Category Archives: British history

The Royal Exchange

Posted on June 20, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

The Royal Exchange, a trapezoid-shaped structure, was opened by Queen Elizabeth I in 1571. Cornhill and Threadneedle Streets flank the exchange. The original building was destroyed by the Great Fire in 1666. It was rebuilt in 1669 and again destroyed … Continue reading →

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People with Disabilities in Jane Austen’s England, a Guest Post by Elaine Owen

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

York Vs York: Changing Attitudes in Regency England In April, Elaine Owen shared this piece on Austen Authors. I thought it worthy of a second look.  Jane Austen did not write about disabled people in any of her books, but … Continue reading →

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Finalists for the 2017 Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense

Posted on June 18, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

I am proud to be among these fabulous writers!!! Congrats to all!!!! The DAPHNE DU MAURIER AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN MYSTERY/SUSPENSE –Published Division Finalists for 2017 are: CATEGORY (SERIES) ROMANTIC MYSTERY/SUSPENSE Man of Action by Janie Crouch – Author Deep … Continue reading →

Posted in American History, Black Opal Books, British history, eBooks, historical fiction, history, Living in the Regency, marriage, mystery, primogenture, Regency era, Regency romance, romance, suspense, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Half-Timbered Architectural Elements, a Tudor Construction

Posted on June 14, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

One of the most prominent features of Tudor and medieval architecture is what is called “half-timbered houses.” The editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica describes “Half-timber work” as a, “…method of building in which external and internal walls are constructed of … Continue reading →

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Jane Austen and the Rise of the Novel, a Guest Post from Victoria Kincaid

Posted on June 13, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

Here is another guest post from one of my fellow Austen Authors. Victoria Kincaid takes us on the search for the “novel.”   I remember the moment in college when I realized that the novel was a relatively recent writing form. … Continue reading →

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Yorkshire’s Legendary “Blind Jack” Metcalf, Extraordinary Road Builder

Posted on June 9, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

What do you know of  Yorkshire’s legendary hero, “Blind Jack (John Metcalf)”? JOHN METCALF was born at Knaresborough, on the 15 August, 1717 in a thatched cottage opposite Knaresborough Castle. Metcalf was considered a a pioneer in road construction. Between … Continue reading →

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

Posted on June 8, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

  Walter Scott was the first great writer to recognize the potential of historical romance as a “dramatic narration of national history, a modern commercial equivalent of the old national epic. Scott’s Waverley novels started out as the romance of … Continue reading →

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Princess Louise Marries a Commoner

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

 In March 1871, Princess Louise Carolina Alberta, fourth daughter and sixth child of Queen Victoria married John Douglas Sutherland Campbell, Marquis of Lorne and heir to the dukedom of Argyll , which created quite a stir. In 1870, Lorne was … Continue reading →

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A Gest of Robyn Hode, a Robin Hood Folk Ballad

Posted on June 2, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

In 1560, William Copeland printed the fragments of the various Robin Hood folk dramas. The “plays” were likely performed by mummers and strolling players for a century or more before Copeland printed them. A Gest of Robyn Hode A Gest … Continue reading →

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Crafting a Thatched Roof

Posted on June 1, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

We all admire the idea of a cottage with a thatched roof, but what are the practicalities?  History: Thatching roofs can be traced to the Bronze Age. In Dorset, one can observe the remains of a round hut that displays … Continue reading →

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