Category Archives: kings and queens

Anthony William Hall, the Man Who Would Be King

Posted on January 18, 2019 by

In 1931, a former Shropshire police inspector claimed to the rightful heir to the British throne. He was determined to be King Anthony and to displace King George V. His declaration provoked panic at the palace when two doctors refused … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, kings and queens | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Roderick Maclean’s Attempt to Kill Queen Victoria

Posted on December 7, 2018 by

The last of the attempts on Queen Victoria’s life came on March 2, 1882. Unlike the previous attempts, this one was dangerous because by that date, weapons were well beyond the single shot volley stage. Roderick Maclean’s gun held six … Continue reading →

Posted in Act of Parliament, British history, England, history, kings and queens, research, royalty, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , , ,

William Strickland, the Man Who Introduced Turkeys to England

Posted on November 21, 2018 by

Tomorrow in the U.S., we will be all about the turkey and fixings and football and preparing for Black Friday sales, but in the U.K., turkeys are a more traditional dish for Christmas. Why might you ask? We can blame … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, buildings and structures, Christmas, Church of England, customs and tradiitons, England, history, holidays, kings and queens, legends, Living in the UK, real life tales, religion, Thanksgiving | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The “Hunchback’s” Attempt to Kill Queen Victoria

Posted on October 26, 2018 by

Two weeks after John Francis’s second attack on Queen Victoria, the 16-year-old John William Bean made an attempt to assassinate the Queen. “In 19th century Britain, treason had its own special rules of evidence and procedure, which made it difficult to … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, history, kings and queens, real life tales, research, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , , ,

Did Edward Oxford Really Shoot Prince Albert?

Posted on October 5, 2018 by

On Monday of this week, I added a post to the blog regarding Edward Oxford, the man who was the first to make an attempt on Queen Victoria’s life. However, afterwards, I was wondering if Oxford was the one who … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, film adaptations, Great Britain, historical fiction, history, kings and queens, marriage, Victorian era, weaponry | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Richard Bertie’s Attempt to Become Lord Willoughby d’Eresby ~ Part II

Posted on September 19, 2018 by

This post is a continuation of the one from September 3, which introduced my readers to Richard Bertie and his unsuccessful attempt to become Lord Willoughby d’Eresby.  Richard Bertie married the widowed Duchess of Suffolk and had issue by her, … Continue reading →

Posted in Act of Parliament, British history, Elizabeth I, estates, Inheritance, kings and queens, marriage, peerage, research, titles of aristocracy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

English Drama and the Origins of Censorship

Posted on August 22, 2018 by

Of late, on social media we have been bombarded with what is termed “obscenities.” We writers are often accused by “reviewers” of writing obscenities or sexually explicit scenes when in our estimations, we are writing PG scenes. The problem is … Continue reading →

Posted in Age of Chaucer, British history, Church of England, drama, kings and queens, playwrights, religion | Tagged , , , , , , , ,