The Hidden Herstory Podcast

Episode 12: The History Of Christmas, Margot Fonteyn & Queen Alexandra

Chrissy chats with Canadian Historian, Ballet Dancer and Blogger, Jessica Storschuk from Winnipeg, Manitoba, in this extra special Christmas Episode. In the first part of the show, we talk about our own personal family Christmas traditions, and go on to discuss some of the fascinating Religious, Royal and pre-Christian history that has also become the foundation of the contemporary Christmas celebrations we know and love today - and we also discuss the book "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. 

In the second half of the show, Jessica tells us about two amazing women who both have connections with Christmas:

Queen Alexandra was Queen Victoria's daughter-in-law. This shy, deaf, highly dignified Queen, who was married to the notorious womanizer, King Edward, took up photography as a hobby and published a book of her photographs, featuring various members of the Royal families of Europe relaxing on holiday, in order to raise money for her chosen charities at Christmas. The book was a bestseller all over the world, and Queen Alexandra's story is a truly fascinating one, which we shall be exploring further on the blog at hiddenherstory.com. 

Jessica also tells us about the life and career of British Ballet Dancer, Margot Fonteyn, who was one of the most influential and highly respected ballet dancers of the 20th century. One of her most famous roles was in the traditional Christmas Ballet "The Nutcracker". Margot Fonteyn married a South American Politician in the 1950's and went on to act as a cultural ambassador for the UK. Despite suffering many personal difficulties in her private life, and spending a great deal of her time and money caring for her husband after he was paralyzed in a failed assassination attempt, she always remained 100% focused in her dancing career, working with such greats as Robert Helpmann, Frank Ashton, and Rudolf Nureyev. She was still dancing professionally, well inther 60's, in order to finance her husband's complex medical needs, but she sadly died penniless in Panama, South America and is buried in an unmarked grave. Find out more about the legendary, Margot Fonteyn as Historian, Jessica tells us her extraordinary story. 

Visit Jessica's blog & Follow her on Social Media 

 

An Historian About Town | History in the Making

 

An Historian About Town | Facebook

 

An Historian About Town (@anhistorianblog) / Twitter

 

An Historian About Town (@anhistorianabouttown) • Instagram 

 

An Historian About Town | Bloglovin’

Episode 11: Sophonisba Breckinridge

In this episode, we talk with Dr Anya Jabour from The University of Montana, about a trailblazing but now largely forgotten American woman, called Sophonisba Breckinridge, who was an activist, social reformer, social scientist and innovator in higher education. She was the first woman to earn a Doctorate in political science and economics at the University of Chicago, and she was also the first woman to pass the Kentucky bar. 

Anya Jabour spent 10 years researching and writing her biography of Breckinridge. In this episode Dr Jabour tells us what first got her interested in history and how she undertook her research for the book, before telling us more details about Breckinridge's amazing life and achievements. 

This episode introduces our new "Sister's Across the Atlantic" theme, which will continue in Season Two of the podcast in January 2022. Next year we will focus on some well-known and lesser known figures from American Women's History. We'll have in-depth guest interviews with a range of American authors, historians and museums, including Pamela Toler, Didi Hoffman, Dr. Theresa Kominski and The Women's Museum of California

S1 Episode 10: Kate Garner on Marie Lloyd, Winifred Atwell & The Queen

Our Guest on this episode is Singer Songwriter Kate Garner who specializes in Vintage style music. We discuss Kate's recent performance at the "Noel Coward Art & Style Exhibition" at the Guildhall Art Gallery and find out why Kate's family and her famous musician dad, played such an important role in her musical upbringing. We also discover how Kate learned to stream live gigs from her home during the recent Covid 19 lockdowns. We also talk about the various women from history which have inspired some of Kate's songs and her forthcoming musical based on the Mapp & Lucia books. 

We also get a special in-show "Text Message" from Karen at the Hotsy Totsy Club! 

Chrissy tells Kate the story of her 2 X Great Aunt, Madeline Tisdall, who was a Music Hall Dancer in the early 1900's and Kate reveals her top three inspiring women from history - Music Hall Queen, Marie Lloyd, Queen of the Keyboards, Winifred Atwell, and THE actual Queen herself - Elizabeth II. 

You can hear two of Kate's songs in this podcast episode "Little Things" ( written during the pandemic) and "Why Not Me"  (written for her Dad's Album) 

You can hear Kate play Coronation Rag at https://youtu.be/IfMghq5PmRQ

You can watch the Trailer for Kate's Gig for the Art Deco Society : Songs About The Legends Of The Art Deco Era - Kate Garner Trailer - YouTube

Visit Kate's website: Kate Garner | (kategarnermusic.co.uk)

Follow Kate On Twitter - Kate Garner (@KateGarnerMusic) / Twitter

Follow Kate on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100054532905326

Follow Kate on Instagram - Kate Garner (@kategarnermusic) 

Follow Kate on You Tube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvPmGZVWpTH-XmDSpbamsPw

Episode 8: Lauren Chiren‘s 3 Inspiring Women

Episode 8 contains the second "Inspiring Women" interview in our current series. Presenter and host, Chrissy Hamlin chats to top menopause coach, Lauren Chiren from "Women of a Certain Stage" and finds out why Rosa Parks and Ruth Bader Ginsberg have inspired her personal mission to bring a greater understanding of the menopause into women's lives and work places.  We also discuss the important impact that an inspirational female teacher can have on a your life from our own personal experiences and discuss the ways in which Lauren's coaching work educates people of all ages and genders about the menopause and women's health and well-being. 

Episode 7: Nikki Vallance & her 3 Inspirational Women

We chat to author and writing coach, Nikki Vallance about her debut Novel "Pivotal" and discuss the lives and work of the three great literary women who have inspired her the most - George Eliot, Daphne Du Maurier and Mary Wesley. 

Episode 6: Renee Gerlich - A Brief Complete Herstory

We chat to Feminist Writer & Artist & Renee Girlich from New Zealand, about her "Brief Complete Herstory" series of books which give an illustrated overview of Women's History, from the Big Bang to the present day and answer many women's questions about subjects such as politics & religion. 

Episode 5: Carol White: The Battersea Bardot - Interview with Ewen Moore

Chrissy chats to composer Ewen Moore about the his one-woman musical Battersea Bardot, which tells the story the British Actress Carol White, who was famous for her roles in 60's dramas "Cathy Come Home", "Poor Cow" and "Up the Junction". 

Episode 4: Mary Macarthur: The Working Woman‘s Champion - Interview with Dr Cathy Hunt

Chrissy interviews Historian, Dr Cathy Hunt who has just written a new biography on the life and work of Mary Macarthur, Trade Unionist & Suffragist, in the Centenary year of her death.  

Episode 3: Jane Blanks - 1800‘s Essex Girl

Discover the previously untold story of my ancestor, Jane Blanks - an 18th Century resident of Little Baddow, Essex who had 2 illegitimate children & was involved in a scandalous bigamy trial at The Old Bailey.

Episode 2: 3rd Class Women on Titanic.

we discuss the plight of 3rd Class female passengers on board Titanic and uncover some of the hidden her stories of the women who survived - and those who perished.