Just as we do today, some Victorians loved a good themed costume party. On February 23, of 1876, the Governor General of Canada, Lord Dufferin, hosted a fancy dress ball. The photographer William James Topley, who photographed the who’s who of Canadian society for half a century, had many of them sit for a portrait the month afterwards. Here are some of their costumes. (Click for info and to enlarge.)

The Marquis of Dufferin, Governor General of Canada, in costume worn at a fancy dress ball. http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3191918 Lord and Lady Dufferin’s three eldest children, Terence, Archie, and Nellie. Archie is dressed as a young “Lord Darnley” and Nellie is dressed as a young “Mary Queen of Scots.” http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3477316 The Countess of Dufferin as “Mary de Guise.” http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3215138 Mrs. St. Denis-Lemoine as The Dominion of Canada. http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3200048 Mrs. G. W. Wickstead as Britannia. http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3200050 Miss Cantin dressed as “A Spanish Lady”. http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3477417 Miss Emma Lemoine as a Brigand Queen. http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3477359 Miss Jennet Scott as a Tambourin Girl. http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3421103 Miss Cockburn dressed as “a Bonnie Fishwife from Newhaven.” http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3477371 Mr. and Mrs. Thistle as nobles from the time of Louis XVI. http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3477248 Mr. H.V. Noel dressed in a “costume d’étoiles” or a costume of stars. http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3477325 Mrs. John Courtney as Lady Esmond Warrington (in “heirloom garments”). http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3477256 Mr. Stewart as a Highlander (in Stewart tartan). http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3477479 Mr. Tempest as “A Mexican Matador.” http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3477427 Mr. William Campbell as a court jester. http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3200062 Mrs. B. Fisher. http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3421150 Dr. Edward Malloch as a North American Trapper. Image Courtesy of Library and Archives Canada. http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3421104

You can recognize some trends that we still have in Hallowe’en costumes today. You have the fun costumes like the court jester, whose costume wouldn’t be out of place today. You have people dressed as cool historical figures. You have people dressed as an entire race or group of people, like the Spanish Matador or the North American Trapper. You have women dressed in “sexy” costumes like the Fishwife from Newhaven and the Brigand Queen. (Those old chestnuts!) I for one absolutely adore the two women dressed as Britannia and the Dominion of Canada. Did they choose to go in these complementary costumes together, or did they discover it at the ball itself, unknowingly dressing as a pair?

All images are courtesy of Library and Archives Canada.