Category: writing

As I’m working on my romantic fantasy novel series (Fae of the Crystal Palace) set around the Great Exhibition, I wanted to share some interesting stories I’ve uncovered during my research. Here is an article about opium usage in Britain at the time.

In Victorian England, opium was both a mysterious allure and a societal blight. The image of opium dens, often portrayed in literature and newspapers, conjured visions of dark, exotic places filled with danger and depravity. These dens, particularly in London’s East End and docklands, were often the haunt of sailors and the destitute who had succumbed to addiction. The reality, however, was less widespread than the sensationalist accounts suggested.

Opium use in England wasn’t limited to seedy underworlds. It was a common part of daily life, found in household remedies and available over the counter in chemist shops. The most popular form, laudanum – a tincture of opium and alcohol – was touted as a cure-all for ailments ranging from coughs to “women’s troubles.” Even children were not spared, with opium-laced concoctions like Godfrey’s Cordial given to infants to keep them quiet, often with tragic results.

Despite growing awareness of its addictive properties, opium’s grip on Victorian society was strong. This addiction wasn’t just a British problem, though. The First Opium War (1839-1842) highlighted the darker side of the British Empire’s global reach. Britain, desperate to balance its trade deficit with China, flooded the country with opium, exacerbating a national addiction crisis among the Chinese. When the Chinese authorities attempted to curb the trade, tensions escalated into war. The conflict ended with the Treaty of Nanking, which forced China to cede Hong Kong to Britain and pay a hefty indemnity, while leaving the opium trade largely unaddressed.

Tea, seemingly innocent, played a pivotal role in the origins of the First Opium War. By the 18th century, tea had become a national obsession in Britain, transforming the daily lives and customs of its people. However, this new addiction came at a high cost. Britain’s insatiable demand for tea from China led to a severe trade imbalance, with silver flowing out of Britain at an alarming rate to pay for the precious leaves. Desperate to reverse this trade deficit, Britain turned to opium, cultivated in its Indian colonies, as a solution. By exporting opium to China, the British sought to exchange the drug for silver, which could then be used to buy tea. This strategy not only worsened China’s opium crisis but also set the stage for the eventual military conflict.

The moral complexities of the opium trade cast a long shadow over Britain’s self-image as a global leader in civility and progress. While the British public decried the opium-smoking habits of the Chinese, they often turned a blind eye to their own widespread consumption of the drug in various forms. 

As the 19th century drew to a close, the tide began to turn against opium. The growing anti-opium movement, bolstered by the efforts of reformers and religious groups, eventually led to stricter regulations. By the early 20th century, Britain agreed to dismantle the India-China opium trade, marking the end of an era. However, the legacy of opium in Victorian England – a blend of fascination, dependency, and moral ambiguity – remains a potent reminder of the complexities of empire and the human cost of addiction.

My characters find themselves in a London opium den in my Fae of the Crystal Palace book The Entangled where they too question the sensationalist reports at the time and the role of Britain in the opium trade. 

You can also read more about this topic in Opium in Victorian Britain and First Opium War at Historic UK.

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Image credit: Wellcome Library, London. A doctor restraining a young man while a lady funnel-feeds his medicine. Coloured etching, c. 1840. 

As I’m working on my romantic fantasy novel series (Fae of the Crystal Palace) set at the time of and around the Great Exhibition of 1851, I wanted to share some interesting stories I’ve uncovered during my research. Here is the story of the Taiping Rebellion.

The Taiping Rebellion is often overshadowed by other historical conflicts but is believed to be the bloodiest civil war in history, claiming the lives of an estimated 20 to 30 million people. Spanning from 1850 to 1864, this tumultuous period reshaped China’s socio-political landscape.

The roots of the rebellion lay in widespread social discontent, economic distress and growing influence from the West. The Qing dynasty, a Manchu-led regime, faced increasing resentment from the Han Chinese majority, who felt culturally and politically oppressed. The situation was exacerbated by the devastation wrought by the Opium Wars and the humiliating concessions forced upon China by the Western victors.

