The history of clothing for European infants and children is relatively unremarkable until the last decades of the 18th century. From birth to nearly two years of age, infants (male and female) were swaddled tightly (a philosophy that, thankfully, waned in the 17th century until obsolete by the late 1700s). At...
The advertisement to the right appeared in the General Advertiser in May 1752. Daniel Cudworth was one of the many London business owners to take advantage of increased advertising opportunities to push his ‘flat razor strap,’ or ‘strop.’ On the surface, there seems little unusual here; a product, some notes...
Essentially the forerunner of a modern bicycle, the draisine rapidly became all the rage in Regency England. The earliest usable and much copied vehicle was created by the German Karl Drais. He called it a Laufmaschine (German for “running machine”), which he first rode on June 12, 1817. He obtained a patent...
Born the only daughter of Field-Marshall Henry Seymour Conway and Lady Caroline Campbell daughter of the 4th Duke of Argyll, Anne Conway spent much of her childhood at Park Place, Remenham near Henley-on-Thames. Her parents being abroad for much of the time, her cousin Horace Walpole assumed some responsibility for her care...
Gaming counters, or gaming tokens, were held by individuals and used over and over again when playing a wide range of games, particularly gambling ones. Values would be set at the start of each session and payment would be made at the end, when each player would again collect up...
Scotch Collops Scotch Collops (slices of meat) are a traditional Scottish dish. It can be created using either thin slices or minced meat of veal, beef, lamb or venison. This is combined with onion, salt, pepper, and suet, then stewed, baked or roasted with optional flavorings according to the meat...
Military uniforms, fame and fashion have always been closely linked. Regimental dress uniforms were designed to stand out and impress young men into joining up – with the added bonus of attracting the opposite sex in the process. LOL! When the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars (1792–1815) brought much of Europe...
Last week, on Thursday the 12th of March, I was invited to talk about the far-reaching impact of Jane Austen. The event was hosted by Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington, Kentucky as part of a community outreach in association with Woodford Theatre, a local theater presenting Sense and Sensibility later this...
Modern museum visitors viewing these porcelain vessels in a display case would assume they were serving pieces. While certainly decorative enough for an elegant 18th c. table, they would NEVER be anywhere near the food! Necessity has always been the mother of invention, and often of design that’s both handsome and useful, too. Visualize the hoops and...
My guess is that most reading this blog post today have already packed up their Christmas decorations and kicked the shriveled tree to the curb for disposal. Am I right? What is Sharon thinking to write a post about Christmas on January 6? Ah! Bear with me my dear friends,...
Mary Darby was born on November 27, 1758, the third of five children born to John Darby and his wife Hester Seys. Her father deserted the family when Mary was seven, uncertain finances causing the struggling family to relocate frequently and Mary’s formal education to suffer. Eventually Mrs Darby starting her own...
Imagine it is 1817. You are in a theatre usually reserved for opera performances and ballets. It is pitch black with eerie music rising from the orchestra pit. You are clutching onto the armrests, or your companion, while witnessing a marvel never seen before. Ghostly visions mysteriously projected from hidden...
The word “Gothic” conjures a host of imagery to us these days. For the moment let’s set aside visions of head-to-toe black painted and garbed Marilyn Manson. LOL! Instead, let’s delve into the history so as to learn what the term meant in the Regency Era, specifically in relation to...
It is October so we are approaching Halloween. That brings topics of death to mind, whether we like it or not. LOL! I know this may sound odd, but I have always thought old graveyards peaceful, in a way. The cemetery in Mississippi where my grandparents and many other relatives are laid to rest is...
How does a used-candle seller establish one of the most successful and prestigious businesses in British history? Well, if your name is William Fortnum and the candles in question belonged to the royal family, you are well on your way to business success. It all came about like this. William Fortnum...
