About

Hello. My name’s Louise Peskett. I work as a guide at Brighton’s lovely Royal Pavilion and as a teacher and role-player at Brighton Museum, Hove Museum, the Booth Museum and Preston Manor. That may have been me you saw in a frilly housemaid’s hat the other day pushing socks through a mangle with schoolchildren in the Manor’s basement. Or walking through the Lanes in a large hat dressed as Martha Gunn. I am particularly interested in women’s history, especially in Brighton, where the stories of so many incredible, talented (and, in some cases, downright badly behaved) women go under the radar of local history. When the weather’s nice – and sometimes when it isn’t – I offer two walking tours ‘Notorious Women of Brighton’ and ‘Notorious Women of Kemptown’, during which I point out old stamping grounds, pubs, schools, houses, workplaces, graves, churches, palaces and lodging houses of some of these women. These walks are very gentle but, if invited, I can offer a seated, illustrated version for groups too. This is my blog. In it you’ll find details of upcoming Notorious Women of Brighton/Kemptown walks, how to contact me if you would like me to talk to your group, how to contact me if you have any stories about overlooked local women from our past to share, and all kinds of interesting information and details I accumulate in the course of my day about women in history.

20 thoughts on “About”

  2. Hello Louise, I really enjoyed the Notorious Women of Brighton walk today. I mentioned that I had a hunch that Daisy and Violet Hilton were the conjoined twins in Tod Browning’s controversial 1932 film Freaks, and it turns out that they were indeed. Details here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freaks Thanks for the educational and entertaining morning!

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  3. Hello Louise, I really enjoyed the Notorious Women of Brighton walk today. I mentioned that I had a hunch that Daisy and Violet Hilton were the conjoined twins in Tod Browning’s controversial 1932 film Freaks, and it turns out that they were indeed. Details here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freaks Thanks for the educational and entertaining morning!

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    • Hi Simon, Many thanks for this! I had heard of the film now I think about it but had no idea that Daisy and Violet were actually in it! I thought they were just depicted by actors. I think I mentioned there was a Broadway musical about their life called ‘Sideshow’ in 1997/8 that was nominated for – but didn’t win – various Tony awards. I keep meaning to look at youtube footage of some of the songs. It seems to be doing the rounds again, appearing in a theatre in California at the moment! And, to think, it all started in the Evening Star pub. Thanks so much for coming on the walk on Sunday and for the link. It was great to find out more.

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  4. WW l – where are the women?. In Scotland they are paying many tributes to the remarkable Dr Elsie Inglis who in 1915 led a team of medical staff to help women and children suffering dreadful conditions in Serbia. She has a panel in the Great Scottish Tapestry recently completed.

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      • The University of Edinburgh also published a 2 page article with new photographs about Elsie Inglis recently in their Alumni magazine. Someone has also told me that she was featured in a discussion on BBC R ? 4 in the last month or two. Here in Sheffield there are also a number of features about the women who worked in the steel works in WW1.

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  6. Dear Louise,

    I was given your name by a lovely lady, who has read a few of your articles.

    I was telling her about a framed water colour that I picked up from the pavement close to the King Alfred centre in Brighton. She mentioned that you may be able to provide me with information about someone who might know anything about William Perrin.

    In a nutshell, it’s three small prints of scenes in Alfriston; The Square, High Street and The Church. The prints have then been painted by the artist. It is a limited edition and has a sticker from the Alfriston Gallery on the back which has since closed. I tried to contact the owner,Vincent Ruggiero, but he was a bit grumpy and not interested in a conversation, unfortunately.

    It’s a lovely piece and i am loathe to discard it without finding something out about it.
    if you are able to provide me with any leads, I would be extremely appreciative.

    Kind regards,
    Dawn Nel

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  7. Hi Louise, the Fringe book says that you are taking a Notorious women of Hove walk on 12/5 but it is not on your own website? Will you be taking it on the 12th? Many thanks, Maria

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      • Hi I have bought 2 tickets online for walk on 12/5,then I realised that to collect them the payment card has to be presented. I was going to ask my daughter to get them as I won’t be able to,but she is away and there won’t be time to give her the card so that she can do this. If we bring email confirmation with us at the time of the walk,would that be sufficient,or do we need the tickets too? Many thanks, Maria

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  9. We did your Hove tour today which we thoroughly enjoyed. It opened our eyes to the amazing feats which these women achieved to help make our society what it is today. What an interesting and entertaining tour which was presented so clearly and professionally by Louise. I will definitely do more of your tours
    Thank you

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  12. Hi Cat! Thanks so much for getting in touch and for sending the link to Vindication Swim. How interesting and doesn’t the actress look like Mercedes? I can’t wait to see it. Thank you for coming on the tour today. You were all a fantastic group this morning, I enjoyed chatting to you all. Looking forward to seeing you at a plaque tour or even a plaque unveiling soon! Best wishes!

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