Category Archives: real life tales

The Lost Art of Letters, a Guest Post from Elaine Owen

The day after I wrote my post on Mailing Letters in the Regency, the lovely Elaine Owen shared this post on Austen Authors. I thought it appropriate to revisit this topic. This post originally appeared on Austen Authors on 3 … Continue reading

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We Get Stacks and Stacks of Letters…The Expense of Mail During the Regency Period

On the Perry Como Show, which began back in 1955, the chorus customarily sang: “Letters, we get letters. We get stacks and stacks of letters.” However, during the Regency Period, the mail was expensive. MPs were the only ones who … Continue reading

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, political stance, Pride and Prejudice, real life tales, Regency era, Regency personalities, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Was Sawney Bean Truly a 14th Century Scottish Cannibal or Was He a Legend? + a Giveaway of “The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy”

Was Sawney Bean Real or a Legend? Alexander Sawney Bean was reportedly the head of a cannibalistic family residing along Scotland’s Ayrshire/Galloway coast during the 14th Century. According to the legend, Sawney was born in a small East Lothian village, … Continue reading

Posted in British history, Georgian Era, giveaway, gothic and paranormal, Jane Austen, legends and myths, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, medieval, mystery, publishing, reading habits, real life tales, research, Scotland, spooky tales, suspense, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Life Below Stairs ~ Part Four ~ The Work Never Ends

Up before dawn, the servants of an aristocratic household found the work tedious. Likely, the lower servants worked two hours before he/she was permitted to sit to his own meager breakfast. The kitchen maid began her day with lighting the … Continue reading

Posted in British history, Georgian Era, Great Britain, Living in the Regency, real life tales, Regency era | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Battle of Rorke’s Drift

On 22 January 1879, one of the world’s most remarkable military engagements took place. It was a short, but intense, battle in what is known as the Anglo- Zulu Wars. For two days, some 150 British soldiers defended Rorke’s Drift … Continue reading

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Catholic/Protestant Marriages During the Regency + “The Earl Claims His Comfort”

Catholic/ Protestant Weddings During the Regency Era On 25 March 1754, the Hardwicke Act went into effect in England. It was designed to prevent Clandestine Weddings (Read More on Clandestine Weddings HERE) and to force couples marrying in England to … Continue reading

Posted in Black Opal Books, blog hop, book excerpts, book release, British history, Church of England, excerpt, George IV, Georgian England, historical fiction, Ireland, Living in the Regency, marriage, marriage customs, marriage licenses, real life tales, Regency era, Regency personalities, Regency romance, research, romance | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Catholic/Protestant Marriages During the Regency + “The Earl Claims His Comfort”

Did Jane Austen Play Her Own Version of Regency “Monopoly”? a Guest Post from Eliza Shearer

The post originally appeared on the Austen Authors’ blog on December 10, 2019. I think you will discover it as fascinating as did I. Enjoy! “The Most Agreeable & Rational Recreation Ever Invented” During a recent visit to Edinburgh’s Museum of … Continue reading

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James Wilmot on “Who Wrote Shakespeare’s Plays?” + an eBook Giveaway

  James Wilton was supposedly the first to question whether William Shakespeare was the actual author of the plays and sonnets we now attribute to him. Wilmot was an English clergyman, having been educated at Oxford, and scholar from Barton-on-the-Heath, … Continue reading

Posted in Austen Authors, book excerpts, book release, British history, Elizabethan drama, excerpt, Georgian England, Georgian Era, history, Jane Austen, legends and myths, literature, Living in the Regency, Pride and Prejudice, reading habits, real life tales, theatre, Vagary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

The Allure of ByGone Days…(or Not)

(In cleaning out some of my school files, I came across these common phrases and their sources. Enjoy!!!) Here are some bygone tales about the 1500s: People married in June. Most had taken their yearly bath in May, so the bride … Continue reading

Posted in Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Saxons, British history, Great Britain, real life tales, tall tales | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

What You Didn’t Know About Thanksgiving

It took more than 200 years after the first Thanksgiving before it became an official holiday. The first Thanksgiving was a three day feast, which included hunting, athletic games, and eating. The Pilgrims dined on venison, NOT turkey. There was … Continue reading

Posted in American History, British history, Church of England, customs and tradiitons, history, holidays, real life tales, religion | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments