Ladies Who London

Well gang, here we are. It might not be the end of the road. It might just be a great big semicolon blocking our way for the moment. If you want to find out what happens next, and if we get past it, subscribe now. Then, when, if we do anything in the future, you'll definitely get to know. In the meantime, we had fun at Crossness. Fiona found connections and call backs in Hounslow. But mostly it's William Derham of Havering. The astronomer Vicar who borrowed a massive telescope and propped it up on his church tower to change the way we thing about the universe. Oh and calculated something that had stumped Isaac Newton no less. Getting his neighbours to fire canons left, right and centre, but never neglecting his parishioners. He sounds like a good egg. *this semi colon is almost certainly be used wrong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Quite leafy Ruislip, a typical London suburb, was home to Helen and Peter. He was a 2nd hand book dealer and....... well, what else? And why did Helen end up commemorated on a stamp? I'm not going to tell you now, you'll have to listen to find out. Can you work it out before Alex does? Hillingdon has jumped the queue, Havering will be next week. Plus random cat news, and dappled shade in the street. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're often called clowns. I'm sure it is meant nicely. In any case, this week we take a look at one of London's most unusual events, the Clown Service every year in East London. We also trace back the history of clowning, and find where the traditions that we know and love (or are scared of!) originate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex takes us to the North London borough of Harrow. Eschewing the school and it's many celebrity alumni, we are retiring to the country instead. When Sir William Gilbert bought a house in Harrow, it came with a resident animal, who quickly became a family favourite. So much so, when he died, they acquired a new pair. What were they? There were also cats and dogs and donkeys. But it's Nancy's pet that provokes the most questions. We are talking of WS Gilbert, creator of plays and comic operas, with his long time collaborator Arthur Sullivan. Who retired to Grim's Dyke and along with his wife created marvellous gardens and a fateful lake. Indeed it's not a long episode this week, because of the lake, and the swimming lessons he was giving to the locals. It's now a hotel, so maybe there's an outing in the offing. There's definitely an outing in the offing, with more Crossness details this week. And lions and canals and bears, Oh my!* Who was Grim, and what was the dyke for? *There aren't any bears. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Never has paying rent been quite so elaborate. Even when it's rent you're not paying, for a piece of land you don't use anymore. It's confusing. The City of London goes to town with the pomp and processions, and we are here to explain all. In fact this year (unlike all the others) we are determined to make it to some of these events. Get your diaries at the ready if you'd like to join us. There's the Boar's Head procession, by the Butchers. The Carmen do the cart marking. City Freemen with their sheep crossing the river. And 61 nails getting handed back and forth, for eternity. Every year since.... well, who is going to have the oldest ceremony? It's a lost in the mists of time face off between Fiona and Alex. We don't just cross the river, we go upstream for the Doggett's Coat and Badge, and then even further up to check who owns those swans. I want to hear "Good service" "Good Number" and "Whack it boys, whack it!" A lesson for us all. John Stow's inscription: "Either do things worth writing about, or write things worth reading". Here at Ladies Who London we hope we do things worth talking about, and talk about things worth doing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices