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.
Marianne –
A friend and I fully enjoyed this most informative tour – kudos to Luisa! We both had lived many years in London and were now revisiting after many years of living abroad. We realised how little we had known about the streets we (thought we) had known. Luisa brought it all to life – it was terrific!
Julian Gladwell –
I attended this walk with 3 friends and really enjoyed it. I have lived in London all my life but found myself in interesting alleyways and side streets that I had never been to before!
There were some rather sexy bits and also some very informative medical history.
I was especially captivated by the story of the heroic pioneering scientist who tackled the epidemic of cholera. Highly recommended! Luisa has nice clear diction, even with large group and is always ready to answer any questions.
Abass Sanni –
I joined this walk last Sunday, it was a most informative and amazing experience! Our guide Luisa is very knowledgeable about the area and being a medical doctor she brings her expertise to bear in explaining a great deal of the medical history of the area – The Plague, the workhouse, the cholera outbreak, the contributions of John Snow, and of course the social history of Soho. This walk comes highly recommended!
Cindy –
I did this walk on October 19th and had a thoroughly good time! Although the rain did not desist for nearly all of the 2 hours, Luisa did an excellent job of keeping us entertained and her enthusiasm did not wane. As the title tells us, it is quite a gory tale at times and took us back , metaphorically, to the pox and pestilence filled streets of London. Her storyteling is great, and she reels us in for the next gem around the corner. We wandered down some lanes near Tottenham Court road but a million miles away from the shopping crowds and learnt a lot. Quick disclaimer; I have led a very similar walk locally to me and found the overlapping links fascinating. Get on your walking shoes and join this walk, you will love it [probably best to eat first, especially before you reach the John Snow pump tale…… thank you!
Deborah Denny –
We’re Californians, and we take London Walks every time we come over here (which is often). These walks never disappoint! We were excited to see a NEW walk – Death Debauchery and Doctors – so off we went. Fascinating! Luisa, as a medical professional herself, brought Soho , with its seedy side, to life in terms of illness. Bacteria, lack of sanitation, sex , etc, wreaked havoc on the lives of the people who lived there. Luisa is an engaging guide – knowledgeable, warm, funny, compassionate. HIghly recommend this tour!!
Heidi Wagner –
I heard about this new walk on the London Walks podcast (which is a “must-do” in itself) and it was given a high bar to meet. I decided to give it a try to see if it lived up to the hype and boy, does it! Louisa was a great guide; perfect mix of knowledge and humor! Jam packed with information at every corner! Very easy walk for everyone, more like a stroll with a very interesting encyclopedia. If you’ve flown in on an overnight flight and can’t check in until the afternoon, take this tour! Stretch your legs and fill your head! Luisa sent some links after the walk so we could revisit some of the spots- very helpful! Highly recommended!
Ruth MacFarlane –
Luisa is a wonderful guide! As a former practicing surgeon she is perfectly equipped to present medical history , interwoven with social and cultural history of Soho. And the highlight for me was to see the replica water pump where John Snow and the clergyman mapped the “hotspot” of a Victorian cholera epidemic.
London Walks never disappoints. Thank you Luisa 😃
Clare Taylor –
Myself and 3 friends joined this walk yesterday afternoon and loved it! We all thought we knew the area fairly well, but learnt many new and interesting facts! Luisa descriptive delivery brings the past alive (fortunately not the dead that are referenced though!)! I would highly recommend this walk as a very enjoyable way to spend 2 hours wandering the streets of SoHo, we even went back to one of the pubs included on the tour for further research of course!
Sandy –
London Walks never disappoints and this tour was no exception. Luisa, a former surgeon and medical journalist turned professional guide, clearly has a passion for her subject. Our tour was pithy, engaging and fun. Highly recommend it.
Scott and Liz –
A brilliant experience! My wife and I joined Luisa’s Death, Debauchery and Doctors walk through Soho at the weekend and absolutely loved it. Luisa was incredibly engaging, humorous, and knowledgeable — she brought the area’s rich and often outrageous history to life with gripping anecdotes that stirred emotions from disgust to wonder to laughter. The two hours flew by, and we left feeling entertained, enlightened, and eager to do another walk with her. Highly recommended!