Is your book club reading The Preacher’s Bride? Take a photo and send it to Jody! We’ll feature your book club photos here on this page. Jody is available for meeting with book clubs via Skype. Please email her via her Contact Page if you would like to schedule a meeting.
. . . there was once a time when the use of wedding rings was forbidden?
In England, the Civil Marriage Act of 1653, prevented weddings from taking place in a church and didn’t allow the accompanying traditions either. Instead couples were required to get married by a civil magistrate in an office building.
. . . for a number of years Christmas was completely banned— all feasting, caroling, decorating, and even nativity scenes were illegal?
In the 1650’s in England, Puritans believed Christmas was an immoral excuse for excessive drinking, eating, and gambling. Even the word Christmas was frowned upon as taking the Lord’s name in vain.
. . . if you were a young peasant woman of the 17th century, you probably wouldn’t know how to read or write?
The higher classes generally did not favor the education of any peasants to prevent them from aspiring above their station. While boys could attend a local school, any education a girl received was at home.
. . . you wanted to be a tinker or a tinsmith, it would take years and years before you could “graduate” and become your own boss?
A tinsmith was a person who made and repaired things made of tinware. An apprenticeship took 4 to 6 years. After that the tinker would need to become a journeyman and work several more years before finally qualifying to become a master smith.
. . . most babies were tightly swaddled for the first year of their life?
Some child-care manuals of the 1600’s advised swaddling until only eight or nine months. Mothers were encouraged to swaddle their babies to give the babies’ bodies straight posture and also to keep them from crawling.
