Victorian Occult Beliefs, Part One

Victorians believed in legends of beings of mystical lore including that of the historic Wild Men. In them, European and Asian legends met Western pioneers and explorers for some interesting tales and compilations of sightings.
Although in modern times a number of academicians and politicians have propelled these legendary beasts into the arena of indigenous wildlife, [...]

The Art of Embalming

While working on my new Civil War romance, Katie Rose, I wrote a scene where the heroine, whose brother-in-law has just been killed at Gettysburg, is making arrangements with an embalmer to have his body shipped home to Virginia.
Prior to the American Civil War, funerals were handled by close family members and friends. But the [...]

Wyoming Firsts

I was watching the History Channel the other day, no surprise there. But their new series The States was on, and they were talking about Wyoming. It became a U.S. territory on July 25, 1868.
Reports of its vastness, beauty, and natural formations were thought to be greatly exaggerated. Accounts by Jim Bridger and John Colter [...]

Electric Chair–What I didn’t need to know

There is no reason I need to know this. But I was researching the history of the telephone on the Internet (which I do need to know for my WIP) and mentioned to my husband that the telephone was invented in Boston. He very smugly said “I knew that” and then went on to say [...]

What Would Queen Victoria Think, Today? An Exercise in Writing

My quill pen is in my hand. It’s dipped in blood red ink. Here’s what’s going on.
Characterizations for my Victorian novel are underway. They’re being beefed up, today. That said, I’m turning off the charm, and looking at the character depth. My newest critique group is named, Brutal Honesty. It epitomizes my new approach to [...]

Scrapbooking

It’s all the rage. EVERYONE does it (OK, I don’t. It requires patience and creativity I don’t have.) It’s new, it’s exciting, it’s…Victorian?
Another favorite pastime of both adults and children alike is the keeping of a scrapbook which is a collection of pictures on a subject of interest.
These scraps or “cutouts” can be printed in [...]

Princess Beatrice Contributed to Literature, Part 1
As the youngest of Queen Victoria’s children, Beatrice’s lot in life was to remain close to her mother. Even after Victoria’s death on January 22, 1901, Beatrice spent much of the remainder of her years devoted.
Appointed literary executor of her mother’s estate, Beatrice’s daunting task was to edit Victoria’s [...]

Princess Beatrice Contributed to Literature, Part 1
As the youngest of Queen Victoria’s children, Beatrice’s lot in life was to remain close to her mother. Even after Victoria’s death on January 22, 1901, Beatrice spent much of the remainder of her years devoted.
Appointed literary executor of her mother’s estate, Beatrice’s daunting task was to edit Victoria’s [...]

Another game

But this is a sports-related (online) board game. OK, so it’s from a UK primary school, but it’s fun! And it’s short – there are only a couple questions but some interesting facts. The links open in a 2nd window.
Sports in Victorian Times

Happy Independence Day, America!

The 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia was attended by millions. It’s not every year you can celebrate your country’s 100th anniversary, and those Victorians weren’t letting this party pass them by. Plus, this was the first ever world’s fair. An event not to be missed.
They were emerging from Reconstruction, and there was the successes [...]