During the 19th century, Luncheon was a wonderful time for ladies to gather and share friendship and conversation. As well, it was an opportunity to show a substantial amount of protocol at very little expense especially for those whom could not be invited to dinner. These dinner outcasts included single ladies, elderly ladies, and ladies who had only recently moved into the neighborhood. For the most part, there was somewhat an "open invitation" for luncheons. However, refine ladies usually awaited specific requests for their presence to a luncheon directly from the hostess. These written invitations would be received from a hostess delivered by a footman and usually were four days to two weeks before the event.

"Luncheons are such sociable affairs that they are very popular with many ladies who dread the ceremony of dinner, and yet who desire to entertain their friends.
-Youth's Educator for Home and Society, 1896

The setting of the table depended on how fashionable the hostess was, and on how formal she intended the event to be. If she was quite a stylish hostess, the only dishes that would be seen on the table by the guests would be containing fruit, and these would be interspersed with decorated vases filled with flowers. Platters and dishes that contained food were set up on a side table and served once the guests were seated. It was imperative that foods served be easy to handle because the ladies would eat without taking off their jackets, hats, or bonnets. Boneless meats were popular for this reason, particularly, a gelantine. Galantine was a cold preparation of boned, stuffed and seasoned chicken, veal or other meat, served in its own jelly. Galantines were considered a very elegant form of presenting pressed meats. Occasionally they were topped with a layer of cooked tongue, pieces of game, pistachio nuts, mushrooms, and then another layer of forcemeat. Victorian recipes recommended that when the various layers of forcement, veal, ham, pistachios, etc., had been completed, the galantine should be rolled up and placed into a cloth that was tied tightly at both ends. Sometimes a seam was sewn where the cloth meets. This was done because if it was tied with a string, it would bulge in the middle. This roll was sometimes called a "leg". After being tied, the "leg" was boiled in stockj for several hours, then cooled and placed on a baking tray and covered by another baking tray. It was then "weighed down" in order to compress the roll. After a time, the compressed roll was removed from the trays; the galantine would then be glazed and presented at the luncheon.

"Hats and bonnets can be worn at the table by the ladies, and they sit wherever they please. At luncheon the menu card is never used. Guests help themselves, and one another."
-Youth's Educator for Home and Society, 1896

Although they were necessities on a dinner menu, it was considered indecorous to serve soup or fish at a luncheon. However, mayonnaises of fish were not only acceptable, they were quite popular. The final delight served at a fashionable luncheon was the "luncheon cake". This was a rich cake made of raisins, almonds, caraway seeds, currants, nutmegs, and peel. Guests then withdrew to the drawing room to continue socializing. Tea and coffee were never served and so, after visiting for twenty mintes, guests would then request their carriages be summoned and then bid their farewells.

The Victorian Picnic

Fashionable luncheons were never meant to compare to the elegance of Victorian dinner parties. In fact, luncheon was, in and of itself, considered to be the least formal of all Victorian meals. Indeed, the only way it could have been less formal was when it was taken “outside”, especially in the form of a “picnic”. The concept of a picnic dates as far back as Medieval times, being a ritualistic aspect of Medieval hunting parties, but the word “picnic” appears in English only as far back as 1748 with reference to picnics in Germany. The word did not gain common use until the 1800s. Friends gathered to dance and eat, and if the weather was pleasant, they would enjoy these activities out-of-doors in the countryside. Each guest brought their own contribution towards the food, but at the time, picnic-etiquette had not yet been deter-mined, and often many guests brought the very same dishes or types of foods. Eventually, it was decided that it would work best if one person organized the food, and this would ensure that there would be sufficient variety. By the time Isabella Beeton wrote her “Book of Household Management” in 1861, understanding of the term “variety” had certainly been well achieved. Mrs. Beeton suggests in her book the following menu for a “Picnic for Forty Persons".....

In addition, Mrs. Beeton recommends in her book that among the list of “Things Not to be Forgotten at a Picnic”, the following should be included: bottle of mint sauce, salad dressing, vinegar, mustard and a stick of horseradish. Should there be any uncertainty as to whether picnics and eating out-of-doors might have been considered at all “unladylike” behavior, let it be known that even Queen Victoria en-joyed numerous picnics while at Balmoral, and in fact, picnics became most popular during the her reign.

Rules of etiquette applied to the picnic as they did for all details of Victorian life, and society mandated that these rules be adhered to whether one was seated in the dining room, or seated on a blanket by the riverside. Etiquette manuals instructed gentlemen that they should attend to the ladies present, at all cost, putting aside their own needs, and acting as servants, guides, or even waiters, if necessary.

“It is the duty of the gentlemen to be ever attentive to the ladies. If it be a picnic, the gentlemen will carry the luncheon, erect the swings,construct the tables, bring the water, and provide the fuel for boiling tea.”
--The Rules of Conduct That Govern Good Society

Furthermore, gentlemen were told that it was their duty to be as amusing and delightful as possible, and should strive to entertain the ladies, as well. Some suggested examples of entertainment were, for instance, if a gen-tleman had a musical talent, “he might think to bring along on the picnic the instrument he plays—if it be pos-sible—and perform for the picnic party.” Gentlemen were to also take care when selecting the spot for a picnic. Etiquette manuals reminded gentlemen of the more delicate nerves and anxieties of women, thus instructing them that, a picnic site, while selected for its spectacular view, if set too close to the cliff’s edge, would undoubtedly raise apprehensions for the ladies and cause them di-tress. Likewise, gentlemen were urged to guard against seating guests near anthills, or on ground that was especially uneven or rutty—as it would be most uncomfortable. However, proper decorum required that a gentleman was not to follow in seating himself until he had been invited to do so. Gentlemen were well instructed that no action on their part should cause the lady alarm, or allow her and occasion to think his behavior improper.

While on picnics, gentlemen often wandered off, exploring and collecting nature-related collectibles such as interesting rocks, leaves, and insects. Butterflies and flowers were particularly popular in Victorian times. The ladies spent their time enjoying the serenity of their surroundings while sketching the countryside. A couple, who chose to stroll away from the crowd to explore together, was not to linger for too long. A lady who loitered with a young man among the woods or countryside for an extended period risked damaging her image of respectability and would scarcely have been asked to join a future outing.

Near the end of Queen Victoria’s reign and becoming increasingly popular during the Edwardian era, members of royalty and the upper classes hosted what was known as “Country House Parties”. Guests received invitations for a three-day gathering (usually held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thurs-day) at an aristocratic country estate. These parties were held during the autumn and winter pheasant season for the purpose of killing great masses of pheasants.

**This article was written & is copyrighted to Dawn Aiello.
It is used with Ms. Aiello's permission.

Her website is: Victorian Lace ~ Victorian Lifestyles: The Victorian Era***