Hello, I’m Bella St John, and my friends all know that what I refer to as, “my era” is 1840s to 1940s. I may be part ‘geek’ and know my way around technology and AI (including writing a book on the subject), but at my core, I am very much a traditional woman with a traditional outlook on life. I understand the 1840s to the 1940s in a way that I will never understand ‘modern’ ways of life and being.
I also think it’s amusing that the essence of the song, “everything old is new again” is resonating with many, even if they don’t realise it. We have growing numbers of people who are professing to be progressive because they use sustainable methods, and recycled materials. Progressive?
I remember when I was a young teenager, I had a shopping bag I had made myself, including making the cane handles – I loved that bag – and yet was ridiculed for not “using plastic bags like everyone else” – plastic bags had recently been introduced and quickly became the ‘norm’ – paper bags were made fun of as next to useless, and anything home-made was definitely ‘not cool’.
Unfortunately, I was very shy and had a very dangerous home life, so didn’t want to do anything to attract attention to myself, or create any reason to stand out – if I did, I would be punished for it. As a result, I threw away my lovely little bag, and used plastic – just like everyone else… (and I have tears in my eyes writing this as I remember saying goodbye to something so ordinary, but that meant so much to me).
My saving grace in many ways was my great-grandmother, an amazing woman born just after the end of the 1800s. She lived with us, did her best to protect me, and taught me what she felt was important for a young lady to learn – all the things she learned herself growing up in the Edwardian era.
I remember in my twenties going to an exhibition at a museum of what was then considered historic home appliances, and saying to myself, “I had one of those… oh, that one over there – mine was blue…” I even grew up with an outdoor toilet, and a chamber pot!
I always found it strange, though… She was brought up very working class, and taught me all the important things a working class woman of that era needed to know – such as how to make many of the basic things we now take for granted and buy cheaply at the supermarket – and she also did her best to teach me what a ‘lady’ needed to know… What’s so strange? As I would be doing my best to master one of the ‘ladylike’ activities, she would clip me across the ear and say, “don’t get above your station, young lady!” Although it was very confusing for a young girl, I have her to thank for my diverse knowledge and understanding of what is now a totally foreign way of life.
Moving forward many (many!) decades, and I delightedly embrace my love of “my era”. I wear long dresses and long skirts on a daily basis (I no longer even own jeans). I write with a gold fountain pen, and have my own wax seal (and yes, I still write ‘real’ letters).
There are many areas of my life where I happily embrace technology – for instance, just being able to share this website, or being able to connect with loved ones – and another of my greatest passions, learning ‘stuff’! I used to be a fixture in the local libraries – now I have many glorious hours online watching documentaries, then going down rabbit holes of research on topics of interest, scouring old newspaper archives, and so much more…
…and I am passionate about preserving Britain’s endangered heritage, whether it’s traditional crafts, historic places, wildlife, or simply an almost-forgotten way of life.
Through my photography and painting, I do my best capture the beauty and significance of these treasures – hopefully highlighting what is at risk of being lost and bring attention to the importance of preserving them for future generations.
Through Endangered British and my creative work, I hope to inspire others to see the value in protecting these cultural gems. It’s my way of giving back and ensuring that these traditions, places, and species continue to have a place in the modern world.
Unfortunately, I do not qualify for any of the British resident visas so, unless Mr Right turns up, I cannot live in the land I so dearly love, but I can support from afar. (I’ve been waiting a couple of decades for Mr Right, but I haven’t given up hope – well, almost but not quite…)
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Alongside my passion projects in supporting endangered heritage, I’m also passionate about personal and professional development – and my lifelong study of “what makes people tick”.
I am fortunate to have worked as a consultant and/or coach with some of the world’s top companies, several high-profile individuals, and a wide range of businesses in an even wider range of industries – and when I ‘retired’ (Ha! Well, that was the plan, at least…) when I turned 50, I spent the next seven years travelling through Europe as a fulltime Luxurious Nomad.
In everything I do, whether it’s preserving history, fostering personal development, or creating works of art, I hope to inspire people to at least consider keeping those elements of the past alive that bring us joy and support meaningful change.
I believe in living a life with a positive, loving outlook, that blends creativity, elegance, and connection to the past, all while embracing elements of the ‘now’, and looking forward to the future.
Thank you, with all my heart, for visiting this site. Please – do what you can to support the various initiatives and people listed herein. By doing so, we help keep alive the very things that make Britain so incredibly special.