97-513: Long Acre is a street in the City of Westminster in central London . It runs from St Martin's Lane , at its western end, to Drury Lane in the east. The street was completed in the early 17th century and was once known for its coach -makers, and later for its car dealers . After the dissolution of the Monasteries in 1540, Henry VIII confiscated the land belonging to Westminster Abbey , including
194-468: A busk which holds the torso rigidly upright, and some form of lacing which allows the garment to be tightened. Corsets were an essential undergarment in European women's fashion from the 17th century to the early 20th century. In the 17th and 18th centuries they were commonly known as "stays" and had a more conical shape. This later evolved into the curvaceous 19th century form which is commonly associated with
291-508: A portcullis as the main charge, which now forms the crest . The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the City of Westminster. Corset A corset is a support garment worn to hold and train the torso into the desired shape and posture . They are traditionally constructed out of fabric with boning made of whalebone or steel, a stiff panel in the front called
388-461: A submissive may be required to wear a corset, which would be laced very tightly and restrict the wearer to some degree. A dominant may also wear a corset, often black, but for entirely different reasons, such as aesthetics. A specially designed corset, in which the breasts and vulva are exposed, can be worn during " vanilla sex " or BDSM activities. Dress historian David Kunzle argues in his work Fashion and Fetishism that historical usage of
485-628: A car or van, 6.0%; work mainly at or from home, 5.5%; bicycle, 3.1%; train, 3.0%. Westminster Children's Services administers many primary and secondary schools. In addition, there are several state-funded faith schools, primarily Church of England (CE), and Roman Catholic (RC), but Christian non-denominational (ND) schools are also in the borough, and there are several non-profit-making junior and senior independent schools . The city operates two reference libraries; Westminster Reference Library and Marylebone Information Service. Westminster Reference Library holds several special collections: of which
582-483: A change in fashions could change the position of women in society, allowing for greater social mobility, independence from men and marriage, and the ability to work for wages, as well as physical movement and comfort. In 1873, Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward wrote: Burn up the corsets! ... No, nor do you save the whalebones, you will never need whalebones again. Make a bonfire of the cruel steels that have lorded it over your thorax and abdomens for so many years and heave
679-648: A city. In 1585 the Westminster Court of Burgesses was established to administer certain judicial powers in an area known as the City and Liberty of Westminster . From 1856 the area was also governed by the Metropolitan Board of Works , which was established to provide services across the metropolis of London. In 1889 the Metropolitan Board of Works' area was made the County of London . From 1856 until 1900
776-513: A different group of people, often children. Heavy or messy work was done in house, such as cutting the fabric pieces and japanning the steels to prevent rust, and lighter work, such as sewing the bones in place, was taken home by piece workers , generally women who enlisted their children to help them. Workers in corset factories were among the most poorly-paid in London, and frequently could not make enough to meet their daily living expenses. Although
873-516: A few days ahead of that a royal charter was issued conferring city status on the new borough of Westminster from its creation. The Court of Burgesses, which had ceded most practical powers to the newer authorities, was finally abolished in 1901. The modern borough was created in 1965 under the London Government Act 1963 . It was a merger of the old Paddington, St Marylebone and Westminster metropolitan boroughs, and Westminster's city status
970-447: A historical style of corsets, they by-and-large have very little, if any, effect on the shape of the wearer's body. Elasticated garments such as girdles and waist trainers are still worn today and serve to compress the waist or hips, although they lack the rigidity of corsets. A corset brace is a type of orthotic resembling a traditional corset, used to support the lower back in patients with mild to moderate back pain. The word corset
1067-488: A long period of time; during the Victorian era stays were typically begun at or before the onset of puberty, with reported ages ranging from 7 to 13. Moderately laced corsets have been demonstrated to reduce lung capacity anywhere from 2 to 29%, with an average of 9%, and can cause an increase in shortness of breath during moderate exercise such as dancing. Doctors warned corseted women against "everything that [was] worthy of
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#17328443006901164-604: A man and for a woman maker, respectively), or sometimes simply a corsetmaker . In 1828, the word corset came into general use in the English language. The word was used in The Ladies Magazine to describe a "quilted waistcoat" that the French called un corset. It was used to differentiate the lighter corset from the heavier stays of the period. As the form and purpose of the corset was continually evolving throughout its time as
