Chaperones

[Paige]

Chaperones

An unmarried young lady may not go to public places alone, especially if she is from a respectable family of the middle or upper-class. Therefore, she requires a chaperone. A Chaperone may only be female; a governess may act as a chaperone as well. *Take note that governesses do not need chaperones themselves as they are proper ladies from good families and expectantly well-versed in etiquette.

Chaperones provide safety for a young lady on the street and in public. Any woman alone could potentially be harassed by men without a chaperone. The only exception to needing a chaperone in public for a young lady would be if she were traveling in a fairly large group of females.

Social chaperones take young ladies out into society to make adult friends and be introduced to appropriate men and make sure that men treat their charge with due respect. At a dance or reception, the chaperones duty is to evaluate a potential suitors rank and character. This role of chaperone is usually filled by a young married cousin or family friend. The ideal chaperone is good-natured, well-connected, and sensible. 

Chaperones are not essential at outdoor events such as garden parties, but are still required when unmarried men and women have moments of privacy. They are essential at dances, dinners, concerts, theater events, and evening parties.