Category Archives: Living in the UK

Have You Ever Heard of a “Bachelor Tax”?

Posted on December 10, 2018 by

In British history, in 1695, the English parliament passed The Marriage Duty Act or Registration Tax, which imposed a tax on births, marriages, burials, childless widowers, and bachelors over the age of 25. It was primarily used as a revenue … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, business, history, Living in the UK, marriage, real life tales, war, world history | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Rites of Mourning and the Recent Release of “Where There’s a FitzWILLiam Darcy, There’s a Way”

Posted on September 28, 2018 by

The mourning rites we customarily think of as being so strict during the Regency era, were actually those imposed by Queen Victoria after the death of her husband, Prince Albert. Victoria was known to wear black for many years and … Continue reading →

Posted in Austen Authors, book excerpts, book release, books, British history, eBooks, estates, Georgian England, Georgian Era, historical fiction, history, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, Pride and Prejudice, reading, research, romance, tradtions, Vagary, Wales, word origins, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Not Celebrating Birthdays with Jane Austen

Posted on September 17, 2018 by

  Today, I turn the ripe old age of 71. I am a VIRGO. Some of you know what that means. Some of you are about to learn.  Horoscope.com tells us these Virgo Facts Symbol:   The Virgin Element:   Earth Polarity:   … Continue reading →

Posted in customs and tradiitons, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the UK, Pride and Prejudice, Regency era, Regency personalities, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

A Marriage of Convenience as a Plot Point in Jane Austen’s Novels

Posted on August 13, 2018 by

What hope was there for the dowerless daughters of the middle class during Jane Austen’s lifetime? Such is a topic Austen explored repeatedly in her novels. Elizabeth and Jane Bennet sought men of a like mind. The Dashwood sisters found … Continue reading →

Posted in customs and tradiitons, dancing, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, marriage customs, Regency era, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Who Is Persuaded in Jane Austen’s “Persuasion”

Posted on July 30, 2018 by

 Jane Austen writes plot-driven masterpieces, and all her God-given skills come together in Persuasion. In Persuasion we find a twist of pathos, not present in her other novels. We can view Austen’s growth as a writer. She provides her reader … Continue reading →

Posted in book excerpts, excerpt, film adaptations, historical fiction, Jane Austen, language choices, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, Persuasion, Regency era, Regency romance, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

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

Posted on July 23, 2018 by

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