Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Headless Horseman and the House of Dun

 We have all heard of the Headless Horseman. Surely, you know something of the tale written by Washington Irving in 1820: “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” However, did you realize that the Headless Horseman had been a much used motif … Continue reading

Posted in British history, castles, Georgian Era, legends, legends and myths, Scotland, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What the Heck is “Deodand”?

“In 1336, a drunken sailor climbed the mast of his ship at anchor in the Thames by means of a rope, presumably part of the rigging. When he tried to descend the same way he fell and died. A coroner’s … Continue reading

Posted in Age of Chaucer, Anglo-Normans, British history, Great Britain, Living in the Regency, real life tales, Regency era, Uncategorized, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

When You Discover One of Your Great Grandfather’s Has a Town Named After Him

Welcome to Marlinton, West Virginia. What might you ask would have me writing about a small town in rural West Virginia? Well, the truth of it is I have once again been updating my Ancestry.com files. This town is named … Continue reading

Posted in America, American History, Appalachia, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

“The Spy,” an Edinburg Periodical, and the Upcoming Release of “Lyon in the Way” from Dragonblade Publishers

In my upcoming book from Dragonblade Publishers, Lyon in the Way, my hero, Lord Richard Orson, has a memory of a popular periodical that had recently stopped publishing, while he is in the midst of following a suspicious man in … Continue reading

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Could an Earldom Pass Through the Female Line?

Question from a Reader: Could an earldom pass through the female line? Let us say an earl dies and he has no living sons remaining and there are no grandsons, could the earldom pass to his eldest daughter? Answer: Could … Continue reading

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Were There Any Requirements for Those of Age to Elope to France?

Question from a Reader/Author: Is there any other reasons besides age when a couple was considering elopement during the Regency Era? I mean, if they were both twenty-one or older, were there other restrictions? Would they still require a parent’s … Continue reading

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Easter Through the Georgian/Regency Era and the Earlier Victorian Era

One must recall, especially this year when Easter feels like it is so late, that Easter, unlike Christmas which falls on the same date each year, as a “moveable feast,” the date of Easter is determined in each year through a calculation known as computus … Continue reading

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Examining the Character of John Willoughby in Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility”

John Willoughby is one of Dashwood family’s country neighbors in Devon in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, but what do we know of the character. He and Sir John Middleton serve as bookends in the country society.  Willoughby literally sweeps Marianne … Continue reading

Posted in Austen actors, books, British history, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Regency era, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

Pounds, Shillings, Pence, and Guineas: Understanding British Currency Used in the 19th Century

Okay, I admit it. When it comes to understanding the British system of currency in the books I read, even I am sometimes confused. So, I set out to learn more of the currency.  The common currency was created in … Continue reading

Posted in Act of Parliament, British currency, British history, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Use of the Word “Dowager” During the Regency Era

In the Regency, the word dowager was used in newspapers, letters, the Gazette,  and on letters. One was never addressed as a “Dowager.” One does not say, “Good day, Dowager Countess.” The woman is simply addressed as a “Lady So-and-So.” … Continue reading

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, Georgian England, Georgian Era, history, language choices, Living in the Regency, Regency era, titles of aristocracy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment