Hidden Women of the City of London

Join this evening talk to discover the stories of women who shaped the City of London from AD 60 to the early-20th century.

While some names may be familiar, their connections to the City might not be - others will be distinctly new. From the trailblazing to the delightfully villainous, explore the lives of investors, doctors, thieves, boxers, ghosts, and other unlikely heroines.

Rebecca Couper explores nearly 2000 years of women in the City, from Boudicca to Agatha Christie. Interwoven with London’s history are the stories of women who made their mark when their identity often made it difficult to do so — investors in the South Sea Bubble of the 1700s, shopkeepers in Cheapside, entrepreneurs of profitable boudoirs, and even women who fought their way to fortune in bare-knuckle boxing.

Not all could be called pioneers, though some truly were, like the accountant who waited until the age of seventy-five to gain her chartered status; Elizabeth Fry, the Quaker who transformed prison reform; and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, who cleverly found a loophole in a City livery company to train as a doctor. You'll also hear tales of Moll Cutpurse, the cross-dressing thief; Isabella, the ‘She-Wolf’ of France, said to haunt a churchyard; and the notorious Fanny Lines; a ghost with a mischievous streak.

About the speaker:

• Rebecca Couper is a member of the City of London Guide Lecturers Association.

What to expect:

• The talk will last approximately 50-60 minutes followed by Q&A.