Category Archives: legacy

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

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Regina Jeffers

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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Portland Place, London’s Widest Street and the Adam Brothers’ Legacy

Posted on June 9, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

Portland Place was designed by Robert and James Adam in 1767. Originally, Robert Adam had thought to make this area a veritable street of palaces. Unfortunately for Adam, all attempts to do so failed, and rows of townhouses, though spacious and more than a bit intimidating at times, was settled upon. A “close” of great houses it has been called. The width of the thoroughfare/street was determined by the 3rd Duke of Portland’s obligations to his tenant, Lord Thomas Foley, whose northward view from Foley House could not be interfered with: Therefore, the width of Portland Place is the width of Foley House. At around 125 feet wide, the street is commonly referred to as the widest street in London. The agreement was signed in January 1767 and confirmed by an Act of Parliament in April of that year. James Adam negotiated the understanding for the development, which, initially, only covered the southern half of Portland Place, as well as the streets leading off it to either side, going as far north as Weymouth Street. The agreement for the northern half was negotiated in April 1776. Continue reading →

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The Duke Is Dead, Long Live the Duke . . . Now What?

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

During the Georgian era, a will could be declared void it the person was insane or drunk at the time of its creation or be voided if it was proven to have been written for a convicted felon, a prisoner, or an outlaw/thief. So it was also for those who committed suicide or had been excommunicated from the church or if the person was a slave. A married woman required the consent of her husband to have a will drawn up. Worst so, the husband had the right to withdraw his permission up until the will was probated. Because the legal age to marry during the time was 14 for boys and 12 for girls, such was the same ages for wills. Continue reading →

Posted in Act of Parliament, aristocracy, British history, estates, family, Georgian England, Georgian Era, history, Inheritance, laws of the land, legacy, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, real life tales, Regency era, titles of aristocracy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The “Skinny” on Abdicating a Title During the Regency Era

Posted on August 29, 2022 by Regina Jeffers

Many times in Regency-based novels we have the situation where for one reason or another, the hero refused the title he has inherited and “abdicates” his new peerage. The question is whether this is a viable plot line.  The answer … Continue reading →

Posted in Black Opal Books, British history, Church of England, customs and tradiitons, estates, family, Georgian England, Georgian Era, history, Inheritance, kings and queens, legacy, peerage, real life tales, Regency era, research, titles of aristocracy, tradtions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Nigel Lewis’s “The Cover Plan Conspiracy,” a Deception Created by the Allied Forces in WWII

Posted on June 7, 2019 by Regina Jeffers

On June 5 of this week, I posted an article on Exercise Tiger, which was a tragic rehearsal for D-Day. That article brought me to the notice of Nigel Lewis, who has written extensively on the subject. Therefore, I asked him … Continue reading →

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The Village of Ewelme and Alice Chaucer, Duchess of Suffolk

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Regina Jeffers

In the wooded village of Ewelme in Oxfordshire, we discover an elaborate church monument incorporating a cadaver tomb at St Mary’s Church. An alabaster tomb, remaining essentially undamaged by time, is the resting place of Alice Chaucer, granddaughter of Geoffrey … Continue reading →

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Can Courtesy Titles Be Bestowed?

Posted on March 12, 2018 by Regina Jeffers

Since my last post on Courtesy Titles on February 15, I have received several inquires about how courtesy titles were bestowed upon others. First, permit me to clarify, once again, there is a difference between an actual title of the … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Georgian England, history, Jane Austen, legacy, Living in the UK, Napoleonic Wars, real life tales, research, titles of aristocracy | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The Forest of Dean

Posted on May 29, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

In west Gloucestershire, marked by the rivers Severn and Wye, we find the Forest of Dean, a large tract of woodland and waste land reserved for royal hunting before 1066. It remains the second largest of the principal Crown forests … Continue reading →

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Roger Ascham, Serving Four Monarchs

Posted on February 6, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

 Born in Kirby Wiske (a village in the North Riding), Yorkshire, in 1515, Roger Ascham was the third son of John and Margaret Ascham. Ascham was the steward to Baron Scrope of Bolton. Roger Ascham was a scholar and didactic … Continue reading →

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Queen Victoria Chooses a Husband for Her Second Daughter, Princess Alice

Posted on November 4, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

 With the marriage of Victoria, Princess Royal, to the future Frederick III of Prussia, Queen Victoria turned her “matchmaking” skills upon her second daughter, Princess Alice Maud Mary. Although she promoted the idea of love matches for all her children, … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Church of England, history, kings and queens, legacy, marriage, marriage customs, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments