A dazzling opera singer and fearless duellist, Julie defied every rule of her time, living openly as a bisexual woman, scandalising Paris with her romances, and wielding a sword as skilfully as she held an audience in song.

Together, they explore how myth and history collide, and why Julie's legend still captivates today.

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A trailblazing fashion designer, savvy self-promoter, and Titanic survivor, Lucy revolutionised style in the early 20th century and helped shape the modern fashion industry with her label, Lucile Ltd. Together, Heroine City unpacks the glamour, grit, and controversy surrounding the woman who brought catwalks, supermodels, and storytelling to Edwardian dress and became one of history’s first fashion celebrities.

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In this episode of Heroine City, host historian, Lynsey Shaw is joined by writer and researcher Decca Warrington, author of The Eleanor Crosses: The Story of King Edward I’s Lost Queen and Her Architectural Legacy. Together, they uncover the story behind the crosses, the queen who inspired them, and why these remarkable medieval monuments still matter today.

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In this podcast, host Lynsey Shaw and special guest Sue Prichard, head curator at Leeds Castle, delve into the personal and political challenges Eleanor faced as a Castilian princess navigating the English court, the love story behind the iconic Eleanor Crosses and her lasting impact on history. Join us as we uncover the fascinating, often overlooked life of a queen whose legacy lives on.

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In this episode, we step into the turbulent world of Harriett Lewis, an 18th-century black woman who defied the odds. Abducted from her homeland of Guinea to Jamaica at the age of seven, she was singled out and educated, became a house mistress, travelled to England and find herself a free woman navigating the perilous streets of London’s underworld as a sex worker.

Harriett was a survivor and a business woman who carved out her own space in a society determined to keep her in her place.

Join us as host Lynsey Shaw and historian Montaz Marché piece together her remarkable story, exploring the intersections of race, gender, and survival in Georgian Britain.

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Join host Lynsey Shaw and guest, curator and art historian, Emma Rutherford, as they uncover how portrait miniatures reveal hidden insights into women’s lives, their expressions of love, memory, and identity, and the artistry that shaped these miniature masterpieces.

The Limner Co. https://www.portraitminiature.com

The Reflected Self at Compton Verney https://www.comptonverney.org.uk/whats-on/the-reflected-self/

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Join us for a deep dive with the #brilliant Dr Elizabeth Norton as she unravels the personal stories and defining relationships of this legendary queen. Don’t miss this enlightening episode! 🕯️📜🪶 

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From scrubbing floors to running the Cavendish Hotel, Rosa Lewis’s story is one of grit and grandeur. 🧼 👑 Join us as we discuss Rosa's incredible journey from humble London beginnings to culinary stardom. Perfect for history buffs & foodies! 🍴

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Join Lynsey Shaw and Dr Olympia Kiriakou to learn her fascinating story! 🎥

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They discuss the groundbreaking women who've shaped pop. Lynsey's experience in the industry, Lucy's books 'SheBop,' 'The Liverbirds: Our Life in Britain's First Female Rock'n'Roll Band,' and 'Madonna: Like an Icon' and the future of women in the industry.

There is even an EXCLUSIVE Lynsey Shaw track drop at the end of the episode just for @heroine_city listeners! 🔥

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Discover the strategic genius of Yolande de Aragon as our expert, Dr Zita Rohr, discusses her work and Yolande’s fascinating life, impetus and powerful networks.

Yolande’s story is as gripping as any Game of Thrones plot!

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Explore the powerful story of Lilith with author Nikki Marmery on this episode of the Heroine City Podcast. Together with host Lynsey Shaw, they discuss ancient narratives, female power and how the old stories have shaped the subjugation of women. A must-listen for history buffs and feminists alike!

Nikki Marmery is the author of a fantastic book delivered from the perspective of Adam’s first wife and equal. Published by Legend Press, Lilith is available now.

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Heroine City delves into the captivating life of Joan of Navarre, a medieval queen and powerhouse, from her royal connections to controversial accusations, host Lynsey Shaw unravels the complexities of a queen’s journey from ruling the Duchy of Brittany to Queen of England to Queen Dowager with expert Dr Ellie Woodacre. 📚

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Join Heroine City host, Lynsey Shaw, as she chats with Clare Freestone from the National Portrait Gallery about Yevonde’s incredible six-decade-long journey through photography and colour. 🚀 

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For updates on the exact series two launch date, please follow us on https://instagram.com/heroine_city and we shall see you there!

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The Los Angeles born daughter of a laundry owner, Anna May Wong became the first Chinese-American film star of golden age Hollywood at the age of 17. Frustrated and vocal about the limiting roles she was given, as well as the ones she was looked over for, as a woman of colour in the Hollywood system, her reaction was to leave for a successful working stint in Europe. Wong continued to work throughout her four decade career achieving more firsts, as the first Asian-American lead in a TV series in 1951’s The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong. More recently, she became the first Asian-American to appear on US currency.

Yunte and Lynsey discuss Wong's life, achievements, travels and work.

Warning:

This episode contains discussion of suicide.

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Tessa and Lynsey discuss the nuance in the life of a woman whose legacy goes way beyond the one role she played in the Hanoverian royal household. 

Warning: Contains discussion of domestic abuse.

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In episode eighteen, we continue on our epic journey into the life of Parisienne ballerina turned Victorian heiress, Yolande Duvernay, with her biographer, Jenifer Roberts. In part two, host Lynsey Shaw and Jenifer discuss what happened next as Duvernay settled down to life with General Clairemont, his wife and family, and her vast English estates.

Warning: Contains discussion of abuse and sexual exploitation.

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In episode 17, we are discussing Yolande Duvernay, later Yolande Lyne-Stephens. Born in Versaille in December 1812, Yolande led an extraordinary life from a petit rat at the Paris Opera to heiress of one of the greatest non-aristocratic fortunes in Victorian England. In 1833 Duvernay danced at the Theatre Royal, London, where the young William Makepeace Thackeray described her as a ‘vision of loveliness’. Famous for her beauty and talent, she was infamous as the heiress to the Lyne Stephen’s fortune, with wealth to rival Queen Victoria. As a Parisian courtesan, the press had a field day when the heir to the Lyne-Stephens family fortune married his French dancer-mistress. Press attention continued after her husband died and, as his widow, she fought protracted court battles with extended family to keep her wealth and allowances while part of a scandalous throuple.

Jenifer Roberts is the author of Duvernay's biography, "The Beauty of Her Age,' a book that Julien Fellow described as 'a fascinating study of the power of money in nineteenth-century society.’ Jenifer Roberts joins host Lynsey Shaw to discuss Yolande's life and sex, scandal and money in 19th century France and England.

Warning: Contains discussion of abuse and sexual exploitation.

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Warning: Contains discussion of adult themes.

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Jo and Lynsey talk about Fisher's early life, her motivations, achievements, rivals, the controversy and contentions and her brilliant collaborations with painters, especially her pivotal and nuanced relationship with Sir Joshua Reynolds, ahead of the tercentenary of his birthday on July 16th, 2023.

Warning: Contains discussion of adult themes.

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Warning: Contains discussion of a sexual nature.

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In this week's Heroine City episode, host Lynsey Shaw continues her conversation with Dr. Pat Shipman about explorer Florence Baker (1841-1916).

Warning: This episode contains adult themes and discussion of violence.

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'In 1859, at age fourteen, Florence Szász stood before a room full of men and waited to be auctioned to the highest bidder. But slavery and submission were not to be her destiny: Sam Baker, a wealthy English gentleman and eminent adventurer, was moved by compassion and an immediate, overpowering empathy for the young woman, and braved extraordinary perils to help her escape.' So states the blurb of Pat Shipman's 2004 book entitled To the Heart of the Nile.'The book is 'an unforgettable portrait of an unforgettable woman: a story of discovery, bravery, determination, and love, meticulously reconstructed through journals, documents, and private papers...'

In this week's Heroine City episode, host Lynsey Shaw talks with Dr. Pat Shipman about Hungarian born explorer Florence Baker (1841-1916). In this fascinating discussion Pat's relays her sources, admiration for Florence and Sam, her own career parallels and journey into bringing Florence's exceptional story back to life.

Warning: This episode contains adult themes and discussion of violence.

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WARNING: Contains adult themes and discussion of sexual violence.

For more from Professor Penelope Corfield:

https://www.thegeorgiansdeedsandmisdeeds.com

https://www.penelopejcorfield.com/

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For more info on Luci's work please go to https://www.lucindagosling.co.uk

Warning: This episode contains mention of suicide.

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Kate has worked at Anne Boleyn's childhood home of Hever Castle, Kent for many years and is now assistant curator. Her groundbreaking MA work on Anne's Book of Hours, housed at Hever, saw her garner international attention and informs her continued work bringing fresh light to an old story from new perspectives.

The Catherine & Anne: Queens, Rivals, Mothers exhibition, which brings together Katherine of Aragon and Anne's Boleyn's Book of Hours is running at Hever Castle until November 2023.

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Shrabani's books include For King and Another Country: Indian Soldiers on the Western Front 1914-18, Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen’s Closest Confidant (now a major motion picture,) and Spy Princess: The Life of Noor Inayat Khan. She has always combined her journalism with her love of history and all her books have evolved from her observations about the shared histories of India and Britain. Since the release of Spy Princess in 2006, Shrabani's Noor Inayat Khan Memorial Trust has successfully campaigned for a memorial to Noor in London’s Gordon Square, seen the release of a Royal Mail stamp in honour of Noor, and, in 2020, Shrabani unveiled the Blue Plaque for Noor Inayat Khan in London.

Noor's story is poignant, sad and incredibly inspiring. Noor actually means ‘divine light’ and we are happy to help shine a light on Noor's exceptional life and Shrabani's efforts to help keep Noor’s tale of loyalty, love and sacrifice alive for generations to come.

Warning: This episode contains discussion of violence and torture.

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Behn was arguably the first professional female writer. After a failed marriage and a stint as a spy for Charles II, Behn began writing as a means to financial autonomy and lifelong independence. What followed was a prolific, trailblazing career during which she created the Restoration play, The Rover (1677) and, arguably, the first ever novel, Oroonoko (1688), the first in English to feature a black, enslaved African as its protagonist.

Virginia Woolf famously wrote, “All women together ought to let flowers fall on the tomb of Aphra Behn . . . For it was she who earned them the right to speak their minds.”

A is For Aphra Statue Campaign: https://www.aisforaphra.org/

Find out more about Claire's work here: https://www.amonkeywithcymbals.co.uk/

Warning: Contains discussion of sexual violence.

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Eleanor's story and its place in the timeline of women accused of treason is part of The National Archives current exhibition, Treason: People, Power and Plot running until April 6th, 2023. In the exhibition Eleanor's case sits within a legal evolution that led to the downfall of Anne Boleyn. Not only do we talk about Eleanor, whose story deserves to be wider known but two other women connected to the case, 'The Witch of Eye', Margery Jourdemayne and Kentish woman Juliana Ridligo. Both died as a result of the allegations, the former as a heretical witch and the latter after telling King Henry VI what she thought of him and his treatment of Eleanor while he was passing through Blackheath.

Warning: Contains discussion of violence

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In this episode they discuss Kate's work, 'northern' criteria, what that means, its associated stereotypes and paradoxes, and why she chose to highlight the women in her book following her PhD on the subject in relation to performance. Their stories, connectivity, and legacy of these women now sits inside the Heroine City as wonderful example of powerful collective female identity and why we need to always ensure that we keep alive the spirit of women who came before, while making a pathway for those that follow.

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As Emma says, “history is sexy, and sometimes fun, and sometimes hilarious, just like people.” It is also challenging, controversial and subjective. On our mission to bring women’s narratives to the fore, here at Heroine City we will discuss the problematic heroines as much as those with seemingly straightforward stories, because all of them are inevitably complex and multifaceted, which is where the good stuff lies. 

Please don't forget to share, subscribe and rate our podcast, and follow us on our instagram @heroine_city. We want to hear your suggestions on other fascinating women from the past.

Dr. Emma Southon's news, work and links can be found here: https://emmasouthon.com

Warning This episode contains discussion of violence.

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Subsequently overlooked, since the height of her fame in the early part of the twentieth century, Colman Smith’s struggle with finances meant that she died in 1951 without the financial recognition her body of astounding work deserved. You will have seen her images, perhaps in the Rider Waite (now called Waite-Smith) tarot deck. Now it is time to get to know the person who created them.

LINKS:

Pamela Colman Smith: Artist, Feminist & Mystic at Liverpool UC https://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/books/id/55385/

Pamela Colman Smith: The Untold Story https://www.amazon.com/Pamela-Colman-Smith-Untold-Story/dp/157281912X

Colman Smith Blue Plaque Campaign link https://susanwands.com/?page_id=329

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