I’ve written before about the various ways in which mail got delivered in the past, specifically the packet ships . Now I’m looking at the mail coach service and John Palmer (1742-1818), the mail coach pioneer. John Palmer was born in Bath to a family of wealthy brewers. As well as the brewery business, his […]
Here is my third and final post about Sir John Moore’s system of training. Today, I’m looking at drill. Drill was an important feature of a soldier’s training. Recruits were initially taught this on an individual basis, then as they progressed, they were taught in squads, then companies and battalions. Starting with close order drill, […]
I’ve recently enjoyed re-reading another of Georgette Heyer’s Regency novels, Black Sheep. It tells the story of Abigail (Abby) Wendover, a genteel, single lady of twenty-eight years, who lives with her considerably older sister, the invalidish Selina. Also living with the sisters is their orphan niece Fanny, a wealthy heiress, whose unwise infatuation with a […]
My previous post about Sir John Moore’s system of training officers and soldiers at his training camp at Shorncliffe in Kent concerned some of the practicalities of of life, such as dress, cleanliness, and discipline. But Sir John believed that every aspect of a soldier’s life should be regulated and that, with training and application, […]
As some background reading to my historical stories I’ve been looking at Sir John Moore’s System of Training. This book by Colonel J.F.C. Fuller D.S.O, published in 1924, outlines the methods of training established by Sir John Moore early in the 19th century. Sir John Moore (1761-1809) was a British Army general, renowned for his […]
My spooky mystery novel, The Unquiet Spirit is available to download free this weekend (October 17-18). So if you enjoy cosy mysteries, with a hint of danger and a sprinkle of romance (there might even be a ghost or two!) why not take a chance and download it today? Here are some of the nice […]
After a stressful week I was looking for some escapism, so I settled on a book I haven’t read in years – Georgette Heyer’s A Civil Contract. Like most of Heyer’s other Regencies, this story is not a typical romance (yes, it’s true, in my opinion she doesn’t write typical romances). A Civil Contract is […]
I’ve been looking at my October 1812 edition of The Gentleman’s Magazine and discovered amongst the many news reports, accounts of two hair-raising events. On the 1st Oct it was reported that, at one o’clock in the afternoon, a Mr Sadler ascended in his balloon from Belvedere House, near Dublin. It must have been windy, […]
Another trip out last week for the husband and I. This time we were meeting up with friends for a socially-distanced picnic. The venue was the glorious Buscot Park, near Faringdon, Oxfordshire. The weather wasn’t great when we arrived in the early afternoon, with grey skies and even a few spots of rain. By mid-afternoon, […]
