If you are newer to An Historian About Town, you might not know that May is a bit of a different month here. Each year, I pick a different theme for May and explore it in a bit more depth. While I do enjoy covering my regular variety of things, picking a theme helps me look at the world a little differently. In 2020, May’s theme was Queen Victoria. In 2021, our theme was LM Montgomery, and last year, we looked at the life and career of Margot Fonteyn throughout May 2022. And it is finally time to announce the May 2023 theme: it will be Georgian history month!
Why Did I Choose Georgian History?
I had several themes that I was debating between but chose Georgian history for a few reasons. Firstly, between the new Queen Charlotte series on Netflix and the coronation, Georgian history has been and will be in the news a lot. (A lot of items used in the coronation service date back to the Georgian period.) Secondly, we have a lot of surviving sources from the Georgian period, making it fairly accessible. Thirdly, it allows me to choose from pretty much any topic. Sometimes I like to go niche, as I did with Margot Fonteyn. However, I recognise that that might not be great for everyone. Good news for all- I will be covering a wide range of topics! There will be something for everyone.
What is the Georgian Period?
Strictly speaking, the Georgian period would be from 1714 (with the ascension of George I) through to 1830 with the death of George IV in 1830. However, I’m also going to include William IV’s reign, so Georgian history month on the blog will span from 1714 to 1837. (Apologies to the Georgian purists but I find the 1830s an interesting decade!) This period includes the Regency period, as well as the beginning of the industrial revolution and multiple uprisings, and life in the west changed significantly from 1714 to 1837.
What Will Be Covered?
Before I get into what topics you will see, not every post will be related to Georgians. I will be following my regular schedule for daily topics, and some will be on the Georgians:
Sunday: Culture/Books
Monday: History
Wednesday: Book Bite
Friday: Style File Friday
Throughout the month I will be looking at the Georgian monarchs in Britain, as well as some of their Continental counterparts. (And yes, there will be another Consort of the Month post!) However, we will also be exploring culture in the period, fashion history, book recommendations (both fiction and non-fiction), period dramas, and more. (And yes, you can expect a fair amount of coronation coverage in the first week of May.) I am constantly struck during my research by just how many topics have their roots in the Georgian period.
Is there anything that you would like to see during Georgian history month on An Historian About Town?
Cheers,
The Historian
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