Category Archives: British history

Regency Era Lexicon – And Then We Find “N” and “O”

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Regina Jeffers

national school – schools set up by the Church of England’s National Society for Promoting the Education of the Poor in the Principles of the Established Church throughout England and Wales; originally founded in 1811; organized to teach children to … Continue reading →

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Regency Era Lexicon – “M” is for …

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Regina Jeffers

M.P. – a member of Parliament macintosh – invented by Charles Macintosh in the 1820s; rubberized waterproof clothing; originally these smelled “terrible” madeira – a sweet white wine magic lantern – The magic lantern has a concave mirror in front of … Continue reading →

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The Lesser Key of Solomon, a Grimoire

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Regina Jeffers

The Lesser Key of Solomon (or) Lemegeton (This would have made a great Halloween post with the October holiday so often associated with witches, demons, and spirits.) In researching my next cozy mystery, I have sought out several sources that … Continue reading →

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Regency Era Lexicon – We’re Up to the Letter “L”

Posted on November 7, 2012 by Regina Jeffers

£ – symbol for the pound, a monetary unit Ladies’ Mile – a road in Hyde Park set aside for women Lady – used in the following manner: colloquially used for a man’s wife; the wife of a baronet or … Continue reading →

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Women Writers in Jane Austen’s Time

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Regina Jeffers

Novels during the early Regency were geared toward the female reader; therefore, the door opened, if only a crack, for the female writer to step through. The female writers of the time assisted Jane Austen in several ways, among them … Continue reading →

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Regency Era Lexicon – the Letters “I” and “J” and “K”

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Regina Jeffers

Imperial – the term “imperial” designated the officially adopted uniform system of weights and measures that replaced the MANY different standards that the English had used prior to 1820 Impropriate – tithes made to a layman rather than to a … Continue reading →

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Regency Era Lexicon – Time for the Letter “H”

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Regina Jeffers

Haberdasher – a man who dealt with small items for sewing, such as thread, needles, buttons, ribbons, etc. Hack – a general-purpose riding horse; not used for hunting or military purposes Hackney Coach – one for hire; the taxicabs of the … Continue reading →

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Regency Era Lexicon – The Fifth Letter is “E”

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Regina Jeffers

Earnest Money – the first installment of a financial bargain; often the master of a household hiring a servant at a hiring fair offered earnest money to secure the person’s services Easter term – one of the terms of the law courts … Continue reading →

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The Bloody Assizes and the Demon Judge, George Jeffreys

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Regina Jeffers

Historical Context  With the death of Oliver Cromwell in 1658, the newly-elected Parliament “restored” Charles II to the throne of England. Charles II’s reign (1660-1685) was marked by political unrest. The ruling class split into two parties: the Whigs and … Continue reading →

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Regency Fashion for Women

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Regina Jeffers

The graceful style for women of the early 19th Century is known as the Empire style. Tightly laced corsets were overthrown for the more natural flowing gown. By the end of the 1790s, the Empire cut, which had begun as … Continue reading →

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