Amy Humphries 🌱🌸
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amyjanieh.bsky.social
Amy Humphries 🌱🌸
@amyjanieh.bsky.social
140 followers 130 following 41 posts
PhD Student at Liverpool University looking at the royal women of the early Georgian court. Plant lover. Foodie. Happiest by the sea. 🌊🍄🪴| She/Her
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amyjanieh.bsky.social
Royals are notoriously hard to buy for. What do you get people who have everything? When in doubt, do what Admiral Boscawen did in April 1750 for Frederick, Prince of Wales and get the royal in your life a 476lb tortoise. 🐢

#18thCentury #Hanoverians #Georgians
Newspaper clipping from April 1750 reading: Yesterday, a tortoise weighing 476lb was carried up to Kew as a present from Admiral Boscawen to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.
September 24, 2025 at 12:27 PM
amyjanieh.bsky.social
An interesting note in the London Evening Post for 1-3 April 1740: the death of Mr Earnest, a Page of the Back Stairs to the Prince of Wales whose likeness was taken for the figure of Merlin that featured in Merlin's Cave, built in 1735 for Queen Caroline of Ansbach in the gardens of Richmond Lodge.
Newspaper text: On Tuesday died Mr Earnest, first Page of the Back Stairs to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. The figure representing Merlin in the Cave, in Richmond Gardens, was, by Mr Rysbrack, taken from the person of this gentleman, by the late Queen's command. He is succeeded in his Royal Highness's service by Mr John Barnarde, a German gentleman.
September 3, 2025 at 2:44 PM
amyjanieh.bsky.social
Back with the newspapers today, looking at mentions of the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1738. Of course, there's more there than just Frederick and Augusta. The papers yield unexpected gems like this one, from 29 September. A reminder that humans have always, always been messy and ridiculous:
Newspaper snippet from 29 September 1738 reads: On Wednesday night, a baker, living within a mile of St. Bride's Church, took leave of his wife, in order to go out of town immediately; but meeting with some companions he sat up all night, and went home early in the morning, to take a little. rest before he begun his journey, when to his great surprise he saw a certain barber of his acquaintance with his wife in bed, who seeing the husband come in at the chamber door, to avoid ceremony, jump'd out of the window into the street; by which lover's leap he had the misfortune to break his leg, which is now under cure; and how the affair will end is uncertain.
June 6, 2025 at 8:34 AM
amyjanieh.bsky.social
Celebrities being declared dead by the media is not a new thing! Check out this newspaper snippet from the London Daily Post and General Advertiser from 14 October 1738. The poor Earl of Darnley, despite being killed off by the papers, has turned up fit and healthy at Prince Frederick's court! 😂
Newspaper clipping from the London Daily Post and General Advertiser from 14 October 1738 reads: The Right Hon. the Earl of Darnley, who has been so formally kill'd in some of the papers for these two days past, is not only alive, but very well, not having been ill. And yesterday his Lordship was to wait upon his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.
June 5, 2025 at 8:19 PM
amyjanieh.bsky.social
#OnThisDay in 1738, John Perceval, 1st Earl of Egmont noted in his diary that 'The Princess of Wales was brought to bed of a boy, which the same night received private baptism, there being doubt if he would live'. This baby was the future George III, one of Britain's longest reigning monarchs.
June 4, 2025 at 12:27 PM
amyjanieh.bsky.social
Starting the weekend right (and indulgently) with a cuppa and a cinnamon bun. 😋
January 25, 2025 at 11:22 AM
amyjanieh.bsky.social
My Duolingo streak is now so long that the Wars of the Roses have started! ⚔️
January 23, 2025 at 10:40 PM
amyjanieh.bsky.social
Started the first Saturday of the New Year right and picked up some books at the library this morning. 📚

Looking forward to getting stuck into these after I’ve finished Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy! 🕵🏻‍♀️

What’s on your reading list this year? 📖

#libraries #reading #books
Two books side by side on a grey blanket with a bee pattern. On the left is ‘Tom Lake’ by Ann Patchett and on the right is ‘The Road Home’ by Rose Tremain.
January 4, 2025 at 3:20 PM