Published in EDC Circular, January 2026
The Sixdrilles occupy a curious niche in the landscape of early nineteenth‑century social dance. They first surfaced in 1825, when the Manchester dancing master Mr Paris advertised that he had devised and was teaching them — the earliest known reference to their instruction in Britain (Manchester Guardian, 25th Jun 1825, p.1). Soon afterwards, Mr John Lowe of Perth announced his own publication, issued by Patterson, Mortimer & Co. in Edinburgh (Caledonian Mercury, 10 December 1825, p.1). Yet another reference to published music comes from Aberdeen. There, the music seller and ball conductor J. Davie, a pupil of Francis Peacock, advertised a set of Sixdrilles Charles X by a certain ‘Mr Prosper of Paris’(Aberdeen Journal, and General Advertiser for the North of Scotland, 7 Jun 1826, p.1). The identity of Mr Prosper remains unclear.
Read more: Sixdrilles1825
Published in EDC Circular, January 2025
The racial identity of Queen Charlotte (Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, 1744–1818) and her portrayal in Netflix’s Bridgerton series have renewed interest in the Georgian social season, particularly in the Debutante Ball held on Charlotte’s official birthday, January 18. Queen Charlotte’s Ball, depicted as the series’ opening event, mirrored its role in the British social calendar between 1762 and 1818 as a key fashion event setting seasonal trends. From 1809, it also funded Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital. The tradition outlived Queen Charlotte, continuing to be part of the Royal calendar until 1959.