In their book Jack Tar: Life in Nelson's Navy Roy & Lesley Adkins explored the life of the ordinary sailor in the ships of the Napoleonic wars, but what was life like when they were ashore and for their families left behind? Naval fiction books will often depict the shore life of officers and their servants but the life of the ordinary seaman is usually restricted to visiting inns and brothels. In their new book, Eavesdropping on Jane Austen's England: How Our Ancestors Lived Two Centuries Ago Roy & Lesley explore what life ashore was really like for all sections of society.
The book makes extensive use of personal letters, diaries and manuscripts of the time, Jane Austen's being the most famous, to provide a detailed view of the everyday existence and experiences of the population. To explore the differences between the classes the book is divided into sections which explore each aspect such as "Wedding Bells", "Sermons and Superstitions" and "Leisure and Pleasure". The world of young people is also covered in "Toddler to Teenager"
This is an authoritative work which gave me a real insight into the day to day lives that produced and supported our seamen or the vast industries that provided the ships and supplies. It will become required reading for anyone interested in Georgian life and for prospective authors of novels set in the period. Recommended
Description of: Eavesdropping on Jane Austen's England: How Our Ancestors Lived Two Centuries Ago
Author: Roy Adkins & Lesley Adkins
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