In April, I’m posting 26 blogs, one for every letter of the alphabet. I write historical romance set in Regency England, and I’m offering a brief lexicon of words to help you understand the story world of my Regency characters. Follow the links for more in depth information.

V is for Vauxhall Gardens:

Vauxhall Gardens, or simply Vauxhall, was an outdoor pleasure garden open during the summer months for dancing and dining, fireworks displays, and ballooning.

Vauxhall Gardens

Vauxhall was located on the south bank of the Thames and reached by boat.

And V is for Vowels:

One of my favorite Regency expressions is “Vowels”. It simply means

I O U

Gentleman who gambled and lost generally had to issue Vowels.

And V is for Vulgar Mushroom:

Another expressive Regency term is Vulgar Mushroom. Just as mushrooms spring up overnight, a vulgar mushroom is a nouveau riche upstart, daring to rise socially without proper roots or generations of growth.

Marriage A la Mode, The Marriage Settlement, by William Hogarth

In this first in a series of illustrations by Hogarth, the Earl of Squanderfield, a proper, but broke aristocrat, negotiates a marriage settlement with the vulgar mushroom merchant father of his son’s prospective bride.

Questions? Comments? Visit tomorrow for the letter W!

Images: badge, a-to-zchallenge.com; all others, Wikimedia