Category Archives: British history

Guest Post: Even Royalty Loves Good Literature by Laura Purcell

Posted on July 10, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

Today I am happy to bring you a guest post from the fabulous Laura Purcell, who is in the midst of a blog tour for the release of The Queen of Bedlam, a book about Queen Charlotte of the United Kingdom. … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, George IV, Great Britain, Industry News/Publishing, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, real life tales, Regency era, Regency personalities, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Appanage: The Custom for Royal Male Child Inheritance

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

An appanage or apanage is the grant of an estate, titles, offices, or other things of value to the younger male children of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture. It was common in … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, Great Britain, Living in the UK, real life tales, royalty, Scotland | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Great Thunderstorm of Widecombe-in-the-Moor, an Early Incident of Ball Lightning

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

The Great Thunderstorm of Widecombe-in-the-Moor in Dartmoor, Kingdom of England, took place on Sunday, 21 October 1638, when the church of St Pancras was apparently struck by ball lightning during a severe thunderstorm. An afternoon service was taking place at … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, gothic and paranormal, Great Britain, Living in the UK, mystery | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The Westminster Paving Act: Setting London’s Roads Aright

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

In doing research for a recent release, THE MYSTERIIOUS DEATH OF MR. DARCY, which is set in Dorset, I came across the Purbek marble, a fossiliferous limestone found on the Isle of Purbeck, a peninsula in southeast Dorset, England. That … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, buildings and structures, Georgian Era, Great Britain, Living in the UK, real life tales | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Life of the Gentry During the Regency Period…

Posted on June 27, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

During the Regency Period, wealth and social class separated the English citizenry. Beginning with the Royals, citizens found their place based on birthright and wealth. The nobility stood above the gentry, who stood above the clergy, who stood above the … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, dancing, fashion, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Pride and Prejudice, Regency era, Regency personalities | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Life of the Gentry During the Regency Period…

Meet and Greet: Tudor-Based Author Judith Arnopp + an Excerpt from “Intractable Heart”

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

Today, I welcome the fabulous Judith Arnopp, a Tudor-based historical author, and her latest release, Intractable Heart: The Story of Katheryn Parr In 2007 Judith Arnopp graduated from the University of Wales, Lampeter with a BA in English Literature and … Continue reading →

Posted in book excerpts, British history, Great Britain, Industry News/Publishing, interview, Living in the UK, real life tales, Wales, writing | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Scope and Influence of The Ancient Celts

Posted on June 10, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

A great empire once stretched from the Black Sea to the British Isles. So powerful, the Celts leveled Rome, as well as conquering the Carthaginians in Spain. Unfortunately, the Celts left no written account of their society – most of … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, Ireland, Scotland, Uncategorized, Wales | Tagged | 1 Comment

Forerunners of Elizabethan Tragedy: Thomas Kyd

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

Today, I am taking a step away from my beloved Regency England to visit a time period, which also fascinates me. With a minor in theatre, I have studied the development of the drama of the period. With Kyd and … Continue reading →

Posted in acting, British history, Elizabethan drama, language choices, playwrights, political stance | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Regency Happenings: The Year Without Summer

Posted on June 4, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

The Year Without a Summer (also known as the Poverty Year, Year There Was No Summer, and Eighteen Hundred and Froze to Death) was 1816, in which severe summer climate abnormalities resulted in major food shortages. Much of the cause … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Great Britain, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, mystery, Napoleonic Wars, real life tales, Regency era | Tagged | 1 Comment

During the Reign of George IV: The Red Barn Murders

Posted on May 30, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

The Red Barn Murder was a notorious murder committed in Polstead, Suffolk, England, in 1827. A young woman, Maria Marten, was shot dead by her lover, William Corder. The two had arranged to meet at the Red Barn, a local … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, buildings and structures, George IV, Great Britain, mystery | Tagged | 2 Comments