What did the Georgians ever do for us?
Plus, a Catholic Loyalist, isn't that a contradiction in terms?
Hello and welcome to this week’s history newsletter. This week:
What did the Georgians ever do for us?
Thomas Tresham turns out to be even more interesting than I thought!
Charterhouse and Elizabeth I’s stay in 1558 on History Chat Live
Look out for Helen Carr’s interview
You are the very first to hear this next bit of news…. After the success of The Stuart Summit, and calls for “more!”, we have straight away begun planning for a Spring festival. This one will be on the Georgians. Many of you are also interested in a Tudor one and so that will be in the pipeline too, for a date in the future. With many Tudor events already available we will be looking for ways to make it a bit different. Back to the Georgians, the topics and speakers are yet to be finalised but if you’re wondering what in the Georgian period there could possibly be to interest you beyond big wigs and Jane Austen, what about the deliberate shaping of the idea of Britishness to combat the fact that a distant German relative had become king? Or the rise of the satirical cartoon marking the start of calling out the ruling elites for bad behaviour? Or the incredible fashions, and style icons like Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. This is not even to mention the notoriously bad and ever amusing infighting within the Royal family.
It’s an era of juxtaposition; wealth and poverty, absolute power and public scrutiny, anti-establishment feeling vs the creation of ‘Britishness’. Whichever topics we land on I can guarantee they will be fascinating! Keep an eye out for announcements over the coming weeks.
Thomas Tresham - A Contradiction in Terms?
Elizabethan England grew into an intolerant place for Catholics. The government’s narrative was simple, Catholics equal enemies of the State. This wilfully ignored a whole swath of people, those who were supportive of their Queen and who wished to practise their faith, these were the loyal Catholics. On man embodies better than anyone what it was like to be a loyal Catholic, that man was Thomas Tresham and he is the subject of this month’s blog. Join my Patreon to read this, and access 12 months worth of other exclusive content. You also get discounted tickets for all online events and early access to tickets for all events and tours.
The Charterhouse
The Carthusian Monastery now known as Charterhouse, was established in 1371. It has a long and fascinating history but was of especial interest this week as we saw the anniversary of Elizabeth I’s 5-day stay there when she arrived to London from Hatfield House, where she had been since her accession on the 17th November, 1558.
Click on the thumbnail below to watch this week’s live history chat in which I cover Elizabeth’s stay at Charterhouse, why it was then known as North House and how the house is linked to the arrest of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk.
Coming Soon - John of Gaunt with Helen Carr
Helen Carr is an award nominated writer, historian and podcaster specialising in medieval history and public history and she joined me recently to record a podcast episode all about John of Gaunt. He’s a name which is probably familiar but how much do you know of his story? We delve into it!
The episode will be available to members of the British History Patreon on 4th December, which includes a bonus section and is entirely ad-free, and be available on general release on YouTube on 11th December.
Join me next week for news about the Lord Leycester Hospital in Warwick and a Victorian village in the depths of Shropshire!
Until then, take care
Philippa
MD and Owner of British History Tour and British History Events