Monthly Archives: April 2020

The Thames River Police Are Founded

When I was writing The Prosecution of Mr. Darcy’s Cousin: A Pride and Prejudice Mystery LOTS of research was required, especially information about the policing practices in Regency Era London. One of my discoveries was the River Thames Police…. In the … Continue reading

Posted in British history, Great Britain, Living in the Regency, real life tales, Regency era, Uncategorized, Victorian era | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Jane Austen and the Heroine’s Essential Journey, a Guest Post from Nancy Lawrence

I loved this post from fellow Austen Author, Nancy Lawrence, because of the uniqueness of the subject, an idea I had not considered previously, but because of her lovely images from Austen film adaptations (and NOT because she included links … Continue reading

Posted in Austen Authors, British history, film adaptations, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Guest Post, historical fiction, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice, reading habits, Regency era, research, Sense & Sensibility, travel, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Dukes: a Dime a Dozen… British Peerages

Those of us who write historical romances love our dukes. We create them left and right. I have two, which is not a large number when one considers I have 50 novels available: Brantley Fowler from A Touch of Velvet: … Continue reading

Posted in Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Saxons, British history, customs and tradiitons, Georgian England, Georgian Era, kings and queens, legacy, Living in the UK, peerage, titles of aristocracy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Proxy Marriages: Valid or Invalid?

Upon occasion I have come across a plot line in a Regency historical novel where the couple is married by proxy. Unfortunately, such a marriage was not valid. Today’s interpretation of a marriage by proxy tells us that it is … Continue reading

Posted in American History, British history, Church of England, Georgian England, Georgian Era, history, Living in the UK, marriage, marriage customs | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Proxy Marriages: Valid or Invalid?

Austen’s Use of Coincidence and Character Development, a Guest Post from Collins Hemingway

This post originally appeared on Austen Authors on 22 January 2020. Enjoy!  In a recent blog, I wrote about coincidences in Jane Austen’s work. I’m following up again today with a few more examples of how she used them and how … Continue reading

Posted in Austen Authors, Emma, film adaptations, George Wickham, Georgian Era, Guest Post, history, Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice, publishing, reading habits, Sense & Sensibility, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Life Below Stairs: English Servants Emigrating to Australia, the U. S., and Canada

Young girls who set out for Australia to earn a living as a domestic servant, opportunities to marry were not out of the question. In England, seduction ruled, but these young girls entered a different world, where they could consider … Continue reading

Posted in Act of Parliament, British history, Living in the UK, real life tales, servant life | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Tax Day During the late Georgian and Regency Periods

Today is tax day in the U.S. I paid mine in March. My tax receipts are sometimes 5 inches deep in paper. As a self-employed author and retired teacher, I save receipts for lodging, mileage, advertising, home office, technology, insurance … Continue reading

Posted in British currency, British history, buildings and structures, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, Inheritance, Living in the Regency | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

Adapting Jane Austen for the Stage: Two Radically Different Adaptations, a Guest Post by Eliza Shearer

This post originally appeared on Austen Authors on 4 February 2020. Enjoy!  I love going to the theatre. I get a real thrill out of seeing actual people perform in front of me. I am even more keen to go … Continue reading

Posted in Austen Authors, Guest Post, theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

School Terms During the Regency Era

Many schools, universities and law courts had Easter terms.  The fact that Easter was a moveable feast meant that one could not always tie the terms to the calendar nor have them be the same length every year. All schools … Continue reading

Posted in British history, Church of England, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Living in the UK, Regency era, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on School Terms During the Regency Era

“It Was Certainly a Very Remarkable Coincidence!” a Guest Post from Collins Hemingway

“It was certainly a very remarkable coincidence!”—Northanger Abbey. Writing from roughly 1795 on, Jane Austen is usually seen as the last major writer of the 18th century. In many novels of that century, plot coincidences were not only accepted, they were … Continue reading

Posted in Austen Authors, Emma, Georgian Era, Guest Post, heroines, Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, Pride and Prejudice, reading habits, Regency era, Sense & Sensibility, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment