb the notion that William’s child was growing inside her. By now the unrelenting social whirl of the London season was winding down, allowing her some leisure time to pause and reflect on her good fortune. Catherine woke up each morning to a symphony of birdsong, with views of mist rising from the lake and fresh scents from her gardens that were now in full bloom. Having returned to the house in Grosvenor Square for the season, Lady Catherine, Dora and Emma were frequent visitors at Wanstead that summer, accompanying Catherine on strolls in the gardens and sharing her joy over the pregnancy. There was a great deal to talk about since nineteen-year-old Emma had fallen in love with an Irishman named Mr Burke; she was hoping to settle down and start her own family. Excitedly, the sisters discussed how wonderful it would be when they were all mothers, the cousins always playing together and growing up to be great friends.
The women took pleasure in attending Sunday Mass together at St Mary’s Church, which stood near the octagonal Basin, about a hundred yards from Wanstead House. The architecture complemented the main building, with a classical portico at the front, supported by four soaring Doric columns, plus a clock tower and cupola at the west end supported by eight Ionic columns. The local community expected to see the lady of the manor in church and enjoyed participating in a little pomp. Catherine dutifully obliged, following a tradition laid down by her ancestors, who were now buried in the family vault beneath the church. Whenever she attended mass,a footman would be waiting in the porch, a cushion in his hand to convey her prayer book.14 As she entered the church, the congregation would rise as a mark of respect, and she would walk up the aisle to the altar, where the family’s box pews were prominently positioned beneath a huge marble statue of Sir Josiah Child. Catherine attended church regularly as was a requirement of the time, an obligation for all respectable ladies and gentlemen. She had much to be thankful for. She loved her husband passionately, she was thrilled with life at Wanstead and she looked forward to giving birth to her first child. It seemed that she had finally found perfect happiness.