Category Archives: history

The Provisions of Oxford

Posted on August 30, 2021 by Regina Jeffers

Most people know something of Oxford, England, through Oxford University, the home of England’s first university. However, Oxford is also known for the “Provisions of Oxford,” which in 1258 placed the king under a Council of Fifteen. All this began … Continue reading →

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Edward Jenner, Father of “Vaccination”

Posted on August 23, 2021 by Regina Jeffers

With all the debate still going on about whether to vaccinate or not for COVID-19 and all the variants in the news, I thought we might have look at the first vaccines. Born in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, in May 1749, the … Continue reading →

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Jodrell Bank Observatory, England’s First “Proper” Space Observatory

Posted on August 18, 2021 by Regina Jeffers

With all the recent news stories on UFOs and aliens, I thought it might be interesting to explore one of the early observatories. — that of Jodrell Bank. The observatory was originally called the Jodrell Bank Experimental Station. It is … Continue reading →

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Uffington Castle, Dragon Hill, and Wayland’s Smithy

Posted on August 9, 2021 by Regina Jeffers

To go along with my post on Friday on the preservation efforts of the White Horse, I thought I might mention other sites along the way in the Berkshire Downs. First and foremost, one must address the road that traverses … Continue reading →

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The Uffington White Horse

Posted on August 6, 2021 by Regina Jeffers

Near the village of Uffington in Oxfordshire, England, one can find a most miraculous symbol, the oldest of the English hill figures. Some 3000 years old, the Uffington White Horse is a stick figure-style horse nearly the size of a … Continue reading →

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Esperanto, the Language of Peace

Posted on August 4, 2021 by Regina Jeffers

What do you know about the universal language Esperanto? Some of you may have come across it in a low-budget horror movie staring a 33-year-old actor by the name of William Shatner, who later became Captain James T. Kirk of … Continue reading →

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Rodean School, a Victorian School for Young Girls

Posted on July 26, 2021 by Regina Jeffers

Last week when I was writing the piece on the Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railroad, I came across a short piece on another Rottingdean (East Sussex) landmark that caught my interest. It is Roedean School, a famous private school … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, British Navy, buildings and structures, history, Living in the UK, real life tales, research, war | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Amazing “Daddy Long Legs” and Brighton’s History

Posted on July 14, 2021 by Regina Jeffers

Many of us who write Regency Romance have our tales connected to Brighton, a seaside resort some 50 miles removed from London, in East Sussex. Brighton’s popularity with the rich, famous, and royal continued in the 19th century, and saw … Continue reading →

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James and Henry Austen and “The Loiterer” ~ Literary Influences on Jane Austen

Posted on July 12, 2021 by Regina Jeffers

Many of those around her influenced Jane Austen, but Henry Austen’s and James Austen’s influences were profound. Most of Austen’s biographers believe that Henry was Austen’s favorite brother and James her least favorite. James Austen was the eldest of the … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Georgian England, Georgian Era, history, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex’s Two Illegal Marriages

Posted on July 2, 2021 by Regina Jeffers

Prince Augustus Frederick was the sixth son and ninth child of King George III and Queen Charlotte. He was born at Buckingham House on 27 January 1773. He was initially tutored at home. However, in 1785, along with his brothers, … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Church of England, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, history, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, marriage | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments