Queen Elizabeth I and Halitosis

The Past was a very smelly place. I’m quite sure that we would all just about fall over should we have to return to a time of tanneries along rivers, open sewers, horse-powered transport, rushes as carpet into which you would throw your leftovers, and people not overly fond of taking a bath. Having said this, … Continue reading →

Heights of History’s Heroes and Villains

I am reading a book called Mussolini’s Barber by Graeme Donald. In it, he mentions that Joseph Stalin was 5 ft 4 in tall. I don’t know about you, but this was rather a shock to me. When I looked into it, there does seem to be some debate about his actual height. What is certain, however, … Continue reading →

Shoes, Glorious Shoes

It has come to this. Of course, it was bound to. You see, I am rather too fond of shoes, to misquote Louisa May Alcott. Ms Alcott was too fond of books (as am I) but I think it’s the shoes that have really turned my brain. Imagine my horror two nights ago – I was … Continue reading →

H.R.H. The Princess of Wales’s Pet Dogs and a Kaiser Behaving Badly

This is supposed to be my wordless Wednesday post, but I can quite simply not resist typing a few. It comes from having been a shy little girl. I have much silent time to make up for. The picture below is from Country Life Magazine 8th Jan 1897. It shows the Princess of Wales, Alexandra of Denmark, … Continue reading →

My Cousin Made a Black Bonnet- Mourning Dress in the 19th Century

This is the world of my forgotten forebears. They were ordinary people whose lives are now beyond memory. I hope to give them a name and a context. They are my family, but I hope you’ll enjoy reading about my journeys through time to bring back their stories. “Custom decrees, if even inclination does not prompt … Continue reading →