Regency History
General historical information related to the Regency.
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Anatomy of a Regency Inquest
During the Regency, the British had a constitutional dislike of police, believing that an organized police force would undermine the ideals of the kingdom. So when there was a crime, they had to rely on local magistrates and volunteer constables to take care of things. Occasionally, people would enlist the aid of the Bow Street Runners in London (that’s a post for another day). But when the crime involved a suspicious death, the coroner was called in to decide if someone was responsible and if that person deserved to pay for the crime. The title “coroner” comes from the Latin “coronus,” meaning crown; from the Middle Ages, the British coroner…
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Cerebral Palsy in the Regency
Cerebral palsy was misunderstood during the Regency to be a mental illness.
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A Reflection on Pre-Colonialism
When we think of the British in India, most of us will instantly envision colonial officers and their memsahibs lording it over the natives. This supremacist attitude, however, did not always the reign in England, but was the result of a long and complicated progression.
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A First of Its Kind: the Waterloo Medal
The Waterloo Medal was the first of its kind in Britain, but not everyone was pleased by its historic creation.
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Entails: the Real Deal
Entails are familiar to most of us---but how they are broken is another matter.
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Never Mind Your Daily Bread
Though I love the Regency era, it was not all loveliness and good manners. The Corn Laws were an example of what greed can do to destroy peace and prosperity.
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The Glory of Britain
Princess Charlotte of Wales was thought to be "Europe's hope and Britain's glory."
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Finding Connections
I often feel like a great pretender as an American writing about the Regency, but my genealogist husband pointed out my own valid connection.
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Physician, Surgeon, or Apothecary?
A surgeon in the Regency era was simply a self-taught or non-degree-holding medical man who knew enough to treat you when you were ill, and would also perform surgery if necessary.
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A Debate Over Debutantes
As a word geek, I do apologize for splitting hairs, but I really must take a stand: there were no debutantes in the Regency.
