Georgian Entertainment

12/07/1796

Information

A Peterborough Playbill give us another glimpse of life in Georgian Peterborough. It tells us that:

This present TUESDAY Evening JULY the 12th, 1796, will be presented a COMEDY called 'The SCHOOL for SCANDAL'. To which will be added a FARCE 'The ENCHANTED ISLAND' Or Free-born ENGLISHWOMAN. The whole concludes with an ELEGANT, GRAND, TRANSPARENT PAINTING of THE TEMPLE OF LOVE, Designed and Painted by an eminent Artist.

It tells interested parties that this week's schedule is for performances on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. I just wonder what was planned to happen on the Thursday. (Tebbs, H.F., Peterborough, Oleander Press, 1979)

Taken from The Peterborough Book of Days by Brian Jones, The History Press, 2014.

Search and filter

Objects

Archaeology
Art
Costume
Geology
Natural History
Records
Social History
Treasure

Locality

Local
Global
National

Edward II's Tantrum at Peterborough Abbey

1306

Information

Prince Edward, later Edward II visited Peterborough abbey in 1306 with a large retinue and his close friend Piers Gaveston. Documents from the time indicate that Edward and Piers were in a relationship, which might explain their behaviour when they visited the abbey. A chronicle from the time claimed Edward was offered a gift of a cup worth £50 by Abbot Godfrey, but rather than accept it, he asked if one had also been offered to Gaveston. When they replied to the negative, he curtly refused the cup, which was a huge slight to the abbot. With some negotiating on Piers part and that of a messenger, a gift of a cup worth £40 was offered to Gaveston and he was able to encourage Edward to accept his gift from Abbot Godfrey also. There would have been some shame around Edward’s refusal to accept a gift from Abbot Godfrey, which is probably why the story still exists, but it has been retold and reworked on many occasions. This remains one of the many stories surrounding the close relationship between the two men and their inappropriate behaviour. Piers Gaveston was eventually executed in 1312 for being a traitor and Edward II was removed from power in 1326 and killed in 1328.

References

http://ceirseach.blogspot.com/2010/08/piers-gavestons-cups-and-edward-iis.html

https://britishheritage.com/king-edward-ii-piers-gaveston-relationship

Peterborough Abbey , Edward II , Abbey

Please rotate your device

Georgian Entertainment

12/07/1796

Information

Search and filter

Time periods

Themes

Significant Events

People

Buildings

Objects

Decades

Curriculum Subjects

Places

Locality

Edward II's Tantrum at Peterborough Abbey

1306

Information

Related stories

Links