1261-410: A part of their wardrobe. While supporters of fashionable dress contended that corsets maintained an upright, "good figure", and were a necessary physical structure for a moral and well-ordered society, dress reformers maintained that women's fashions were not only physically detrimental, but "the results of male conspiracy to make women subservient by cultivating them in slave psychology". They believed
1358-444: A population of 204,300 at the 2021 census. The original settlement of Westminster was historically a separate urban area to the west of London, growing up around the minster church of Westminster Abbey. Westminster was an important centre of royal authority from Saxon times, and was declared a city in 1540. It was gradually absorbed into the urban area of London, but London's official city boundaries remained unchanged, covering just
1455-424: A shorter torso. Some corsets, in very rare instances, reach the knees . A shorter kind of corset that covers the waist area (from low on the ribs to just above the hips), is called a waist cincher . A corset may also include garters to hold up stockings ; alternatively, a separate garter belt may be worn. Traditionally, a corset supports the visible dress and spreads the pressure from large dresses, such as
1552-464: A sigh of relief, for your emancipation I assure you, from this moment has begun. Despite those protests, little changed in fashion and undergarments up to 1900. The primary result of the dress reform movement was the evolution, rather than elimination, of the corset. Because of the public health outcry surrounding corsets and tightlacing, doctors took it upon themselves to become corsetieres . Many doctors helped to fit their patients with corsets to avoid
1649-401: A standard undergarment, there is no way to definitively state how it was worn. While the original purpose of stiffened undergarments was founded in the avoiding of creasing to costly, highly adorned outer garments, the most common and well-known use of corsets is to slim the body and make it conform to a fashionable silhouette. For women, this most frequently emphasizes a curvy figure by reducing
1746-566: A surgical bandage shop. At No. 132, John Logie Baird made the first British television broadcast in 1929. Just off Long Acre is Langley Street, home of the Pineapple Dance Studios and London Film School , the oldest such school in the world. Just opposite, until 2000, was Paxman, one of the leading English manufacturers of French horns . It is said that the poet Richard Lovelace spent his final years in Long Acre, in great poverty. As
1843-449: A waist-slimming effect, and more boning. Some women made their own, while others bought their corsets. Corsets were one of the first mass-produced garments for women. They began to be more heavily boned in the 1840s, and the shoulder straps were eliminated. By 1850, steel boning became popular. With the advent of metal eyelets in 1827, tightlacing became possible. The position of the eyelets changed. They were situated opposite one another at
1940-470: A young man, Thomas Paine worked as a corset maker in Long Acre. In 1896, the Freemason's Arms was built; it still stands on Long Acre. Masonic symbols adorn the façade. Long Acre is numbered 1 to 77 on the south side and 78 to 144 on the north side. At the junction with James Street is Covent Garden Underground station . Long Acre ends in the east at a junction with Drury Lane . Overlooking this junction
2037-514: Is Freemasons' Hall , the headquarters of the British Freemasons, on Great Queen Street . Long Acre is numbered B402 in the British road numbering scheme . [REDACTED] Media related to Long Acre (street) at Wikimedia Commons 51°30′47″N 0°07′29″W / 51.5130°N 0.1246°W / 51.5130; -0.1246 City of Westminster The City of Westminster
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#17328443006902134-596: Is a London borough with city status in Greater London , England. It is the site of the United Kingdom's Houses of Parliament and much of the British government . It contains a large part of central London , including most of the West End , such as the major shopping areas around Oxford Street , Regent Street , Piccadilly and Bond Street , and the entertainment district of Soho . Many London landmarks are within
2231-509: Is a diminutive of the Old French word cors (meaning "body", and itself derived from the Latin corpus ): the word therefore means "little body". The craft of corset construction is known as corsetry , as is the general wearing of them. (The word corsetry is sometimes also used as a collective plural form of corset). Someone who makes corsets is a corsetier or corsetière (French terms for
2328-508: Is at 14 St James's Square . Many countries' embassies or High Commissions are in Westminster. The current Westminster coat of arms was given by an official grant on 2 September 1964. Westminster had other arms before, which had a chief identical to the chief in the present arms. The symbols in the lower two thirds of the shield stand for former municipalities now merged with the city, Paddington and St Marylebone. The original arms had
2425-437: Is known to decrease the size of the stomach and disturb digestion, potentially leading to constipation or indigestion. The downward pressure on the pelvic floor can also lead to urinary incontinence , similar to that experienced during pregnancy. Chlorosis is a now-outdated term which referred to a disease thought to be caused directly by corsets, now thought to be hypochromic anemia . The illness, also known as green sickness,
2522-425: Is meant, while thousands of husbands will not only know, but deeply feel the meaning of this hint. This quote alludes to problems with the reproductive organs experienced by women who tightlaced , and demonstrates the difficulties of explaining this issue due to Victorian taboos around discussing sexuality. Reformist and activist Catharine Beecher was one of the few to defy propriety norms and discuss in any detail
2619-404: Is typically made with elastic fabric and plastic boning to allow for more flexibility. Metal boning may be used if more rigidity is needed. Artist Andy Warhol was shot in 1968 and never fully recovered; he wore a corset for the rest of his life. Corsets are typically constructed of a stiff material, such as buckram, structured with boning (also called ribs or stays) inserted into channels in
2716-450: The Diocese of London in 1540, by letters patent which also granted city status to Westminster, a status retained after the diocese was abolished in 1550. The area was historically part of the county of Middlesex . Whilst an important centre of royal authority from Saxon times, Westminster was not formally incorporated as a borough for local government purposes until 1900. However, it
2813-460: The Guinness Book of World Records listed Ethel Granger as having the smallest waist on record at 13 inches (33 cm). After 1998, the category changed to "smallest waist on a living person". Cathie Jung took the title with a waist measuring 15 inches (38 cm). Other women, such as Polaire , also have achieved such reductions: 16 inches (41 cm) in her case. Empress Sisi of Austria
2910-555: The Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) and Big Ben . Charing Cross is the notional centre of London and the location where distances from London are measured. This custom appears to have begun with the set distances of the 12 Eleanor crosses to Lincoln, England in the north, and expanded even after destruction of most of the crosses. These include Green Park , Hyde Park , Kensington Gardens , Regent's Park and St James's Park . In addition to parks and open spaces within
3007-526: The crinoline and bustle . At times, a corset cover is used to protect outer clothes from the corset and to smooth the lines of the corset. The original corset cover was worn under the corset to provide a layer between it and the body. Corsets were not worn next to the skin, possibly due to difficulties with laundering these items during the 19th century, as they had steel boning and metal eyelets that would rust. Light linen or cotton shifts (also called chemises) were worn beneath corsets to absorb sweat and protect
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3104-412: The iliac crest , or the hip bone. A longline corset is ideal for those who want increased stability, have longer torsos, or want to smooth out or minimize the hips. This style was common during the 1910s, when slim hips came into vogue, and later evolved into the elasticated girdle . A "standard" length corset will stop short of the iliac crest and is ideal for those who want increased flexibility or have
3201-399: The pelvic inlet , which is consistent with reported difficulties in birth, although studies into this topic have been mixed. Uterine prolapse was a significant danger exacerbated by corsets, the incidence of which correlated with widespread corset wearing. Both rectal and uterine prolapse occurred at a higher incidence during the Victorian era than today, with occurrences declining as
3298-494: The waist and thereby exaggerating the bust and hips . However, in the Tudor period , corsets, known then as "bodies", were worn to achieve a tubular straight-up-and-down shape, which involved minimizing the bust. These bodies, both women's and menswear, were worn into the 16th and 17th centuries and achieved their stiffened shaping through materials including steel, wood, or whalebone, and were constructed of two parts and fastened at
3395-462: The waist ) was also desirable for men; wearing a corset sometimes served to achieve this. However, by the mid-1800s onward, men's corsets fell out of favor, and were generally considered effeminate and pretentious. An "overbust corset" encloses the torso, extending from just under the arms toward the hips. An "underbust corset" begins just under the breasts and extends down toward the hips. A "longline corset"—either overbust or underbust—extends past
3492-421: The "civilized" races. On the other hand, those who argued for the importance of corsets cited Darwinism as well, specifically the notion that women were less evolved and thus frailer, in need of the external support of a corset. The reformers' critique of the corset was one part of a throng of voices clamoring against tightlacing . Doctors counseled patients against it and journalists wrote articles condemning
3589-528: The City of Westminster also have a large concentration of hedge fund and private equity funds. The West End is known as the Theatre District and is home to many of the leading performing arts businesses. Soho and its adjoining areas house a concentration of media and creative companies. Oxford Street is a busy shopping destination. The City of Westminster contains some of the most famous sites in London, including Buckingham Palace , Westminster Abbey ,
3686-570: The County of London was reorganised into metropolitan boroughs . The parish of Paddington became the Metropolitan Borough of Paddington , and the parish of the St Marylebone became the Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone . The various territories within the old City and Liberty of Westminster became the Metropolitan Borough of Westminster . The new boroughs came into being on 1 November 1900;
3783-859: The Sherlock Holmes, Arts and Business collections are the most comprehensive. In addition to the collections in Westminster Reference Library the city has two specialist libraries: the Westminster Music Library , the largest music library in the UK and the Westminster Chinese Library in the Charing Cross Library. Free City of Westminster operated public lending libraries in Westminster include: The London Library , an independent lending library funded by subscription,
3880-525: The South Coast including Clapham Junction , Sutton , Brighton , Eastbourne , Gatwick Airport ( [REDACTED] ), Guildford , Portsmouth , and Southampton . Services operated by Southern . Gatwick Airport [REDACTED] Services operated by Gatwick Express . The City of Westminster is served by 27 London Underground stations and 10 of the 11 lines. By 2009 Westminster City Council had electric vehicle charging points in 15 locations through
3977-413: The adjoining fields, eventually absorbing nearby villages such as Marylebone and Kensington , and gradually creating the vast Greater London that exists today. Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries abolished the abbey at Westminster, although the former abbey church is still called Westminster Abbey . The church was briefly the cathedral of the Diocese of Westminster created from part of
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4074-539: The advent of germ theory , some thought corsets directly caused the disease, as women were significantly more likely to contract and die from the disease than men in this era. Others thought corsets contributed to TB deaths due to impairment of lung function. Corsets are known to contribute significantly to muscle wasting in the core and back when worn over long periods of time. Although they temporarily relieve back pain, muscle atrophy due to disuse will lead to increased lower-back pain and eventually perpetual reliance on
4171-497: The area called the City of London , broadly corresponding to the medieval walled city. From the 19th century some metropolis -wide administrative bodies were introduced. The County of London was created in 1889, replaced in 1965 by the larger administrative area of Greater London , which since 2000 has been led by the Mayor of London . The cities of London and Westminster retain their separate city statuses despite having long been part of
4268-447: The back. The front was fastened with a metal busk . The corsets of the 1850s–1860s were shorter, because of a change in the silhouette of women's fashion, with the advent of the hoop skirt or crinoline . After the 1860s, as the crinoline fell out of style, the corset became longer, to shape the abdomen, exposed by the new lines of the princess or cuirass style. In 1855, a woman named Frances Egbert had trouble with her corsets, due to
4365-415: The back. Tightening or loosening the lacing produces corresponding changes in the firmness of the corset. Depending on the desired effect and time period, corsets can be laced from the top down, from the bottom up, or both up from the bottom and down from the top, using the bunny ears lacing method. Victorian corsets also had a buttoned or hooked front opening called a busk . If the corset was worn loosely, it
4462-516: The border with the City of London formed the Strand District . Beyond the liberty to the north, the two parishes of Paddington and St Marylebone were also governed by their vestries. The Westminster District was renamed the St Margaret and St John Combined Vestry in 1887, and unsuccessfully petitioned to be incorporated as a borough in 1897. In 1900 the lower tier of local government within
4559-437: The borough, including Buckingham Palace , Westminster Abbey , Whitehall , Westminster Cathedral , 10 Downing Street , and Trafalgar Square . The borough also has a number of major parks and open spaces , including Hyde Park , and most of Regent's Park . Away from central London the borough also includes various inner suburbs, including St John's Wood , Maida Vale , Bayswater , Belgravia and Pimlico . The borough had
4656-653: The borough, the City owns and maintains East Finchley Cemetery and crematorium in the London Borough of Barnet . Four National Rail stations serve the City of Westminster: [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Heathrow Airport [REDACTED] Services operated by Heathrow Express and Elizabeth line ( [REDACTED] ) . [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] South London, Sussex and
4753-445: The bust, for example. During the late 1700s up until the 1820s, in reflection of the neoclassical style of dress, the demi-corset or short stays were popularised, as the empire line of fashionable gowns did not require support or shaping to the waist. For men, corsets were sporadically used to slim the figure. From around 1820 to 1835—and even until the late 1840s in some instances—a wasp-waisted figure (a small, nipped-in look to
4850-413: The bust, stays became known as corsets. They also lengthened to the hip, and the lower tabs were replaced by gussets at the hip and had less boning. In the 1820s, fashion changed again, with the waistline lowered to almost the natural position. That was to allow for more ornamentation on the bodice, which, in turn, saw the return of the corset to modern fashion. Corsets began to be made with some padding, for
