Harlots and Hearses

This week's episode takes us back to the early 1600s as we explore the grim realities faced by the Jamestown settlers during the infamous 'Starving Time.' In this episode, Grace Ardis sheds light on the struggles, survival tactics, and the stark contrast between myth and reality in one of America's first colonies. Discover the untold stories of hardship and resilience that shaped the course of history. 

Sources

• Jamestown, the Truth Revealed 
• To Feast on Us as Their Prey 
• George Percy's : Trewe Relacyon 
• The "tragicall historie": Canibalism and Abunance in Colonial Jamestown 
• The works of John Smith 
• Starving Settlers in Jamestown 

In this episode, Grace's delves into the life of Charlotte Hayes, a woman who carved out a name for herself in 18th-century London. Born into a world of complexity and contradiction, Charlotte's journey from Genoa to becoming a renowned madam is both fascinating and controversial. Discover how she navigated societal expectations, maintained her status, and left a legacy that continues to intrigue. Join us as we explore the intricacies of her life, her relationships, and the impact she had on her era.

Sources: Nocturnal Revels 

The Covent Garden Ladies 

This week's episode takes us to the bawdy streets of 18th-century London. Grace explores the history and cultural impact of "Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies," a notorious directory that rated and reviewed the city's prostitutes. Learn about the key figures behind its creation, the social dynamics of Covent Garden, and how this publication offers a unique glimpse into the lives of women who shaped the era. 

Sources used: Covent Garden Ladies 

Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies, 1788

This week's episode takes us back the city of Edinburgh during the year 1828. Grace explores the end of Burke and Hare story and how their murder spree would go on to change not only the city of Edinburgh but medical history forever. Additionally it shows the true meaning of Karma's a B*tch  

Sources mentioned:  Anatomy of Murders by Lisa Rosner 

Trial of William Burke and Helen M'Dougal  

Supplement to the Trial of William Burke 

Bodies and Bureaucracy

This week's episode takes us to the winding streets of Edinburgh in 1828 to follow the Case of the Notorious serial killers William Burke & William Hare. Grace explores how the the rising medical culture of 19th century Edinburgh created the perfect environment for these two men to kill 16 people and then sell the bodies to surgeons. 

Sources mentioned:  Anatomy of Murders by Lisa Rosner 

Trial of William Burke and Helen M'Dougal  

Supplement to the Trial of William Burke

This week's episode takes us to colonial Louisiana and Paris during the period 1718 -1721. Grace looks to break down the the true story of who the Casket Girls were, the horrid treatment they faced in the French Prison system and then in the erasure of their story. Hear about just who the founding women of Louisiana really were! 

• Mutinous Women: How French Convicts Became Founding Mothers of the Gulf Coast 
• Bienville’s Brides: Virgins or Prostitutes? 1719-1721

Grace is a forever a lover of history, so much so that she went back to school to get her master's in it. This week's episode takes us back to the years 1849-1855 to the heart of the Gold Rush in San Francisco. Following the life of one of the most successful Madams of the city during this period: Madam Belle Cora, Grace explores just how fast Belle and similar women rose in society and just how fast they could fall. 

Sources mentioned : 

• The Fair but Frail: Prostitution in San Francisco by Jacqueline Barnhart
• They Saw the Elephant: Women in the California Gold Rush by JoAnn Levvy
• Dispossessed Lives by Marisa Fuentes 
• Trinity Journal Feb. 2 1856, coming from the S. F bulletin
• S. F. Bulletin 
• The Annals of San Francisco; by Frank Soulé