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Resources for readers & writers of Regency fiction
Need an appropriate exclamation for your hero? Check out my list of Expressions. There you'll find the ones most commonly used during the Regency period, and when each first showed up in the language. Scroll down the page for a list of contractions and when they came into usage.
If you're searching for slang spoken by criminals, waterfront rogues and similar low life, check out Cant, my abridged version of the 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. I've organized select words by topic, then alphabetically.
Under Articles can be found several nonfiction pieces I've written on topics that may be of interest. They include one on women assuming male roles during the 18th & 19th centuries; a history of Minerva Press; burial practices and religious attitudes about suicides; information about Gretna Green. In addition, you'll find a list of body language cues to emotion, and color terms under Craft.
Here are some websites I've found very useful:
British History Online -- The definitive source for information about everything from the architecture of Almacks to specific political figures.
Commerce
British Money
More about British Money
How Much Is That? -- Calculate how much today's dollar or pound was worth in a specific year.
Prices and Wages 1700-1725
Smugglers' Britain --the unedited online version of Richard Platt's excellent resource.
Regency Mail -- Susanna Ivies' excellent blog about the cost of postage, mail coaches and the location of post offices.
Government/Law
Acts of Parliament - 1837 thru 2011
Introduction to the House of Lords Ceremony --detailed account of the ceremony. It was changed based on the recommendations in this 1998 report.
British Parliament - official website
Proceedings of the Old Bailey -- contains accounts of 100,000 criminal trials 1674-1834
UK Statute Law Database
Hearth & Home
Book of Household Management by Isabella Beeton - Late 19th century, but chock full of advice on how to deal with servants and other household issues. Wonderful period recipes, as well as priceless info on what to do with rancid butter, etc...
Decoration of Houses by Edith Wharton-- Written in the late 19th century. Wonderful descriptions of walls and window treatments, floors and ceilings, halls, ballrooms and saloons. Trying to figure out what furniture is in your heroine's bedchamber? This is the place.
Garden History -- information about herb, vegetable and flower gardens throughout history, including London produce gardens.
Old & Interesting -- a history of domestic paraphernalia with photos of antiques. Particular emphasis on laundry but there is info on cooking and beds as well.
The Regency Townhouse - a virtual tour of the restoration of the basement level of a Brunswick Square townhouse
Language
1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue- buckish slang, unjiversity wit and pickpocket eloquence by 18th century British antiquarian, Frances Grose.
Internation Dialects of English Archive -- hear different British accents.
Online Scots Dictionary -- English to Scots English translation
Provincial Glossary -- by Francis Grose, author of the Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. Includes local proverbs and superstitions.
Writing Implements of the 19th Century -- John C. Loring's excellent display of 19th century pens, pencils and accessories.
Medicine/Science
Birth Control -- a fantastic article on the topic at Jane Austen's World. Includes links to more resources.
Calendar-- Need to know what day Christmas fell on in 1814? The phase of the moon for a specific date in history? Check out this site. It can generate calendars for any year and any country.
Climate History -- Meteorology at West Moor's excellent index of weather for England by decade
Even More Climate History-- rainfall in England and Wales from 1914 to present. Figures are in millimeters. Monthly minimum and maximums are calculated.
England and Wales precipitation totals - 1766 to 2011
Monthly Mean Central England Temperature 1659-1973
Domestic Medicine in 1785 by W. Buchan
History of British Winters -- from 1616 to present day
Making Fire with Flint & Steel -- the procedure for lighting fires in the days before Lucifer sticks.
Nature Online -- from the Natural History Museum in London. English and Scottish flora and Fauna types by postal code. Plant, animal, and insects.
The Weather Almanac -- for 1865, provides info on the nature of the weather for each month, with valuable information about historical weather and harvests, starting on page 31. There's even data about earthquakes.
Peerage
British Titles List -- Wikipedia list of extant and extinct titles dating from 1066-present. Includes the family name.
Debrett's Forms of Address
Peerage -- everything a writer needs to know about the peerage system in Britain. Note: this is a modern point-of-view so some policies have changed.
Places
Leigh's 1819 New Picture of London -- everything the Regency writer needs to know about life in London. From how provisions were supplied, to street indexes, places of worship and public buildings.
London Panoramas -- 360 degree views of select bridges, squares, parks, etc...
Squares of London -- Georgian Index's outstanding site for descriptions of and tenants living in London's residential squares during the Regency.
Vauxhall Gardens -- singers, musicians, performers, proprietors and staff from 1661-1859
Views of London -- views of buildings and squares.
Religion
1662 Book of Common Prayer
A Table of Kindred and Affinity -- consanguinity, a list of marital relationships forbidden by the Church of England.
Social
Chambers' 1869 Book of Days -- detailed description of historic events, biographies of famous people, and customs and culture.
Correct Forms of Address - Laura Wallace's fantastic resource of the proper way to address the peerage.
Fashion Era -- Pauline Weston's wonderful website of clothing for all time periods.
Demode Couture -- women's clothing 1600-1919. THE best resource for fashion images from museums around the world.
Gaskell's Compendium of Forms -- Late 19th century but sure to be applicable earlier. Written form of address for letters of condolence and apology, dinner invitations, weddings and balls.
Letters from the Past -- provided by the Victorian Web. Information about postage costs during the Regency period, franking and who paid what. Many fine examples of period letters.
The Regency Fashion Page -- fabulous resource of Regency clothing from Cathy Decker who has a Ph.D. in 18th C. British Literature.
Regency Encyclopedia's Fashion Plates -- a special password has been created for visitors from my website. Login with "JWaugh" and the password "Research" both of which are case sensitive. For more extensive fashion research, go to RE's front page and click on "Search Categories" then scroll down to "Fashion."
Regency Dancing -- everything you want to know about the topic, including dance steps.
Regency Encyclopedia's Georgian Names -- Sue Forgue has created a wonderful name generator based on data she gleaned from Ancestry.com. A special login and password has been created for visitors from my website to access RE. Login with "JWaugh" and password "Research" both of which are case sensitive. Then click on "Georgian Names."
All About Surnames - lists the most common surnames in Britain and their geographical location.
Regency Name Generator
Jo Beverley's Regency Names
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