The morning schedule for life in the countryside consisted mostly of personal pursuits and calling hours.

How does your daily schedule compare?

Obviously each household would work on a slightly different schedule, and this schedule refers primarily to gentlefolk, not labourers, who would be hard at work during these times. The countryside kept early hours, but what “early” means varies wildly, so while there are estimates, know that each family would do their own thing, especially if they had guests or were at home in leisure without guests.

The early morning was one’s personal time. This was before breakfast, so the earlier one rose, the more personal time one would have. A daughter or son would likely spend this time with a favourite hobby, while the mother or mistress of the house would confer with staff in preparation for the day and the husband or man of the house conferring with the steward or butler, etc.

Then came breakfast, which was never served by footmen/butler, rather a self-served affair from a sideboard. This was just a light meal, nothing heavy, unless a heartier meal was requested in preparation for a long day.

The remaining morning, all the way up until dinner, was devoted to making and/or receiving calls, depending on one’s “at home” schedule. There was no such thing as “lunch,” but the two most popular ways people spent nuncheon or luncheon was (a) light refreshments while paying calls or receiving callers, and (b) enjoying a midday meal at the local inn (remarkably popular).

After that, we reach about 3pm or so in the day (give or take), so we’ll take a look at what happens after 3pm in a separate post (tomorrow!). The difference between dinner and supper is an important one, so stay tuned.

Read more about the morning schedule from Jane Austen's World:

Jane Austen's Regency Women: A Day in the Life

Daily Schedule in the Regency Era