Tag Archives: Victorian era

Life Below Stairs: Benevolent Groups Come to the Aid of Domestic Servants

There were groups operating in London and throughout England to aid domestic servants. The most important of those were… Established in May 1846, The General Domestic Servants’ Benevolent Institution was located at 32 Sackville Street, Piccadilly. It was under the … Continue reading

Posted in British history, Living in the UK, servant life, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Prince Leopold George Duncan Albert, Fourth Son of Queen Victoria and a Hemophiliac

On 7 April 1853, Queen Victoria delivered her fourth son and eighth child. Prince Leopold George Duncan Albert was the first of the queen’s children to be delivered with the aid of chloroform, a controversial procedure at the time. The … Continue reading

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Life Below Stairs: Increase in the White-Slave Traffic

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

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

Expectations for Ladies of Society in the Victorian Era: “Lady-of-All-Works”

The expectations for women of the Victorian Era were different from those of the Regency. Foremost, the ladies of the landed gentry were influenced by the prevalent Victorian opinion of a “natural” separation of the roles of males and females … Continue reading

Posted in Act of Parliament, British history, family, Living in the UK, titles of aristocracy, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Princess Helena Augustus Victoria of the United Kingdom

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

Queen Victoria’s Growing Family and the Need for a Better Environment for the Royal Children

Princess Alice Maud Mary, the third child and second daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, arrived at Buckingham Palace 25 April 1843. Reportedly, the queen knew the severity of her labor, but the delivery itself was quite short, only … Continue reading

Posted in British history, family, George IV, Great Britain, Industrial Revolution, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

19th Century Childbirth Before and After Princess Charlotte’s Death

(This post originally appeared on Geri Walton’s Unique Histories of the 18th and 19th Century blog.)  I am writing a new Regency era novel in which a forceps birth is required. To write the scene and the ramifications of the … Continue reading

Posted in British history, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, history, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, medicine, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

I See Austen’s Influence Everywhere!!!!

As much as I love Jane Austen, one of my best friends loves Elizabeth Gaskell equally as well. I admit to having read only three Gaskell pieces in my time: Cranford, North and South, and Mary Barton. Last Christmas Season, I reread Cranford, but … Continue reading

Posted in customs and tradiitons, Georgian Era, historical fiction, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Regency era, Uncategorized, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

A “Stalker” for Queen Victoria

Few outside of Victorian scholars know much of Queen Victoria’s “stalker.” Edward “the Boy” Jones was quite adept at sneaking into Victoria’s most private apartments. Born in 1824, Edward Jones became fascinated with Victoria when she was but a young … Continue reading

Posted in British history, Great Britain, real life tales, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments