Author Archives: Regina Jeffers

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About Regina Jeffers

Regina Jeffers is the award-winning author of Austenesque, Regency and historical romantic suspense.

Consistory Courts and the Church of England

The consistory court is a type of ecclesiastical court, especially within the Church of England. They were established by a charter of King William I of England, and still exist today, although since about the middle of the 19th century … Continue reading

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Are You Familiar with These Words and Phrases?

We have a variety of words that mean “stupid or foolish person” Ninnyhammer – First Known Use: 1592 Berk – The usage is dated to the 1930s. A shortened version of Berkeley Hunt, the hunt based at Berkeley Castle in … Continue reading

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Do You Remember The “Washington Marathon” to Forestall Desegregation and Voting Rights?

I live close to Rock Hill, South Carolina (Rock Hill is across the state border with Charlotte, NC), which recently commemorated the Friendship 9. The Friendship Nine was a group of African American men who went to jail after staging … Continue reading

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Have You Heard of the Oxford Electric Bell?

The Oxford Electric Bell or Clarendon Dry Pile is an experimental electric bell that was set up in 1840 and which has run almost continuously ever since, apart from occasional short interruptions caused by high humidity. It was “one of … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, Bells, British history, Great Britain, real life tales, Uncategorized, Victorian era | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Are You Familiar with “Franklin Bells”?

Franklin bells (also known as Gordon’s Bells or Lightning bells) are an early demonstration of electric charge designed to work with a Leyden jar. Franklin bells are only a qualitative indicator of electric charge and were used for simple demonstrations … Continue reading

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Win a Manuscript Evaluation from Barbara Kyle – No Entry Fee!!!

Barbara Kyle is a master writer who teaches classes on writing, as well as being an accomplished author. More important for those working on their own manuscripts, Barbara is offering a contest to win a manuscript evaluation from her.  What … Continue reading

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Lozenge, Heraldry for Women

One of yesterday’s words was “lozenge.” It brought my interest and sent me looking for a tidbit or two on the topic.The lozenge in heraldry is a diamond-shaped charge (an object that can be placed on the field of the … Continue reading

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Rame Head

Rame Head is a coastal headland, southwest of the village of Rame in southeast Cornwall, United Kingdom. The area plays a prominent role in the climax of my Regency romance, The First Wives’ Club, which earned an honorable mention in historical … Continue reading

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Have You Heard of “Forlorn Hope”?

From 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica, we find “forlorn hope” as defined as, “FORLORN HOPE (through Dutch verloren hoop, from Ger. verlorene Haufe=”lost troop”; Haufe, “heap,” being equivalent in the 17th century to “body of troops”; the French equivalent is enfants perdu), … Continue reading

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Do You Know the Origins of These Words and Phrases?

Iron Curtain – This phrase was coined after World War II by Prime Minister Winston Churchill of Great Britain to describe the rise of Russian influence over Eastern Europe. Churchill found the rigid censorship of the citizenry and the closing … Continue reading

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