4947-410: The city (13 car parks and two on-street points). Users pay an annual fee to cover administration costs to register and use the points. By 2018 there were 60 electric vehicle charging locations. In March 2011, the main forms of transport that residents used to travel to work were: underground, metro, light rail, tram, 21.0% of all residents aged 16–74; on foot, 9.3%; bus, minibus or coach, 9.3%; driving
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#17328443006905044-502: The cloth or leather. In the 18th and early 19th century, thin strips of baleen (also known as whalebone) were favoured for the boning. Plastic is the most commonly used material for modern corsets and the majority of poor-quality corsets. Spring and/or spiral steel or synthetic whalebone is preferred for stronger and generally better quality corsets. Other materials used for boning have included ivory , wood , and cane. Corsets are held together by lacing, usually (though not always) at
5141-408: The controversy surrounding corsets was their ability to affect the reproductive system due to the downward pressure created by displacement of organs. One Doctor Lewis writes in an 1882 edition of The North American Review : A girl who has indulged in tight lacing should not marry. She may be a very devoted wife, yet her husband will secretly regret his marriage. Physicians of experience know what
5238-479: The convent garden of Covent Garden and land to the north originally called the Elms and later Seven Acres. In 1552, his son, Edward VI , granted it to John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford . The Russell family, who in 1694 were advanced in their peerage from Earl to Duke of Bedford , held the land from 1552 to 1918. At the time of Charles I it was renamed Long Acre after the length of the first pathway constructed across
5335-631: The corset and wearer from each other, and also to function as underwear and protect other garments from the wearer and their sweat. The corset cover was generally in the form of a light chemisette, made from cotton lawn or silk. Modern corset wearers may wear corset liners for many of the same reasons. Those who lace their corsets tightly use the liners to prevent burn on their skin from the laces. Aside from fashion and medical uses, corsets are also used in sexual fetishism , most notably in Bondage/Discipline/Sado-Masochism ( BDSM ). In BDSM,
5432-476: The corset fell out of fashion. An 1888 doctor reported that “uterine derangement had increased fifty percent within the last fifteen years as a result of tight clothing, corsets and high heels." This era saw the development of a number of pessaries and other devices patented to support the prolapsed uterus, the insertion of which frequently led to further complications; the topic was a subject of wide professional discussion among gynecologists . Corset wearing
5529-411: The corset had a fetishistic dimension as some wearers reported feeling sexual pleasure from the use of the garment, and the corseted waist was highly sexualized by men and women alike. A corset brace is a lumbar support that is used in the prevention and treatment of lower-back pain. They can also be prescribed to patients healing from spinal surgery. A corset brace resembles a historical corset, but
5626-509: The corset today. By the beginning of the 20th century, shifting gender roles and the onsets of World War I and II (and the associated material shortages) led the corset to be largely discarded by mainstream fashion. Since the corset fell out of use, the fashion industry has used the term "corset" to refer to undergarments or shirts which, to varying degrees, mimic the look of traditional corsets. While these modern corsets and corset tops often feature lacing or boning , and generally imitate
5723-418: The corset was called "a pair of bodys." It consisted of a simple bodice , stiffened with boning of reed or whalebone. A busk made of wood, horn, whalebone, metal, or ivory further reinforced the central front and created an upright posture. It was most often laced in the back, and was, at first, a garment reserved for the aristocracy. Later, the term "pair of bodies" would be replaced with the term "stays" and
5820-480: The corset was prompted by vanity and foolishness, and harmful to health. The reported health risks included damaged and rearranged internal organs, compromised fertility; weakness and general depletion of health. Those who were pro-corset argued that it was required for stylish dress and had its own unique pleasures; dress historian David Kunzle theorized that some enthusiastic fans of tightlacing may have experienced sexual pleasure when tightlacing, or by rubbing against
5917-476: The corset. Forceps delivery was standard during this period, which could be due to atrophy of the abdominal muscles caused by lifelong corset usage. Skeletal analyses have found that the usage of corsets had a significant effect on the form of the spine, ribs, and hips. However, the consequences of this change are not fully agreed upon by researchers. Underdevelopment of the pelvic inlet may have contributed to difficulties in birth. A significant source of
