Vanity Fair – connections with Cheltenham

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The Text

The action that is directly described in the book never reaches Cheltenham. Nonetheless, the town is mentioned thirteen times and seems, along other Spa towns like Harrogate and Bath, to be a kind of place of refuge for those who have either been rejected by, or have failed to make their mark in, London society. Jos Sedley spends a lot of time there where we are informed he is besieged by an Irish widow. Miss Matilda Crawley also spends times there, as do incidental characters Mrs. Briefless and Peggy.

Most significantly, that is where Becky Sharp ends up. At the very end of the book, we are told she:

… chiefly hangs about Bath and Cheltenham, where a very strong party of excellent people consider her to be a most injured woman. She has her enemies. Who has not? Her life is her answer to them. She busies herself in works of piety. She goes to church, and never without a footman. Her name is in all the Charity Lists. The destitute orange-girl, the neglected washerwoman, the distressed muffin-man find in her a fast and generous friend. She is always having stalls at Fancy Fairs for the benefit of these hapless beings. 

This is Thackeray’s illustration of Emilia and Dobbin shunning Becky, very likely at Cheltenham. The caption given in the book undercuts the picture a little. It says:

Virtue rewarded. A Booth in Vanity Fair.

So, in one sense at least – Cheltenham is Vanity Fair.

The 1998 BBC dramatisation

Cheltenham featured significantly in this series, three locations were used.

Oxford Street

This road was used for the Sedley family when they were obliged to move to Fulham. It appears twice in the series

  • Episode 2 – time – 50:50 (very short, just a few seconds)
  • Episode 6 – time – 17:00 (about 2.5 minutes)

A screenshot from Episode 6 and a photo from the day’s filming.

Town Hall

This was used from the grand ball, episode 3, 42 minutes onwards.

Pittville Pump Room

This was used as well.

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