by : Andrew History, Lord of the Manor

How the Crumbling Button Hall Inspired the BBC Series Ghosts

How the Duchess of Roxburghe’s Crumbling Estate Inspired the BBC Series Ghosts

The festive edition of BBC One’s comedy Ghosts is a highlight of the 2020 Christmas TV schedule. The episode, titled ‘The Ghost of Christmas’, promises to deliver the same wonderful blend of humour and poignancy that won Ghosts millions of fans over the course of two seasons (a third is in the pipeline) and led to the press crowning it ‘British telly’s best sitcom’.

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by : Andrew History, News

The British Aristocrat Who Helped to Conquer the Deadly Smallpox Virus

You’ll no doubt have heard that Britain has become the first country in the West to authorise the use of a COVID-19 vaccine. This hugely significant announcement brings hope to millions.

What you may not know is that this isn’t the first time Britain has been at the forefront of Western efforts to immunise people against a life-threatening virus. The 18th century aristocrat Lady Mary Wortley Montagu revolutionised Western medicine when she brought smallpox immunisation to Britain. The story of how this inquisitive noblewoman became a medical pioneer is fascinating.

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by : Andrew History, Seated Titles

How American ‘Dollar Princesses’ Enriched the British Aristocracy

During the late 19th century, British aristocrats – powerful, titled landowners – faced what might today be called a cash-flow crisis. Their tenants were abandoning rural life and moving to industrialised areas, while strong competition from foreign agriculture was beginning to bite. As a result, the income generated by the aristocracy’s vast land-holdings was falling sharply.

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