Explore Victorian dinner parties with Amelia as she shops for her very first party dress.

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Chaperones

It's rare for me to be alone. Aunt seems to always be watching over me. She says as I'm getting older I'm going to need a chaperone otherwise people will talk. I can't think of anything worse than someone following me around, knowing my every move. 

Storytelling 

I love time on my own. It helps me to hear my own thoughts.  I like to make stories up and act them out without anyone watching. I can be whoever I want to be without breaking silly rules. 

I like to include Father in my stories too. It helps me keep his memory alive.  He'd understand my alone time because he often needed it too. 

 

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Victorian Christmas Gift Etiquette 

There are so many rules for Christmas shopping! Aunt Cora has been telling me all about them in time for our shopping trip.  I'm trying to pay attention - good girls listen and listen well, so Aunt keeps telling me. I've written them down in my notebook to help me remember just in case she tests me. 

Handmade Christmas Gifts

It's customary for men to buy gifts for ladies rather than hand making them. Ladies are encouraged to handmade and ensure gifts are not too intimate. It's completely different buying Christmas gifts for those who not blood relatives too! 

I didn't know it was customary to hint either as Aunt Cora does to Uncle Enoch about those gold knitting needles...

I've been surrounded by lots and lots of flowers today. Yellow Tulips, white Easter Lilies, purple Pansies, and they all make my nose itch! Aunt and I have been making flower arrangments to decorate our home and the local church. It's fiddly work and mine don't look as neat, as aunt keeps reminding me. Apparently, it's ladylike to make beautiful arrangments!  I'm more excited about the egg hunt in the local park... I can't wait to collect all of the beautifully coloured eggs hidden in the hedgerows and behind the trees and if I collect the most, I'll get a surprise...

Bring home your own Amelia!

"My Aunt doesn't approve of me reading. She says it fills my head with silly ideas a least that what she and her friends say about girls' reading. Although she does encourage me read poetry and play the piano because says it will be easier for me to find an educated husband who will look after me if I do.  My teacher made me promise to keep on reading, though.  I love reading fiction by Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and Emily Dickenson. Aunt says fiction is a waste past time. It may be fiction but ideas have to come from real life experiences! One day things will change for girls, maybe not in my lifetime but someday."

'I like Hallowe'en. Bonfires, parades, and people wearing masks to trick wondering ghosts. Not that I believe in ghosts! Queen Victoria loves Hallowe'en too - she visits Balmoral in Scotland every year to celebrate. How grand their royal celebrations must be? I can only imagine. I've been told it's up to me to give out 'soul cakes' to the poor and sick this year. Effie says that cakes are meant to be an offering to the lost souls so they don't come and get us!

Silly stories that's all they are, well, I hope so....

I’ve really enjoyed teaching Effie to read although it’s frustrating sometimes as she doesn’t always listen. Now I know why adults say ‘ Patience is a virtue’ ! We’ve been reading from my ancestor Matilda Marchmont’s old diary - Effie loves reading it as it’s filled with such shocking stories from Tudor times ! Effie does love anything dramatic,  just like her brother Fleet !

I love being able to read - there are so many books I want tuck into before I go to bed. I don’t know why society thinks women can’t - or shouldn’t - write. There are many lady authors now - Emily Bronte, Elizabeth Barret Browning, Christina Rosetti ! I want to read  them all but Aunt Cora thinks I should only read texts on sewing, or silly things like dance steps….

Why not read more about Amelia in Amelia’s Inheritance, a story of intrigue and adventure set in Victorian London. 

Effie, Ophelia and I shall be having afternoon tea tomorrow.   It’s too cold to play outside and cold wintry days make me want to drink plenty of milky, sweet tea. I will set aside a saucer of milk for Ophelia - cats are not allowed tea!

I've already hand-delivered my invitation to Effie. She laughed  at my handwriting and said I needed more practice if I want to  write like a lady.  I shan't be giving her an extra  Banbury cake! It probably didn't help that the rain got to the envelope and smudged the ink.

I will wear my best dress and use my best tea-set and maybe if the sun shines, we’ll have afternoon tea at the bottom of the garden where no one can interrupt our fun.  There will be plenty of sandwiches, without crusts on of course, and almond biscuits...

I must sneak into the pantry now if I’m going to get everything I need!

 

It was Christmas Eve. Amelia and Effie were sitting in a window seat in the house in Hampstead, drinking tea as snow fell on Church Row outside. Effie was reading aloud dramatically from Matilda Marchmont’s old journal, which they had found in the chest.

Amelia could make out the branches of the tall Christmas tree quite clearly now, flickering with soft candlelight and hung with gingerbread stars. The room was garlanded with ivy and mistletoe.

“Hmm. I’ve taught you to read well,” mused Amelia.

 

“Don’t flatter yourself, will you!”

The girls grinned at each other. 

Mr. Haverstock was walking across the room. His hands were flapping oddly.

“Please don’t over-excite yourself, but I have news. Great news. More than news…A visitor. Can you bear a tremendous shock do you think?”

 

Flickering with soft candlelight and hung with gingerbread stars...

 

 

Extracts from 'Amelia's Inheritance'

Uncle Enoch was watching me in the hallway outside. His skin looks like wax. He says he expects his household to “run like clockwork”. Every time he speaks to me I shudder. I better hurry and dress for dinner...