Category Archives: Great Britain

Mr. Darcy Is Too “Proud.” But Is Darcy the Only Character Who Is Too Proud in Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”?

As most of you are likely to realize by now, I am a “whole brained” individual, which means that although I adore the fine arts, I still possess a very analytical brain. You’ll find me solving word puzzles and sodokus … Continue reading

Posted in book excerpts, excerpt, George Wickham, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, historical fiction, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, marriage customs, marriage licenses, Pride and Prejudice, Regency era, Regency romance, romance | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

“Nothing is Certain but Death and Taxes” . . . Death Fits the Bill, Yet What of Taxes? Happy Lady Day to All!

There were hundreds of taxes and so a variety of dates on which they would be due. Some were pay as you go, so to speak. For others, the tax man came along and counted the number of windows in the person’s residence and looked at the number of footmen employed and counted the crested carriages owned and other four-wheeled vehicles, etc., and made his demand. A person then had “x” number of days to pay the tax. Some taxes were due in quarter days and some on cross quarter days. Continue reading

Posted in Act of Parliament, British history, buildings and structures, business, estates, finance, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, history, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, Regency era | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on “Nothing is Certain but Death and Taxes” . . . Death Fits the Bill, Yet What of Taxes? Happy Lady Day to All!

March 25, Lady Day – What are the Quarter Days in UK?

In the Western liturgical year, Lady Day is the traditional name in some English-speaking countries of the Feast of the Annunciation, which is celebrated on 25 March, and commemorates the visit of the archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, during … Continue reading

Posted in Act of Parliament, British history, Church of England, customs and tradiitons, England, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, history, holidays, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, medieval, Pride and Prejudice, real life tales, religion, research | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on March 25, Lady Day – What are the Quarter Days in UK?

20 March 1815, Napoleon Returns to France and Again is Declared Emperor: The Beginning of the Hundred Days and Defeat at Waterloo

Thinking Russia was considering an alliance with England, Napoleon Bonaparte attempted to invade Russia, but the bitter cold and Russia’s own efforts was more than he could accomplish. “A military campaign, known in Russia as the Patriotic War of 1812 and … Continue reading

Posted in British history, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, Napoleonic Wars, real life tales, Regency era, Regency personalities, war | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

William Herschel, King George III’s “Court Astronomer” and Discoverer of the Planet, Uranus

Frederick William Herschel was a German born astronomer and composer, residing in England during the late 1750s. He was nineteen when he came to live in England. In 1774, Herschel constructed the first of his large telescopes. On 13 March … Continue reading

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“We All Love to Instruct”: Lessons in “Amiability” in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice

Is it not odd that Austen chose originally to name her novel First Impressions, when it is not “first impressions,” which bring Elizabeth Bennet “enlightenment”? Initially, Elizabeth finds everyone, but Mr. Darcy, as “amiable.” To prove my point about the … Continue reading

Posted in British history, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Regency era | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Georgian Era Lexicon – We Have Reached the Letter “D” – Today’s Offering, “Da” through “Di”

In the singular form the lexicon of a particular subject is all the terms associated with it. The lexicon of a person or group is all the words they commonly use. As a plural noun, a lexicon is an alphabetical … Continue reading

Posted in British history, Great Britain, Living in the Regency, real life tales, Regency era | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Film Adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Persuasion” (1995) ~ Part I

Director: Roger Michell; Screenplay: Nick Dear  Although I have seen the other version of Austen’s   “Persuasion,” this one is my favorite. It certainly is not the   pretty heritage film common to the genre. The scenes are   grittier and more life … Continue reading

Posted in British history, film, film adaptations, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Persuasion, Regency era | Tagged , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

The 1701 Act of Settlement

The Act of Settlement prevented George IV from marrying Maria Fitzherbert, the woman he affected, but what did the Act entail? The Act of Settlement was a Parliamentary Act meant to settle the issue of succession to both the English … Continue reading

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“Affection” in Austen’s Pride and Prejudice

When writing my Regency-based novels, I sometimes find it difficult to express the emotions felt by my characters, while keeping in mind the “restraint” those of the era practiced. Previously, I took a look at how often and in what … Continue reading

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