The Material World of a Restoration Queen Consort: Book Launch

The current Lincoln Record Society volume, The Material World of a Restoration Queen Consort, will be officially launched at The Stonebow and Guildhall, in the heart of Lincoln, on Friday 11th April 2025 at 4pm. The editor of the volume, Professor Maria Hayward, will give a short talk about the volume, and this talk will be followed, in the traditional way, by tea and refreshments.

This book provides the reader with the chance to explore the world of Catherine of Braganza, the Portuguese wife of King Charles II, through the fascinating details provided by her privy purse accounts which survive, remarkably, in Lincolnshire Archives. These account books, kept by Barbara, Countess of Suffolk, the Queen’s Keeper of the Privy Purse, cover the years from the Catherine’s wedding to Charles in 1662, right through until the death of the Countess in 1680. The accounts offer a glimpse of key events in Charles II’s reign, including the plague of 1665 and the Great Fire of London in the following year. They also provided insights into Catherine’s household and her wider social circle, revealing her love of flowers and gardens, along with her engagement with music.

All members of the LRS are welcome to attend the launch. In order to help with the catering, please notify your acceptance of this invitation (specifying any dietary requirements) by Friday 4 April. For further information, please contact the Honorary Secretary: [email protected].

Lady in an oval, possibly Catherine of Braganza.

Stain stitch with moss work, 1660s.

(Private Collection)

Host or Publisher Lincoln Record Society