Regency Matchmakers
Regency Matchmakers: In 1810 at the Court of Chancery a marriage broker took legal action to recover fees from a client who refused to pay when he failed to snare his ideal bride. In his quest to find a wife of rank and wealth (he stipulated she should bring £1500 a year to their union), General Burr had paid a retainer of £20 to Mrs. Morris of the "Marriage Institution," Margaret St. Cavendish Square. Sources vary on the fee he had agreed to pay on the day of his marriage: either £1000 or [...]
Outsiders Within – Romani in the Regency
By the time 'Gypsies' appeared on the pages of Jane Austen, Sir Walter Scott and Maria Edgeworth, Romani people had been in England for centuries. Sidebar: Believing the copper-skinned migrants to hail from Egypt, the Europeans had coined the term "Gypsies" for these migrants. Some consider this pejorative and prefer Rom/Roma or Traveler. However studies of genetics, culture, and language show distinct differences in heritage between the communities of Eastern Europe (predominately Roma), the Travelers (almost entirely Irish), and English and Welsh Gypsies (Romani). To avoid geographic confusion, the broader 'Gypsies' is used in this post. [...]
Other Interesting Posts
Outsiders Within – Romani in the Regency
By the time 'Gypsies' appeared on the pages of Jane Austen, Sir Walter Scott and Maria Edgeworth, Romani people had been in England for centuries. Sidebar: Believing the copper-skinned migrants to hail from Egypt, the Europeans had coined the term "Gypsies" for these migrants. Some consider [...]
