Regency Histories, Biographies and Non-Fiction

Regency Etiquette: The Mirror of Graces

By A Lady of Distinction, 1811

A Short History of Marcasite Jewellery

Marcasite is an instantly recognisable stone, creating unique and intricate designs. It has been used for millennia and is now often sought after in vintage jewellery. Marcasite has a high shine a...

The Origins Of Boxing Day

Robert Seymour, Boxing Day (1836) There are several different theories around the etymology of Boxing Day, although it is most generally accepted that the name comes from the tradition in Britain ...

A Short History of Ice Skating

For those of you who are eagle-eyed, you may have noticed Netflix recently added Little Women to its selection of period dramas. The film is based on the novel of the same title by Louisa May Alco...

The History Behind Gift Wrapping

Today, we instinctively reach for some sort of wrapping paper when preparing gifts for our loved ones, whether it be purpose bought and printed with patterns, plain and simple like tissue paper, or...

Acrostic Poetry And Georgian Jewellery

Writing an acrostic poem is no doubt something many of us did in school, made to think outside the box by our teachers and reflect on the creative possibilities of language. If you have not writte...

The History Behind Black Friday

Although the popularisation of Black Friday in the UK has only really taken place within the last decade, the commercial shopping event actually has quite a bit of history behind it. From a financi...

The History Of Christmas Cards In Britain

It is thought the very first card celebrating Christmas was sent in 1611 by a gentleman named Michael Maier, to the then king of England, Ireland and Scotland James VI and I. Although it looked muc...

Card Games In Georgian Britain

Cards are mentioned on several occasions in Jane Austen's novels, and in a whole variety of different ways. This got us thinking about the different types of card games that were played in her life...

A Short History Of Embroidery

When we think about embroidery and wonder where it started, it is quite impossible to know when the first bit of fabric was adorned with coloured thread. We can be certain however that it has exist...

Pens and Provenance: what would Mr Darcy’s handwriting look like?

Image courtesy of Clark Young on Unsplash Here is an activity for you: grab a piece of paper and write down your name, the date, and where you are right now. Here’s mine: Now really have a think ...

Live Next Door To Pemberley for £3m 

Live Next Door To Pemberley for £3m Lymewater Hall: a six-bedroom detached home in Stockport, Greater Manchester. It's a six-bedroom detached home which boasts a statement staircase, home gym, cin...