Hello, Sunshine!

We’re only a week or so away from the Winter Solstice here in the northern hemisphere, when the days are shortest and the nights longest. The lack of sunlight can be hard…which is why I thought this fashion print from La Belle Assemblée would be just the thing to brighten the day.

I mean, YELLOW! 

 

This is an Evening Dress from February 1812; the British know something about gloomy winters, so I can imagine this dress would have brightened things up then just as much as it does now.

The description reads, No. 1.—Evening Costume  An amber crape dress over white sarsnet, trimmed with pearls or white beads, with a demi-train; a light short jacket, rather scanty, with two separate fancy folds, depending about three quarters down the front of the skirt, forming in appearance a kind of Sicilian tunic, and trimmed down each division, like the bottom of the dress, with a single row of pearls: short sleeves, not very high above the elbow, fitting close to the arm, and ornamented at the top with distinct points of satin, the same color as the dress, relieved by pearls; two rows of the same costly material or of beads, according as the robe is ornamented, form a girdle. The hair is dressed in the antique Roman style, with tresses brought together and confined at the back of the head, terminating either in ringlets or in two light knots; a braid of plaited hair drawn over a demi-turban formed of plain amber satin, with an elegantly embroidered stripe of white satin, separated by rows of pearl, and a superb sprig of pearls in front. Necklace of one single row of large pearls; with earrings of the Maltese fashion to correspond. Ridicule aux getons of slate colour, shot with pink; the firm base secured by a covering of pink stamped velvet, with pink tassels. Italian slippers of amber, fringed with silver, or ornamented round the ankle with a row of pearls or beads. White kid gloves. –This elegant dress owes its invention to the tasteful fancy of Mrs. Schabner, of Tavistock-street.

To me, it’s not just the color that makes this dress stand out: it’s the extravagant simplicity of it all. There’s little fuss or bother to this dress, stylistically, though the little peplum at the back of the waist is a nice touch. But the materials say otherwise: though a simple illustration can’t depict it, picture the contrast of the textures of the “crape” and the satin on that sleeve, even though they match in color.

 

And the pearls! I would hope that beads were used at least for the hem, because that is an enormous number of pearls (which weren’t at that time as common as they are in this day of extensive pearl culturing)…not to mention the likelihood of pearls being trod upon and crushed. Eek!

The headdress, curiously, is the busiest part of this ensemble, with its “elegantly embroidered” band and the ringlets and braid inspired by ancient Roman styles seen in statuary: don't forget that a great deal of fashion in both clothes and home furnishings were heavily influenced by the ancient world.

Also outstanding, though not in a positive sense, is the reticule or “ridicule”; gray and pink do not harmonize well with the yellow in my opinion, but tastes do change…

 

What do you think of this dress? I hope it brightened your day—in all senses of the word! And as Regina and I will be taking a couple of weeks off over the holidays to spend time with our families, I will also take this opportunity to wish our NineteenTeen readers many, many bright days over the rest of this year and into 2022.

Nineteenth Century Christmas Wish List, 2021 Edition

Many people I know started their Christmas shopping early. If you are one of them—good for you! If you aren’t, no worries! Here are a few things to inspire those who love the nineteenth century or to just inspire in general!

Banks by Grantlee Kieza 
Naturalist Sir Joseph Banks dominated the sciences in Regency England. I’ve used him a time or two as a supporting character. This biography by an award-winning journalist shines new light on the man himself, calling him “a fearless adventurer” whose “fascination with beautiful women was only trumped by his obsession with the natural world and his lust for scientific knowledge.” Sounds like a great read to me!

Becoming Future You: Be the Hero of Your Own Life by Mel Jolly 
Everyone has a dream, but sometimes we aren’t entirely sure how to reach it or why we haven’t reached it yet. Having worked with authors and other creative entrepreneurs for nearly two decades, Mel knows what it takes to move forward in your life. And her warm, encouraging prose will make you feel like your best friend is walking right there with you.

Jewels Through Time on Etsy 

Can I just say I’m in love? This amazing shop has wonderful reproductions of jewelry worn in historical movies. You’ll find pieces that look like they came off the set of Emma, Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice, Poldark, and more, at reasonable prices. For example, you can get a reproduction of this piece worn by Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennett in the 1995 miniseries adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (with Colin Firth as Darcy). Gorgeous! (My husband has already purchased a piece for me for Christmas.)

Cuddly, Period-Inspired Throw on CafePress
This lovely plush fleece throw blanket is based on Regency dress fabric. Perfect for cuddling up with a good book!

