Ruth Elizabeth Stiff
Bio
I love all things Earthy and Self-Help
History is one of my favourite subjects and I love to write short fiction
Research is so interesting for me too
Stories (879)
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Man's Faithful Friend
Every dog breed today is descended from wolves, even the chihuahua! It is estimated that “the dog” was domesticated between 20,000 and 40,000 years ago (that’s how close we’ve been to dogs). It’s hard to believe that the little pooch we love so much actually “comes” from wild wolves. However, it is true!
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in Petlife
From Actress to Princess
“I prefer pearls on screen and in my private life”. She was beautiful, both to look at and in her personality and played one of the most compelling roles in history. She starred with such actors as Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, Bing Cosby and Frank Sinatra but married a real life Prince. To act in films, she had to change her accent and, coming from a deep religious Catholic family, her parents disapproved of her acting career. Growing up, she was not considered beautiful. We know and love her as the woman who lived a real life fairytale. She was, of course, Grace Kelly.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in Humans
ESCORT OR COURTESAN?
Today we know them as “Escorts”. In the 18th Century they were called “Courtesans”. They held fashion in the palms of their hands, as well as the men, and women copied these leading ladies of fashion. They came from all walks of life, some rising to great wealth, some dying in poverty. Whichever Era we live in, they are ‘classed’ as the same thing — “Prostitutes”.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in Humans
Female Victorian Murderesses
Today we see so much on the news that, unfortunately, we are rarely shocked when we hear of a murder, unless it is particularly ‘graphic’. Communication in this Century surpasses any other Century and we can see or read the news of (almost) any country with the click of a button or the tap on a phone.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in Criminal
Madame Clapham
Emily was born in Cheltenham in 1856. As was the norm then, she left school at an early age for an apprenticeship in dressmaking, at Scarborough, at the company at Marshall and Snelgrove (you may have heard of the names). From an early age, Emily learnt her trade in dressmaking, starting with picking up pins off the floor.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in FYI
Thank You
Dear Mum, How are you? Is the weather warm where you are? Have you and dad been happy? I do miss you. We’ve always been more like sisters than mother and daughter. Do you remember the time we wore the same dresses? Blue for you, purple for me, at that conference. We were like twins, only you were prettier and taller (without the heels!). We did turn heads ha ha ha. You had the red bike and I had the blue one, and you were always a more confident rider than me. We spent so much time together when dad ‘left’. We were always there for each other.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in Families
"At long last I am able to say a few words of my own"
He put his love for a woman before his duty to the throne, being the only King of England to abdicate willingly. He was much loved by the people, a real ‘playboy’, yet he had a serious side that few saw. His father was demanding and short tempered and harshly criticized his eldest son. This eldest son was also a style icon. He was Edward VIII.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in FYI
The Theory of Everything
He had an IQ of 160 and was one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists in history. Although he became physically disabled with a disease that could not be cured, his brain, his mind, was left ‘untouched’. His lifes’ work revolutionized ‘the field’ and his books have been bought by people who know nothing about his area of expertise. His knowledge, research and work has made an imprint over several generations. He was Stephen Hawking.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in FYI
EDWARD VI
King Henry VIII waited for more than twenty years for this healthy son and heir. Jane Seymour, Henry’s third wife, was his mother. Sadly, he reigned for only six years and died at the young age of sixteen and he was a ‘pawn’ in the hands of unscrupulous men. He had the real makings of a good Kingof England. He was Edward VI.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in FYI
"Where's The Midwife?"
Many of us have watched, and are still watching, the television series “Call The Midwife”, which was originally based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth. She worked with the community of St. John the Divine at their convent in the East End of London. The order was founded as a nursing order in 1849. The series extended beyond the memoirs to include new, historically sourced material and information. The series has also tackled subjects such as adoption, miscarriage, abortion as well as prostitution, incest and birth defects. It is so interesting to see how these things were looked at and dealt with in the 1950’s and 1960’s, compared to how we view them (and deal with them) today.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in Viva
"Comfort Women"
The definition of “Comfort” is: “a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint”.(Oxford Languages). However, for these women there was no comfort, either physically, emotionally or mentally. Many things happened during the Second World War which we may never know about (which may be just as well). “Comfort Women” were ‘almost’ one of those things.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in Criminal
Never Leave, Raven, Never Leave
“If the Tower of London ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it”. Seven ravens are kept at the Tower of London all times — six of whom make up the number of ravens that (it is said) need to remain in order to protect the Crown (and one is a back-up, just in case!).
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff4 years ago in FYI
