Category Archives: British history

The Christmas Eve Truce of 1914

The Christmas truce (German: Weihnachtsfrieden; French: Trêve de Noël) was a series of widespread but unofficial ceasefires along the Western Front around Christmas 1914. In the week leading up to the holiday, German and British soldiers crossed trenches to exchange … Continue reading

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UK “Real” Estate: The Isle of Portland and Nanny Diamond Fairies

The Isle of Portland and Nanny Diamond Fairies The Isle of Portland is a limestone tied island, 6 kilometres (4 mi) long by 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) wide, in the English Channel. Portland is 8 kilometres (5 mi) south of … Continue reading

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, Dorset, Living in the Regency, real life tales, spooky tales | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Celebrating a Regency Era Christmas on the Christmas Party Blog Hop + a Giveaway of “Christmas at Pemberley”

The Christmas Season is the time for merry-making and parties… So come and join some wonderful authors (and their characters) for an Online Virtual Party!  Browse through a variety of Blogs for a veritable feast of entertainment! (And as with any good … Continue reading

Posted in book excerpts, British history, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Regency era | Tagged , , , , , | 59 Comments

Celebrating Christmastide

Celebrating Christmastide Christmastide (also Christmas or the Christmas season) is one of the seasons of the liturgical year of most Christian churches. It tends to be defined (with slight variations) as the period from Christmas Eve to the Epiphany. This … Continue reading

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The Open Christmas Letter 1914

In the lead up to Christmas 1914, there were several peace initiatives. The Open Christmas Letter was a public message for peace addressed “To the Women of Germany and Austria,” signed by a group of 101 British women suffragettes at … Continue reading

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A Resurgence of “St. Jane,” the Never-Ending Reverence to All Things Austen

A Resurgence of Jane Austen Several people believe Colin Firth’s stellar two-year “flirt” with Oscar – first with a spectacular performance in “A Single Man” and then in “The King’s Speech” – led to a resurgence of Jane Austen’s popularity. … Continue reading

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Do You Speak Jane Austen? Part One

I have run this series previously, but it never hurts to revisit a “good thing.” Part I: Do You Speak Jane Austen? When my son was about three years of age, he shocked several onlookers at the mall by saying, … Continue reading

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Regency era | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Henry VII, the First of the Tudors

Henry VII, the First of the Tudors Henry VII came to the throne of England after defeating Richard III at Bosworth in 1485. With his accedence, England came into a long period of “National Pride.” The War of the Roses … Continue reading

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The Etiquette of “Visiting” and How Jane Austen Used the Tradition as a Plot Device

The Etiquette of “Visiting” and How Jane Austen Used It as a Plot Device In the 1800s, morning calls or visiting upon a household developed a certain protocol, and those who broke protocol were often shunned. First a calling card … Continue reading

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Celebrating the Release of Jen Corkill’s “Season of Mists” + an Enticing Excerpt

It is my great pleasure to welcome Jen Corkill to my blog today. Her latest release appears quite enticing: a mixture of late Victorian mayhem and a bit of the supernatural. Please enjoy the excerpt of Season of Mists below. … Continue reading

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