Welcome Carol Hedges once again – this time for little bit of light flirtation.
So I’m idling through the Guardian’s ‘Soulmates’ column, as you do because it has good adjectives, and I am struck by the number of ladies and gentlemen who are looking for lurve – or possibly romance, friendship, affection, a good time, adventure, passion or felicity (yup, copied that last from someone’s ad.)
Which makes me think that nothing really changes, does it? As part of my research for novel number 4, I have just finished reading a brilliant book called Shapely Ankle Preferr’d by Francesca Beauman. It is the history of the Lonely Hearts Ad from 1695 -2010. Yes, that is not a typo!Admittedly I know I am lucky, in that Beloved Husband and I have been married for 40 years come this September, and although those of you who know us well would say that in our case it is definitely Mr Chalk wed Ms Cheese, we go along amicably and are looking forward to growing even older together. We still make each other laugh. A lot. In his case, every time I open my mouth and say something about football.
Others do not have such good fortune. ‘Good fortune’ being the critical attribute. To snare Mr Right in the 17th century, it was not so much GSOH as ”Comeliness, Prudence, and 5 or 600l. in Money, Land or Joynture” that would guarantee you an admirer quicker than you could say knife. Or wife.
By the 1700’s, there were fifty-three newspapers all containing lonely heart ads of one sort or another. I was fairly gobsmacked at the audacity of one advertiser who wrote: ”A young man wants a wife with two or three hundred pounds; or the money will do without the wife – whoever will advance it shall have 5%” (Daily Advertiser 1759) Not for nothing did Jane Austen pen those famous words at the beginning of Pride and Prejudice that: ‘…a young man in possession of a good fortune … must be in want of a wife.’
In a way, I guess we are more fortunate (sic) in that money does not feature quite so prominently in today’s search for love, though I’m sure it lurks behind the scene, gurning happily. Even so, it is sad that in our digital, well connected age, when we are all supposed to be only 6 steps away from each other (or possibly 6 feet away from the nearest rat, can’t remember, but maybe not inapposite, given the topic) that there are still so many lonely folk around.
And oh my! So many over 60’s! Maybe I’ll hang on to Beloved Husband for a bit longer. I can’t see anyone else in their right minds going for: Totally batty writer (62), likes cake, cats, 2CV’s and prosecco. Knows absolutely zip about football ... can you?
Contacts:
Twitter: @carolJhedges
Books: http://amzn.to/1N1P3DF
Jane Bwye 
Reblogged this on Anita & Jaye Dawes.
Brilliant…as usual, Carol’s humour always brings a little sunshine….(and boy do we need some at the moment!)
Some people I love to let loose – you never know what to expect, and that makes the world go round
Haha.. I warned you at the start!