This one gets a 21-gun salute
Yes, a 21-gun salute for this new walk.
1. Created and guided by Dr Luisa. Snap! That’s a lock for a brilliant walk.
2. Women ahead of their time who dared to think and live differently.
3. Women who changed history.
4. Society beauties.
5. Math protégés.
6. Double-crossing spies – their heroism was unparalleled.
7. Heiresses.
8. Politicians.
9. Ground-breaking writers.
10. “The most remarkable woman in the kingdom.”
11. The courtesan who wrote the first kiss-and-tel memoir.
12. The Lady of the Lamp.
13. The woman novelist who inspired Jane Austen.
14. The London of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility.
15. The royal mistress everybody loved.
16. Henry VIII’s short-lived “morally corrupt and physically deformed” Queen.
17. Posh London to the Nth degree.
18. The grandest, most beautiful house in London.
19. London’s shopping Shangri-La.
20. London’s oldest palace – hoary with age, redolent with history.
21. A hidden, utterly charming 300-year-old market square, the haunt of “strumpets & lazy rascals.”
FIRST THE 21-GUN SALUTE, NOW THE PAGEANT
Meet the wild and wonderful women of Westminster who changed history – from society beauties to maths protégés to double-crossing spies who risked their lives for democracy to heiresses to politicians to ground-breaking writers.
ALL ABOUT THE WALK (here speaks Guide Luisa)
We’ll be meeting the wild and wonderful women who lived in some of the loveliest and wealthiest parts of London from the 1500s to the 20th century. Women who dared to think and live differently – women ahead of their time who were one part ordinary to two parts extraordinary.
Walking through glorious Piccadilly, St James’s Square and the Mall we’ll discover the woman who King Edward Vll said was the most remarkable woman in the kingdom – after his mother (who was Queen Victoria so the bar was high but then she, the woman Edward VII had in mind, did give billions of pounds to charity), the courtesan who wrote the first kiss-and-tell memoir (the Duke of Wellington said “publish and be damned”), the world’s best-selling crime writer who hid herself away to write in one of St James’s oldest hotels and the Lady of the Lamp who was a statistical genius as well as a pioneering nurse.
We meet the pioneering woman novelist whose writing inspired Jane Austen. And walk along the very streets frequented by Jane Austen’s characters in Sense and Sensibility. Streets Jane Austen knew from staying with her banker brother Henry. Streets great for shopping then and now.
We meet the most popular mistress of a King and remember the first wife of our current monarch. Her, that first wife’s family home, is a London “must see.” Many reckon it to be the most beautiful house in London. And nearby – an embarrassment of regal ex-wifely riches – a Henry VIII ex who barely saw the palace he built for her.
And what about the trailblazers, the women spies – part of the double-crossers – ordinary women whose heroism was beyond compare and whose work often led to the ultimate sacrifice. And for good measure, the genius who saw what the earliest computer could do. We celebrate them, too.
A few of these women are household names – others are less famous. But one and all are undeniably wild or wonderful and often both.
The area itself is a visual feast, a joy to sojourn through. We will see the oldest and often overlooked palace in London, a hidden, charming market square that hasn’t changed much since the 1700s when it was full of ‘strumpets and lazy rascals’ as well as some of Piccadilly’s most luxurious hotels.
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE GUIDING
THE ESSENTIALS
Meeting point: Green Park Tube Station – North exit (on the corner of Piccadilly and Stratton Street)
The tour lasts for two hours.
The tour finishes near Green Park Tube station.
Brian Altchuler –
I enjoyed the walk. Luisa is an interesting and informed guide, good commentary, good at answering questions and engaging the group. Interesting to hear about women, most of whom I had not heard of before and to visit areas of London off the main roads that were new to me. I would recommend this and any tour led by Luisa.
Sandra –
Very interesting tour with a very well informed guide. If you enjoy a bit of history this comes highly recommended.
Jenny Tomlinson –
I loved Luisa’s tour and discovering hidden gems of architecture, and learning so much about pioneering or infamous women who have shaped our society and history. Luisa has a captivating enthusiasm for this part of London and its erstwhile inhabitants which was infectious and makes me want to revisit some of these places again.
Gill Jackson –
I agree with everything my friend Cathy says about this wonderful tour. It was the highlight of a trip to London which included an evening at the Proms. I look forward to reading more about these ladies and also to joining another Luisa’s tours.
Corinne –
The Wild & Wonderful Women of Westminster walking tour with Luisa is wonderful. Full of well-researched, fascinating information and stories that she conveys in a well-paced walk. Luisa’s knowledge and enthusiasm for this topic are obvious, and her welcoming manner encourages additional questions and discussion. A great bonus was the follow-up email she sent with information and links about the women discussed on the tour. Highly recommend this walk with Luisa!
Cathy Wood –
A wonderfully entertaining and fascinating walk full of stories about remarkable women! Exactly as described. Luisa is highly engaging and impressively well informed. She took good care of our group and was always happy to answer questions. The follow up email full of links to more information about these amazing women was a real bonus. Many of these women’s lives are disgracefully little known and Luisa has inspired me and my two friends who did this walk to find out more!
Denise –
As a Londoner it always amazes me how little I know about people and places in my city. I really enjoyed this walk around Mayfair and hearing all about the wonderful women in our history, I came away feeling quite thoughtful for the next few days! Luisa’s style is informative but also easygoing, she then follows up with an email linking you to all the wonderful women again. Highly recommend this tour
Jo H –
I went on the Wild and Wonderful Women of Westminster with Luisa! She was not only very interesting and knowledgeable on the subject but I found her to be very kind and attentive to all the participants on the tour! I would definitely recommend her walks for a very pleasant, enjoyable and interesting experience!
Jean –
Excellent walk through Mayfair covering the various talents of women in different ages. Really appreciated the back up information that Louisa emailed afterwards giving links to biographies and other publications related to what we learned on the walk.
lilach resnik –
My daughter and I joined the “Wild & Wonderful Women of Westminste” walk and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The tour was fascinating, very well planned, and filled with stories that were both thought-provoking and engaging. It left us wanting to learn more at every stop. Even though I know the area quite well, the walk introduced us to beautiful streets and hidden corners that I had never noticed before.
A special thank you to Luisa, who was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and an excellent storyteller.
Highly recommended!!.