Costume - Household Servants -11th - 19th Century

Costume of Household Servants by P.E. Cunnington.

I don't own a copy of this book, but I have consulted and read it for pleasure in the past, and found it interesting and useful.

Handbook of English Costume in the 19th Century

Here are two more snippets from the Handbook of English Costume in the 19th Century by C. Willet and Phillis Cunnington.

COURT

'My dress at Court was a white satin petticoat with a patent net drapery - gold Brussels and fringe - gown; and train of green velvet ornamented with gold; headdress of seven white ostrich feathers and diamonds.' 1813. Journals of Mrs Calvert.

BRIDAL DRESS

'a robe of real Brussels point lace over white satin...cottage bonnet of Brussels lace with two ostrich feathers; she wore a deep lace veil and a white satin pelisse trimmed with swansdown. The dress cost seven thousand guineas, the bonnet 150 and the veil 200.' 1812. The Ipswich Journal.

National Army Museum, Chelsea, London

Yesterday, I visited the National Army Museum in Chelsea, London and made loads of notes for the sequels to Sunday's Child set in the Regency era. I also visited the research centre. The staff were very helpful and found books for me to consult. A very happy day.

Handbook of English Costume in the 19th Century

Handbook of English Costume in the 19th Century by C.Willet and Phillis Cunnington contains detailed descriptions of fabrics, gentlemen's and ladies' clothes and accessories.

For example: "Waistcoats: Materials: Striped Marcella, buff kerseymere, striped Valencia, casimere, swansdown, jean.

Throughout the two decades the back could be drawn in by means of one or two pairs of tapes or (rare) midline lacing.

Pockets sometimes absent, otherwise two horizontal c 5" wide, welted, containing the snuff-box, the watch being carried in the fob.

The lining and back usually twilled cotton, occasionally silk; the canvas of the eighteenth century no longer use.

Colours

'white, green buff with blue or black stripes wide asunder; blue striped twill jean manufactured expressly for the waistcoats and trousers of men of fashion. 1810 Ackermann's Repository."

Historical Research - Costume

Dictionary of English Costume 900 - 19000 by C. Willet and Phillis Cunnington.  I always find these authors' books interesting.

Family Tree

This morning, I revised the first two chapters of Monday's Child, the sequel to Sunday's Child.

I had been struggling to introduce the characters from the earlier novel without confusing the reader. Then it was though a bright light was switched on. I realised I need to construct the heroine's family tree.

Historical - Research - Underclothes

The History of Underclothes by C.Willet & Phillis Cunnington. Over the years I have used books by these authors for research, and always found the detailed information extremely helpful, so I have ordered a copy of this one.

Culinary Delights

Shopped for food like crazy today. This week I plan to use Swiss chard from the garden to make a chard and ricotta pie, and to use the stalks for a cheese dish. I also plan to make colcannon, mango ice cream, and courgette pickle with courgettes from the garden. I also bought ready made biscuit dough which my small granddaughter will enjoy rolling out and cutting into various shapes before I put the biscuits in the oven. And I'll make more ice lollies for the grandchildren. Well that plus my strict writing routine and some gardening should keep me out of trouble.

Regency - Reseach - The Duchess of Richmond's Ball

The Duchess of Richmond's Ball 15th June 1815 by David Miller. Chapter One gives a very brief history of the Low Countries, Chapter Two introduces the reader to the Duke and Duchess of Richmond and their family, Chapter Three describes the arrival of the English, who had been "confined in their homeland" since the short peace in 1803.

Apart from the events preceding the famous ball David Miller presents the guest list and allows the reader to make the acquaintance of Civilian and Military guests. He also delves into romances, and in Appendix E examines Wellington's affair with James Wedderburn-Webster's wife, Lady Frances.

All in all valuable research.

Regency - Romance - Jane Austen's Christmas

Jane Austen's Christmas, The Festive Season in  Georgian England, Compiled by Maria Hubert.. "delivers far more than it promises ... far from an exploitation of current popularity it is a most interesting compilation of diaries, letters, extracts from the novels and even a rhyming recipe for Christmas pudding! Conjures up wonderfully the spirit of the times.  THE LADY"

Regency - Research - The Wordl of Jane Austen

Although I own several books about Jane Austen I particularly like this well-illustrated one - The World of Jane Austen by Nigel Nicolson Photographs by Stephen Colover first published 1991.

