We're celebrating one year! So we have a special guest, friend of the pod Lee Ingleby, to come in for a wine-augmented chat about all things pod, and test our London knowledge! We have a little chat about how the podcast started and how Emily and Alex met, and then Lee has written us a tricky little quiz to see how much we know about London. It is going to get competitive! Podcast pedestal will be resolved next week, but we let Lee pick the next location for next week's topic. WE HAVE A NEW WEBS...
Sep 14, 2021•1 hr•Ep 52•Transcript available on Metacast All hands to the deck today, as we take a listener request for a location, the Russell Hotel, now known as the Kempton Fitzroy. Why is this hotel so interesting? Well there is more than one massive link to the ill fated Titanic, and we are going to find out what those links are. We also check out the local area of Russell Square, investigate another sister hotel to the Russell, as well as finding out why the musical Cats has a link here... Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal, and we sp...
Sep 07, 2021•50 min•Ep 51•Transcript available on Metacast Hey fashion police, this one's for you! On this week's episode we take a look at one of the oddest laws around, the Elizabethan sumptuary laws which governed who could where what and when. Literally making it illegal for you to look good. The cheek! Why on earth was it illegal for people other than the royal family to wear purple silk, how was the length of your sword policed, and what happened to the man who decided to pad his legs?! Find out here. Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal,...
Aug 31, 2021•53 min•Ep 50•Transcript available on Metacast On this week's episode, we have two guests, Lottie and Fiona, as Alex is not public appropriate right now. With Emily, our guests attack the topic of the Beefsteak club with gusto, getting stuck in to one of the weirdest clubs in London's history...although we touch on a couple of other strange ones en route. Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal, and we spin the Wheel of Destiny to find out where we are going next. Find out about our guests at www.missmagpietours.com for Lottie and @fio...
Aug 24, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep 49•Transcript available on Metacast We've had a slight change of topic this week, so we are taking a look at one of Alex's icons, Margot Fonteyn. Now if the thought of ballet puts you off, never fear - this is a story that will certainly give you something to think about. Who would have thought a dainty, sweet girl from Surrey would end up involved in a coup in central America?! We take a look at one of the most famous women ever to grace the stage in Covent Garden, and find out what took her from curtsies to coups. WE HAVE A NEW ...
Aug 17, 2021•56 min•Ep 48•Transcript available on Metacast How do you make a tunnel interesting? Well luckily, this week's subject, the Thames tunnel needs no help at all. We take a look at how the first tunnel under a river anywhere in the world is so much more than just a tunnel, how we nearly lost one of Britain's greatest ever engineers, and how you can still travel through this tunnel today. Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal, and we spin the Wheel of Destiny to find out where we are going next! Let us know what you think on Instagram, o...
Aug 10, 2021•59 min•Ep 47•Transcript available on Metacast Oooh, Kitty Fisher, you scandalous thing! This week we take a look at one of London's most celebrated Georgian women, the courtesan, harlot, and most talked about women of 18thC London. Part of the booming Georgian sex trade, Kitty Fisher was a master of self publicity and charm, making her one of the most famous women of the age. We take a look at some of the most fascinating parts of her life - did she really stage a no-knicker flash for press? Did she really eat money to make a point?! We fin...
Aug 04, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep 46•Transcript available on Metacast The star of the show this week is the utterly fantastic Jack Sheppard - small time crook and petty villain, who got a huge following and famous reputation as a regular jailbreaker from some of London's most famous prisons! How did he do it? Did he really goad the guards who had him locked up? Find out more about him here Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal, and we spin the Wheel of Destiny to find out where we are going next! Let us know what you think on Instagram, or on our websites....
Jul 27, 2021•52 min•Ep 45•Transcript available on Metacast This week we are on the trail of a spy princess, the incredible Noor Inayat Khan. She came to England in 1944 and joined the war effort as a spy, heading behind enemy lines and risking her life to broadcast information back to the UK. Will she make it out alive? Why was a pacifist Muslim woman prepared to go and risk everything during WW2? Find out all the fascinating information here. Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal, and we spin the Wheel of Destiny to find out where we are going ...
Jul 21, 2021•56 min•Ep 44•Transcript available on Metacast It's party time! We've left behind the gruesome stories of last week and headed nearby to the South Bank area to find out about the Festival of Britain. Was there really an alien spaceship hovering over London? Why were people so amazed by the cinema there? And for us Blue Badge Guides, is this where it all started? Find out all about it here. Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal and Emily gets her sweaty hands on the wheel again for another chance to see where we will get to chat about...
