DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT
Una McTernan went on the walk on March 9, 2025. Here’s her review (please be sure to note the penultimate sentence): “We had a wonderful time on this walk with Luisa. We thought we knew Soho but we learned so much in side streets and previously unnoticed historic buildings. This is a walk for locals or visitors: there is something for everyone and especially if you are interested in the history of medicine, social history, and juicy tales of “ladies of the night.” All in historical context from a former doctor and current journalist/writer. We have done regular London walks for many years and this is the best one yet. Do not miss it!”
BILL OF FARE TO THE FEAST
Meet madams of bawdy houses, body snatchers and benevolent doctors in a two-hour walk through the alleyways and past the elegant townhouses of the square mile that is Soho. Find out how Soho got its name, how death, debauchery and do-good doctors all rubbed along together in Soho in the 1700s and 1800s and how some of Soho’s residents had an impact far wider than these colourful streets.
Discover what links “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” with one of the best-preserved workhouses in Soho, hear how executed murderers advanced medical knowledge and how a brave doctor turned detective to discover how 500 people died of Cholera within a few streets in two weeks in 1854. Clue: it was linked to a popular water pump.
We cover just over a mile of Soho, from the Georgian lodgings of a Devotee of Venus to a picnic spot beneath which lies a secret, to the first anatomy school in London and the sites of the first speciality hospitals in London that cared for women and those with the ‘foul’ disease.
There will be some sexual content (historical and tasteful) and some gore. It will be funny and moving – sometimes at the same time.
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE GUIDING
Ready? Strapped in? Here goes. Life force. Particle-Accelerator. Dynamo. Operatic. One woman procession. Surgeon. Author. Distinguished journalist (columnist, Editor, A-List freelancer). “Thinking person’s media personality” (radio and television pundit). All-rounder. Medical doctor and artsy (English Literature First). Londoner. Professionally qualified guide. Friendly. Fun. Charismatic. Effervescent. Make buzz distilled.
Carlie Holland –
I could not have wished for a more informative, fascinating experience – Luisa was superb! She had the whole group enthralled with her many well-researched stories of Soho life. A real testament to how good she is, is the fact I had come straight from another (very long but wonderful) London Walk, and yet she kept me totally engaged and entertained for the whole time! She was very sensitive to the needs of the group, and went above and beyond by personally escorting me to my requested coffee shop. I cannot recommend this walk (and Luisa) more highly!
Suzanne Otto –
Our family group of 6 really enjoyed Luisa’s tour.
We all learnt something new and Luisa was very knowledgeable as well as entertaining. The 2 teenagers listened the whole way round.
The unexpected bonuses were Luisa sharing her historic resources with links to the famous, and infamous characters the occupied and worked in Soho.
The other unexpected bonus were doughnuts! Thank you Luisa😄
Ronnie Sturgeon –
Really enjoyed this guided walk. A different perspective, linking science, medicine and illicit pleasures against the background of historic Soho perhaps London’s most “cosmopolitan “ district. Great stories, well informed with medical expertise, Luisa was the ideal guide.
Minaz Jooma –
Our guide, Luisa, was outstanding! She is a medical doctor and drew upon her disciplinary knowledge to explain historical and cultural shifts as well as developments in medical practice. She deftly established the links among the 3 elements in the title of the walk (death, doctors, debauchery) and answered her audience’s questions fully and generously. She engaged in brief tangents to slake our curiosity or to amuse us with juicy anecdotes pertinent to a particular person, event or place before returning to her well-researched and carefully-sequenced material. Luisa accomplished all of this with a lovely tongue-in-cheekiness that included everyone on the tour and put us at ease. She made sure to touch base personally with every member of the tour group and to gear responses to individual interests. This is no easy feat on a noisy London street with people you’ve just met! A remarkable tour, enlivened by an excellent (experienced, knowledgeable, humourous…) guide. Thank you! I hope Luisa will turn the content of this tour and her broader research into a book someday. (And that her daughter will realize that people DO listen to her mother! Inside joke.)
Ian Wallace –
This was my wife and I’s first London Walks, and we absolutely loved every minute! We have lived in London for years, with my wife growing up here, and were fascinated by the history and the world Luisa brought us on during this walk. Seeing Soho in its historical backdrop, unique location, and at the hands of expertise and unique insight was a fantastic way to spend an hour and a half on a Sunday. We would highly recommend this tour, and Luisa especially, for anyone wishing to learn a little more about London’s vast history.
Nick Mayper –
We’ve been on many excellent London Walks, and this was the best. Luisa was engaging, genuinely curious about our perspectives, humble-yet-confident, quite funny, and a wonderful storyteller. If her teenaged daughter is reading this: yes, your mom is…if you dare to believe it…cool!
Alison –
Such a well-informed, engaging and quite unique take on this small area of the city. I mean, that’s quite a spectrum of interests to cover, but it proved to be a very good lens through which to look at London’s development, and its challenges. Particularly good to do it on a sunny Sunday afternoon when we were able to legitimately slow down and notice things we’ve all walked past before. Brilliantly researched, with lots of links to follow up for further exploration. Thank you!
Kate –
Best guided walk ever! Luisa’s guided walk was superb. Funny, moving, horrifying, interesting, engaging and unexpected. We had such an interesting two hours and can’t stop repeating all the interesting and funny facts she told us. Highly recommend.
Michele –
We joined Luisa’s walk on Sunday afternoon.We found it both interesting and entertaining.We knew about the body snatchers from our trips to Edinburgh but learnt about the body snatching which took place in and around Soho.There was also lots of recommendations and we returned to Farrier’s passage and the gorgeous Patissier Chocolatier.We will look forward to another of Luisa’s walks.
Brian Altchuler –
I did the walk on 26th April and would recommend it. Interesting to learn more about an area that I would normally just walk through. Luisa points out areas of interest. Informative and often amusing anecdotes. Luisa is very clear. She makes time for questions and comes armed with relevant pictures/drawings.