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#17328443006906014-482: The corsetmaking industry was dominated by men, a number of woman designers and inventors became known for their work in this field. Among them included Roxey Ann Caplin , who consulted her physician husband to create corsets with respect to modern knowledge of female anatomy . The field of corsetmaking was one in which new designs were continually submitted and patented , often with the desire to create ever stronger or stiffer corsets that were less likely to break. In
6111-458: The development of Covent Garden Square to the south of Long Acre. The coach-building trade dominated Long Acre in the 19th century – in 1906, 41 buildings in the street were occupied by firms associated with transport, a mixture of traditional coach-builders and those connected with the motor trade. By 1916 the transition to motor cars and related trades was almost complete. The Austin Motors showroom
6208-420: The diary of a student at an all-girls boarding school which described how their school madams trained girls to achieve waists ranging from 14 inches (36 cm) to 19 inches (48 cm); the narrator herself reports a reduction from 23 inches (58 cm) to 14 inches (36 cm), and a subsequent interview with a corsetmaking firm corroborated that such sizes were not unusual during that period. Until 1998,
6305-482: The ethnic group of respondents in the 1991 to 2021 censuses in Westminster. The borough ranks highest on one standard criteria in analysing housing supply and demand, the proportion of private rented accommodation relative to other types of housing in England. A study in 2017 by Trust for London and The New Policy Institute found that Westminster has the third-highest pay inequality of the 32 London boroughs. It also has
6402-530: The former Roman city with its still-existing Roman walls, was repopulated and Lundenwic declined, becoming pastoral and partly known as Aldwych (Aldwic—'old village'), the name of which lives on for a section of Westminster. The origins of the City of Westminster pre-date the Norman Conquest of England. In the mid-11th century, King Edward the Confessor began the construction of an abbey at Westminster, only
6499-408: The foundations of which survive today. Between the abbey and the river he built a palace, thereby guaranteeing that the seat of Government would be fixed at Westminster, and inevitably drawing power and wealth west out of the old City of London. For centuries Westminster and the City of London were geographically quite distinct. It was not until the sixteenth century that houses began to be built over
6596-610: The front of the corset, which contributed to the moral outrage against the practice. The corset controversy was also closely tied to notions of social Darwinism and eugenics . The potential damage to the uterus, ovaries, and fetus was frequently pointed to as a danger to the race; i.e., the European race. Western women were thought to be weaker and more prone to birth complications than the ostensibly more vigorous, healthier, "primitive" races who did not wear corsets. Dress reformers exhorted readers to loosen their corsets, or risk destroying
6693-575: The front steel pieces constantly breaking as a result of strain. Consequently, her husband, Samuel Barnes, designed "reinforced steels" for Egbert's corsets. Barnes filed a patent for the invention 11 years later, and Egbert collected the royalties on this patent for 15 years following his death. Following the case of Egbert v. Lippmann , the US Supreme court deemed Barnes's and Egbert's patent as "public". The new practice of tight-lacing instigated widespread controversy. Dress reformists claimed that
6790-513: The front, and unboned. That garment was meant to be worn on informal occasions, while stays were worn for court dress. In the 1790s, stays began to fall out of fashion. That coincided with the French Revolution and the adoption of neoclassical styles of dress. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, some men were known to wear corsets, particularly the widely mocked dandies . In the early 19th century, when gussets were added for room for
6887-514: The gynecological issues resulting from lifelong corset usage, in particular uterine prolapse . Corsets were usually worn during pregnancy, often as long as possible, to suppress and disguise the appearance of the growing fetus. Obstetrician and writer Alice Bunker Stockham campaigned against the widespread practice of wearing corsets during pregnancy , writing sardonically: "The corset should not be worn for two hundred years before pregnancy." Feminist historian Leigh Summers theorized that some of
6984-539: The land. Charles took offence at the condition of the road and houses along it, which were the responsibility of Russell and Henry Carey, 2nd Earl of Monmouth . Russell and Carey complained that under the 1625 Proclamation concerning Buildings, which restricted building in and around London, they could not build new houses; the King then granted Russell, for a fee of £2,000, a licence to build as many new houses on his land as he "shall thinke fitt and convenient". This licence allowed
7081-596: The latter two being separated from Westminster by the River Thames . Charing Cross in Westminster is the notional centre of London, being the point from which distances from London are measured. After the depopulation of Roman London in the 5th century, an Anglo Saxon agricultural and trade settlement likely developed to its west, associated with the Middle Saxons , sometimes called Lundenwic ('London village' or London port'). Over time, Lundenburh ('London fort'),
