Index of posts

For all my posts about true stories from history scroll down through the list below

Tales from Jane Austen’s ancestral home which inspired many elements of her novels

• • Stoneliegh Abbey and Jane Austen’s family connections
  • More about Jane Austen’s stay at Stoneleigh Abbey
  • And even more about Jane Austen’s stay at Stoneleigh Abbey
  • Jane Austen’s family history at Stoneleigh Abbey
  • Two captivating true characters among Jane Austen’s relatives
  • A copy of Fordyces Sermons as mentioned in Pride &Prejudice

Frances Bankes letters record the pleasures of an 18th Century Christmas Ball

• • Today I am inviting you to join me at a Christmas ball – we’re going to the 19th December 1791
  • This week we are going to dance at Frances Bankes Christmas ball the date is 19th December – come along
  • Children allowed at the Christmas ball

The Old Theatre Royal, which I discovered in the City of Bath, UK

• • I came across the front door of the old Royal Theatre in Bath and then found out I could go inside
  • I discovered a real preserved gem in Bath, the old Royal Theatre in Orchard St
  • The Theatre Royal Orchard St Bath was the Theatre that Jane Austen attended
  • 18th-century life in the Orchard St Theatre Bath and its involvement in the transport of letters

Life in 18th Century town of  Bath, England.

• • The upper assembly rooms in Bath
    

    Company at Play, Comforts of Bath Thomas Rowlandson 1798

  • Gambling, cards and billiards in the assembly rooms in Bath
  • The history of life in 18th Century Bath
  • A day in the life of 18th Century Bath
  • Experiencing the hot baths in 18th Century Bath
  • Love stories from 18th Century Bath ~ The Tale of Sylvia S
  • Love stories from 18th Century Bath ~ The Tale of Miss L
  • Gamesters in 18th Century Bath

• A 19th Century musical evening  at Stourhead

• The pelisse (coat) Lord Byron’s bride wore to their wedding in 1815

• Mary Shelley, the author of frankenstein, her own and the novel’s connection with the city of Bath

• Novel inspirations for J R R Tolkien, JaneAusten, Arthur Ransome, Beatrix Potter, John fowles, the Bronte sisters and me 🙂

• An 18th Century truly grand grandstand for watching country sport

• Whitehall Palace Banqueting House

• A bird’s eye view of historical London

• Bath Royal Mineral Water Hospital

• Let’s talk about the macabre. Was Byron original?

Life in an 18th Century Farmhouse

• • Have you ever heard of macon?
  • A weavers’ bowl was filled with water to spread the light
  • A library full of rare historical books, complete with paw prints that tell some tales about the reader

The history of a house on an English village gree

• • Part 1.The tale of house on an English village green
  • Part 2. Poulshot and its brewers
  • Part 3. Poulshot and Devizes in the Civil War
  • Part 4. Was it once part of Poulshot’s fortified manor

Inspirations for the Wickedly Romantic Poets Series

• Lets talk about the macabre: was Bryon truly so original
• Lord Byron’s influence on the Wickedly Romantic Poets Series
• Three old houses that inspired part the plot and some of the setting in Treacle Moon
  • House No.1 is Chastleton House
  • House No. 2 is Swarthmoor Hall
  • House No. 3 is Townend, Farmhouse
• Touring Rome for Treacle Moon
  • A tour of Rome
  • A tourist in Rome
  • Savouring memories from our tour of Rome
• Entangled’s inspirations
• • How a novel begins …

The commemoration of the Battle of Waterloo

• • Part  One
  • Part Two
  • Part Three
  • Brief stories from The Battle of Waterloo ~ Sir Alexander Gordan ~ Wellington’s aide-de-camp
  • A woman’s role in a soldier’s camp
  • Brief stories from The Battle of Waterloo ~ The impact of combat on men
  • Brief stories from The Battle of Waterloo ~ General Uxbridge
  • Brief stories from The Battle of Waterloo ~ A sense of infantry squares
  • What happened when Wellington left the Duchess of Richmond’s ball ~ the battle of Quatre-Bras and Ligny
  • The experiences of women at the front line of war

• • See my Facebook page or You Tube channel for videos and lots of pictures of Waterloo 2015

• The history of  Marriages at Gretna Green

Lady Caroline Lamb’s whole disgraceful truth  ~ Lady Caroline Lamb story, including her short affair with Lord Byron

