Category Archives: British history

Playing Cards in Jane Austen’s England, Pleasant Pastime, as Well as Gambling + an Excerpt from “The Jewel Thief and the Earl”

Posted on April 10, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

A recent question from a reader asked of card playing at balls and gaming hells: I know many books mention card playing going on in designated rooms at balls, but I haven’t heard what they were playing? Would they be … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, quotes, Regency era, Regency romance, research, Sense & Sensibility, Whigs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Playing Cards in Jane Austen’s England, Pleasant Pastime, as Well as Gambling + an Excerpt from “The Jewel Thief and the Earl”

When Might the Heir Style Himself With His New Title in Regency Romances?

Posted on April 7, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

First, for legal purposes, the man must present himself to the House of Lords to claim the title officially. After the will has been read and its stipulations executed, the new peer must petition the Lord Chancellor for a writ … Continue reading →

Posted in Act of Parliament, British history, buildings and structures, customs and tradiitons, Georgian England, Georgian Era, history, peerage, titles of aristocracy, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on When Might the Heir Style Himself With His New Title in Regency Romances?

Kilts and Tartans and the Wearing of the Plaid (as we say in the U.S.)

Posted on April 5, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

The idea of identification of one tartan to a clan is fairly recent in a historical perspective.  Those of us who write Regency era based stories have a more difficult time than others historical periods to discover an actual clan name and its supporting colors. Most of the tartans identified to a clan came about in Victorian times, so just had to be careful. They were created by tailors during that time period. Continue reading →

Posted in Act of Parliament, British history, fashion, film, Georgian England, history, Living in the Regency, medieval, military, Regency era, research, Scotland | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Post Office Annual Directory of 1814, Great Resource Find

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

Earlier in March, my sweet granddaughter (the youngest, who is barely age 6) decided she wanted to mail me a picture she had colored. First, please understand, we live a little over 6 miles apart. Anyway, without the knowledge of … Continue reading →

Posted in books, British history, business, Georgian England, Georgian Era, history, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, real life tales, Regency era, research | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Caroline Norton, a True Case of a Competency Hearing

Posted on March 31, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

Caroline Norton, born Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Sheridan, on 22 March 1808, in London (died 15 June 1877, London), was an English poet and novelist whose matrimonial difficulties prompted successful efforts to secure legal protection for married women. Continue reading →

Posted in Act of Parliament, British history, family, Georgian England, Georgian Era, history, Living in the UK, marriage, political stance, real life tales, research, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Caroline Norton, a True Case of a Competency Hearing

Lease and Release as a Plot Point in “Where There’s a FitzWILLiam Darcy, There’s a Way”

Posted on March 27, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

For Lease and Release to work, two agreements were required. First, a bargain (sale) contract was executed by the seller to convey a lease on the land… (Unlike an outright sale, short leases did not require enrollment in a public registry.) The seller then separately executed a release to grant to the buyer (who was now his tenant) the seller’s remaining interest. [This transfers] title to the buyer, since he now owned both the current and future interests in the land. [“A Bit of Deed History,” Bob’s Genealogy Filing Cabinet]  Continue reading →

Posted in book excerpts, book release, British history, estates, family, Georgian Era, historical fiction, Inheritance, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Pride and Prejudice, Vagary, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Historical Aspects of the Word “Cuckold”

Posted on March 24, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

I recently received a question on a sensitive subject. Question: I have a question about cuckolding during the late Georgian era. I know for the most part that a woman who was brazen about her affairs could/would suffer public censure … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Georgian Era, Living in the Regency, quotes, real life tales, Regency era, research | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Historical Aspects of the Word “Cuckold”

Regency Etiquette for Men and Women

Posted on March 20, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

I have never found an etiquette book publish during the Regency. The book named Regency Etiquette is not an etiquette book as we might think of it. The closest I once came was an etiquette book published in 1827. The … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, dancing, Georgian England, Georgian Era, historical fiction, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, marriage customs, peerage, Pride and Prejudice, real life tales, Regency romance, research, romance, tradtions, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Honorific Titles and Honourables

Posted on March 13, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

Ornament from the Bookman Ornaments collection from American Type Founders – Public Domain After last week’s post on a “gentleman’s honor” and my brief mention of honorific titles, I had a reader ask exactly what such titles entailed and how … Continue reading →

Posted in American History, British history, customs and tradiitons, peerage, titles of aristocracy, tradtions | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Greatest Way to Live with Honor . . .

Posted on March 8, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

Upon occasion, it is difficult for those who read Regency romances to understand all the nuances of the word “honor” or “honour”. Obviously, the idea of “honor” is quite different in nonfiction books. One rarely finds information in a nonfiction … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, Georgian Era, marriage customs, Regency era | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Greatest Way to Live with Honor . . .