Category Archives: British history

Regency Celebrity: John Philip Kemble, a Great Exponent of Shakespearean Roles

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

John Philip Kemble (1 February 1757 – 26 February 1823) was an English actor. He was born into a theatrical family as the eldest son of Roger Kemble, actor-manager of a touring troupe. His elder sister Sarah Siddons achieved fame … Continue reading →

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Early Regency Celebrities: Sarah Siddons, the Best-Known Tragedienne of the 18th Century

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

Sarah Siddons (5 July 1755 – 8 June 1831) was a Welsh actress, the best-known tragedienne of the 18th century. She was the elder sister of John Philip Kemble, Charles Kemble, Stephen Kemble, Ann Hatton and Elizabeth Whitlock, and the … Continue reading →

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Regency Celebrities: Edmund Kean, the Era’s Greatest Actor

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

Edmund Kean (4 November 1787 – 15 May 1833) was an English actor, regarded in his time as the greatest ever. Early Life Kean was born in Westminster, London. His father was probably Edmund Kean, an architect’s clerk, and his … Continue reading →

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Happenings During the Reign of William IV: The Oxford Movement, the Beginning of Anglo-Catholicism

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

The Oxford Movement was a movement of High Church Anglicans, eventually developing into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose members were often associated with the University of Oxford, argued for the reinstatement of lost Christian traditions of faith and their inclusion into … Continue reading →

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Regency Happenings: Henry Bell and the PS Comet, the First Commercially Successful Steamboat Service in Europe

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

The paddle steamer PS Comet was built for Henry Bell, hotel and baths owner in Helensburgh. With the steamer, Bell began a passenger service on 15 August 1812 on the River Clyde between Glasgow and Greenock; it was the first … Continue reading →

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Regency Celebrities: Henry Bell, Pioneer in the Development of the Steamship

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

Henry Bell (7 April, 1767 – 14 March, 1830) was a Scottish engineer who is famed for introducing the first successful passenger steamboat service in Europe. Early Career Bell was born at Torphichen, near Bathgate, West Lothian in 1767 and … Continue reading →

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Exploring the UK: Badbury Rings in Dorset

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

Badbury Rings is an Iron Age hill fort in east Dorset, England. It was in the territory of the Durotriges. In the Roman era a temple was located immediately west of the fort, and there was a Romano-British town known … Continue reading →

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Regency Scandal: Princess Charlotte’s Indiscretions

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

In the spring of 1812, George IV’s attempted to pique his daughter’s, Princess Charlotte of Wales, interest in William of Orange. The move would have strengthened England’s alliance with the Netherlands. Orange had lived in exile in England and had … Continue reading →

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November 5 ~ Guy Fawkes’ Day

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Firework Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in Great Britain. Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a … Continue reading →

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Regency Happenings: The Founding of The Royal Doulton Company

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

The Royal Doulton Company was an English company producing tableware and collectables, dating from 1815. Operating originally in London, its reputation grew in The Potteries, where it was a latecomer compared to Royal Crown Derby, Royal Worcester, Wedgwood, Spode and … Continue reading →

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