Category Archives: Biography
Marie Antoinette and her Children: The shocking accusations at Marie Antoinette’s Trial
The most striking thing about reading the record of Marie Antoinette’s trial before the Revolutionary Tribunal in October 1793 is realising what an astonishing mess the whole thing really was. In most other accounts, revolutionary justice always seems so swift, so merciless, so ruthlessly efficient. Many of those who stood trial before the Tribunal had [...]
Also posted in 18th Century, French History, History, Royal History Tagged Biography, french revolution, marie antoinette, marie antoinette and her children, trial Leave a comment
Marie Antoinette and her Children: The mystery and the history of Louis Charles in the tower. Part 1
On the morning of 11th August 1792, an exhausted and increasingly sweaty royal family sat in the reporters’ box of the National Assembly, a stone’s throw from the Seine in Paris. The night before, the Tuileries (the 16th-century royal palace near the Louvre which had been their residence since they were removed from Versailles in [...]
Queen Victoria’s Black Sheep: Prince Eddy and the Ripper Rumours, Part 2
As we saw in Part 1 of this story, there are many theories on the real identity of Jack the Ripper doing the rounds, which range from the hypothetically plausible to the palpably absurd. Delving a little deeper, it is interesting to note how many of the suspects suggested over the years involve highly respected [...]
Also posted in 19th Century, British History, Historical Places, History, London, Royal History Tagged jack the ripper, London, Prince Albert Victor, Royal History, social history Leave a comment
How do you solve a problem like Victoria: was Queen Victoria illegitimate?
Of the 41 monarchs of England since the arrival of William the Conqueror, only 7 have been women. But stop and think of the 41 figures on that list: how many do you feel any real connection with, how many produce an emotional response when you picture them? And, crucially, how many do you have [...]
Also posted in 19th Century, British History, Royal History Tagged 19th century, george III, illegitimate, queen victoria Leave a comment
Site of the Week: Oscar Kirk’s Diary
Oscar Kirk was born and raised in Poplar, East London, close to the substantial complex known as the West and East India Docks. A few days before the end of the First World War, Oscar, then just 14, got a job at the docks, and started to write a diary of his everyday experiences.
His entries [...]
Also posted in 20th Century, Site of the Week Tagged 20th Century, Biography, diary, Site of the Week Leave a comment
Frederick, The Hated Prince
Over Christmas I visited Hampton Court Palace, in the middle of their annual Christmas festivities. Jesters strolled the courtyards, and re-enactors scuttled around the cavernous kitchen, distilling rose water as if by magic and turning spits, perched next to roaring fires. In a corner of the kitchen, one man was making elaborate sweets and [...]
Also posted in 18th Century, British History, History, Royal History Tagged 18th century, Biography, britain, Royal History 1 Comment
Marie Antoinette and her Children: The mystery and the history of Louis Charles in the tower. Part 2