Two Kingdoms: Masters of Ceremonies at Bath and Tunbridge Wells, 1735-c.1801

Masters of Ceremony were appointed during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to lead the social life of England’s fashionable spas and seaside resorts. Acting as social facilitators and organisers, they hosted assemblies, made introductions, welcomed visitors on arrival, guided newcomers in the conventions of polite society. The most influential Master of Ceremonies was Richard ‘Beau’ Nash, who ruled over Bath’s assembly rooms between 1705 and 1761 and established a set of rules to guide visitors’ behaviour. In 1735, while continuing to act as Master of Ceremonies at Bath, Nash proclaimed himself Masters of Ceremonies at the spa’s leading competitor, Tunbridge Wells. Following Nash’s example, the two spas continued to share a Master of Ceremonies until 1801. This chapter examines the effect of a shared Master of Ceremonies on Bath and Tunbridge Wells throughout the eighteenth century, considering the careers of individual post-holders and their influence on the social life of each spa. It argues that, while the connection added to the pockets and prestige of individual Masters of Ceremony, it had a detrimental impact on the spas themselves.