7178-494: The lower tier of local government within the metropolis comprised various parish vestries and district boards . Within the City and Liberty of Westminster, the three parishes of St George Hanover Square , St James Piccadilly and St Martin-in-the-Fields were governed by their vestries , whilst the parishes covering the central part of Westminster formed the Westminster District and the parishes and territories adjoining
7275-507: The moral panic came from the common but unspeakable idea that tightlacing could be used to induce an abortion . Doctors often attributed the difficult births many Victorian women experienced to corsets, widely believing that "primitive" women who wore less restrictive garments had less painful births and were overall healthier and more vigorous. Modern skeletal analyses indicate that corseting, particularly during pre-puberty (most girls began corseting around 7 or 8), led to underdevelopment of
7372-617: The name exercise" to avoid strain, although some guides were written on light calisthenics to be done by young women who would presumably be wearing corsets. Typical exercises included stretching, dance steps, and skipping, largely focusing on moving the limbs and balancing. As women's social freedom increased during the second half of the 19th century, sport corsets began to be sold, designed for wear while bicycling , playing tennis , or horseback riding. These designs typically incorporated some form of elastic panelling or mesh. Corsets were widely thought to contribute to tuberculosis . Prior to
7469-572: The past, a woman's corset was usually worn over a chemise , a sleeveless low-necked gown made of washable material (usually cotton or linen ). It absorbed perspiration and kept the corset and the gown clean. In modern times, a tee shirt, camisole, or corset liner may be worn. In the late Victorian period, as anxiety around the health effects of corseting increased, the "health corset" became popularized, typically featuring woolen lining and other features such as elasticated panels or steel watch springs instead of steel strips for boning. The invention of
7566-402: The same degree of reduction that was recorded in historical usage since the corset was usually begun during the early teen years or even before. The slimmest waist sizes on record should be contextualized with the fact that they were seen in teenage girls, and may have been reserved for special occasions. In 1895, The West Australian published an account purporting to be from the early 1860s,
7663-519: The same urban area. The modern borough was created in 1965 as part of the same reforms which created Greater London, covering the area of the three former metropolitan boroughs of Westminster , Paddington and St Marylebone . The local authority is Westminster City Council . To the east, Westminster borders the City of London , with the boundary marked by Temple Bar . Other neighbouring boroughs (anti-clockwise from north-east) are Camden , Brent , Kensington and Chelsea , Wandsworth and Lambeth ,
7760-406: The second-least affordable private rent for low earners in London, behind only Kensington and Chelsea . In education, 82% of adults and 69% of 19-year-olds having Level 3 qualifications. The City of Westminster covers all or part of the following areas of London : Many global corporations have their global or European headquarters in the City of Westminster. Mayfair and St James's within
7857-504: The sides. These bodies evolved into the stays of the 17th century. The term corset emerged later, around the end of the 18th century. Stays were an integral part of fashionable women's underclothing in the West . Shaping the body to fit the desired silhouette, which, for example, in the 1780s resembled a conical shape, stays of the 18th century ensured good posture – the central aim of such undergarments of this period, rather than accentuating
7954-552: The stays to be spiral laced. One end of the stay lace was inserted into the bottom eyelet and knotted, and the other end was wound through the eyelets of the stays and tightened on the top. "Jumps" were a variant of stays, which were looser, had no boning, and sometimes had attached sleeves, like a jacket. Women of all levels of society wore stays or jumps, from ladies of the court to street vendors. Corsets were originally quilted waistcoats, which French women wore as an alternative to stiff stays. They were only quilted linen, laced in
8051-405: The steel eyelet in 1827 was a major turning point in the history of the corset, and allowed wearers to lace their corsets significantly more tightly without damaging the garment. Dress historian David Kunzle maintains that tightlacing was largely the domain of middle to lower-middle-class women hoping to increase their station in life; he estimates that the average corseted waist size of the 1880s
8148-447: The symptoms, while trips to the sea (during which corsets would still be worn) did not. For nearly 500 years, bodies, stays, or corsets with boning made of reeds, whalebone , or metal were a standard part of European women's fashion. Researchers have found evidence of the use of corsets in the Minoan civilization of early Crete . In the late 16th century, what would later be known as
8245-434: The upper shoulder in the back. Stays could be strapless or use shoulder straps. The straps of the stays were generally attached in the back and tied at the front. The purpose of 18th century stays was to support the bust and confer the fashionable conical torso shape, while drawing the shoulders back. At that time, the eyelets were reinforced with stitches and were not placed across from one another, but staggered. That allowed
