Castle Howard is one of the most treasured homes in England, located in North Yorkshire. It has been the home to the Howard family for over 300 years, and is still a private residence for the current Howard family. While the house is not a real castle, it was given...
Gentlemen and ladies carried personal cards – often in highly decorative card cases – which they gave to friends and acquaintances. Personalized cards were presented as a matter of course when making a first visit to someone newly arrived in the neighborhood, when calling for the first time on newly...
Two hundred years ago, love tokens offered an enduring and romantic means of expressing devotion to a cherished person, often but not always a lover. Acceptance of the token admitted a return of affection. One common practice was to personalize legitimate coins, usually by smoothing and engraving them (by hand) with a message...
I love this portrait of David Lyon. Isn’t he dashing? Possibly a bit Darcy-esque? He has the refined air, proud stance, slender musculature, and elegant, chiseled face we all imagine when envisioning Mr. Darcy. His richly nuanced clothes, from the fur lining his coat to the slim cane and dandyish handkerchief, the gentleman in...
Continuing on with my study in Floriography — the cryptological communication through flower use or arrangement. For the first post covering A and B flowers, as well as a short history on the “language of flowers”, click HERE. For C and D flowers, click THIS LINK, and for F and...
Moving along in the alphabet to the letter I… more fascinating history lessons in etymology and strange words for your enjoyment! I LOVE vocabulary! For a list of all my archived posts covering the topic: VOCABULARY Inglenook A delightful word I think all who visit my blog can easily relate...
Hardwick Hall, which is located in Derbyshire, is the former home of Elizabeth Shrewsbury, also known as Bess of Hardwick. It was built between 1590 and 1597 and designed by architect Robert Smythson. Of humble origins, Bess of Hardwick married four times, gaining power and wealth with each marriage, and...
Blenheim Palace is the only non-royal country house in England to be titled as a palace. This large estate is located in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England and is the current residence of the 11th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough. Blenheim Palace was constructed between 1705 and 1722 as a gift to...
Once an object of royal privilege, the parasol had its origins in the ancient east, migrating from China to Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent where its use was exclusively to protect from the sun as opposed to rain. It eventually spread to the arid climes of Egypt, Greece, and...
Bringing y’all some more strange words with their etymology or origin stories. I love language! Today is the time for H. For a list of all my archived posts covering the topic: VOCABULARY Hackney and Hack Hackney comes from the Old French haquenée, meaning a gentle, riding horse, an ambling horse. It was...
Miser’s purses are known by many names: Misers, miser bags, ring or string purses, stocking purses, and finger purses to name a few. They originated in the late eighteenth century and were popular into the early 1900’s. These purses were used by both men and women and usually were long, almost...
The notorious love affair between military hero Horatio Nelson and already married Lady Emma Hamilton was the scandal of the 18th century. They met for the first time in September of 1793. Horatio Nelson was a 35-year-old captain and Lady Hamilton was the 28-year-old wife of Sir William Hamilton, the 62-year-old British...
Isabella Mary Mayson is best known by her married name: Mrs. Beeton. She was born in Cheapside, London on March 12, 1836. Her father, Benjamin Mayson, died when she was four, leaving her mother Elizabeth pregnant and with four young children. Three years later Elizabeth married Henry Dorling, a widower with four children of his...
Negus is the name of a drink made of wine, most commonly port, mixed with hot water, spiced and sugared. This mulled wine, created by Colonel Francis Negus (d.1732), was served at the balls in Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park and The Watsons, and noted in other classic literature such as Jane...
Continuing on with a study in Floriography — the cryptological communication through flower use or arrangement. For the first post covering A and B flowers, as well as a short history on the “language of flowers”, click HERE. There’s fennel for you, and columbines: there’s ruefor you; and here’s some...
