Tag Archives: British history

Pre-Elizabethan Drama: Folk Plays

Posted on January 6, 2017 by Regina Jeffers

Folk drama is a remote form of oral literature. The early forms included dancers wearing masks portraying animal and human characters. Eventually, speeches and songs were added. The action and the dramatic imitation became the prominent part of these early … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, drama, Great Britain, medieval, religion, theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Queen Victoria’s Grief at Losing Her Beloved Albert

Posted on December 2, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

On December 14, 1861, Prince Albert succumbed to what was believed to be typhoid fever, although a recent book Magnificent Obsession by historian Helen Rappenport suggest the prince suffered from Crohn’s disease. (The Daily Mail). Queen Victoria’s grief over the loss … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, history, kings and queens, Living in the UK, marriage, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Drambuie: Scotland’s First Commercially Produced Liqueur

Posted on November 2, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

To fully appreciate how Scotland claimed drambuie as its own, one must possess a general knowledge of what is known in Scottish/English history as the Rebellion of ’45. James II of England and Ireland (James VII of Scotland) converted to … Continue reading →

Posted in Act of Parliament, British history, commerce, Georgian Era, kings and queens, legends and myths, real life tales, Scotland | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Life Below Stairs: Increase in the White-Slave Traffic

Posted on August 23, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

Back in March, I spoke of the Fallen Female Servant, those young (often innocent) girls who were seduced or conquered by their masters. Today, I wish to speak of what the future held if the mistress of the house drove … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Great Britain, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, servant life, Victorian era, William IV | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Life Below Stairs: Servants as a Status Symbol

Posted on July 29, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

A trend we incur during the Victorian era was the obsession to have more servants than one’s neighbors or comparable members of one’s social circles. It was “Keeping up with the Joneses” with servants, rather than with expansive homes and … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, family, fashion, Georgian Era, Great Britain, Living in the Regency, servant life, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Princess Helena Augustus Victoria of the United Kingdom

Posted on June 30, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

Queen Victoria gave birth to her third daughter, and fifth child, Princess Helena Augusta Victoria on 25, May 1846, one day after the queen’s twenty-seventh birthday. Named in honor of Princess Hélène of Orléans, Helena’s godmother. (Princess Hélène of Orléans was … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, family, Great Britain, history, marriage, royalty, Victorian era | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Who Were The “Ton” and the “Beau Monde”?

Posted on March 24, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

Le bon ton is a French phrase meaning “the good style” or “good form.” One could be said to have good ton–meaning good style. So one could be part of the Ton, if one had the style for it–which is why … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, George IV, Georgian, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, history, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, political stance, Victorian era, William IV | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Has Lady Violet Crawley, Countess of Grantham, Made Being a “Dowager” Popular Again?

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

Of late, I am once again dealing with the term “dowager” in one of my works in progress (WIP). The Earl of Remmington’s mother resides at one of his smaller estates. As she is the widow of the late earl, … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Regency era | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

History of the Age of Chaucer and Life in England (1350 -1500): An Overview

Posted on September 22, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Chivalry of the earlier Anglo-Norman period soon fell into disfavor, and the age of Chaucer was the earmark of society’s evolution from medievalism to modernism. During this period, we find religious heretics, Wycliffe, and the Lollards. The emphasis changed to … Continue reading →

Posted in Anglo-Normans, British history, Chaucer, Edward III, Great Britain | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Celebrating the Feast of St Lewina

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Mysterious Britain and Ireland explains the source of the St Lewina celebration as, “St Lewina was a young British virgin who was martyred by Saxons on 24 July 687 A.D. (whilst Theodore was 7th Archbishop of Canterbury). Following her death … Continue reading →

Posted in Anglo-Saxons, British history, Great Britain, real life tales | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments