History
Pugs Are Everywhere
One of the points I make in my book PugSpotting is that pug owners like to involve pugs in everything they do. If you can put a pug in it, pug owners are there and have done it. Random insertions of pugs in books and artwork? Check. Pugs on utensils,…
More Libellous Fiction
Nathaniel Hawthorne (who as you can see was somewhat of a hottie) also experienced libel accusations in regard to one of his most famous works of fiction.In The House of Seven Gables, the name of the corrupt, evil villain is Judge Pyncheon. It just so happens that there actually was…
Colonial Coffee House
Guess what the newest exhibit at Colonial Williamsburg is – a coffee house!From The Washington Post:”Now [Williamsburg] is home to the modest Charlton’s Coffeehouse, built from scratch on historic foundations and billed as the only 18th-century coffeehouse in America.””At some point in the 1760s a young immigrant named Richard Charlton…
Remembering Henry
The Red Poppy is the symbol of Remembrance Day, 11 November. Remembrance Day was started in 1919 as Armistice Day, to honor the end of The Great War. The War to End Wars. Which came to be known as World War I.After World War II, the name was changed to…
Guy Fawkes Day in Colonial Boston
November 5, 1765″This was the anniversary of the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot, in which Guy Fawkes figured, in 1605. Pope’s day, however, originated in 1558, on the accession of Queen Elizabeth. At first, the Pope and the Devil were the only pageants, but it afterwards became somewhat changed. These…
Halloween and Pagans
Yet again, people with good intentions are out on the walking mall trying to save the souls of Halloween celebrants. And once again I have to laugh.Because Wiccans don’t celebrate Halloween.Wiccans and pagans in the Celtic tradition celebrate Samhain (most commonly pronounced Sow (ow as in ouch) – inn). This…
Historical Truth
In the professional world of historians, there is some debate over the presence of truth in history. (For those of you who are students of history, this concept will come as no surprise.)The idea is, other than dates of events, all else is filtered through the person relating the fact….
Witch Hunt
A group of females start identifying witches in their village. A fearful mob seizes the accused and tortures them. There are underlying suspicions that the accused women may have been targeted for their land and money.Salem in 1692?Or India in 2009?From BBC NEWS:”Five women were paraded naked, beaten and forced…
Emigrants’ death voyage recalled
This photo and the quotes below are from BBC NewsThis is an interesting little corner of Highland emigration history. I’ve read about the emigration to Canada and the US, but I had not read of this. St. Kilda is a small, remote island, the westernmost of the Outer Hebrides. Today…
Prince Albert’s Prince Albert
From the Archives:Yes, we’re back to piercing again. This is sort of a tangent off of my Victorian Breast Piercing Research – it’s male piercing. If you don’t know what a Prince Albert piercing is … try Wikipedia.You will find many websites – and even books – declaring that this…