Category Archives: British history

Sir Walter Scott, the Historical Romance, and the Creation of a National Identity – Part I

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Walter Scott was the first great writer to recognize the potential of historical romance as a “dramatic narration of national history, a modern commercial equivalent of the old national epic. Scott’s Waverley novels started out as the romance of Scotland, … Continue reading →

Posted in Anglo-Saxons, British history, Great Britain | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

What is a Perpetual Curacy?

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

According to The Law Dictionary, a perpetual curacy is  “the office of a curate in a parish where there is no spiritual rector or vicar, but where a clerk (curate) is appointed to officiate there by the impropriator. 2 Burn. … Continue reading →

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Early Political History of England: The Roman Occupation

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

The Romans brought Christianity and other Oriental religions to the England. They also insisted upon the building of roads and the establishment of city sites, which was the first glimmers of “civilization.” However, we cannot think that the native people … Continue reading →

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One Calamity Solves Another: The Great Plague of 1665 and the Great Fire in London in 1666

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

The Great Plague of 1665 stands out as an important event in medical history. The Great Plague was not the first time England knew the disease. In 1580, the Lord Mayor of London complained publicly of the number of burials … Continue reading →

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Calomel: A Poison Once the Standard for Medical Treatment

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Many of you who follow this blog are parents and grandparents. Are we not glad that this medicine is no longer a part of our children’s teething issues? Read on… From Evidence Based Science we learn that Calomel was once considered standard medicine. It … Continue reading →

Posted in American History, British history, Great Britain, medicine, Regency era, Uncategorized, Victorian era | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Early History of the English Language

Posted on April 2, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

I thought I might put all those years of education to use by adding a series of posts on English Language and Literature. I am going back to the beginning and working my way forward. I hope you enjoy the … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Great Britain, history, literature | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville, 18th Century Diplomat

Posted on March 26, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Tomorrow, we will have a look at a portion of North Carolina, which knew the hand of Great Britain in forming its boundaries. Today, we look at one of those who claimed part of the North Carolina as his own. … Continue reading →

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Are You Familiar with These Words and Phrases?

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

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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Have You Heard of the Oxford Electric Bell?

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

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”?

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

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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