The rebellion’s leader, Hong Xiuquan, was a failed civil service candidate who experienced a series of visions in which he believed himself to be the younger brother of Jesus Christ. Influenced by Christian teachings, he founded the God Worshippers’ Society, attracting a following among the impoverished peasants and the marginalised Hakka ethnic group. Hong’s teachings combined a rejection of traditional Chinese religions with a vision of communal property and an egalitarian society.

In 1851, Hong declared the establishment of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, proclaiming himself the Heavenly King. The movement’s early successes saw the capture of significant territories, including the major city of Nanjing, which became the capital of the Taiping Kingdom. The Taiping forces, numbering in the millions, included a notable number of female soldiers, a rarity in the era.

Despite initial triumphs, the rebellion eventually faltered due to internal power struggles, strategic missteps, and the eventual intervention of Western powers siding with the Qing dynasty. By 1864, the combined forces of the Qing and foreign allies besieged Nanjing, leading to Hong Xiuquan’s mysterious death – rumoured to be either by suicide or assassination – and the ultimate collapse of the Taiping regime.

The Taiping Rebellion left an indelible mark on China, contributing to the fall of the Qing dynasty and influencing subsequent revolutionary movements. 

The leader of the Taiping Rebellion was the inspiration behind Chen in my Fae of the Crystal Palace book The Entangled. 

You can also read more about this topic here.

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Image credit: Public domain image: A scene of the Taiping Rebellion, 1850-1864, Wu Youru (1886)

As I’m working on my romantic fantasy novel series (Fae of the Crystal Palace) set at the time of and around the Great Exhibition of 1851, I wanted to share some interesting stories I’ve uncovered during my research. Here is the Porcelain Tower of Nanjing.

One of the most significant buildings constructed in the early Ming Dynasty was the Porcelain Tower of Nanjing. An architectural marvel, the Porcelain Tower, known as Bao’ensi (Temple of Gratitude) was considered by some as one of the Seven Wonders of the Medieval World. This magnificent structure was commissioned by Emperor Yongle in honour of his parents. French mathematician Le Comte once described it as the “best contrived and noblest structure of all the East”.

Construction of the tower began in 1412 and took seven years to complete. Originally intended to reach 100 metres with 13 storeys, the tower was completed at nine storeys and stood at a towering 80 metres. Despite not being the tallest pagoda in China, it was renowned for its beauty, largely due to the unique material used in its construction – porcelain.

The Porcelain Tower’s exterior was lined with white porcelain bricks that shimmered in the sunlight, creating a dazzling effect. The bricks were adorned with colourful glazes depicting animals, flowers, landscapes and Buddhist scenes. The pagoda’s octagonal base and copper sphere atop its roof added to its striking appearance.

A spiral staircase of 190 steps led to the top, where 140 lamps illuminated the tower at night, making it even more breathtaking. Dragons’ heads adorned the roof of the ninth storey. The Porcelain Tower quickly gained fame both within China and abroad, inspiring pagodas in Europe, including the Great Pagoda in London’s Kew Gardens.

Another interesting aspect of the Porcelain Tower was the collection of sacred and valuable items housed in its roof. Among these were a large gold rod and silver, a mirror weighing 100 catties (around 60kg), a precious gem, cash, silk of Imperial yellow and several texts. These relics were believed to offer protection and blessing to the tower and its visitors.

However, the tower’s history was tumultuous. In 1801, a lightning strike damaged the top three storeys, which were subsequently restored. The real destruction came during the Taiping Rebellion in the early 1850s. Fearing its strategic use as an observation post, rebels dismantled the inner staircase and, in 1856, demolished the tower completely. The exact reasons for the final destruction remain unclear, but the structure’s end marked the loss of a cultural and architectural treasure.

Today, remnants of the Porcelain Tower can be found in the Nanjing Museum, and there are ongoing efforts to reconstruct this lost wonder. 

Both the Porcelain Tower of Nanjing, and the Great Pagoda at Kew Gardens it inspired, feature in my Fae of the Crystal Palace book The Entangled.

You can also read more about this topic here.

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Image credit: Public domain image: The Universal Traveller (1729) by SalmonPorcelain Pagoda of Nanjing in art.

As I’m working on my romantic fantasy novel series (Fae of the Crystal Palace) set around the Great Exhibition, I wanted to share some interesting stories I’ve uncovered during my research. Here is the story of Samuel Colt and his revolving pistols.

In 1851, the Great Exhibition in London showcased the technological marvels of the era. The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park was a beacon of innovation, drawing millions of visitors. Among the most talked-about exhibits was an American invention that captivated the crowds with its ingenuity and potential for revolutionising firearms – the Colt revolver.

Samuel Colt, was described as a charismatic figure – a robust, fast-talking industrialist from Connecticut, who held his audience spellbound at the Exhibition as he demonstrated his groundbreaking revolving pistol. This pistol could fire six shots in rapid succession without the need to reload, a feat that seemed almost magical to the onlookers. But Colt’s showmanship didn’t end there; he astonished the crowd by assembling the revolver from randomly selected parts, showcasing the precision and uniformity of its machined components.

Samuel Colt embodied the quintessential American entrepreneur of the time – bold, confident, and fiercely innovative. Remarkably just five years prior, he was a failed businessman and was also considered a controversial figure with some accounts saying he was more marketer than inventor. Born in 1814 near Hartford, Connecticut, Colt’s early life was a series of ups and downs, marked by financial instability and a penchant for pyrotechnic experiments that often led to trouble. This all changed when he conceptualised the revolver, an idea that would dominate his life and legacy.

The revolver addressed a centuries-old problem in firearms technology: the cumbersome reloading process. Colt’s solution was a rotating cylinder that aligned each chamber with the barrel, allowing for multiple shots before reloading. This innovation not only enhanced the efficiency of firearms but also heralded a new era in manufacturing. Colt’s approach relied heavily on machine-made parts, laying the groundwork for the age of mass production.

By the time of the Great Exhibition, Colt’s factory in Hartford was producing thousands of revolvers annually. His .31-caliber pocket pistol was particularly popular, and demand for his weapons soared, driven by military conflicts and expanding frontiers. Colt’s method of manufacturing with interchangeable parts not only revolutionised firearms production but also influenced broader industrial practices.

Colt’s impact extended far beyond the realm of firearms; he played a pivotal role in shaping the modern industrial landscape. Colt and his revolving pistols sparked the storyline and inspired my American inventor character in my Fae of the Crystal Palace book The Entangled.

You can also read more about this topic in “The Most Perfect Weapon” in the Invention and Technology magazine.

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Image credit: Exterior and Interior view of Colt Revolver. Armsmear: the home, the arm, and the armory of Samuel Colt: a memorial. Barnard, Henry, 1866.

As I’m working on my romantic fantasy novel series (Fae of the Crystal Palace) set around the Great Exhibition, I wanted to share some interesting stories I’ve uncovered during my research. Here is the story of Britain’s failed bid for a Chinese Display.

The Great Exhibition of 1851 aimed to showcase the world’s industrial and cultural achievements. Yet, one notable absence spoke volumes about the period’s strained international relations particularly with China. Despite British administrators’ efforts, their inability to secure an official Chinese display revealed the deep-seated tensions between Britain and China in the years between the Opium Wars.

Negotiations to include China in the Exhibition were fraught with difficulties. British representatives tried to engage Chinese elites and merchants to contribute, hoping to promote the virtues of free trade. However, their efforts failed. The strained commercial and political relations of the era, exacerbated by the memory of the First Opium War and the looming Second, left little room for collaboration. Without the active support of Chinese authorities, the task of representing China fell to British and American importers.

The result was a collection of Chinese artefacts that did not genuinely represent the country’s culture. Instead, these displays reflected the Western traders’ perspective – ivory balls, porcelain plates and other curiosities. Prominent figures like Charles Dickens did not hold back in their criticism published in the newspapers and journals of the time. In his writings, Dickens expressed disdain for the exhibition’s Chinese section, deriding it as a showcase of stagnation and despotism compared to Britain’s progressive industrial might. Dickens and his counterparts naturally failed to point out that the exhibit was created by the British. 

