Category Archives: family

The Duke Is Dead, Long Live the Duke . . . Now What?

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

During the Georgian era, a will could be declared void it the person was insane or drunk at the time of its creation or be voided if it was proven to have been written for a convicted felon, a prisoner, or an outlaw/thief. So it was also for those who committed suicide or had been excommunicated from the church or if the person was a slave. A married woman required the consent of her husband to have a will drawn up. Worst so, the husband had the right to withdraw his permission up until the will was probated. Because the legal age to marry during the time was 14 for boys and 12 for girls, such was the same ages for wills. Continue reading →

Posted in Act of Parliament, aristocracy, British history, estates, family, Georgian England, Georgian Era, history, Inheritance, laws of the land, legacy, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, real life tales, Regency era, titles of aristocracy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 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

A Young Lady’s “Come Out” in Regency Society

Posted on February 27, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

Recently, I received this question from an author/reader: Can you tell me if a young lady could have her debut ball at age 17 or 18, instead of the age 16 we customary read in Regency romance? Would a death … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, family, Georgian England, Georgian Era, heroines, historical fiction, history, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, marriage, marriage customs, Pride and Prejudice, reading, Regency era, Regency romance, research | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A Young Lady’s “Come Out” in Regency Society

Entails and Common Recovery

Posted on February 24, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

As always happens, I received a number of questions on Wednesday’s post on A Debt-Ridden Inheritance about the legality of all this. Back in feudal times, land was given from lord to tenant in exchange for services. This “service” could … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, estates, family, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, historical fiction, history, Inheritance, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, medieval, Pride and Prejudice, primogenture, real life tales, Regency era, research | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Entails and Common Recovery

A Debt-Ridden Inheritance During the Regency Era

Posted on February 22, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

Those of us who write JAFF are very familiar with Mrs. Bennet’s fears of being driven into the hedgerows after Mr. Collins takes over Longbourn in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Though Mr. Bennet had not left behind a debt-ridden … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, family, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Inheritance, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, primogenture, real life tales, Regency era, Regency romance, titles of aristocracy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

What Did a Child of the Aristocracy and Gentry Eat During the Regency Era?

Posted on January 16, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

One thing I think ti is important to remember is English children of the aristocracy and gentry classes were traditionally fed their main meal, meaning, usually the meal with meat, in the middle of the day. Such is when most … Continue reading →

Posted in America, British history, family, food, Georgian England, Georgian Era, history, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, real life tales, Regency era, research | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on What Did a Child of the Aristocracy and Gentry Eat During the Regency Era?

A Widow’s Rights? What Was English Law on the Matter? + Release of “His Christmas Violet: A Regency Second Chance Romance”

Posted on December 9, 2022 by Regina Jeffers

In my tale, His Christmas Violet, Lady Violet Graham, is a widow. Being a widow at the time, particularly, women in the aristocracy or gentry class, provided a woman more freedom than she ever could expect in remarrying. She would customarily … Continue reading →

Posted in book excerpts, book release, British history, customs and tradiitons, eBooks, family, Georgian England, Georgian Era, heroines, historical fiction, holidays, Living in the Regency, marriage, marriage customs, publishing, reading habits, Regency era, Regency romance, romance, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A Widow’s Rights? What Was English Law on the Matter? + Release of “His Christmas Violet: A Regency Second Chance Romance”

Female Inheritance and the Release of “His Christmas Violet, a Regency Second Chance Romance”

Posted on December 7, 2022 by Regina Jeffers

Under English law, women were subordinate to their husbands. It was expected that the woman was under the “protection and influence of her husband, her baron, or lord.” The law stated the old adage of “two shall become one.” She … Continue reading →

Posted in book excerpts, book release, books, British history, customs and tradiitons, eBooks, excerpt, family, Georgian England, Georgian Era, giveaway, heroines, historical fiction, Living in the Regency, marriage, marriage customs, publishing, reading habits, Regency era, Regency romance, research, romance, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Female Inheritance and the Release of “His Christmas Violet, a Regency Second Chance Romance”

Happy 11th Book Birthday to “Christmas at Pemberley: A Pride and Prejudice Holiday Vagary, Told Through the Eyes of All Who Knew It”

Posted on December 5, 2022 by Regina Jeffers

December must mark a Christmas romance. ®Hallmark does it. Therefore, this month I mean to highlight a few if the Christmas tales I have written over the years. “Christmas at Pemberley” was the first. It is a sweet tale, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Austen Authors, book excerpts, books, British history, Christmas, excerpt, family, George Wickham, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Jane Austen, mystery, Pride and Prejudice, publishing, reading habits, Regency era, Regency romance, romance, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments