Harriet Mellon (1777-1837) began life as a strolling player before her star rose as far as the Drury Lane Theatre. On stage, she caught the attentions of a wealthy banker, and eventually, a duke.
Harriet Mellon: Actress to Banker’s Widow to Duchess
9 Quotes from Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire’s Novel The Sylph
Did you know that Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire wrote a novel called The Sylph? Here are a few quotes from her novel, The Sylph, to which the heroine, Julia Grenville, has many parallels with Georgiana’s life. Enjoy.
The Witches of Pendle Hill
The Pendle Hill Witch trials are amongst the most famous in England's history. It's also one of the best recorded. Twelve witches stood accused of witchcraft, some bafflingly convinced of their own powers. Maybe that's why some claim the witches haunt Pendle Hill today...
The Gruesome Murder of Mr. William Weare
The murder of Mr. William Weare, also known as the Radlett murder, created an uproar in the press for its gruesome details and seedy connection to the gambling underworld. It inspired novels, plays, and even songs.
50 Pride and Prejudice Quotes
Last month, I curated a blog post with 40 Jane Austen Quotes. These quotes were from Jane’s six novels and vast number of letters. There were so many quotes I wanted to include in the post that I had to axe for the sake of brevity. However, I couldn’t help myself in dedicating a blog post solely to quotes from my favorite of Jane’s novels, Pride and Prejudice. I’ll proudly admit that I have read this particular novel over at least a half dozen times and credit it as my segway into adoring everything about 19th century England. Please enjoy! I surely did when making my selection.
William Cuffay: Tailor, Activist, and Hero of the Labor Movement
Born in 1788 in Chatham, Kent, William Cuffay was the son of an English woman, Juliana Fox, and a formerly enslaved father of African descent, Chatham Cuffay. William was a traveling tailor of a short height. He stood at 4 feet 11 inches. However, in that small body was a powerful activist.
Arabella Hunt: Lesbian Soprano and Lutist for the Court of Five Royal Monarchs
Arabella Hunt (1662-1705) was celebrated for her beauty and her musical talents during her lifetime. Her contemporaries remarked that her soprano voice had the “reed of a bullfinch” and inspired various composers, including Henry Purcell and Dr John Blow.
40 Quotes from Jane Austen
Jane Austen left more than six novels. She left two unfinished works, juvenilia, and letters to family and friends. It’s from these sources that we get little Austenian nuggets of wisdom, wit, romance, and hope for future generations. Here’s a few for your reading pleasure.
The Ladies of Llangollen: Historians Call Them Friends
The Ladies of Llangollen, Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby, were two women that scandalized English society with their unconventional living arrangements. However, they made a number of friends and entertained several interesting guests, including Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, Anna Seward, Sir Walter Scott, and even the Duke of Wellington.
Craigievar Castle: The Hauntings of a Naked Ghost and a Fiddler
While Craigievar Castle is reputed to have been the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Cinderella Castle, this haunted pinkish monstrosity is the furthest thing from fairy tales. Located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, this castle hosts some interesting ghosts, particularly a fiddler and a naked man.