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A BRIEF HISTORY OF EASTER EGGS...
The egg has long been a symbol of rebirth and fertility. Thousands of years ago, a simple bird's egg might have been a gift, often painted so as to celebrate the colours and the vibrancy that marked...
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THE CASE OF THE COTTINGLEY FAIRES...
Under the Dock Leaves - An Autumnal Evening's Dream by Richard Doyle. 1878. This painting is held in the British Museum Having read The Unseen, Katherine Webb's second novel, there was one scene so...
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THE HISTORY OF PEARS PURE SOAP...
In Michel Faber’s novel The Crimson Petal and the White, the subject of some previous posts– the male character of William Rackham has inherited a soap ‘empire’ The product he sells is famed for its...
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EADWEARD MUYBRIDGE: FATHER OF CINEMATOGRAPHY
Eadweard Muybridge (1830 ~1904) Eadweard Muybridge was born in Kingston on Thames in 1830, when he was known by the somewhat duller name of Edward James Muggeridge. At the age of 22 he left England for...
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HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN AND THE LITTLE MERMAID...
The Little Mermaid meets the Prince - by DulacHans Christian Andersen was the Danish author of many classic fairy tales such as The Snow Queen,Thumbelina, The Little Match Girl, The Ugly Duckling and...
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DAISY, DAISY, GIVE ME YOUR ANSWER DO...
In 1892, by which time the bicycle had become an everyday sight in Victorian life, Henry Dacre composed a song that became immensely popular, both in the London music halls, and also in America.The...
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MR BENTLEY'S MAGICAL ICE CRYSTALS
It may not be winter, but the VV has been thinking about the beautiful photographs of snowflakes made by Wilson Alwyn Bentley. Born in 1865, 'Snowflake Bentley' (as he came to be called) was raised on...
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RAILWAYS ~ A HISTORY IN DRAWINGS
On 19th August 2021 Thames and Hudson will be publishing Christopher Valkoinen's Railways ~ A History in Drawings.Magnificent engineering drawings spanning two centuries give unique design and social...
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THE REAL ALICE IN WONDERLAND ...
Alice Pleasance Liddell (1852-1934) In 1864, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson - a young clergyman and mathematics don at Oxford university - presented a little girl with the unique Christmas gift. A 15,000...
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ILLUSTRATIONS OF ARTHUR RACKHAM
Feeling very Undancy by Arthur Rackham During the VV's teenage years, instead of pinning posters of pop stars on her walls she had some lovely printed cards, each one with softly rounded corners, and...
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THE TRADITIONS OF HALLOWEEN...
Halloween is a tradition made popular in America, where pumpkin lanterns in front of doors invite children to 'Trick-or-Treat 'while dressed in spooky fancy dress, as skeletons, witches, or ghosts –...
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THE CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME BEGINS...
From the V & A ArchivesThis engraving is a reminder of the inspiration for the VV's first Victorian novel, The Somnambulist, which opens with the imaginary setting of a pantomime performance at...
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VICTORIA WOODHULL ~ THE FIRST WOMAN TO STAND FOR THE PRESIDENCY...
Victoria Woodhull 1838-1927The VV has been musing on the life of Victoria Woodhull – who was (although few have heard of her now) the very first woman who made a bid to stand for the American...
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THE VICTORIANS LOVED A FREAK SHOW...
The disturbing trade in human disability as a form of entertainment has been around for centuries, with physical 'curiosities' being displayed in circuses or travelling fairs. However, during the...
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THE VICTORIAN MIDGET, PRINCESS LOTTIE
Princess LottieIn my new Victorian gothic novel, The Fascination (published by Orenda Books in June 2023), I have a character who never grows in size beyond the age of five. There are many different...
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THE REAL VAN GOGH: THE ARTIST AND HIS LETTERS
Vincent Van Gogh 30 March 1853-29 July 1890 - self portrait: As an Artist In 2010 the RA in London exhibited the work of Vincent Van Gogh, with the artwork being complemented by some of the countless...
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TURKISH BATHS AND THE PERFUME OF 'HAMMAM BOUQUET'...
Photograph by Sarah Whittingham, from a display at Sambourne House, in London Recently, I was reminded by my friend and fellow writer, Sarah...
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THE SPIRIT ENGINEER: THE GHOSTLY INVESTIGATIONS OF WILLIAM JACKSON CRAWFORD ...
William Jackson Crawford was a paranormal investigator who the author A. J. West has brought to life in his novel, The Spirit Engineer ~ the winning title in the Historical Writers Association Debut...
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STUFFED MONKEYS AND DOGS ...
Little NapChimpanzee circus performer dressed as Napoleon, early twentieth century. I found this photograph of a chimp dressed as Napoleon when I was writing my first novel, The Somnambulist. At the...
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RIDDLE OF A CURIOUS LOVE LETTER ...
This letter is held by the American Library of Congress. It dates from the 1850's, and whether the original version was genuine or contrived, it is a most delightful find. Do read the explanation...
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THE FASCINATION BY ESSIE FOX. A NEW VICTORIAN GOTHIC NOVEL ...
My new Victorian gothic novel is called The Fascination. It was published on June 22nd and became an instant Sunday Times Best Seller. It's a book that became very important to me - being about finding...
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To celebrate my new Victorian gothic novel entering the Sunday Times Best Seller List at number 10, I'd like to post a very short reading from the first pages of The Fascination. But first of all, here...
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DR KAHN'S OXFORD STREET MUSEUM
In my novel, The Fascination, one of the settings is an anatomy museum and shop in Oxford Street - with many of the details based on one that did exist. My own museum proprietor is known as Doctor...
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ADA LOVELACE AND THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE...
Ada Lovelace December 10th 1815 - November 27th 1852Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace, was the only legitimate child of the poet Lord Byron. However, she never knew the father who left his wife...
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ZYLPHIA SARAH FOX
Zylphia Sarah Fox 1837-?A short time ago, I was surprised to receive a letter from an American cousin which contained some copies of old photographs. Those Victorian portraits shocked us both, for one...
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