Clik here to view.
MR BENTLEY'S MAGICAL ICE CRYSTALS
We've had a lot of snow and ice this week, which makes the VV think about the photographs of snow flakes made in the nineteenth century by Wilson Alwyn Bentley.Born in 1865, 'Snowflake Bentley' was...
View ArticleClik here to view.
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...
View ArticleClik here to view.
THE ILLUSTRATIONS OF ARTHUR RACKHAM...
Feeling very Undancy by Arthur RackhamDuring the VV's teenage years, instead of pinning posters of pop stars on her bedroom walls, she had some lovely printed cards, each one with softly rounded...
View ArticleClik here to view.
THE VICTORIANS LOVED A FREAK SHOW...
The 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 nineteenth...
View ArticleClik here to view.
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 MuseumHaving read The Unseen, Katherine Webb's second novel, there was one scene so...
View ArticleClik here to view.
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...
View ArticleClik here to view.
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...
View ArticleClik here to view.
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...
View ArticleClik here to view.
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...
View ArticleClik here to view.
TURKISH BATHS AND THE PERFUME OF 'HAMMAM BOUQUET'...
When writing her novel, The Somnambulist, the VV wanted to introduce a perfume that would have been in production during the mid nineteenth century; a fragrance that might have been suitable for men...
View ArticleClik here to view.
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...
View ArticleClik here to view.
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...
View ArticleClik here to view.
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 –...
View ArticleClik here to view.
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...
View ArticleClik here to view.
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...
View ArticleClik here to view.
THE SPIRIT ENGINEER: THE GHOSTLY INVESTIGATIONS OF WILLIAM JACKSON CRAWFORD ...
William Jackson Crawford was a paranormal investigator who the author A. J. West has written about his novel, The Spirit Engineer.In many ways William's life is a mystery, his story all but forgotten...
View ArticleClik here to view.
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...
View ArticleClik here to view.
THE REAL VAN GOGH: THE ARTIST AND HIS LETTERS
Vincent Van Gogh 30 March 1853-29 July 1890 - self portrait: As an ArtistIn 2010 the RA in London exhibited the work of Vincent Van Gogh, with the artwork being complemented by some of the countless...
View ArticleClik here to view.
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...
View ArticleClik here to view.
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 at...
View ArticleClik here to view.
THE FASCINATION BY ESSIE FOX. A NEW VICTORIAN GOTHIC NOVEL ...
My new Victorian gothic novel is called The Fascination. It's a book about finding acceptance in a world where anyone different is at risk of scorn or abuse ... or used for entertainment purposes. The...
View ArticleA READING FROM THE FASCINATION ...
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...
View ArticleClik here to view.
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...
View ArticleClik here to view.
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...
View ArticleClik here to view.
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...
View Article