The World in Miniature: W. H. Pyne

William Henry Pyne (1769 – 1843) Many of the illustrations of London and the working class that we see of the regency era can be atttibuted to the artist and writer, William Henry Pyne. W.H. Pyne, the son of a leather seller and weaver, chronicled the working class in The Costumes of Great Britain. In [...]

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Seen over the Ether

Jane Austen Sequels, written by Jane Odiwe, has recently been featuring a series of posts on Regency Brighton, including Brighton Encampments, Donkey Riding and Sea Bathing in Brighton, Stopping for Refreshment (on a coach from London to Brighton), and Brighton Entertainments. Jane also paints lovely watercolors and sells her images, cards, and books, such as [...]

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Rural Life in 19th Century England: Appleby

Genealogy and census records record the life in 19th century England in remarkable detail. Take Appleby, for example, a village in Leicestershire which has been occupied since the iron age. The 1841 census provides a complete record of how the inhabitants of this small village made their living at that precise time, including farmers, tradesmen, [...]

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Bonnets, Caps, Turbans, and Hats: Fashion Necessities For Regency Ladies

Illustration from Modes et Manieres Du Jour, 1798 – 1808 I have changed my mind, & changed the trimmings on my Cap this morning, they are now much as you suggested, – I felt as if I should not prosper if I strayed from your directions, & I think it makes me look more like [...]

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Pride and Prejudice, 1995: Some Fun Facts & Information

Oh what a fun site this is! Its creator has assembled a host of interesting facts about P&P ’95, some of which are highlighted below: Jane Austen figured largely in the BAFTA television award ceremony 1996. Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth’s perfomances as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy, and Benjamin Whitrow’s portrayal of long-suffering Mr [...]

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A Walk Through Regency London

Now industry awakes her busy sons, Shops open, coaches roll, carts shake the ground, And all the streets with passing cries resound. – John Gay, Walking the Streets of London Oh, how should I describe my three short days in London when I went on a deliberate search for the sites, establishments and objects that [...]

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Footmen: Male Servants in The Regency Era

In romance novels footmen are depicted as tall, dark, and handsome men in fancy livery, preferably matched in height. Surprisingly, this description of these statuesque men, who were as much a status symbol as servant, is true. According to Daniel Pool in What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew, footmen wore: “livery,” or household [...]

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Northanger Abbey: A Review

Whew. The Complete Jane Austen has been saved by the charming performances of J.J. Feild and Felicity Jones as Henry Tilney and Catherine Morland in Northanger Abbey. Had PBS opted to follow ITV’s tepid Persuasion with the very problematic Mansfield Park, they would likely have lost scores of viewers who might not have returned for [...]

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Social Classes in England, 1814

From: Everyday Life in Regency and Victorian England: From 1811-1901, Kristine Hughes, Ohio, 1998, p 122, ISBN 0-89879-812-4 For more questions and answers about British social classes, click here. Please note: If you wish to use this image, please give proper credit. The information came from Kristine Hughes; the image was made by me. Thank [...]

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Masterpiece Classic Actors

Have you noticed? Keen observers of Mansfield Park 1983 will have recognized Sylvestra Le Touzel. She played Fanny Price all those years ago, and appeared as Mrs. Allen in the 2007 version of Northanger Abbey. And Nicholas Farrell, who played staid and moral Edmund Bertrum in 1983, appeared as the gregarious Mr. Musgrove in last [...]

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The Likable Hero and Heroine of Northanger Abbey

In Jane Austen’s words, Henry Tilney, the hero of Northanger Abbey, seemed to be about “four or five and twenty, was rather tall, had a pleasing countenance, a very intelligent and lively eye, and, if not quite handsome, was very near it.” In addition he came from a respectable family in Gloucestershire. A second son, [...]

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Interview With Syrie James: Author of The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen

Gentle Readers, Syrie James graciously agreed to an interview about her fabulous book, The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, and her thoughts about writing and the enormous amount of research that was required before she even began her novel about Jane. Here then is the interview, and some photos that Syrie sent of herself in [...]

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