Archive for 2022

Episode 208: London Field Trip Report

Posted 26 July 2022 by
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Of course, we had to pose in front of Highclere Castle! (Yes, that’s “Downton Abbey.”)

Once upon a time a couple of chicks and a group tour expert thought it would be fun to plan a tour around our former subjects… finally, three years, four reschedules,  56 people went on that eight-day trip. These are their stories. (And historical trivia, travel and book recommendations, societal observations, and even a lesson in gas exchange…there’s a lot to learn in this one.)

Our Poundland haul!

Some finds at Blenheim Palace:

Gladys Deacon sphynx at Blenheim Palace

 

Winston Churchill’s curls from his first big boy haircut

 

Nobody puts Wallis in the corner!

TIME TRAVEL WITH THE HISTORY CHICKS TRAVELERS

The Superbloom at Tower of London was a favorite for A LOT of us

Head on over to our Instagram, The History Chicks Field Trips, for the motherlode of trip photos!

The history pub tour that Beckett and her dad took was through Liquid History Tours; the Jack the Ripper tour Susan took was through RipperVision, her guide was Richard (although some Seagulls took the tour with a different guide from the same company and loved it just as much.)

Susan and our Jack The Ripper Tour guide, Richard! (He said he was going to look scary for this, he was a perfectly charming gentleman!)

Our tea etiquette lesson was delightfully presented by Eileen Donaghey at Fortnum and Mason where, you too, can stock up on Jubilee-themed tea and biscuits from wherever you are! 

Tea at Fortnum & Mason, Susan and Beckett’s table.

Beckett and her dad visited the Bate Collection of musical instruments at the University of Oxford.

Finding a pub in England is…not hard, but when we were in Oxford, this is where we enjoyed dinner and drinks (and more drinks): The Chequers. 

“Other” Susan: Learn more about Saint Frideswide, an Abbess at Christchurch Chapel in Oxford

Starr: The book that Starr nerded out to and gave her visit to Jane’s world added depth:

By Helena Kelly

Susie: The public art installation of giant corgis are dotted throughout Westminster (where we were staying so it was hard NOT to see one.) Here is a map of them, and the one that she referenced, Susan, represents Queen Elizabeth’s first corgi and the grandma of many of the ones she called for walkies in the Queen’s life. Funny story: this piece was created by the class of one of our Traveler’s daughters!

One of the many corgis! This one is named Susan who was Queen Elizabeth’s original corgi and the matriarch of the many corgis she’s had over the years.

June enjoyed her time at the Postal Museum!

Find yourself near Victoria Station on a Sunday evening and fancy a game of Trivia? Our Trivia Teams really enjoyed the Sunday evening game with Johnny the Fox at The Warwick!

The Superbloom music that Diana referenced was this, Music For Growing Flowers, by Erland Cooper.

If you’re excited to join us on another Field Trip, we would love to have you join us on our October Boston and Newport adventure! Click on over to Like Minds Travel for information, or if you are going to be in Boston and would like to join that trip’s Local’s Meet Up, find out more here!

Episode 207: The Wives of Henry VIII

Posted 10 July 2022 by
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Life gets in the way of the best intentions, doesn’t it? Covid has derailed us this week so instead of talking about our visit to the land of Henry VIII we thought we would get in the Way Back Machine to our 2012 series on the wives of Henry VIII! We’ve remastered and edited them into one really short audiobook (or long podcast, however you want to think of it.) Beckett is still recovering but hopefully, we’ll be together in two weeks!

Episode 206: The Gilded Gentleman, Invisible Magicians, and Golden Plates

Posted 14 June 2022 by
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Today we want to introduce you to a show we both really enjoy: The Gilded Gentleman! It’s produced by our friends Tom Meyers and Greg Young, The Bowery Boys, and is hosted by social and culinary historian Carl Raymond. Carl’s episodes are often a delightful companion to the stories of our subjects and this doubleheader is no exception. (more…)

Episode 205: Queen Lili’oukalani, Revisited

Posted 31 May 2022 by
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This month Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating her Platinum Jubilee, but she’s still alive so we can’t cover her* so we thought this would be an excellent time to get into the Way Back Machine to our 2017 conversation about Queen Lili’oukalani, the Kingdom of Hawaii’s last monarch (who was at Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1887!)

Queen Lili’uokalani (via wikicommons)

(more…)

Episode 204: Elizabeth Taylor, Part Three (FIN)

Posted 16 May 2022 by
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The image most have of Elizabeth Taylor, dazzling movie star…but is that really what she was?

 

Unlike most actors, Elizabeth never left the public view and her entire life played out on magazine covers, scandal sheets, punch lines, and news stories with tales of fact and fiction. But, in this final chapter of her life, she uses that very visible platform to bring money and awareness as a vocal ally for those stricken by a then mysterious and deadly illness, AIDS–going so far as to form her own foundation to fight the disease and support its victims. (And, just because she could, she also became the first celebrity to launch her own perfume line and company.) (more…)

Episode 203: Elizabeth Taylor, Part Two

Posted 1 May 2022 by
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We begin with the marriage of Elizabeth to Mike Todd. Here she is with her children, Mike, and a honkin’ big diamond in 1957. Library of Congress

From the tragic death of husband number three, Mike Todd, through her two marriages to Richard Burton, and Elizabeth’s first stay at the Betty Ford Center, we look at Elizbeth’s life of wild ups, crazy downs, and a whole lot of living in between. (more…)

Episode 202: Elizabeth Taylor, Part One

Posted 16 April 2022 by
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Modern Screen magazine, 1950 wikicommons

She was a child star, a Hollywood superstar, a wife seven times (or eight depending on how you count- men or “I dos?”) a mother of four, a dear friend, businesswoman, activist, and, despite all of her efforts, had the most public of private lives. One would think that all that activity would indicate, “Hey, Chicks, this is a two-parter,” but no, we were quite surprised. (more…)

Episode 201: Julia Child

Posted 1 April 2022 by
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Julia, 1978 by Lynn Gilbert via wikicommons

 

TIME TRAVEL WITH THE HISTORY CHICKS

For photos, book recommendations, and links to things that we discussed in this episode, please visit our ORIGINAL SHOWNOTES; to read about Susan’s adventures in French cooking, check out THIS POST.

Are you going to be in London in June? Please join us at our London Local’s Meet-Up Dinner on June 25th, for more information and to get tickets, visit our friends at Like Minds Travel.

Grab one of the last couple of spots in our OCTOBER NEW ENGLAND FIELD TRIP, or come out to the Meet-Up Dinner in Boston on October 21st! Information and sign-ups are also here at Like Minds Travel.

Episode 200: Hurrem Sultan (Empress Roxelana )

Posted 23 March 2022 by
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Portrait of Harrum Sultan (Roxelana) circa 1500s, artist unknown, Public Domain

Kidnapped as a young girl and sold into slavery in a foreign land, Hurrem Sultan captured the heart of a king… and transformed the course of an empire. (more…)