• • Part One ~ A member of the mist
  • Part Two ~ Affairs of the heart
  • Part Three ~ A wild life abroad
  • Part Four ~ A Georgian girl’s education – life at Jane Austen’s school
  • Part Five ~  A period of troubles
  • Part Six ~ Becoming a Young woman
  • Part Seven ~ Meeting her first love
  • Part Eight ~ Coming out in France in the time of Napoleon
  • Part Nine ~ The Bessboroughs’ life in France in the time of Napoleon
  • Part Ten ~ Another illegitimate child graces the family
  • Part Eleven ~ The proposal
  • Part Twelve ~ Married into a love match
  • Part Thirteen ~ The honeymoon period of marriage
  • Part Fourteen ~ Caro falls with child
  • Part Fifteen ~ The true traumas of a regency marriage between two young people
  • Part Sixteen ~ ‘The Duchess’ of dies
  • Part Seventeen ~ Love, breeches and a woman’s wiles
  • Part Eighteen ~ Giving birth setting up the vicious rumours and throwing pottery
  • Part Nineteen ~ The pressures that open the cracks in the Lamb’s ill-fated marriage
  • Part Twenty ~ The true story of what you should never do if you have a regency intrigue
  • Part Twenty -one ~ The scandal of waltzing parties
  • Part Twenty-two ~ Sudden fame and a new fan for Lord Byron
  • Part Twenty-three ~ A passionate love affair with Lord Byron

• The X Factor in Downton Abbey. Why do people love Downton Abbey so much?

The true story of a 19th Century Courtesan ~ Harriette Wilson

• • Another true scandalous tale of a 19th century courtesan
  • My second post on the true adventures of a 19th century courtesan on her play for a prince
  • Harriette Wilson the true story of a 19th century Regency courtesan and pastures greener
  • The next chapter in a Regency courtesan’s true story as recorded in her memoirs
  • The next chapter in a 19th century courtesan’s true story – Harriette Wilson meets Julia Storer
  • Another Chapter in a Regency courtesan’s real story
  • Another chapter in my Harriette Wilson series – the true story of a regency courtesan
  • The tale of the three graces – the life story of a real 19th Century courtesans continues
  • The gossip of a real 19th Century courtesan offers a window into the past
  • A real 19th Century courtesan Harriette Wilson seeks wealthy protector – the Duke of Wellington
  • Harriette a 19th Century courtesan chases a man she desires
  • Harriette Wilson a 19th Century courtesan grows tired of fame and longs for love
  • Harriette Wilson does what a courtesan should never do – she falls in love
  • Harriette Wilson the 19th century courtesan savours real love
  • Harriette Wilson questions her lover’s friend to learn more about Lord Ponsonby’s relationship with his wife – guilt or jealousy
  • The darker side of Regency England – the story of how Harriette Wilson’s sister Sophia was seduced and coerced into the life of a courtesan
  • How Harriette Wilson’s Memoirs inspired me to write The Illicit Love of a Courtesan
  • The end of love Harriette Wilson tells us how she suffered a broken heart
  • Harriette Wilson’s fame and position as favourite receives another knock back
  • 

    Lord Ponsonby

    Yet again Harriette gives us a fabulous insight into the world of a Regency courtesan

