Beverley is a largely Georgian town, but how much do local residents know about Georgian times?
The new exhibition at Beverley Guildhall, ‘Through the eyes of a Georgian gentleman’, uses the diary of a Beverley gentleman, John Courtney, who lived in the town from 1734 to 1806, to illustrate how life in Georgian England was experienced by real people in Beverley. The exhibition opens on Wednesday, 6 March.
Fiona Jenkinson, curator of the Beverley Guildhall, said:
“The Georgian period was a time of great agricultural and industrial change, dominated by class, culture and consumerism. Fashion, society, and leisure were key to people like John Courtney, who travelled extensively around England and took part in much of the social life of Beverley, York and London.
“He also spent much time searching for a suitable wife, and his diary is full of accounts of unrequited love, giving us an insight into romance and courting during that time.
“We would like to thank Susan and David Neave for allowing us to draw on their book featuring transcripts and annotations from Courtney’s diary.”
Visitors to the exhibition will see interesting 18th century objects from Beverley and the East Riding, as well as plenty of information about Georgian life, and reproductions of many of William Hogarth’s moralistic art series.
Councillor Nick Coultish, East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Cabinet member for culture, leisure and tourism, added: “This will be a fascinating exhibition, and promises to be a revelation about the Georgian period in Beverley. It’s also a great opportunity to come and see the historic Guildhall, right in the heart of the town.”
‘Through the eyes of a Georgian gentleman’ opens at the Beverley Guildhall on Wednesday, 6 March and runs until 28 June, 2024.
The Guildhall is in Register Square, off Cross Street, and is open from 10am to 1pm on Wednesdays until 30 April, then Wednesdays 10am to 4pm, and 10am to 4pm on all Fridays (except Good Friday). Admission to the building is free.
