Category Archives: history

The Death of Princess Charlotte, Signaling the End of the Hanoverian Line of Succession Was on the Horizon

[Image: Engraving of Princess Caroline from La Belle Assemblée (1806)] Much to the surprise and relief of George III’s England, his son George, Prince of Wales, fulfilled his duty by marrying Princess Caroline of Brunswick on 8 April 1795. Although they were … Continue reading

Posted in British history, Church of England, customs and tradiitons, Elizabethan drama, George IV, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, history, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, marriage customs, real life tales, Regency personalities, royalty, tradtions, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Death of Princess Charlotte, Signaling the End of the Hanoverian Line of Succession Was on the Horizon

The Salon: A Gathering of Elite Intellectuals, a Guest Post from Sharon Lathan

The word salon has been around since at least 1664, derived from the Italian salone or French sala, meaning “a reception room or great hall.” The indication was for a particular part of a house, a room or several rooms, where people gathered together. The English … Continue reading

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“Obstinate, Headstrong Girl,” Introducing “Austens of Broadford,” a Guest Post and Chapter Excerpt from Carole Penfield

A life lesson universally acknowledged is that when you marry someone, you marry into their entire family. Not infrequently, some family member may act to interfere with the happiness of a couple during their courtship. Such was the case for … Continue reading

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Turmoil in Europe and Queen Victoria’s England

Mourning was one of the great constants in Queen Victoria’s life. The Queen and her beloved Albert lost his maternal step grandmother, Princess Karoline Amalie of Hesse-Kassel, in February 1848. In her journal, Queen Victoria wrote, “My poor Albert is quite … Continue reading

Posted in Act of Parliament, British history, commerce, Great Britain, history, real life tales, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Tolpuddle Martyrs, Changing the Face of Employment Rights in Victorian England

  This year is the 181st anniversary of when six Dorset farm labourers were sent to an Australian penal colony, but their ‘crimes’ helped change the face of employment rights for generations to come – and it all began in … Continue reading

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Princess Caroline, Jane Austen, and “The Regency Valentine,” a Guest Post from C. D. Gerard

This post originally appeared on the Austen Authors’ blog on October 5, 2019. Enjoy. In my “Sense and Sensibility” sequel “The Daughters of Delaford,”  Marianne and the Colonel’s daughter Allegra, and Elinor and Edward’s daughter Grace, become important players in the … Continue reading

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A Suspicious Royal Birth, a Guest Post from Carole Penfield

On a frosty, winter night, there is nothing more comforting than climbing into a warm cosy bed heated by an electric blanket, or even a hot water bottle. These conveniences were not available in drafty 17th century palaces. Instead, the … Continue reading

Posted in book excerpts, book release, books, England, excerpt, Georgian Era, Guest Post, historical fiction, history, Jane Austen, publishing, reading, research, royalty, world history, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Paston Letters, the Earliest Known Archive of Private Correspondence in English

The Paston Letters is a remarkable collection of letters between different members of the Paston family, their staff and their friends. In truth, the collection might better be referred to as the Paston Archive, as the medieval section contains many … Continue reading

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Being a “Gentleman” in Regency England

 In 1583 Sir Thomas Smith wrote: “One who can live idly and without manual labour and will bear the port (deportment) and countenance of a gentleman, he shall be taken for a gentleman.” But what does “being a gentleman” entail? … Continue reading

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, George Wickham, Georgian England, Great Britain, historical fiction, history, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice, primogenture, Regency era | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Colchester, the Oldest Recorded Town in England

Colchester is an historic Essex town, Britain’s first city and former capital of Roman Britain. Its rich history dates back over 2000 years. In AD49, Colchester was the capital of the kingdom of Cunobelin. It was considered a Roman Colonia, basically, a community dedicated … Continue reading

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