Tag Archives: estates

The Duke Is Dead, Long Live the Duke . . . Now What?

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

During the Georgian era, a will could be declared void it the person was insane or drunk at the time of its creation or be voided if it was proven to have been written for a convicted felon, a prisoner, or an outlaw/thief. So it was also for those who committed suicide or had been excommunicated from the church or if the person was a slave. A married woman required the consent of her husband to have a will drawn up. Worst so, the husband had the right to withdraw his permission up until the will was probated. Because the legal age to marry during the time was 14 for boys and 12 for girls, such was the same ages for wills. Continue reading →

Posted in Act of Parliament, aristocracy, British history, estates, family, Georgian England, Georgian Era, history, Inheritance, laws of the land, legacy, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, real life tales, Regency era, titles of aristocracy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Could Longbourn Be Lost to Mortgage Debt? + the Release of “Amending the Shades of Pemberley” + a Giveaway

Posted on April 26, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

Only registered debts like mortgages and those on which the stamps and fees had been paid were legally enforceable. The law of the time said an heir was only liable for debts to the sum of the assets he inherited. Most mortgages could be continued, just by paying the interest. Continue reading →

Posted in aristocracy, book excerpts, book release, British history, eBooks, estates, finance, Georgian England, Georgian Era, giveaway, historical fiction, history, Inheritance, Jane Austen, laws of the land, Living in the Regency, Pride and Prejudice, primogenture, publishing, reading habits, real life tales, Regency era, Regency romance, research, Vagary, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

“Nothing is Certain but Death and Taxes” . . . Death Fits the Bill, Yet What of Taxes?

Posted on April 14, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

There were hundreds of taxes and so a variety of dates on which they would be due. Some were pay as you go, so to speak. For others, the tax man came along and counted the number of windows in the person’s residence and looked at the number of footmen employed and counted the crested carriages owned and other four-wheeled vehicles, etc., and made his demand. A person then had “x” number of days to pay the tax. Some taxes were due in quarter days and some on cross quarter days. Continue reading →

Posted in Act of Parliament, British history, buildings and structures, business, estates, finance, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, history, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, Regency era | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on “Nothing is Certain but Death and Taxes” . . . Death Fits the Bill, Yet What of Taxes?

Entails and Common Recovery

Posted on February 24, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

As always happens, I received a number of questions on Wednesday’s post on A Debt-Ridden Inheritance about the legality of all this. Back in feudal times, land was given from lord to tenant in exchange for services. This “service” could … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, estates, family, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, historical fiction, history, Inheritance, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, medieval, Pride and Prejudice, primogenture, real life tales, Regency era, research | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Entails and Common Recovery

Auctioning Off Household Goods in the Regency Era, Part 3

Posted on August 31, 2022 by Regina Jeffers

If you have not read the other two posts on this subject, look to Monday and Friday of the previous week for other posts regarding this thriving business in the Georgian era, of which the Regency can be found. As … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, commerce, estates, Georgian England, Georgian Era, history, real life tales, Regency era | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Auctioning Off Household Goods in the Regency Era, Part 3

The “Skinny” on Abdicating a Title During the Regency Era

Posted on August 29, 2022 by Regina Jeffers

Many times in Regency-based novels we have the situation where for one reason or another, the hero refused the title he has inherited and “abdicates” his new peerage. The question is whether this is a viable plot line.  The answer … Continue reading →

Posted in Black Opal Books, British history, Church of England, customs and tradiitons, estates, family, Georgian England, Georgian Era, history, Inheritance, kings and queens, legacy, peerage, real life tales, Regency era, research, titles of aristocracy, tradtions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Auctioning Off Household Goods in the Regency Era, Part 1

Posted on August 22, 2022 by Regina Jeffers

The Georgian era of which the Regency is a part saw greater economic prosperity for new groups, hoping to become a part of the genteel class. Think of Mr. Bingley in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.” Although he had a … Continue reading →

Posted in art, British history, England, estates, Georgian England, Georgian Era, history, Industrial Revolution, Living in the Regency, Regency era | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Capability Brown, England’s Greatest Landscape Artist: “This site has great capabilities.”

Posted on June 27, 2022 by Regina Jeffers

Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown changed the face of eighteenth century England, designing country estates and mansions, moving hills and making flowing lakes and serpentine rivers, a magical world of green. (About Capability Brown) The fifth child of William Brown, the land … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, business, estates, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, real life tales, research | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Female Inheritance and the Release of “The Mistress of Rosings Park” + a Giveaway

Posted on January 4, 2021 by Regina Jeffers

Under English law, women were subordinate to their husbands. It was expected that the woman was under the “protection and influence of her husband, her baron, or lord.” The law stated the old adage of “two shall become one.” She … Continue reading →

Posted in Austen Authors, book excerpts, book release, British history, eBooks, estates, excerpt, family, Georgian England, Georgian Era, giveaway, history, Inheritance, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, marriage, marriage customs, Pride and Prejudice, publishing, reading habits, Regency era, Regency romance, research, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Life Below Stairs – The Footman

Posted on March 6, 2020 by Regina Jeffers

There are tales of footmen who experienced criticism and mild taunts when they went about their master’s business. Even so, the footman became a sort of symbol of the division in society. Reports abound of street urchins throwing mud on … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, estates, fashion, Georgian Era, Great Britain, history, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, servant life, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments