The Yorkshire Terrier is a Victorian canine breed developed in my home county of Yorkshire. In the mid-nineteenth century, mill workers bred a small, energetic dog to combat the rats that ran rampant in the cotton and wool mills. The Yorkshire Terrier’s long, silky coat and bright, inquisitive character led to the breed becoming popular…
During the Victorian age there was a surge of interest in the Celtic queen Boudicca. Boudicca led a British uprising against the occupying forces of the Roman Empire in A.D. 60 or 61. Boudicca’s name means “victorious,” or Victoria, and Queen Victoria was keen to associate herself with her heroic namesake. Queen Victoria’s Poet Laureate,…
The Victorian preoccupation with scientific progress underlies the enormous catalog of animal paintings produced in the nineteenth century. A new understanding of the science of biology led to the development of specialized animal breeds both domestic and agricultural. Immortalizing the new breeds in oil paintings and engravings reflected the physical changes of the breeds….
Thanksgiving is my favorite American holiday. With an emphasis on sharing quality time with family and friends, the holiday is an opportunity to relax and be grateful for all the good things in our lives. This year I traveled with my husband to Charleston, South Carolina to spend Thanksgiving with my in-laws. The experience was…
Did you know that in 1864 it was possible to build a home with central heating, indoor plumbing, a geo-thermal air conditioning system and a burglar alarm? These futuristic marvels are not the imaginings of a steampunk author. Two years before the birth of H. G. Wells, the residents of the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion embraced the very…