And speaking of books, December 3 through 10, you can get the first book in the Marvelous Munroes series, My True Love Gave to Me, free in ebook form. The print book and series bundle are also discounted.

If you sign up for my newsletter, you’ll also know when a book is on sale or up for preorder. I send an exclusive Christmas story only to newsletter subscribers each year. Sign up before December 20, and you’ll receive it too. 

Happy Christmas shopping!

Peering Into the Shadows: Nineteen Teen Interviews Bestselling Author Julie Klassen

Please welcome bestselling author, Julie Klassen. Julie visited us previously, but she has news you’ll want to hear, and we asked her to tell you all about it!

Nineteen Teen: Since you last visited us, you’ve been busy with eight more books, including four in your wonderful Ivy Hill series, and accolades such as the Minnesota Book Award, Midwest Book Award, and Christian Retailing’s BEST Award. Well done! And now you have something special coming next week. What should we know?

Julie: My 18^th novel, Shadows of Swanford Abbey, releases into the world. Release time is always exciting, if a little nerve-wracking as well. My publisher describes the novel as “Agatha Christie meets Jane Austen,” which I love since I admire both of those authors. The book is about a young woman staying at a Medieval abbey-turned-hotel rumored to be haunted. There she encounters a man who once broke her heart. When an author is murdered is the hotel, the two work together to solve the mystery, and find danger and romance along the way.

19T: Why did you decide to dip your toes into the mystery world?

Julie: My husband and I had been listening to many mystery audiobooks, including titles by Agatha Christie and others. Somewhere along the line, I was struck with the idea of trying a “locked door” mystery myself (when a person locked alone in a room is killed and no one can figure out how). And being a writer, I was intrigued with the idea of the victim being an author who is perhaps not all that his public persona appears to be. Weaving together a convincing whodunit wasn’t easy but I enjoyed the challenge. Hope readers enjoy it as well.

19T: What was the most interesting thing you learned while researching Shadows of Swanford Abbey?

Julie: Good question! I was moved by the sad history of the many religious buildings that were claimed by the crown in previous centuries and given to noblemen, many of which remain private homes today, a few of which have become grand hotels. I was also interested to discover a few fascinating features in Lacock Abbey (the real abbey that inspired my fictional one), like a hidden staircase and abbess’s squint. You KNOW those ended up in the novel!

19T: You’ve been fortunate enough to take part in the Jane Austen Festival in Bath. What was that like?

Julie: It was memorable and strangely wonderful to parade through Bath in Regency attire while thousands of onlookers lined the streets to watch (even in the rain). Another time, I was blessed to find myself sitting next to Benjamin Whitrow (Mr. Bennet in 1995 Pride and Prejudice) at a theatre and enjoyed a lovely chat with him. Sadly Mr. Whitrow has passed away since then, but I feel privileged to have met him.

Popcorn round:

Milk or lemon in your tea? Milk.

Redingote or pelisse? Redingotes strike me as a bit more fashionable, but pelisses seem warmer, so since I live in frigid Minnesota, I’ll go with a pelisse.

Waltz or country dance? Waltz (I LOVE to waltz).

London townhouse or cottage in the country? Cottage in the country every time.

Jane Austen or Jane Eyre (we know, that’s tough one!) That is too difficult. May I just say “Jane” and leave it at that? 😊

Thanks for sharing Shadows of Swanford Abbey with us!

Gentle reader, be sure to preorder the book so that it delivers on release day, December 7, 2021: 

Amazon 

Apple

Baker Books (free shipping!)

Barnes and Noble

Books a Million

Christian Book

Indie Bound, an independent bookstore near you

Kobo

Book Depository, free shipping worldwide

Listen While You Bake

It’s the time of year around here when folks start thinking about cooking, especially baking. Pumpkin pies, spice cake, oatmeal cookies, peanut butter fudge, raspberry crisp, you name it. So, in case you’re one of those so inclined, here’s a throwback to a great historic recipe from beloved author Louise M. Gouge, as well as some reading and listening to go along with it. 

While you’re waiting for the pie to bake or the fudge to set, try It Started With a Duke: Fortune’s Brides, the Beginning, with two full novels and a novella, now available as both ebook and audiobook!

The mysterious Meredith Thorn and her cat, Fortune, opened an employment agency to help gentlewomen down on their luck. Her first assignment? Finding a governess for the young daughters of the Duke of Wey. Enjoy three warm, witty Regencies that begin the Fortune’s Brides series: Never Doubt a Duke, Never Borrow a Baronet, and Always Kiss at Christmas, Meredith’s origin story.