"Nigel Nicholson explains how Jane Austen's creative talent embraced a keen awareness of architecture, gardens and landscape. He follows her through southern England  and as far north as Staffordshire to identify the places she lived in and visited, and suggests how she drew on them for settings of her love stories - grand houses like Rosings and Pemberley in Pride and Prejudice, elegant town houses in Bath and London and Regency villas."

Regency - Research - Madams Bawds & Brothel Keepers of London

Madams Bawds & Brothel Keepers of London by Fergus Linnane "is an entertaining romp through several centuries of social history," including The Regency.

Regency - Research - Royal St Jame's

Royal St Jame's Being a Story of Kings, Clubmen and Courtesans by E.J. Burford is useful when researching Regency London.

"A scandalous and sumptuously illustrated history of the royal parish of St James in London, from earliest times to the heyday of the Regency... the author colourfully portrays the astonishing variety of the little world of St James. He describes the long-standing rivalry between the beaux and bloods of the great Georgian clubs of White's, Boodles and Crockford's" - as well as many anecdotes.

Regency - Research - Walks Through Regency London

Walks Through Regency London by Louise Allen, describes 10 walks she  has undertaken.

"Louise Allen is the author of over thirty Regency novels. She loves exploring London in search of the ghosts of its past and is a passionate collector of all things Regency."

Walks Through Regency London has lavish illustrations from Louise Allen's collection of antique prints.

Ten walks are described. Walk One. (Distance 1.5 miles) St James. Gentleman's clubs, old shops, a palace, Almacks, Carlton House, Beau Brummell.

Even if the reader is unable to tread in Louise Allen's footsteps on each of the ten walks the book is rich in fascinating detail.

Amazon and my novels.

I'm delighted because Amazon are recommending my novels Tangled Love and Far Above Rubies to customers who have bought other historical novels.

Regency - Research - The Life and Times of George !V

The Life and Times of George IV by Alan Palmer (General Editor:Antonia Fraser) includes chapters titled, The Coming of the Regency 1807-1814, Contrasts of Victory 1814 - 1815 and Marriage and Mourning 1815 - 1819. Published in 1972 it is informative and well-illustrated.

Soup Maker

I used my new soup maker today. I chopped up a potato, a leek, a tomato, four stalks of celery and a leek and put it into the soup maker. then I shredded some coriander leaves and added it to the vegetables. Finally, I poured in three-quarters of a pint of water and two soup stock cubes. It took no more than ten minutes, and within twenty minutes the soup was ready except for the addition of two tablespoons of double cream. Delicious!

Regency - Waterloo - Dancing into Battle

Dancing into Battle, A Social History of the Battle of Waterloo by Nick Ffoulkes is fascinating. It "captures so well the mood of the time and each chapter covers an aspect of social life and the characters who were there, why they were there and what they did and thought about it." The Military Historical Society.

"Ffoulkes has written a wonderful book. Drawing on a rich stock of memoirs  from those who fought and those who partied at Waterloo, it creates a picture that is gaudy, sad, elegant and impeccably English." Mail on Sunday.

Regency - Research - The Age of Elegance

The Age of Elegance is the final book in Arthur Bryant's trilogy "devoted to the England that beat the French Revolution and Napoleon. This covers Regency England, a wonderful rich plum-pudding of a subject. It is the England of Wellington and Castlereagh, Scott and Byron and the Lake poets; of George Stephenson and Humphrey Davy, of Cobbet and Robert Owen. An England bursting with vitality and creativeness - getting on with the industrial revolution at home while successfully fighting the French Revolution abroad.!

Writing Goals and Cooking

Rather pleased with myself. I achieved my writing goals for today, made tomato soup, and also made rhubarb chutney with rhubarb from the garden. I enjoy the sweet and sour taste on crackers to be eaten with cheese, or, e.g. in a cheese and cucumber sandwich. I've also made a large jug of lemonade with unwaxed, organic lemons and organic honey. Very refreshing.