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Jane Austen's World
janeaustensworld.wordpress.com
38
This blog brings Jane Austen, her novels, and the Regency Period alive through food, dress, social customs, and other 19th C. historical details.
#28569 in All

Explore Jane Austen’s England the Smart Way: At King’s College London

Emma Newport is running a three week summer course at King’s College London, exploring Austen’s England as well as her place in the literary pantheon. It is open to all who wish to study ...

13 h ago 1 person likes this

The Flu Pandemic in Downton Abbey

Twists and turns keep the plot of Downton Abbey rolling. One twist was unsurprising – the arrival of Spanish flu just as the war was winding down. The flu pandemic that swept around the world a...

2 days ago

Blood Letting and Collecting Leeches in the Regency Era

One can imagine that during her final illness, Jane Austen was no stranger to leeches. This method of bloodletting was so common in Great Britain (Wales especially) and France that by the 1830′...

6 days ago 1 person likes this

Jane Austen and Her Contemporaries: A Seminar

This summer Professor Devoney Looser will be directing a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar for College and University Teachers, “Jane Austen and Her Contemporaries.” Th...

08 feb 12

Downtown Abbey Season 2: Teagowns and relaxation

My regular Jane Austen readers have been patient as I succumbed to Downton Abbey fever and began to cover events 100 years after Jane Austen’s death. Customs changed during that intervening cen...

05 feb 12

Downton Abbey Season 2 Review: Coupling

We’re well into Season 2 of Downton Abbey and some obvious patterns in coupling are beginning to emerge in this historical or historic melodrama. Let’s examine how some of our favorite characters are...

03 feb 12 1 person likes this

Highclere Castle Floor Plan: The Real Downton Abbey

As viewers of Downton Abbey, we have gotten to know Highclere Castle, its setting, well.Sir Barry remodelled Highclere Castle for the third earl of Carnarvon from 1839 to 1842. The architect had just...

30 jan 12

The Green Baize Door: Dividing Line Between Servant and Master

We’ve heard the term, “Behind the green baize doors”, but what exactly does it mean? You hear this reference most often in regard to servants and in old books. Baize was a sturdy gr...

27 jan 12

Death Comes to Pemberley and Other Matters Pertaining to Jane Austen Sequels

It’s rare that I purchase a Jane Austen sequel. Generally, publishers will send books for review or I’ll pick up a copy at the library. When Death Comes to Pemberley was announced I did n...

25 jan 12 1 person likes this

Secrets of the Manor House: Recap and Review

This Sunday, PBS will air on most stations an hour presentation of  Secrets of the Manor House, a documentary narrated by Samuel West, that explains how society was transformed in the years leading u...

22 jan 12

World War 1 is featured in Downton Abbey, by Tony Grant

Dear Readers, this article, written by Tony Grant, continues on his blog, London Calling. Tony recalls events that actually happened to his great grant uncle, William McGinn. Graves at the Arras Brit...

20 jan 12

The World of Downton Abbey: A Book Review

People simply can’t get enough of Downton Abbey, as my site meter tells me. Everything we bloggers write about the costumes, actors, and historical details is lapped up by eager readers and on ...

18 jan 12 1 person likes this

Downton Abbey Season 2: Country houses in medical service

Lady Almina, the Countess of Carnarvon, who lived at Highclere Castle during the turn of the century and through World War 1, had many qualities in common with the fictional Cora, Countes of Grantham...

16 jan 12

Highclere Estate (Setting of Downton Abbey): Property to Let

A charming 4-bedroom cottage called Maple Farm House can be rented on the Highclere Estate. Highclere Castle, as every Downton Abbey fan knows, is the setting for this mini-series, which is currently...

15 jan 12

From Prada to Nada is Nada Good: A Belated Review

From Prada to Nada made $3.3 million at the box office, both foreign and domestic. I’m surprised to read that it was that much. I happened to watch the film on Netflix this past weekend when I ...

09 jan 12 1 person likes this

Downton Abbey Season 2: A World War One Guide to Rats, Shell Shock, and Barbed Wire

Gentle readers, Downton Abbey, Season 2 will be shown on PBS through February 19, 2012. I will be writing a series of posts to help illuminate some historical details that might help the viewer who i...

09 jan 12

Downton Abbey Season 2: The symbolism of the white feathers

Gentle readers, Downton Abbey, Season 2 will be shown on PBS, Sunday, January 8, at 9 PM local time. I will be writing a series of posts to help illuminate some historical details that might help the...

03 jan 12

A review of “The Many Lovers of Jane Austen,” hosted by Amanda Vickery

Gentle Readers, ‘The Many Lovers of Jane Austen’, a television special hosted by Amanda Vickery, was aired in Great Britain just before Christmas. Frequent contributer Tony Grant, who liv...

31 dec 11 1 person likes this

Jane Austen Pilgrimage III: Jane Austen House Museum and the Writing Class I Took There

Gentle Readers: Jane Austen Pilgrimage III: Jane Austen House Museum and the Writing Class I Took There is Christ Steward’s third post on her travels to England last summer. The author of the b...

29 dec 11

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is for taking time with family and chats by the fireside, for love and devotion, for celebrating the birth of the Christ child. May all who believe in this holiday have a most special, wond...

25 dec 11

Gathering Mistletoe

Dear Readers, Happy Holidays! If you happen to stand under a sprig of mistletoe (these days it is most likely artificial), you will probably hug or kiss the person standing nearest you. This traditio...

24 dec 11

Jane Austen’s seagoing brothers, Francis and Charles.

Gentle Readers, Tony Grant’s latest contribution to this blog centers around Jane Austen’s two sailor brothers. What a delightful read just before the Holidays. His blog, London Calling, ...

21 dec 11

Cold Comfort Farm, Flora Poste, Jane Austen and Persuasion

Gentle readers, Recently I had the pleasure of watching Cold Comfort Farm, a film adaptation of the comic 1932 novel by Stella Gibbons.  In 1995, Kate Beckinsale played the delightful Flora Poste, th...

19 dec 11

Women’s Riding Outfits in the Early 18th Century

The riding habit, was first introduced in the 17th century. They were tailored by men in the manner of men’s dress: a fitted jacket worn over a long skirt, often worn with a masculine hat. Samu...

16 dec 11 1 person likes this

A Victorian Christmas Feast

Gentle Readers, Frequent contributor Patty from Brandy Parfums recently attended a cooking class that featured classic recipes. She says of her experience: “When we think about our wonderful ho...

12 dec 11

New Portrait of Jane Austen?

Let’s face it. Cassandra Austen’s tiny watercolour of her famous sister simply does not satisfy viewers. Jane Austen’s fans have been dying to find another authentic portrait of the...

08 dec 11 1 person likes this

The Pump Room Trio Interviewed

Gentle Readers, a few months I featured a new book, The Pump Room Orchestra: Three Centuries of Music and Social History, by Robert Hyman and Nicola Hyman, which you can order from Amazon.com. Recent...

07 dec 11

A Short History of Floors

In researching floors and floor coverings of Georgian houses, I came across these interesting tidbits of information. During the middle ages, the floors of simple peasant households consisted of dirt...

05 dec 11

The Dependable Cabbage in the 18th and 19th century

Amongst herbs to be eaten I find gourds, cucumbers, coleworts, melons disallowed, but especially cabbage. It causeth trouble-some dreams and sends up black vapours to the brain . . .” – R...

01 dec 11

Incident in Richmond Park

Gentle Readers, A few months ago frequent contributor Tony Grant wrote a lovely post about Richmond Park. Recently, a man walking his dog lost control of his animal, who was not on his lead. The resu...

30 nov 11

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