Dickens’s disappointment at the Chinese display was palpable. He saw the exhibit as static and outdated, contrasting sharply with Britain’s dynamic and innovative spirit. In ‘The Great Exhibition and the Little One‘ he and his subeditor R.H. Horne drew a stark comparison between the two nations. They mocked the intricate yet functionless ivory carvings and porcelain items, juxtaposing them against Britain’s steamships and cotton mills.

The narrative painted China as a nation that had ceased to advance, encapsulated in its ‘laboriously-carved ivory balls’, which they’d have readers believe were beautiful yet useless. This perspective reinforced the Victorian belief in British superiority and the notion that China was a land of despotism and backwardness. The cultural productions of China were not merely foreign; they were seen as inferior and emblematic of a civilisation that had fallen behind.

Dickens’s critique extended beyond mere artefacts. He saw the Chinese displays as a microcosm of the Great Exhibition’s broader challenge: representing a rapidly changing world. In In Dickens’ view, the Chinese artefacts became symbols of an empire that was being outpaced by Western progress.

The failed bid to include China in the Great Exhibition highlights a period of complex and often contentious international relations. It offers a glimpse into the global origins of the Exhibition and the intricate dynamics of cultural representation. 

The Chinese display features in my Fae of the Crystal Palace book The Entangled. 

You can also read more about this topic in Ivory Balls and Porcelain Plates:

Exhibiting China in Mid-Victorian London by Elizabeth Chang.

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Image credit: The China exhibit – Dickinson’s comprehensive pictures of the Great Exhibition of 1851. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

As I’m working on my romantic fantasy novel series (Fae of the Crystal Palace) set around the Great Exhibition, I wanted to share some interesting stories and facts I’ve uncovered during my research. Here is the story of the The Crystal Palace and its creator.

The Crystal Palace

The Crystal Palace was a remarkable architectural achievement that was designed and built to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. Joseph Paxton, who was later knighted, was a gardener and horticulturist, and famously sketched his design for the palace during a visit to Hyde Park (the sketch is now held in the Victoria and Albert Museum). The sketch included all the key elements of the building, and within a fortnight all calculations and detailed plans were completed.

The Crystal Palace was a large, modular building made of iron and glass, and was one of the first examples of prefabricated architecture. Paxton used prefabricated components, such as cast iron girders and glazed panels, that were manufactured off-site and then assembled on-site. This allowed for a much faster construction process than traditional building methods.

The building was designed to maximise the amount of natural light that could enter the space, with a high vaulted roof made of glass and iron. It was described in newspapers at the time as having the appearance of a “fairy palace”.

One of the most innovative features of the Crystal Palace was its modular design. The building could be easily disassembled and reassembled, allowing the Crystal Palace to be moved to a new location after the Great Exhibition. The building was eventually relocated to Sydenham, south London, where it was expanded and became a popular tourist attraction until it was destroyed by a fire in 1936.

Overall, Joseph Paxton’s Crystal Palace was a revolutionary achievement in architecture and engineering, showcasing the innovative use of prefabrication and natural light in building design. It remains a symbol of British industrial and technological progress, and its legacy can still be seen in modern architecture today.

Joseph Paxton

In The Charmed (my first Fae of the Crystal Palace series book), Alice meets the famous Mr Paxton, who who becomes a recurring character in the novel. 

Paxton is one of the only characters in the book based on a real historical figure. He was synonymous of course with The Crystal Palace and The Great Exhibition, and overall a fascinating figure. 

Joseph Paxton (1803-1865) was an English horticulturist, architect and designer. He began his career as a gardener’s apprentice at the age of 15 and quickly rose through the ranks to become head gardener at the Chatsworth estate in Derbyshire. He was known for his innovative horticultural techniques and designs, which earned him a reputation as one of the foremost gardeners of his time.

In addition to his work in horticulture, Paxton was also an accomplished architect and designer. He designed several buildings, including the Great Conservatory at Chatsworth, which was the largest glasshouse in the world at the time. He also designed several parks and gardens, including Birkenhead Park, which was the first publicly funded park in the world.

Paxton’s most famous design is undoubtedly the Crystal Palace. After the success of the Crystal Palace, Paxton continued to work as an architect and designer, and was involved in several other notable projects, including the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and the design of the London sewer system.

Paxton was also involved in politics and was elected to Parliament as a Member of Parliament for Coventry in 1854. He was knighted in 1851 for his work on the Crystal Palace, and was made a Baronet in 1856.

Overall, Joseph Paxton was a versatile and talented designer and innovator, who made significant contributions to the fields of horticulture, architecture and engineering. His legacy can still be seen in modern building design and landscaping techniques today.

My portrayal of Paxton is based purely on my imagination as is my fictional idea that he may have been inspired by a fairy palace (see my origins story The Pledge for a cameo from Paxton, you should be able to spot him by his signature sideburns).

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As I’m working on my romantic fantasy novel series (Fae of the Crystal Palace) set around the Great Exhibition, I wanted to share some interesting stories I’ve uncovered during my research. Here is the story of the Keying.

In the vibrant tapestry of the 19th century, the Chinese Junk Ship Keying emerges as a captivating tale, carving its way through the Seven Seas to Victorian England in 1848. 

As the Keying sailed into the East India Docks, it became an instant sensation, an exotic marvel against the industrial backdrop of the city. The 800-ton Chinese junk, with its distinctive three masts and eye-catching design, is believed to be one of the first Chinese vessels to visit England. Its arrival coincided with a time of unprecedented curiosity about the world beyond British shores and it remained a side attraction during the Great Exhibition of 1851.

The East India Docks at Blackwall was the initial harbour for the Keying, and curious seekers flocked to it, eager to catch a glimpse of this extraordinary ship that had voyaged from the Far East. For a shilling, visitors could step into a world filled with the aroma of foreign spices and the allure of the mysterious East.

One can only imagine the scenes as Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, accompanied by a royal entourage, made their way to Blackwall to inspect the Chinese junk. The royal party’s journey, as documented in the press of the time, drew crowds along the route, and the arrival at the East India Docks was met with tumultuous cheering. The Queen’s excitement as she explored the junk’s deck, marked by the running up of the Royal Standard of England by the Chinese sailors was widely reported.

The Keying opened its doors to the public, offering a unique and immersive experience. Gorgeously furnished in the style of the Celestial Empire, the interior showcased a collection of Chinese curiosities that fueled the Victorian fascination with the East. Thousands flocked to board the ship daily. The ship’s exhibition became a social event, attracting both the curious and the aristocratic.

Leaflets enticed visitors with promises of an encounter with a Mandarin of rank, a renowned Chinese artist, and the chance to explore a vessel that had journeyed across oceans. 

The Keying’s journey began in 1846 when a group of British investors clandestinely purchased the Chinese junk in Hong Kong. Despite a Chinese law prohibiting the sale of their ships to foreigners, the Keying set sail for London under the command of a British Captain with a crew of both British and Chinese sailors.

The journey of the Keying was no ordinary maritime venture. Already a century old, the junk sailed to New York City, where it arrived in 1847. It soon became a spectacle for curious onlookers, drawing crowds and fascination. Famed showman, P. T. Barnum had a copy of Keying built in Hoboken (there are reports that he claimed he had it towed from China), and exhibited it with a crew that may have included some of the Keying Chinese.

The Keying wasn’t without challenges. There were legal disputes over unpaid wages for the Chinese crew in New York leading to many of the sailors leaving. Undeterred, the Keying continued its journey to London.

Interest in the Keying waned over time, and the vessel was eventually sold and towed to the river Mersey near Liverpool in 1853. Moored at the Rock Ferry slipway, it continued to be exhibited for public viewing before being dismantled.

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Image details: Keying in 1848. Public domain image – Rock Bros & Payne, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London