While I’m bouncing back from my previous week of R&R (hint: fridge re-stocking and massive laundry are involved), here’s a re-post about bank robbers and counterfeiters in the 19th century that you may find interesting. Enjoy! *************************** Some 19th century criminals weren’t as smooth and polished as the “Sting” style con-men (and women), or the(…)
New York Times
Beyond the macaroni necklace: Mother’s Day
Here in the United States, unless you’ve been living in a hole, you know that Mother’s Day is this Sunday (and if you forget, you’ll soon be hiding out in the doghouse, LOL). Most of us are affected by Mother’s Day in one way or another: if we aren’t moms ourselves, we each had a(…)
Guest blogging for Marcia Richards today!
Please join me over at historical fiction writer Marcia Richards’ blog, where I will be guest posting about: Christmas Traditions in late-19th/early 20th century U.S. Women’s Colleges See you there! Kathy Be the first to like. Like Unlike
Flashback Friday: Ice-skating in Central Park
Since winter is just around the corner, I thought you’d enjoy a little nugget of Victorian winter recreation. The Central Park “lakes” were connected to the city’s water system, and in the winter the depth of the lake was lowered so that the water would freeze better. Ice skating was an enormously popular pastime,when the(…)
A glimpse into 19thc life: the Seven Sisters
Ahh, Labor Day weekend. The last gasp of summer leisure. ALL of the children going back to school. Parents have been kissing college freshmen goodbye and returning to quieter homes (mostly). It’s the first weekend of college football, too, when many of us ransack our closets for those college colors to wear, either in front of the(…)
Swindlers, Thieves and Pickpockets – Oh My! Don’t Walk Through the 19th Century Alone
While I’m off watching my oldest get his diploma (where’s my hankie?), here’s a post from the beginning of the year that you might enjoy. I’ll be back soon! Kathy The Age of Larceny Historian Timothy Gilfoyle, in “Street-rats and gutter-snipes: child pickpockets and street culture in New York City, 1850-1900,” (published in Journal of(…)
Lock Your Doors: 19th century "sneak" thieves
Okay, so you’re an ordinary citizen, making your way in the late-19th century world (specifically the American corner of the world). Let’s say you’re a cautious and astute person: you keep a tight grip on your wallet or pocket-book in crowds, to the chagrin of those sly pickpockets out there; you don’t fall for those(…)
19th century Spiritualism, part 4: Gotcha!
Today we’re wrapping up the spiritualism series with some of those “gotcha” moments, sometimes funny, sometimes pathetic, when frauds were exposed in public. “GOTCHA” METHOD 1: Professional De-bunkers Be the first to like. Like Unlike