8342-574: The vanity and frivolity of women who would sacrifice their health for the sake of fashion. Although for many, corseting was accepted as necessary for health, propriety, and an upright military-style posture , dress reformers viewed tightlacing, especially at the height of the era of Victorian morality , as a sign of moral indecency. American women active in the anti-slavery and temperance movements , with experience in public speaking and political agitation, advocated for and wore sensible clothing that would not restrict their movement, although corsets were
8439-465: The wrong block — the theatre was to the east of Endell Street, not the west. On Acre House (No. 69–75) is a green plaque commemorating Denis Johnson 's workshop. He lived c. 1760 to 1833 and had a workshop here in 1819, selling "hobby horse" bicycles , the first to be sold in the United Kingdom . Emma Martin , author, socialist and free thinker worked as a midwife from No.100 where her daughters ran
8536-487: Was approximately 21 inches (53 cm), with an uncorseted waist size of about 27 inches (69 cm). A corseted waist of 19 inches (48 cm) was considered "standard" and one of 13 inches (33 cm) "severe" but not unheard of. Statistics from 1888 indicate that the average waist size had decreased over the past 25 years, attributed to tightlacing itself as well as the lowered respiration and food intake permitted by tightlacing. Modern wearers are unlikely to achieve
8633-456: Was associated with the onset of menarche and fell under the umbrella of "female complaints": problems attributed to the increasing demands that puberty brought onto the frail female body. The physician Frederick Parkes Weber posited that the disease may have been caused by corset wearing, noting that the illness never appeared in boys, that fat rather than thin girls were more likely to experience it, and that prolonged bed rest seemed to resolve
8730-460: Was at 134, and Mercedes-Benz 's at No. 127–130, close to Daimler and Fiat . The section on the north side from Neal Street to Arne Street was occupied by Odhams Press from about 1890 to 1970. It published John Bull , which was the most popular magazine in Britain from 1916 to 1934. Odhams also published The Daily Herald , Woman's Own , Debrett's and Sporting Life (founded 1859). Odhams
8827-529: Was bought by the International Publishing Corporation in 1961 and the site was closed down in 1969. Prior to Odhams, the site was occupied by the Queen's Theatre (1867–1878), the second-largest theatre in London at the time, after Drury Lane . It was here that Ellen Terry first met Henry Irving in a Shakespearean role. There is a plaque to commemorate the theatre, but it has been placed on
8924-418: Was declared a city in 1540 on the elevation of Westminster Abbey to being a cathedral . From at least 1545 there was also a Westminster parliamentary borough (constituency). The Anglican Diocese of Westminster was short-lived, being absorbed back into the Diocese of London in 1550. Despite having no borough corporation and having ceased to be the seat of a diocese, Westminster continued to be described as
9021-417: Was generally used during the 17th and 18th centuries. Stays shaped the upper torso into a cone or cylinder shape. In the 17th century, tabs (called "fingers") at the waist were added. Stays evolved in the 18th century, during which whalebone was used more, and increased boning was used in the garment. The shape of the stays changed as well. While they were low and wide in the front, they could reach as high as
9118-422: Was known to have a very slender waist at 16 inches. The negative physical effects of corseting have become widely known, including a variety of myths. For example, the idea that Victorian women frequently underwent rib removal to achieve a smaller waist is baseless. However, wearing a corset does affect a number of bodily functions and can be deleterious to the wearer's health, especially when worn regularly over
9215-450: Was possible to leave the lacing as adjusted and take the corset on and off using the front opening. (If the corset is worn snugly, this method will damage the busk if the lacing is not significantly loosened beforehand). In the 1660s, the manufacture of stays, as they were known during the period, began to emerge as its own profession in France. These craftsmen were known as staymakers. The work
9312-413: Was specialized and generally considered men's work, although women often assisted in the construction process sewing together pieces cut and fitted by men. Women were excluded from staymaker's guilds, and the work was considered too strenuous for women to do correctly. By the 19th century, corsets became one of the first garments to be manufactured in factories via assembly line. Each step was performed by
9409-564: Was transferred to the enlarged borough. In 1966 the city was granted the right to appoint a lord mayor . The local authority is Westminster City Council, which meets at Westminster Council House (also known as Marylebone Town Hall ) and has its main offices at Westminster City Hall on Victoria Street. Since 2000, for elections to the London Assembly , the borough forms part of the West Central constituency. The following table shows
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