Category Archives: customs and tradiitons

Who Were The “Ton” and the “Beau Monde”?

Posted on March 24, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

Le bon ton is a French phrase meaning “the good style” or “good form.” One could be said to have good ton–meaning good style. So one could be part of the Ton, if one had the style for it–which is why … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, George IV, Georgian, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, history, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, political stance, Victorian era, William IV | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Life Below Stairs, Part 3 ~ The Male Servant

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

The English aristocrat often lived beyond his means. Maintaining country houses (often several of them) and a large Georgian town house in Mayfair took its toll on his purse strings. In addition to owning the property, Society forced him to … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, buildings and structures, customs and tradiitons, estates, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, history, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, Regency era, tradtions, Victorian era | 2 Comments

Life Below Stairs, Part II – Rules of Engagement

Posted on February 17, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

Previously, we looked at what a servant in an upper house, or even in a second-class household, of the late Regency Period or early Victorian times, might encounter. We spoke of wages, delineation of duties, and additional compensation. Today, we … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, buildings and structures, customs and tradiitons, estates, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, history, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, real life tales, Regency era, Victorian era | 9 Comments

Life Below Stairs, Part I: Obligations and Compensation

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

With the popularity of Upstairs, Downstairs and Downtown Abbey, the populace has become more aware of the British servant class. So what do we know of those who lived “below stairs”? First, rank and precedence ruled those of the servant … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, buildings and structures, customs and tradiitons, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, history, legends, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, real life tales, Regency era, Victorian era | 9 Comments

Getting Ready for October: The Screaming Skull of Bettiscombe Manor

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Bettiscombe is a small village and civil parish in west Dorset, England, situated in the Marshwood Vale 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Beaminster. Dorset County Council’s 2012 mid-year estimate of the population of the civil parish is 70. This … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, buildings and structures, castles, customs and tradiitons, gothic and paranormal, Great Britain, legends and myths, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, real life tales, Regency personalities | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Getting Ready for October: The Screaming Skull of Bettiscombe Manor

The Christmas Eve Truce of 1914

Posted on December 24, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

The Christmas truce (German: Weihnachtsfrieden; French: Trêve de Noël) was a series of widespread but unofficial ceasefires along the Western Front around Christmas 1914. In the week leading up to the holiday, German and British soldiers crossed trenches to exchange … Continue reading →

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UK “Real” Estate: The Isle of Portland and Nanny Diamond Fairies

Posted on December 23, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

The Isle of Portland and Nanny Diamond Fairies The Isle of Portland is a limestone tied island, 6 kilometres (4 mi) long by 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) wide, in the English Channel. Portland is 8 kilometres (5 mi) south of … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, Dorset, Living in the Regency, real life tales, spooky tales | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Celebrating Christmastide

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

Celebrating Christmastide Christmastide (also Christmas or the Christmas season) is one of the seasons of the liturgical year of most Christian churches. It tends to be defined (with slight variations) as the period from Christmas Eve to the Epiphany. This … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Regency era | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Open Christmas Letter 1914

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

In the lead up to Christmas 1914, there were several peace initiatives. The Open Christmas Letter was a public message for peace addressed “To the Women of Germany and Austria,” signed by a group of 101 British women suffragettes at … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, Great Britain | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Do You Speak Jane Austen? Part One

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

I have run this series previously, but it never hurts to revisit a “good thing.” Part I: Do You Speak Jane Austen? When my son was about three years of age, he shocked several onlookers at the mall by saying, … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Regency era | Tagged , , | 10 Comments