Quote of the Day

A generation which ignores history has no past : and no future.

- Lazarus Long, from the works of Robert Heinlein

The Language of a fan...

I found this article on the following website:
http://thecompletevictorian.com/TheFan.html

Terribly interesting. All about young ladies could comminicate without speaking from the other side of the room.

Background
Young ladies in the Victorian era were ruled by a strict code of behavior. The higher the social class the higher the moral standards. Life's ceremonies regarding everyday life, social situations and courtship were strict and exact. Ladies and gentlemen had little chance to interact except at the lovely and lavish dances. Even there, one had to be introduced, and even if introduced to dance, that didn't mean one felt free to converse when not dancing. And what if no one introduced you? So, even though they might not be speaking to each other, conversations were going on. Sometimes across a room, sometimes in a group. The lovely ladies always had a fan to cool themselves as well as to convey information.


The Codes themselves:
In right hand, open- You are too willing
In left hand, open- Desirious of an aquaintance.
In right hand in front of face- Follow me
Fanning fast - I'm engaged
Slow - I'm married
In front of face, left hand - Leave me
Right hand - Follow me
Half open slowly shut - Kiss me
or handle to lips- You may kiss me
Twirling it on left hand - I love another
Draw across forhead - We're being watched
Placing fan behind head- Do not forget me
Placing behind head with finger extended-Goodbye
Closing it - I wish to speak to you
Dropping - We will be fiends
Open and shut sharply - Your are cruel
Drawing across eyes- I'm sorry
Drawing through hand - I hate you
Drawing across cheek- I love you
Held over left ear- I wish you to go.
Rest on left cheek- No
Rest on right cheek- Yes
Twirling fan in right hand- I love another
Presenting the fan shut- Do you love me?
Touching a finger to the tip of the fan- I wish to speak to you
Shutting a fully open fan slowly- I promise to marry you
Hands clasped together holding fan open- Forgive me
Covering left ear with open fan- Do not betray our secret
Closed fan touching right eye- When shall we meet?
If the fan was open slightly, the number of ribs showing
conveyed the hour of their meeting.
Hiding behind an open fan- I love you
Fan near heart- You have won my heart.


Isn't this amusing? It's like going on an army mission with secret codes and what not. I guess going into a drawing room WAS rather like going on campaign...

I love this photo... really captures the moment don't you think

big Chris and little Chris ...

Abbey Festival...

This one takes ages to do...

Nearly time for the ABbey Medieval Festival!!!

What hair style this time do i think... :-)

Very excited

"Family Black Sheep Comes to Light..."

Article Showing: News Report from 1885

I have always know that there was a black sheep in our family History. Mum has always said so, and Nana, while saying there was a "black sheep", refused to talk about it.

This made it all the more interesting for me, as Nana was a very typical gossipy old lady. Quite happy to share people's stories even when they wished them to be a little more discreet. But then what old ladies are really discreet...



Aparantly they can be regarding serious family secrets.

"Murder in East End London"

It all starts with the name patrick! The research into this name has afforded me nothing but frustration as i have so many photos and no information to go with them. Slowely pieces of information have trickled into my ressearch but the process has been slow.


My mother wanted to name of one her children after the family name of Patrick. This in all probability would recieve quite a happy response from most elderly members of a family as too often these days parents want to call their children after film starts or even after pieces of fruit.

However this was not the case. She was met with a rather clammed up response of "No".

Now Nana really didn't take a great deal of care to hide the fact that she had very little regard for her mother in law, she was quite vocal about not liking her. However the reasons behind this seemed very shallow. Normally this is of no real concern when a woman is talking about another woman, especial a mother in law, but in this case the dislike was displayed by refusing to talk and not a two hour spiel on how the mother in law ruined the wedding.

I have, however, just found what i think is the real reason behind Nana's refusal to talk about her mother in law. This is that dear mama in law Florence Elizabeth Patrick had an uncle in Jail for Murder!!


Yes for Murder.

Not a nice murder either. A really vicious one when the poor victim's head was nearly taken clean off by a japanese dagger in the bedroom.

yes our dear Harry Patrick borm in 1862 willfuly butched a girl of 19 with a dagger.

Starting again...

The prospect of starting something again does make me feel good in a way. I like the setting up of things, but i also like having things finished and i guess that is what i miss out of when i bust it up and start again. However i will gladly blame the fact that blogger wasn't letting me in so, shame on shame, i deleted my account. Now i shall give it another go.

in fact i have made a whole blog site dedicated to how blogger doesn't work on my computer and i can use it to log into blogger. very useful. so at least this time round i don't have to leave random comment on my other blogs to log in and gain access to posts.

that being said, leaves me WHAT this site is actually going to be about. "Born in the Wrong Age..." is a site about all things old and History. If that doesn't sound like your cup of tea, then i suggest a prompt removal out the back door of the back button. My love of History and the past has really always been there. I have always been so passionate and interested in things from the past. Many people just don't understand this.

I'm not sure how people live with eyes only for the present, not caring about photos, family stories, or even the sense of History and power that can lie in an old building. The feeling that kings and queens or even beggars from the 1800 have walked in this very sport. I find that so very fascinating. For so many people they coudn't care less and would much rather the building torn down for the new hockey pitch.

i guess i stems, in some way, from a deep down wish to be remembered in 100 years time. or even 200 years time, or even not myself, but the people and what we did.

Well here endeth the first post for Born in the Wrong Age.

while this is primarily a site just for myself, i am happy to share my thoughts with anyone who feels the same about History and the past.