One of my joys with research is Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, of which I have two copies. One is pretty old, though not a first edition. The other is more up to date, acquired from WH Smith in the 70s or 80s, I think. It says it’s a facsimile of the 1894 edi...
Contrary to our ideas of what is acceptable, restrictions on Regency ladies were, on the whole, for their protection. We consider crowds safer these days, but at that time a country walk in a peaceful village environment held far fewer terrors than the capital. London...
Life below stairs was no picnic in the Georgian and Regency era. Up with the lark, your average servant toiled throughout the day with very little time off. Each had their tasks to perform, but were required in addition to be on call when the bell rang to service whate...
The novelist Henry Fielding was also a magistrate. He worked out of a house in Bow Street in the 1750s, and began the force of thief-takers who later became the famous Runners. His brother succeeded him in the post in 1754 and remained the Bow Street Justice until 1780...
Looking at images of Georgian life, one gets the impression that the use of tobacco was neither general nor widespread. Caricatures tend to depict an exaggerated truth, and only in a few does one find a pipe smoker, and in none a man taking snuff.
Maids of all kinds abounded in the Georgian era, and several feature in The Deathly Portent as this was the chief source of occupation for young girls in a village. Often they were the only servant and had their work cut out.
The short answer is, she can’t, not on her own. Ottilia’s status as a lady of the genteel classes precludes her presence in a great many male-dominated domains, especially if she is unescorted. A female alone in a public place laid herself open both to annoyance and lo...
This cross-section of a Georgian town house gives us an idea of how much accommodation was available.
This only shows one room deep, but we can assume the house would be two rooms deep. Indeed, you can see a little corridor alongside the stairs on two of the floors. we...
A Chance Gone By, Brides by Chance Book Two is now on pre-order.
Can I let you into a little secret about how this story came about? Well, two little secrets really! I’m a die-hard Elvis fan. My car tends to be an Elvis Karaoke zone as I sing along to his CDs. You would...
