Glorious Georgian Bathing
byHot water, soap and shampoo; for most of us this is the start of our day. A shower or bath each morning is a habitual part of modern life that the majority of us couldn’t…
Mid Modern Period
(1750 – 1914)
Jane Austen – All At Sea
byJane Austen’s novel Mansfield Park was published 200 years ago, in May 1814. It contains a good deal about the Royal Navy, as does Persuasion, which was published soon after her death. Roy and Lesley Adkins are authors of Eavesdropping on…
Inspired by Georgian London
byDebra Daley is a longtime 18th-century obsessionalist. She talks about how she brought Georgian London to life in her new novel Turning the Stones. If such a thing as a past life exists, I think I…
The Enchanting History of Geisha
byIf you are anything like me, you will have been romanticised by Geisha ever since watching the film, ‘Memoirs of A Geisha’, despite the widespread criticism of the film. But why am I so fascinated…
Little Known Facts – The Titanic’s Dogs
byIt is a little known fact that among RMS Titanic’s 2,229 passengers and crew, there also travelled a number of sea-faring dogs. On the first page of Walter Lord’s classic account of the Titanic tragedy ‘A Night…
A Titanic Ancestor
byI never knew my great, great uncle, but many of you have seen his death portrayed in several films and some of you might even remember his name. But the person you see is an…
Was The Titanic Disaster Predicted?
byA hundred years after she sank with such devastating loss of life, RMS Titanic still continues to fascinate us. But as much as the facts of her untimely, tragic demise seem to captivate our imaginations,…
George Cruikshank: The Man Who Drew The Artful Dodger
byWhen the first instalment of Oliver Twist was published in February 1837, Charles Dickens was still only 25; but had already been celebrated for his hugely popular first novel, The Pickwick Papers. And yet for all the buzz that would…
Heroes and Rogues on the ‘Victorian Titanic’
byThe wrecking of RMS Tayleur made headlines around the world almost 60 years before the Titanic. Both ships were run by the White Star Line, both were heralded as the most splendid ships of their time – and…
Did Victorian prudery end female ‘slavery’ down the mines?
byI love a man who’s passionate about principles. From the perspective of a romance novelist, they make the best heroes and it’s Victorian philanthropist Lord Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftsbury who’s the inspiration for the passionate…
But…You Said We Were To Marry!
byUntil 1971, English law allowed a jilted person to claim damages from the person who had offered and then refused to marry them. People who brought breach of promise claims were almost always female. If…
Finding Victorian Manchester
byTake a walk around the Manchester of 2013 and behold a 21st Century city; skyscrapers and sleek, glass shop fronts galore. But look beyond the modern facade and you will find evidence of the origins…
The Regency Lady Vs The Modern Day Gal
byAlways wondered how a lady of the Regency Era might have spent her day? Fear not, because we have the solution: an itinerary of a Regency woman’s daily toil…yes toil! It was hard going; she didn’t have lunch…
Georgiana Cavendish: At her own Pleasure (Pt II)
byThe conclusion of Part I introduced Elizabeth Foster into the fold of Georgiana’s already turbulent life. ‘Bess’ Foster quickly became Georgiana’s best friend, making her way into the Duchess’ heart. She also quickly became close to the…