Category Archives: Great Britain

Life Below Stairs ~ Part One ~ Compensation and Obligations

Posted on January 1, 2014 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 class as much … Continue reading →

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Regency Happenings: The Year Without Summer ~ 1816

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

The Year Without a Summer (also known as the Poverty Year, Year There Was No Summer, and Eighteen Hundred and Froze to Death) was 1816, in which severe summer climate abnormalities resulted in major food shortages. Much of the cause of this anomaly is blamed on the … Continue reading →

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

The Border Wars Between England and Scotland

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

The political struggle that has dominated much of England/Scotland’s history was often a result of the border wars. In Elizabethan times the Anglo-Scottish border counties, especially Northumberland, were the home of lawless clans who spent their lives raiding and marauding. … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, buildings and structures, castles, Great Britain, legends and myths, political stance, real life tales, religion, royalty, Scotland | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

UK Regions: Penrith, Cumbria

Posted on December 27, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

In my upcoming release, A Touch of Honor (Book 7 in the Realm Series), John Swenton travels to Penrith to meet with John Loudon McAdam (see December 19, 2013 post). I have discovered many interesting details of the area, and … Continue reading →

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“Here We Come A-Wassailing” ~ Plus the Release of Susana Ellis’s A Twelfth Night Tale + Giveaway + Excerpt

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

Today, I am so pleased to have Susana Ellis join me on my blog to speak of one of a Christmastide’s long-lasting traditions. To celebrate her appearance, Ms. Ellis has generously offered a special giveaway to accompany her post. Enjoy … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, food and drink, Great Britain, holidays, real life tales, Regency era, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 35 Comments

Scotland’s Nostradamus: The Brahan Seer

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

The Brahan Seer, Kenneth Mackenzie (or Coinneach Odhar), is Scotland’s most famous prophet. Often referred to as the Scottish Nostradamus, Mackenzie lived in the 17th Century. Most experts believe that he was born on the Isle of Lewis (at Baile-na-Cille … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, castles, gothic and paranormal, Great Britain, legends and myths, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Victorian England: The Stockport Viaduct, One of the Largest Brick Structures in Europe

Posted on December 11, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

The Stockport Viaduct is a large brick-built bridge which carries the West Coast Main Line across the valley of the River Mersey, in Stockport, Greater Manchester (grid reference SJ89089030). It is the largest brick structure in Europe and was designed … Continue reading →

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Victorian England ~ The Penny Black: First Adhesive Postage Stamp

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

The Penny Black was the world’s first adhesive postage stamp used in a public postal system. It was issued in Britain on 1 May 1840. Unfortunately, not all post offices in the UK received official issues of the new stamps. … Continue reading →

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Victorian England: Sir Rowland Hill, Reformer of the Postal System

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

Sir Rowland Hill KCB, FRS (3 December 1795 – 27 August 1879) was an English teacher, inventor and social reformer. He campaigned for a comprehensive reform of the postal system, based on the concept of Uniform Penny Post and his … Continue reading →

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Victorian Celebrities: Thomas Henderson, First Person to Measure the Distance to Alpha Centauri

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

A Scottish astronomer and mathematician, Thomas James Alan Henderson (28 December 1798 – 23 November 1844) was the first person to measure the distance to Alpha Centauri, the major component of the nearest stellar system to Earth, and for being … Continue reading →

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