Jul 14, 2021•54 min•Ep 43•Transcript available on Metacast One of London's most curious bits of history this week, as we talk about London's necrotrain - a train designed to transport London's dead, plus their mourners, out to a green leafy cemetery about 25 miles out of London. Was there really an option for coffins to travel in different classes? Emily is very worries about catering - were there sandwiches?! Find out all about it here. Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal and Emily gets her sweaty hands on the wheel again for another chance t...
Jul 07, 2021•56 min•Ep 42•Transcript available on Metacast The goth guide lives up to her reputation today by picking a devastating explosion and jail break in Clerkenwell on this week's podcast. How do a white ball, a barrel full of dynamite, and a serial jail breaker all come together? Find out all the exciting details behind the 1867 Clerkenwell prison explosion! Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal and Emily gets her sweaty hands on the wheel again for another chance to see where we will get to chat about next week. Let us know what you thi...
Jun 29, 2021•43 min•Ep 41•Transcript available on Metacast We're going underground! Not to the famous London underground, oh no. We are going for one of London's secret tunnels which used to house the almost mythical postal rail system which transported mail across London under the busy streets. Did they really use to shoot people down through tunnels using a vacuum system? How long did this secret railway last? And what happens to old, unusable trains (spoiler - it'll break your heart!) Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal and Emily gets her s...
Jun 22, 2021•44 min•Ep 40•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to the animal special! Emily delves in to one of Alex's favourite childhood authors, Beatrix Potter, and tries not to ruin Peter Rabbit for everyone! We take a look at her life and loves, and try not to freak out about the demise of the family rabbit... Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal and Emily gets her sweaty hands on the wheel again for another chance to see where we will get to chat about next week. Let us know what you think on Instagram, or on our websites. Instagram @...
Jun 15, 2021•51 min•Ep 39•Transcript available on Metacast We're trotting off around the world this week with another phenomenal woman, Isabella Lucy Bird, who Alex kinda loves. We find out how a spinal tumour led her to become a best selling travel writer, and what she got up to well into her 70s. Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal and Emily gets her sweaty hands on the wheel again for another chance to see where we will get to chat about next week. Let us know what you think on Instagram, or on our websites. Instagram @ladieswholondonpodcas...
Jun 08, 2021•50 min•Ep 38•Transcript available on Metacast Hello fopdoodles! This week we are taking a look at the original collector of unusual words, Dr Samuel Johnson, and his English dictionary. What common word did he leave out, whilst including a very random other word? And what particular ailment did he have that would have raised eyebrows? Emily is answering those questions and many more in this week's podcast. Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal and Emily gets her sweaty hands on the wheel again for another chance to see where we will...
Jun 01, 2021•53 min•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast Ding ding, the bells the bells are calling. We are heading east this week to Whitechapel, home of the renowned Whitechapel Bell Foundry, where bells such as Big Ben and the Liberty Bell were forged. But the story of Big Ben's arrival is not as simple as you might imagine... Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal and Emily gets her sweaty hands on the wheel again for another chance to see where we will get to chat about next week. Let us know what you think on Instagram, or on our websites...
May 25, 2021•48 min•Ep 36•Transcript available on Metacast Bash the cymbals and crash those drums, we are heading to Soho for a bit of rock music history. Denmark street is the centre of all the excitement, and we are going to take a look at what makes this street in London quite so special. Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal and Emily gets her sweaty hands on the wheel again for another chance to see where we will get to chat about next week. Let us know what you think on Instagram, or on our websites. Instagram @ladieswholondonpodcast Email...
May 19, 2021•58 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast Ladies, unite! Unite under a bridge and check out how dirty it is underneath. Because we are here for the ladies' input this week, as we take a look at Waterloo Bridge and find out if there is any truth to the often quoted rumour that this was built by women during WW2. We also take a look at the nearby impressive Somerset House and find out why it has a more interesting history than it might seem at first glance. Thanks to Rachel Pearson for the request of topic! Plus we find out who won the Po...
May 11, 2021•49 min•Ep 34•Transcript available on Metacast This week's podcast is acted out entirely in mime as we talk about Charlie Chaplin, who lived for some of his life in Lambeth. We take a look at his life, loves and career, plus we find out why he got banned from America, and the strange story of what happened to his body after he died. Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal and Emily gets her sweaty hands on the wheel again for another chance to see where we will get to chat about next week. Let us know what you think on Instagram, or on...
