In the late 17th century, young women arrived in London to earn their own living, with mistresses setting up shops and supervising female apprentices. Recent groundbreaking research reveals the extent to which single women, wives and widows established themselves in trades guilds both alongside - and separate to - men. 

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Laura Gowing, author of Ingenious Trades, whose pioneering work sheds a new light on the critical importance and breadth of women's work at the heart of an emerging consumer culture.

Keep up to date with everything early modern, from Henry VIII to the Sistine Chapel with our Tudor Tuesday newsletter >

If you would like to learn more about history, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit >

To download, go to Android > or Apple store >