“I am seriously LOVING this series. Regina is hooking me from the first page, and I don’t want to set the book down until I finish the story!” – For the Love of Christian Fiction

“I highly recommend the entire series - to anyone who enjoys well written Regency romance.” – Audible listener Lil Miss Molly (used with permission)

Smashwords 

Amazon (affiliate link)

Apple Books 

Barnes and Noble  

Kobo

Audible 

Apple audio  

Scrumptious!

Children of George III: Mary, Duchess of Gloucester

1776 might not have been the best of years for George III, but it was not without its bright spots; one of those occurred on April 25, when his eleventh child and fourth daughter was born. Mary (yes, that’s all—had her parents grown tired of bestowing multiple names on their numerous offspring, or had they just run out??) came into the world at Buckingham House in London, and was destined to outlive her numerous siblings…but let’s not get ahead of ourselves!

Just as her elder three sisters formed a sort of subgroup within the family, Mary would become the eldest in a second sisterly subgroup, along with future siblings Sophia and Amelia.) The practical upshot of this was that my now, with eleven children, the king and queen simply didn’t have as much time and attention for the younger ones, and Mary and her sisters would not receive the same careful academic education that the Princess Royal, Augusta, and Elizabeth had.

As it happened, though, Mary did fine without it, for her intelligence was less academic than it was interpersonal. She was a charming baby who grew into a charming toddler, already described at sixteen months by one of the royal household as “a lovely elegant made child” and by another, a few years later: “There never was a child so consummate in the art of pleasing, nor that could display herself to such advantage.” While still small, she became the lifelong favorite sister of her eldest brother, the Prince of Wales, and indeed of many of her siblings.

After that rocky start in 1776, the world in which Mary grew up remained a rocky place, especially after the French threw in their support for the American independence effort and, a few years later, had their own revolution. It was a world that the king hesitated to allow his daughters out into, and so Mary’s debut at age 15 meant she was joining her elder sisters in spinsterhood. Unlike them, though, Mary seemed reasonably content in her single state; her name would never be connected (at least not seriously) with a secret lover’s, though she did strive to be out in society as much as possible; she loved attending the theater and such balls and parties as she was allowed to. She had grown into the beauty of the family, darker of hair and finer of feature, and had an excellent fashion sense (sharing her love of clothes with the Queen)…but emotionally, seems to have cared only for her parents and siblings and her cousins the Gloucesters, children of one of her father’s estranged brothers.

As her younger sister Amelia’s health declined in the first decade of the new century, Mary became her devoted companion and nurse (and conspired in Amelia’s doomed love for Charles Fitzroy. Amelia’s death in 1810 and the king’s subsequent final descent into madness marked the beginning of changes for the family; by 1813, the remaining sisters, now in their thirties and forties, were settling into new homes and routines around London and Windsor. Many of those routines revolved around visits from their niece Princess Charlotte, whose tempestuous teenhood was at hand; Mary, always sided faithfully with her brother in the upheavals surrounding Charlotte and her estranged mother, Caroline.

Eventually, though, Charlotte’s troubled youth resolved into happy marriage in May 1816 with her Leopold…and to everyone’s surprise a month later, Mary announced her own upcoming June wedding…to her cousin William, Duke of Gloucester. To this day, speculation about their relationship remains rife: some sources say he’d been in love with his beautiful cousin for years, while others state that since he’d been unable to charm Charlotte into marriage, Mary was his second choice to worm his way back into royal favor (and regain the title of “royal highness” that had been stripped from his father after his runaway marriage.) Some fondness seems to have existed between them, but William did not prove to be a kind husband to his bride: in general, he did not enjoy the reputation of being an intelligent or even vaguely sensible person. But Mary now had the pleasure of being a married woman, mistress of her own establishment and even freer now to go about in society—and to serve as hostess for her beloved eldest brother’s court, something only a married woman could do.

Mary’s difficult marriage lasted till 1834, when the Duke died suddenly. Mary took to widowhood quite happily, and continued her comfortably busy social life, though no longer the first lady at court after George IV’s death in 1830. She traveled to visit her sister Elizabeth in Germany, became quite a favorite of her niece Victoria (that's Mary at right, with Victoria and her children Bertie and Alice), and helped nurse her sisters Augusta and Sophia through their final illnesses; the last, in 1848, left her the last daughter of George III. Her own health became of occasional concern, but Victoria continued devoted to her, a source of much comfort through the 1840s and 1850s. After a period of declining health she died just a few days after her 81^st birthday, on April 30, 1857, and was sincerely mourned by the queen and her family.

 

Bunhill Fields Forever

Here in the states, we just finished Halloween. At my previous home, we had hundreds (no exaggeration—record of 223) of trick-or-treaters show up at the door. Now we live in a more rural area, and some years we have none. I was tickled to have 15 this year. So, in honor of Halloween, I give you a spooky nineteenth century place to consider.

Bunhill Fields.

The area at the edge of London in the nineteenth was used as a burial ground from ancient times. The name, in fact, may derive from the words “Bone Hill.” But its lineage wasn’t the only thing that made it a place that could frighten. Consider the following:

1. It was originally intended to bury victims of The Plague (though, aside for the pit for the bodies, it doesn’t appear to have served that purpose).
2. The churchyard at nearby St. Paul’s was crowded enough that when it was time for the next burial, a portion of someone else ended up getting dug up in the process. Those bones were dumped into Bunhill Fields.
3. The space was never officially consecrated by the Church of England.
4. Period drawings show gravestones at odd angles and grass growing wildly between the memorials. Someone did put up a spiked gate on the northeast corner, to hinder the work of resurrection men attempting to steal bodies.

Gives one the chills, what.

But the good news is that, because the ground was unconsecrated, those who did not conform to the Anglican Church (for example, Quakers and in some cases Methodists) could be buried there.

By the time Bunhill Fields was closed to new burials in the mid-1800s, it had seen more than 123,000 internments, including the likes of Daniel Defoe and William Blake. In 1867, the city built new walls and gates, laid out paths, and opened it as a public garden. The city even straightened tombstones and recut inscriptions. Iron plaques on the south wall directed visitors to particular plots.

Today, it is a pleasant park, proving that some things need not be scary after all.

Regency Fabrics, Part 33

Here’s another post in our ongoing series on Regency fabrics.

As I have in previous posts, I’ll be examining actual fabric samples glued into several earlier editions of Ackermann’s Repository, samples supplied by the manufacturers and published by Ackermann in order to boost the British cloth-making industry at a time when exporting British goods to Europe was almost impossible because of the Napoleonic war. I'll give you a close-up scan of each sample, the published description if available, and my own observations of the color, weight, condition, and similarity to present-day materials, to give you as close a picture as possible of what these fabrics are like.

 

Today’s three samples are from the September 1813 issue of Ackermann’s Repository. The overall condition of my copy is excellent, though a little closely trimmed on the outside edge; the page itself is free of foxing and is only slightly toned. The samples themselves are in very good condition, with a bit of toning in the top sample.

Here we go!

No. 1 and 2 is a Chinese chintz, for drawing-room, boudoir, and sleeping-room furniture. This lively and cheerful article admits a lining and fringe of any colour; but those of pea-green, pink, and blue exhibit it to most advantage. It is from the house of Mr. Allen, Pall-Mall, whose superb and extensive ware-rooms stand unrivalled in point of variety, taste, and cheapness.

My comments: This chintz is of the usual weight but heavily glazed, and honestly not very well printed. I do wonder if the bits showing as a slightly purplish taupe were originally green, because otherwise the recommendation to trim anything made with it in pea-green seem a tad jarring.

No. 3. A unique and elegant article for ladies’ robes, pelisses, mantles, and scarfs, styled the Vittoria striped gauze. Trimmings for this article may be of silver, white beads, or lace, with fancy gimps and fringe of the same shade. It is sold by Wm. King, 44, Pall-Mall. 

My comments: A very pretty primrose-yellow silk, in a striped pattern featuring dots, chevrons, and open-weave. It seems a bit too lightweight for pelisses or mantles, even with a lining, but as an evening dress, would be a winner. Very dainty and elegant indeed.

 

 

No.4. A figured Manchester muslin, calculated for domestic wear. Robes of this article are frequently formed high in the neck, with full long sleeves; cuffs and collar of fine needle-work, or lace, a correspondent belt and clasp confining it at the bottom of the waist; and is sometimes trimmed at the feet with a full silk fringe, of the same shades. This article is sold by Waithman and Son, corner of Bridge-street, Blackfriars.

 

My comments: The scan is not doing this sample justice, because this is gorgeous stuff! A fine silk muslin, but with enough body that it would hang gracefully. The sheen is lovely (again, the scan is disappointing), and in daylight this fabric almost looks shot (woven with contrasting threads.) This fabric seems wasted on “domestic wear”—it’s definitely attractive enough to appear in any occasion outside the house. What do you think of this month’s fabrics? Fancy a dress in one?

Nineteenth Century Heroines: Reaching for the Top

When I was researching for A View Most Glorious (lovely, lovely research), one of the first people that popped up was the first woman to reach the top of Mt. Rainier. That in itself is an amazing feat! But it was only one of many for Evelyn Fay Fuller.

Fay was born in 1869 in New Jersey, though her family later moved to Chicago. Her family moved again in 1882 to settle near Tacoma, Washington Territory. Her father edited a number of newspapers there, starting with the Evening News and going on to the Tacoma Ledger, Every Sunday, and The Tacomian. Fay fell in love with the grandeur of the area. She made her first visit to Paradise Park, at the 5,000-foot level on the mountain, when she was 17 and managed to make it to nearly the 9,000-foot level. She vowed then and there to reach the summit.

Fay graduated from high school at age 15 and began a career as a teacher. She and a group of young women also banded together for exercise, including calisthenics and rifle drills. But still the mountain called her. In August 1890, a couple of months shy of her twenty-first birthday, she was once again at Paradise Park at the invitation of Philemon Van Trump, who, with Hazard Stevens, had been the first white men to reach the summit. They were intent on making another trip, and they invited her to join them. They didn’t have to ask twice.

Accompanied by three other men (one a minister), but refusing their aid, she reached the summit at 4pm on August 10, having overnighted at Camp Muir. Bad weather forced the party to spend a second night on the mountain, this time on the summit in ice caves near steam vents to keep warm.

Fay returned to fame. The report of her climb crossed the nation, and a local photographer took a picture that would become iconic (see above), careful to disguise the fact that she had been wearing bloomers at the time. Scandalous! She quit teaching and joined her father as a reporter. Her “Mountain Murmurs” column would inspire countless others to attempt the climb or at least dream of doing so.

Fay was a founding member of the Washington Alpine Club in 1891, the Tacoma Alpine Club (now gone) in 1893, and the Mazamas (Portland, Oregon) in 1894. She made her second ascent of Rainier in 1897, having reached Paradise with more than 200 members of the Mazamas and taken 57 of them with her to the summit. Besides climbing, she advanced to city reporter for her father, walking all over Tacoma to cover the waterfront, equity courts, and the markets. She was sent to report on the World’s Fair in Chicago and St. Louis. She also served as the first female harbormaster.

In 1900, she left to explore beyond Washington, taking up reporting jobs in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and New York City. She was in her thirties when she married an attorney named Fritz von Briesen, who appears to have been fairly well off. They had three children, one which didn’t live to see her first birthday. The von Briesens later moved to California.

Fay died at age 88 in Santa Monica, California, having reached heights few still have ever attained.

You can catch a glimpse of the view of Paradise that so inspired her below.

New Release Announcement: Murmurs in the Dark is Here!

Okay, so you’re probably thinking, “Hey, Marissa—didn’t you just release a new book a few weeks ago?” Well, yes, I did. Still, here we are: I am delighted to announce the release of Murmurs in the Dark: Thirteen Ghostly Tales from Book View Café, edited by me and my fellow Book View Café author, Shannon Page.

Book View Café is a small publishing cooperative founded in 2008 by a group of science fiction and fantasy authors, including the late Ursula K. LeGuin. BVC’s focus is mainly genre fiction—fantasy, mystery, romance, science fiction—though we’ve also brought out other works, including children’s books and non-fiction. We’ve published several anthologies of our authors’ short pieces in science fiction, fantasy, steampunk, romance, and more…but we had never ventured into horror. It was time we did, and here is the result.

Not that Murmurs in the Dark is particularly horror-ible. Shannon and I asked our members to contribute ghost stories of any persuasion, and what came in covers just about every flavor of that sub-genre. There are spooky stories, indeed…but there are also  humorous stories, melancholy stories, stories told from the ghost’s point of view, historical stories (yes, my contribution would be in that category--how did you guess?)—in short, a marvelous spectrum of tales:

“The Summer House: a Fable” by Chaz Brenchley

“With Stars in her Eyes” by Alma Alexander

“Love in the Company of Ghosts” by Steven Popkes

“House is Where the Heart Is” by Marissa Doyle

 “La Dame Blanche” by Brenda W. Clough

“Given to the Sunrise” by Dave Smeds

“Lideric” by Jennifer Stevenson

“Violence Begets…” by Paul Piper

“The Nature of Things” by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff

“Golden Spider Beetles” by Shannon Page

“Borrowed Places” by K.E. Kimbriel

“The Waking of Angantyr” by Marie Brennan

“It All Ends With a Game of Croquet” by Jill Zeller

Murmurs in the Dark is available directly from Book View Cafe in both EPUB and MOBI formats, as well as from Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and Apple Books) as well as in print from Amazon. I hope you'll give it a try in this spooky season.