May 05, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep 33•Transcript available on Metacast Alex takes the lead this week, and she has picked the fascinating and ultimately tragic Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. Groomed for a life at the absolute peak of society, her match in a husband was horribly mis-cast, and he soon started a string of affairs with her friends, leading to a pretty catastrophic ultimatum. Find out more here. Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal and Emily gets her sweaty hands on the wheel again for another chance to see where we will get to chat about nex...
Apr 27, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast Hold on to your party pants, we are going dress shopping for a coronation. This week Emily is talking all about Normal Hartnell, the iconic royal dress designer, famous for designing both the wedding dress and coronation gown for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. Find out more about this fascinating man here, including how some brown cows started the move into fashion for him. Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal and Emily gets her sweaty hands on the wheel again for another chance to see wh...
Apr 21, 2021•52 min•Ep 31•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Alex is thrilled to talk about Angela Burdett-Coutts, and it's her favourite podcast to date. We chat about the wonderfully unique Angela, who inherited a ton of money then spent her whole life giving it away! Friends with Charles Dickens and Queen Victoria, she scandalised society (not to mention changing her whole life) when she married a man over 30 years her junior and broke an important clause to her inheritance money...join us here to find out more. Plus we find out who won the ...
Apr 13, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep 30•Transcript available on Metacast Ah Emily. Another week, another opportunity to get stuck in with the grime, the dark, and the deaths. This week we are off to...erm...well, everywhere in London actually! It's the Great Smog of 1952, which hung over London and caused all manner of chaos and suffering. So as you can imagine, Emily is LOVING IT. Join us to find out more about this frankly grim few days of 20thC London. Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal and Emily gets her sweaty hands on the wheel again for another chan...
Apr 06, 2021•54 min•Ep 29•Transcript available on Metacast Well that's not a snappy title, is it?! This week we are off to Greenwich, and it is Alex who was the lucky winner of this most coveted of locations. She has picked to talk about John Harrison, his marine chronometers, the prime meridian and the wonderfully named Sir Cloudsley Shovell. Who he? Find out in this week's episode. Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal and Emily gets her sweaty hands on the wheel again for another chance to see where we will get to chat about next week. Let us...
Mar 30, 2021•55 min•Ep 28•Transcript available on Metacast Hello podcats! You'll be thrilled to know we are taking a detour from the darker side of London's history, and we are brightening the mood with a chat about the glorious Ellen Terry, one of London's most famous actors. We take a look at her life, loves and legacy as one of the 19thC's foremost Shakespearean actors. Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal and Emily gets her sweaty hands on the wheel again for another chance to see where we will get to chat about next week. Let us know what ...
Mar 24, 2021•51 min•Ep 27•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back, everyone! We're continuing our march into the darker bits of London with a look at Bethlehem hospital, better known as Bedlam. We take a look at the history behind this infamous hospital and why the name Bedlam has been adopted into day to day language. TRIGGER WARNING - we are talking about mental health, and will be using some words that were used historically but are not particularly accepted or respectful today. They are being used in a historical context and with reference to ...
Mar 17, 2021•59 min•Ep 26•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back, podcats! This week is the turn of Emily, and she is taking us over to Bloomsbury to take a look at the story of one of literature's most influential writers, Virginia Woolf. We find out why she was such an amazing writer, how she got an education when girls were routinely overlooked for learning, and her friendships and love affairs. TRIGGER WARNING - we do talk about her death where she took her own life. Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal and Emily gets her sweaty hand...
Mar 10, 2021•51 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to this week's episode, where we are making a stop at Whitechapel to visit Joseph Merrick, as so many people during the Victorian era did. He is otherwise known as the 'elephant man', due to his facial growths and the story given to his birth by the showman of the 'freak' show he was part of. His is an incredible story, although not the cheeriest! Come along and find out about the wonderful Joseph Merrick. Plus we find out who won the Podcast Pedestal and Emily gets her sweaty hands on t...
Mar 03, 2021•53 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast Technical issues all sorted, we are back for a wholesome podcast after the cheek of the last one! We're off to Chelsea Physic Garden today, and OF COURSE goth guide Emily manages to find some death and destruction amongst the lovely green plants. Alex gets her knickers in a twist over old characters in history, and normal service is resumed. The question on everybody's lips though - will Emily finally get that podcast pedestal win she craves?! Find out here. Our lovely jingle writer Ben Morales ...
Feb 24, 2021•51 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast 
