Category Archives: Living in the UK

Georgian Architecture: University of London, a Metropolitan, Nonsectarian University

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

  In 1820, the Scottish poet, Thomas Campbell, put forth the idea of a metropolitan, nonsectarian university. With others he launched a movement in 1825 to found the University of London, for students excluded from Oxford or Cambridge by religious tests … Continue reading →

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Life Below Stairs, Part 3 ~ The Male Servant

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

The English aristocrat often lived beyond his means. Maintaining country houses (often several of them) and a large Georgian town house in Mayfair took its toll on his purse strings. In addition to owning the property, Society forced him to … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, buildings and structures, customs and tradiitons, estates, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, history, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, Regency era, tradtions, Victorian era | 2 Comments

Life Below Stairs, Part II – Rules of Engagement

Posted on February 17, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

Previously, we looked at what a servant in an upper house, or even in a second-class household, of the late Regency Period or early Victorian times, might encounter. We spoke of wages, delineation of duties, and additional compensation. Today, we … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, buildings and structures, customs and tradiitons, estates, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, history, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, real life tales, Regency era, Victorian era | 9 Comments

Valentine Corbett in Suzanne Enoch’s “Sin and Sensibility: The Griffin Family, Book 1”

Posted on February 12, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

Okay, it’s Valentine’s Day this weekend. So, I’m taking a look at a couple of books who have characters named Valentine. The first is Valentine Corbett, Marquis of Deverill, from Sin and Sensibility by Suzanne Enoch. This book is part … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Georgian England, historical fiction, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, Regency era, Regency romance, review, romance, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Life Below Stairs, Part I: Obligations and Compensation

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

With the popularity of Upstairs, Downstairs and Downtown Abbey, the populace has become more aware of the British servant class. So what do we know of those who lived “below stairs”? First, rank and precedence ruled those of the servant … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, buildings and structures, customs and tradiitons, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, history, legends, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, real life tales, Regency era, Victorian era | 9 Comments

Getting Ready for October: The Screaming Skull of Bettiscombe Manor

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Bettiscombe is a small village and civil parish in west Dorset, England, situated in the Marshwood Vale 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Beaminster. Dorset County Council’s 2012 mid-year estimate of the population of the civil parish is 70. This … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, buildings and structures, castles, customs and tradiitons, gothic and paranormal, Great Britain, legends and myths, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, real life tales, Regency personalities | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Getting Ready for October: The Screaming Skull of Bettiscombe Manor

Owain Glyndŵr, National Hero and The Last Native Welshman to Hold the Title “Prince of Wales”

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Owain Glyndŵr (c. 1349 or 1359 to c. 1415) was the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales (Tywysog Cymru). He led an unsuccessful revolt against Henry IV of England. Glyndŵr’s family was part of the Anglo-Welsh … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Great Britain, legends and myths, Living in the UK, military, political stance, real life tales, Wales | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Owain Glyndŵr, National Hero and The Last Native Welshman to Hold the Title “Prince of Wales”

James Figg, Father of Modern Day Boxing

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Born into a poor farming family, James Figg is considered the father of Modern Day Boxing. The youngest of seven children, Figg grew up in Thames Village, Oxfordshire. He had achieved renown as a master of the short sword and … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Georgian Era, Great Britain, legends and myths, Living in the UK, real life tales | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Jack Sheppard, Extraordinary Escape Artist, but Mediocre Thief

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Jack Sheppard, Extraordinary Thief A favorite figure in verse, plays, and burlesque, John Sheppard was an 18th Century English thief. Born in Stepney on 4 March 1702, Sheppard spent several years (from the age of six) in the workhouse in … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Georgian Era, Great Britain, legends and myths, Living in the UK, real life tales | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

John Ketch, Infamous Executioner

Posted on November 25, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

An infamous English executioner employed by King Charles II, John Ketch was an Irish immigrant who became famous through the way he performed his duties during the tumultuous 1680s. He was mentioned in the broadsheets of the time. Appointed in … Continue reading →

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