On Saturday 13 September, Rachel Knowles, from Wyke Regis, took part in a successful attempt to break the world record for the number of people gathered in one place, dressed in Regency costume.
The gathering was held in the Assembly Rooms, Bath, as part of the annual Jane Austen Festival. 550 men, women and children, all in Regency attire, had to remain in the same place for five minutes to claim the record. The previous official Guinness World Record was also set in Bath, by 409 people in 2009. In July this year an American festival claimed to have set a new record, although this was not ratified, and it has now been beaten by the assembly in Bath. The number would have been even higher had not some people been caught up in traffic.
Immediately after the World Record was set, almost 600 people, including Rachel, promenaded through the Georgian city of Bath. The parade included soldiers carrying muskets, naval officers, and, of course, hundreds of women wearing Regency gowns and bonnets.
During the parade, Rachel spent a few moments chatting with Adrian Lukis, who played the roguish Mr Wickham in the BBC’s 1995 adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, which also starred Colin Firth.
Rachel’s historically accurate Regency costume was made by local historical costumier Natalie Garbett, who also took part in the parade.
Rachel is currently finalising her first novel, a Georgian romance, set partially in Weymouth. She is also a historical blogger, writing the popular RegencyHistory.net blog.
Andrew Knowles