Breaking news! The Nichols family who edited and printed The Gentleman’s Magazine were also parliamentary printers and their office was at 25 Parliament Street. John Gough Nichols (1806-1873) sent a letter to his father – who was on holiday in Hastings with the rest of the family – the day after the fire, and this has now come to light […]
Historic Westminster
Publication Day
It’s finally here! More…
A Regency Child’s Playing Cards
A few years ago I went to an auction and bid for a cardboard box of miscellaneous bits and bobs. Hidden among the items was a small box (not the reason for the bid) containing some children’s playing cards, dated about 1820. They are designed to teach Regency children their ‘Times Tables’ and to add up […]
The She-Wolf of Westminster
Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far, away I used to be a medieval historian. I still describe myself as that (“I’m a medievalist really”) when I can’t quite get my head round having written a book about a late Georgian subject. But my interest in 14th century history and 19th century Parliaments […]
Dickens and Parliament
Earlier this week I gave a micro-lecture at an event to celebrate Dickens’ connections with Parliament, and I reproduce some of it here. Having had an indifferent education up to 12 and then famously being put to work in a boot-blacking factory by his feckless and Micawber-like father, Dickens joined a solicitor’s office at the […]
The Light-Fingered Gentry
The 1834 disaster attracted huge crowds of onlookers. It also attracted large numbers of what The Times called ‘the light-fingered gentry’. Those heading towards the site of the fire from Regent Street found themselves jostled and overtaken by gangs of pickpockets racing down the street to get to the Houses of Parliament where they could […]
