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.
Sandra M Orr –
An excellent walk with a brilliant guide! Luisa is a fount of knowledge and makes the history of Soho come to life. Don’t miss it!
Jenny Dalton –
Luisa what a great guide you are. Your ‘Death, Debauchery and Drs.’ in Soho walk on Sunday 8th February was amazing. So informative, interesting and witty. You brought the area to life. We loved your witty commentary and learnt so much from you. Thank you too for all the photos and extra information you emailed. Look forward to joining you again for another great ‘London Walk’.
Daniel Klatt –
Thank you Luisa for a very interesting and entertaining London Walk in the vibrant area of SoHo. I can highly recommend this walk. I found it well organised, well prepared by our lovely guide Luisa, and easy to hear the details despite being part of a rather large group of people attending. Perfect Sunday afternoon and truly educational. I am looking forward to my next walk with Luisa.
Roger Davis –
For a guided walk to be a success, two things are required: to be entertained and to be educated. Luisa scored top marks in both categories. She clearly has a good brain, but beyond reciting facts and anecdotes, you can tell that she has a passion for her subject—and, importantly, it’s a passion she wants to share. The facts came thick and fast, interspersed with a lovely dry and occasionally risqué sense of humour. I have to admit that at the outset I wasn’t overly keen on spending two hours in the rain on a chilly afternoon, but the time flew by. Highly recommended.
Maria Pober –
Today, I took part in a walk for the second time, namely Luisa’s ‘Death, Debauchery & Doctors in Soho’, because I was so enthusiastic about yesterday’s walk on ‘Wild and Wonderful Women of Westminster’.
This is my first time in London and I am very interested in herstory, so I booked the tour about the wild and wonderful women who, in their own special and extraordinary way, broke free from the confines of the lives that had been mapped out for them – and I was not disappointed. Luisa knows how to talk about these women from the 18th to the 20th century in an informative and entertaining way, so that the two hours flew by.
Today’s walk in Soho from a socio-critical and medical perspective was also absolutely fascinating. Among other things, it dealt with body snatchers who stole corpses from cemeteries for medical purposes. It also dealt with medical professionals who either contributed greatly to advances in anatomy or were committed to public health.
Both walks are highly recommended.
Ralph Smith –
My wife and I went on Luisa’s Soho walk in January and are very glad that we did. Although we’ve stayed in Soho several times, Luisa showed us places and offered insights about Soho’s history that were new to us and fascinating. We especially liked her in-depth discussion of the area’s social history. Whenever we go to London we look for new London Walks and have never been disappointed.
Ralph Smith –
My wife and I went on Luisa’s “Death, Debauchery & Doctors in Soho” tour in January and are so glad that we did. We’ve stayed in Soho several times but were nonetheless amazed at how much we didn’t know about it’s history and places. We were especially interested in Luisa’s insights about the area’s social history. Each time we come to London we find new London Walks and have never been disappointed.
Sally –
Exciting, interesting and fun tour of Soho. Luisa was well informed and a great guide. She also followed up with details for further reading which I look forward to doing.
Kevin Reid –
An enjoyable, insightful walk with a great guide.
Shushil –
Excellent. Very informative and entertaining tour by Luisa. Visiting locations on the tour brought the experience to life.