Ruth Elizabeth Stiff
Bio
I love all things Earthy and Self-Help
History is one of my favourite subjects and I love to write short fiction
Research is so interesting for me too
Stories (372/0)
WOMEN IN HISTORY
Anne Boleyn was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of King Henry VIII. Their marriage and her execution by beheading, made her a key feature in the political and religious upheaval that was the start of the English Reformation.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in Viva
A STUDY IN THE GEORGIAN ERA
Who were the Kings of the Georgian Era? As the name suggests, all but one had the name George, and this Era is a period in English history from 1714 to c.1831-37. The Hanoverian Kings were King Georges I to IV, but also included the short reign of William IV. Queen Victoria came to the throne after this king and she had an Era named after her, the Victorian Era.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in The Swamp
WOMEN IN HISTORY
One of the most well-known of the English Queens, Alexandrina Victoria was born on 24th May, 1819, at Kensington Palace, London, at 4.15 in the morning. Her father was Prince Edward, the 4th son of King George III, and her mother was the Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. The little princess was christened on 24th June, 1819, in the Cupola Room at Kensington Palace, by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Charles Manners-Sutton. Alexandrina Victoria was fifth in line to the throne.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in Viva
THE PUPPET MASTER
Maria was seven years old and living in her native country Russia. Rebecca delighted to have Peter’s little niece in the Palace, she loved Maria, looking forward to having her own children. Peter and Rebecca had been married for two years and were just about ready for their own children. The Tsar, of course, gave them permission to stay in the Palace and work started on extending the Palace, with a whole floor just for Peter and Rebecca. The aged Tsar did not feel the fifteen bedrooms, three drawing-rooms, two dining-rooms and music room was big enough to house his family and his new son-in-law’s family. After all, Rebecca’s three brothers still lived at home and they were lively young men. And there was always a head-of-state visiting the Tsar. So Rebecca busied herself in designing her new home. She wanted five bed-rooms, a big nursery, a dining-room and drawing-room, and a spare suit of rooms for guests. How all of this would fit on one floor, Peter had no idea. But his wife was happy and that made him happy.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in Futurism
THE SUFFRAGETTE MOVEMENT
A Suffragette was a member of militant women’s organizations in the early 20th century who, under the banner “Votes for Women”. Fought for the right to vote in public elections, known as women’s suffrage. The term refers in particular to members of the British ‘Women’s Social and Political Union’ (WSPU), a women-only movement founded in 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst, which engaged in direct action and civil disobedience. In 1906 a reporter writing in the Daily Mail coined the term ‘Suffragist,’ in an attempt to belittle the women advocating women’s suffrage. The militants embraced the new name, even adopting it for use as the title of the newspaper published by the WSPU.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in Viva
SERVANTS IN THE EDWARDIAN ERA
Many of us have seen “Upstairs Downstairs,” “Gosford Park” and, more recently, “Downton Abbey,” and do we not ‘wonder’ at how life was back then, in the Edwardian Era. To be a Servant or “In Service” was looked at as a decent job, with a possibility of promotion (after many years), especially if you worked “in the big house.” My own grandmother was a maid in service before getting married, and the photo of her in her maid’ uniform, is quite an heirloom. I remember her trying to teach me ‘Silver Service’ (serving in the dining room) and how ‘strange’ it all seemed to me personally.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in Journal
A STUDY IN THE EDWARDIAN ERA
The Edwardian Era is my favourite Era in English history. It was a time when the old crossed over into the new and “life” started to change into the modern world in which we live today. Photography was in its infant stage but we still have these amazing pictures of the old and new, the horse and cart with the motor car (for example) in the one photograph. These old, sepia photographs have opened the door to the Edwardian Era, helping us to understand the importance of this “part” of English history, and giving us “living” pictures of how people lived back then. The pictures of the dresses are exquisite and yet, just as interesting is how these photographs showed the difference in how these “classes” lives, what they wore and where they worked.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in The Swamp
JACK'S LIFE
Walking past the cemetery, with its high hedges guarding the sleep of the dead, I looked ahead into the distance. It was a fresh spring morning. The trees were starting to bloom and I could see squirrels running along the branches, playing with each other. I had come to visit a family grave, my great-great-grandfather Jack Black-Montague. More of a family tradition than one done out of emotion but I always enjoyed laying flowers at the grave as my ancient grandfather had led such an interesting life, or so the legend says, a story that has been passed down the generations.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in Criminal
THE RUSSIAN PRINCESS DOLL
Looking over the rich green gardens, the Tsar of Russia couldn’t help but feel proud of his only daughter. Having three older sons, Rebecca was most welcome being the only daughter and last child. With long, curly, raven-black hair, a very trim figure and pale complexion, Rebecca was the beauty of the Russian Court. Her mother, the Tsarina, loved her dearly and lavished attention on her only daughter. Being so much younger than her brothers, this beautiful seventeen year old felt completely safe, and her brothers almost fighting each other to protect her.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in Futurism