  • Did all courtesans in the Regency era long for a fairy-tale ending and hope to win a duke?
  • The second courtesan to seek a fairy-tale ending
  • Did the Regency courtesan Harriette Wilson seek a calculated happy ending too
  • Harriette begins an intrigue with a new protector perhaps with a happy ending on her mind
  • Lord Worcester’s youthful adoration of a courtesan
  • Harriette begins a game of tug of war over the affections of her young marquis
  • Harriette and Lord Worcester’s regiment the 10th Hussars
  • A theatre trip shows up the contrast between a courtesan and a prostitute
  • Harriette’s description of a stay in a small apology of an inn
  • Lord Worcester’s love turns desperate and Harriette resorts to disguise
  • Harriette’s hopes and Lord Worcester’s love begin tumbling towards a terrible end
  • The cost of love – even for a courtesan is sometimes too high
  • What happens once Lord Worcester has gone, will the courtesan play?
  • A new seduction
  • Harriette’s country retreat – including a trip to Regency Lyme Regis
  • A Courtesan’s little deceit for the sake of propriety
  • A messy separation Regency courtesan style
  • A courtesan scorned
  • Harriette, the Regency courtesan, kicks the next man out of her bed ‘and I , to show my indifference, would make a point of joining any gay evening parties’
  • The jealous courtesan and the hidden Regency fashion for seducing young men
  •  A courtesan caught in a possessive relationship – wracked with jealousy on both parts
  • While the cats away a real Regency courtesan could…
  • The jealous game played int he world of a courtesan
  • A Regency courtesan’s power of persuasion
  • A courtesan alone in a masculine domain
  • A break-up Regency style ~ a courtesan who just can’t let go of a young handsome man
  • Free as air a courtesan’s agreement of inconstancy in denial of the feelings of her heart
  • A courtesan’s agreement of inconstancy – also known as revenge
  • A courtesan deserted  – Fanny’s break up with Colonel Parker
  • Life as a courtesan begins to age and lose her fame
  • A Regency courtesan caught in a love triangle
  • A courtesan’s portrayal of a real Regency villain
  • A real 19th century masked ball, experienced through the eyes and emotions of a courtesan
  • A courtesan enjoying the novelty, secrecy and equality of a masquerade ball
  • The impact of a courtesan’s kiss and tell memoirs on the elite of Regency society
  • At the end of a Regency courtesan’s life, who can she turn to

The true stories, Harriette Wilson, the 19th Century Courtesan, didn’t tell in her memoirs

• • How she fell
  • Where she first learned the arts of a courtesan – as recorded by Jane Austen in a letter

Attingham family tales

• • Lady Berwick, Sophia Dubochet, sister of Harriette Wilson the regency courtesan
  • Sophia Dubochet and the 2nd Lord Berwick
  • William the Third Lord Berwick, an excellent diplomant (and the inspiration for Spencer’s brother in Treacle Moon)

Scandalous women recorded in history

• • The story of Lady Caroline Lamb, Lord Byron’s mistress, and the niece of the Duchess (the story told in the Keira Knightley film)
    

    Mary Shelley

  • The tale of Kitty Hunter the real mistress of a Pembroke
  • Mary Shelley’s story, the author of Frankenstein
  • Claire Jane Clairmont, Lord Byron’s mistress, and Mary Shelley’s step sister
  • Mary Imlay’s story, Mary Shelley’s (the author of Frankenstein’s  half-sister
  • Emma Hart’s (Lady Hamilton’s) story, the courtesan who won a title and the love of Admiral Nelson

• Cheddar Caves and their gloriously ghoulish 18th Century entertainment

Stories about a Georgian Mill

• • Spinning and weaving in the early 1700s
  • Life in a Georgian mill Oliver Twist style

• Historic Graffiti at Fountains Abbey, Helmsley Castle and Sudeley Castle

Stories from the period of the Stuart’s Dynasty

• • The tale of the mad cavalier, Prince Rupert
  • The story of Barbara Palmer, Countess of Castlemaine and mistress of King Charles II
  • Ashdown House and the love story of William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven and Elizabeth Stuart Queen of Bohemia (The Winter Queen)
  • 2 July 1644, a story of a formidable woman, Jane Ingleby meets Oliver Cromwell

Old trees – my secret passion

• • 19th Century Tree Planting at Kingston Lacy
  • Lord Byron may well have walked or ridden along this avenue that became the the setting of the opening scene in The Lost Love of a Soldier
  • One more story of my unusual passion for old trees

Follies

• • My exploration of follies has brought me to Old Wardour Castle
  • Prior Parks Grotto and Graffiti
  • Is the whole city of Bath just a folly from the view of Prior Park, the home of Bath’s builder?
  • The Obelisk at Kingston Lacy
  • Belmount Tower, a Romantic Folly in Lincolnshire
  • The follies of Stourhead as featured in Pride and Prejudice (2005 film) and my Wickedly Romatic Poets Series
  • I love follies

• Medieval tales

• The tale of an impoverished lord who encourages his son to take a wealthy wife

• Hampton Court Palace and the Windsor Beauties; the portraits of the ladies in waiting

• Lancelot Brown, known by his nick-name ‘Capability’

Belton House stories including its link to King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson

• • Belton House, Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson
  • The secret of Belton House Chapel
  • Belton House and Pride and Prejudice
  • Belowstairs at Belton House, Lincolshire