18th & 17th Century | england-history

The Chimney Sweep's Ransom by Dave and Neta Jackson (1742)

Set in northern England. A thirteen-year-old boy named Ned, who works in the dangerous coal mines, tries to save his five-year-old brother Pip from going to work in the mines after Ned has an accident. Instead Pip is sold to be trained as a chimney sweep. Ned secretly gets a job to earn the ransom money but also seeks the help of the preacher John Wesley.

The Wreckers by Iain Lawrence (The High Seas Trilogy Book 1) (1799)

Along the coastline of Cornwall, England lies a community of people who prey upon storm tossed ships. The ships are lured into shore to founder upon the sharp rocks resulting in shipwreck and usually the loss of all lives on board. The ship is then looted and any survivors are not alive for long. Not so though in the case of the Isle of Skye and fourteen-year-old John Spencer, the youngest of its crew. Somehow he must evade the deathly clutches of the village pirates and put an end to their evil practices. Based on actual research that wreckers did exist but not necessarily in Cornwall. Companion novel to The Smugglers.

The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood (1601)

Fourteen-year-old Widge has received instructions from his new master that he is to visit the Globe, and while watching the play Hamlet, copy the lines of the play down in a language he was taught by his previous master. Monitored by a silent and dangerous companion, Widge is compelled to obey his master even after he is taken in and befriended by the Shakespearean Troupe members.

Shakespeare's Scribe by Gary Blackwood (1602)

The plague has broken out in London and all public gatherings are banned including Shakespeare's troupe at the Globe Theatre. Forced to go on the road, the troupe including fifteen-year-old Widge visit towns along the way where they hope to set up their stage and perform. Unforeseen problems though await them; and a mysterious man comes on the scene posing as a threat to the very livelihood that Widge loves.

Shakespeare's Spy by Gary Blackwood (1603)

Sixteen-year-old Widge’s past experiences with The Chamberlain’s Men two years before makes him a suspect when costumes begin missing from the company. To prove his innocence, he must become a spy and infiltrate the competition. Predictions from a cunning fortune teller and the arrival of unexpected guests at the Globe combine to make a fascinating read that takes place during the last days of England's monarch, Elizabeth I. Based on some actual historical events and people.

The Alchemist’s Dream by John Wilson - 1609 and 1669 - takes place during the time of Henry Hudson, Sir Francis Drake, and Queen Elizabeth onward. Wilson is an excellent author and includes plenty of research in his books. For further description: http://www.amazon.ca/Alchemists-Dream-John-Wilson/dp/1552639347

Many Waters by Violet Bibby (1640's)
Set in England. The Fens is a giant marshland north of London. The people who live there depend on this habitat for their lifeline. The Dutchman Cornelius Vermuyden and his followers have been summoned to England to drain the Fens. The fenmen are angry that their home is being changed into dryland (now miles of the richest farming land in England). A sixteen-year-old fengirl named Constancy slowly comes to understand that it is for the better as she becomes friends with a young Dutchman and an old, wise woman.

Nell of Branford Hall by William Wise (1652-1665)
Thirteen-year-old Nell recalls the days during her childhood in the village of Branford when life was so sweet and perfect. But the plague has come to London, England and it isn't long before Nell's tranquil world is shattered. What unfolds is a story of bravery and resilience as the people of Branford come to a decision that will cost their people but save countless lives. Based on the historical account of the village Eyam which still celebrates the courage of their ancestors.

At The Sign Of The Sugared Plum by Mary Hooper (1665)
Hannah leaves her country home to go to London to help her older sister, Sarah, run her shop and make sweetmeats. Life in the big city is exciting for Hannah, but when the dreaded plague becomes a reality in the sisters’ own parish, Hannah’s enthusiasm gradually turns to apprehension and fear. She and her sister are mortified as they watch whole families being shut up in their homes for forty days and their doors locked and chained. Excellent reading that will keep you interested to the last line.

Petals in the Ashes by Mary Hooper (1666) sequel to At the Sign of the Sugared Plum - set in London during the time of the Great Fire.

Master Cornhill by Eloise Jarvis McGraw (1666)
Eleven-year-old Michael has survived the Great Plague that swept London in 1665. He has lost his foster parents to the plague and never knew his real parents. After spending the duration of the plague living out in the country, Michael must somehow return to some sort of normal lifestyle and find a way to support himself too. Then a second catastrophe hits the city of London–the Great Fire. Includes abundant historical information.

Historical Fiction of England