Category Archives: British history

The Infamous War of Jenkins’s Ear? Never Heard of It?

Posted on August 1, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

Have you ever heard of the War of Jenkins’s Ear? If not, you are not alone.  This particular war took place in colonial Georgia. It involved both Spain and England in a dispute over the land between South Carolina and … Continue reading →

Posted in Act of Parliament, American History, British history, British Navy, war | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Hanging a Monkey as a French Spy During the Napoleonic Wars

Posted on July 28, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

What do you know of the Hartlepool Monkey and the “Monkey Hangers”? I certainly knew nothing of the tale until I stumbled across it. Legend says that a shipwrecked monkey was hanged as a French spy during the Napoleonic Wars … Continue reading →

Posted in ballads, British history, Georgian England, history, legends, Living in the Regency, Napoleonic Wars | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

French Revolution Émigrés in England, a Guest Post from Lona Manning

Posted on July 27, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

It is our delight to welcome Lona Manning, author of A Contrary Wind, a variation on Mansfield Park. Lona’s extensive research on the French Revolution is for our benefit today.  Did you ever read The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy? … Continue reading →

Posted in Austen Authors, book release, British history, Guest Post, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, political stance, Vagary | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Oxfordshire St. George Play

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

Closely related to the Morris and Sword Dancers, the Oxfordshire St. George Play is considered a kind of Mummers Play. As well as possessing close elements of kinship, the characters in all these plays are largely interchangeable. That being said, … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, drama, literature, medieval | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Princess Louise’s Early Years of Marriage

Posted on July 17, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

Last month, we looked at Princess Louise’s choosing to become the future Duchess of Argyll. View that post HERE. Today, we will take at look at the marriage itself.  Just because Princess Louise had finally emerged from the shadow cast … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Church of England, customs and tradiitons, family, history, marriage, royalty, Scotland, titles of aristocracy, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Roots of Primogeniture and Entailments

Posted on July 10, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

The concept of “love and romance” were never required in marriage among the English aristocracy. Certainly there were some who did marry for love, but early on, the idea of marriage became a “business transaction,” instead of a romantic joining … Continue reading →

Posted in Act of Parliament, British history, estates, Living in the UK, political stance, primogenture, titles of aristocracy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Exogamous and Endogamous Marriages in Austen’s Works

Posted on July 7, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

Brittanica.com defines an “endogamous marriage” as the custom enjoining one to marry within one’s own group, while Wikipedia says “endogamy” is the practice of marrying within a specific ethnic group, class, or social group, rejecting others on such a basis … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, marriage, real life tales, Regency era, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Peerage, Abdication, Inheritance, and Questions of Legality

Posted on June 30, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

When reading historical fiction/historical romance the issue of the title the gentleman holds often comes into play. There are many misconceptions, and I admit for those of us in the States, the concept can be a bit confusing. First thing … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Great Britain, Living in the Regency, real life tales, Regency era, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Peerage, Abdication, Inheritance, and Questions of Legality

2017 Daphne Du Maurier Award Finalist, Twinnings, Child Birth, and a (Sort of) Giveaway

Posted on June 28, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

Today, I am taking off my Austen hat to announce that my latest Regency series is making a pleasant noise: Angel Comes to the Devil’s Keep is the first book in a new romantic suspense trilogy: The Twins, and it … Continue reading →

Posted in Black Opal Books, books, British history, Regency era, Regency romance, romance, suspense | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Sir Walter Scott, the Historical Romance, and the Creation of a National Identity – Part II

Posted on June 23, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

Recently, we had our first look at how Sir Walter Scott perfected the “formula” for historical romance while creating a national identity. [June 8, Part I]  Sir Walter Scott’s fiction quite often uses the plot devices of inheritance and lineage. … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Pride and Prejudice, publishing, vocabulary, writing | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Sir Walter Scott, the Historical Romance, and the Creation of a National Identity – Part II