Victorian Leap Year Traditions Part 2
Victorian Leap Year Traditions Part 2
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Yes. Leap Year Romances Really Did Occur!
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Some Leap Year Engagements Credited to Poor Behavior of Young Men in the Other Three out of Four Years
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Prospects of Leap Year Club. Caricatures of women in men’s roles. From the enormous balloon sleeves the women wear, the time is early 1890s.
TIP: to view the above image in LARGER FORMAT to more easily see details, right click. Select “view image”. Laugh at the swapping of gender-specific roles of Victorian-era Americans. To return to this post, click the back arrow.
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Thus Ladies’ Leap Year Clubs and Mens’ Leap Year Clubs Passed Resolutions of How To Best Protect and Support One Another Through the Difficulties:
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1 of 6). “Every 4 Years. Leap Year Is Here and the Designing Maidens Are Happy. Cupid Capers in Delight. The Girls Form an Association for Their Mutual Protection–The Single Men Adopt Resolutions.” From The Saint Paul Globe of St. Paul, Minnesota on January 15, 1888.
2 of 6). The Saint Paul Globe of St. Paul, Minnesota on January 15, 1888.
3 of 6). The Saint Paul Globe of St. Paul, Minnesota on January 15, 1888.
4 of 6). The Saint Paul Globe of St. Paul, Minnesota on January 15, 1888.
5 of 6). The Saint Paul Globe of St. Paul, Minnesota on January 15, 1888.
6 of 6). The Saint Paul Globe of St. Paul, Minnesota on January 15, 1888.
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1908 Postcard: “Be careful, Clara, that’s a fine Specimen!” Image: Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons
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Victorian Leap Year Humor, as part of an advertisement for thread.
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Rules for Leap Year Parties
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Notice the humor and fun poked at the entire reversal of roles between the “fairer sex” and gentlemen. If a lady has the privilege and/or prerogative of proposing marriage to a young man whom her heart has chosen but has not yet been sufficiently motivated to do the proposing, then she has all the duties and responsibilities afforded the stronger sex. Read on!
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TRANSCRIPTION OF Rules for Leap Year Parties (the original images follow):
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RULES FOR LEAP YEAR PARTIES.
- Ladies will call for the gentlemen promptly at 8 o’clock. Those who keep their escorts waiting, and are consequently late at the party, will be treated for the remainder of the evening as wallflowers.
- The gents will be expected to behave in the most lady-like manner.
- Gentlemen are to bring to the ball a fan, a corsage bouquet, and smelling salts.
- The gentlemen whose bouquet is not crushed in the first dance will be a witness to the fact that he has been held with propriety.
- No gentleman shall cross the floor without a lady attendant.
- If a gentleman goes for a glass of water unattended by a lady the floor managers will at once declare him out of order, and compel him to be seated.
- Gents are expected to be languid, to drop their handkerchiefs as often as possible, make frequent calls for water, and at supper give the ladies no time for eating.
- The ladies who have been snubbed at dances heretofore will claim the greatest number of dances, and those who have been active society belles will let the gentlemen severely alone. [The Interior Journal, Stanford, Kentucky, 30 March, 1888.]
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Rules for Leap Year Parties. Part 1. The Interior Journal. Stanford KY. 30 March 1888.
Rules for Leap Year Parties. Part 2. The Interior Journal. Stanford KY. 30 March 1888.
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Invitation
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Had you been a widow or otherwise marriageable young lady in the American West in 1888 (a Leap Year) and your beau seemed unwilling to pop the question, would you do it for him? Or would you continue to wait patiently?
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I Wrote My Own Leap-Year PARTY, based on the newspaper article, above
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Related Articles
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Including Leap Year!
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Related Articles: Victorian American Holiday Observances
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Updated July 2022
Copyright © 2016 Kristin Holt LC
Victorian Leap Year Traditions Part 2
