179 episodes

Join us, Alex and Fiona, as we take a light look at London's history in a relaxed and entertaining way. As qualified Blue Badge Tourist Guides, we share our passion for the city with you in a chatty and fun podcast, looking at the weird, wonderful and unknown in this huge, ancient place we call home.

Ladies Who London Ladies Who London Podcast

    • History
    • 4.9 • 31 Ratings

Join us, Alex and Fiona, as we take a light look at London's history in a relaxed and entertaining way. As qualified Blue Badge Tourist Guides, we share our passion for the city with you in a chatty and fun podcast, looking at the weird, wonderful and unknown in this huge, ancient place we call home.

    Ep 175 - fish, chips, gooseberries & mulberries - a D-Day special

    Ep 175 - fish, chips, gooseberries & mulberries - a D-Day special

    What does the 6th June have in common this year? It is both D-Day and national fish and chip day. So we are spreading two themes in one here, which have a bit of an odd link. We are not just talking f&c, but we are looking at how it links in to WW2, as well as seeing how the very unlikely gooseberries and mulberries fit into the picture. Confused? Yeah, we thought you might be. We're not, however, talking fruit, but talking mulberry harbours, which helped hugely in the aftermath of D-Day to disembark troop and kit into Normandy, and how the London docks played a very big part in that impressive feat of engineering. Come find out more in this week's episode.
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    • 59 min
    Ep 173 - Mary Wortley Montague, mother's marvellous medicine

    Ep 173 - Mary Wortley Montague, mother's marvellous medicine

    Fiona is back, and cracking out a fantastic story, picking up a loose thread from a few weeks ago, Mary Wortley Montague. An intriguing woman, Mary disappeared to Italy after her marriage went a bit wonky, and also took up the mantle of innoculating children well ahead of the UK more generally, and showed people how it could be done, and how it could help by publicly innoculating her own daughter. This is the fascinating story of one woman who broke boundaries.
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    • 1 hr 3 min
    Ep 173 - Dido Belle - society and slavery

    Ep 173 - Dido Belle - society and slavery

    Alex is flying solo this week, as we take on the story of Dido Belle, the young mixed race woman, born to am enslaved woman, and brought up in British high society. Born to a British ship's captain, and an enslaved woman being transported to Jamaica, Dido was brought back to the UK and entrusted to one of the highest Judges in the land. Her story was hidden until the 1990s, and we are taking a look at her story, her glorious portrait, and also her uncle, Lord Mansfield, in this week's episode. Join us for a truly intriguing story of a woman of colour in Georgian society.
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    • 38 min
    Ep 172 - Operation Umbrella - Over, under, through

    Ep 172 - Operation Umbrella - Over, under, through

    We don't half love an Operation here at the Ladies Who London podcast! This, however, is no military operation, although it is no less audacious or finnickity. How do you build huge infrastructure when the place you need to build is one of the busiest spots in London? Well, that is the question. Operation Umbrella was the answer to this exact question. While needing to use the space but also redevelop the space, an ingenious plan took over Oxford Circus, which would require planning engineering before the real engineering took place. And yes, it was very painstaking. Come and find out all about this impressive project on this week's episode.
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    • 1 hr 6 min
    Ep 171 - Emma Hamilton - rags to riches & maid to mistress, the story you never knew

    Ep 171 - Emma Hamilton - rags to riches & maid to mistress, the story you never knew

    Heave ho me'hearties, this week we are setting sail aboard the good ship Hamilton, as we take a look at one of history's most famous mistresses, Emma Hamilton. But does she deserve such a reductive title? Surely there is more to her than we think we know? Boy are you in for a treat! We careen from the Temple of Health and the Celestial Bed (remember that?!) to the glamorous streets of Naples, the top deck of a warship and a Queen's court, as we tell the bits of Emma Hamilton's story that you may not know. Sure, she did fall in love with Nelson, and of course that was never sealed with marriage. But she is so much more than that headline. Join us here to explore the fascinating history of Amy Lyons, better known as "That Hamilton Woman"
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    • 1 hr 6 min
    Ep 170 - A mad medley of Montagus

    Ep 170 - A mad medley of Montagus

    Well this is an episode, kids. Fiona has seen a squirrel and gone on a mad goose chase through the annals of history, chasing down the elusive Montagus. Where will we end up?! Heaven only knows...Alex certainly doesn't!
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    • 43 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
31 Ratings

31 Ratings

Ukknight ,

Solo Alex

Just listened to the first show Alex did alone and she did a great job! Love the offbeat little bits of history!

GoodGood Soul ,

Commercials WAY too loud

Won't continue to listen until the commercials are turned down! Way down!

80s Fanatic ,

Fabulous podcast!

I can’t recommend this podcast enough! Alex and Emily are so much fun to to listen to! I love hearing about London and all its history, and these ladies make it so entertaining! xx Jess in LA

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