CULTURE CLUB
Local heritage Sex and the City
FORGOTTEN FIGURES ARE STARKLY REMEMBERED IN THESE EYE-OPENING TOURS FROM CAMBRIDGE GREEN BADGE GUIDES
for prostitution just for walking in the street. No evidence was needed to warrant a thorough inspection, which often included an invasive medical exam, followed by detainment in the Spinning House – otherwise known as the House of Correction. A high-profile case involving Daisy Hopkins – a 17-year-old girl who boldly sued the university, after being held for ten days on suspicion of having a corrupting influence on a male student – led to a public debate regarding the legitimacy of these arrests. Daisy’s moral character was viciously dissected in court, and she lost her case, but the ensuing discussion eventually culminated in a change in the law, deeming it illegal for the university to arrest solely on suspicion and without evidence. These are just a couple of examples of the stories you can expect to hear on the tours run by Cambridge Green Badge Guides – an enthusiastic, learning-driven team always looking to add to their richly detailed narrative of the city. Green Badge Guide Sophie Smiley is particularly passionate about bringing important stories of local women to light. “We’re always looking to incorporate new tales into our tours,” she explains. “We love discovery, and telling these forgotten stories so people can learn something about Cambridge they perhaps didn’t know about before.” Sex and the City: Cambridge Women, Town and Gown tours run twice weekly, and commence at The Round Church on Bridge Street. Catch them every Thursday from 6-7.30pm, and Sunday from 2.30-4pm. Get in touch with the team via email if you’d like to arrange a private tour. cambridge.women.tours@gmail.com
Offering an often-overlooked view of the city’s illustrious history, Sex and the City: Cambridge Women, Town and Gown is a guided tour of Cambridge like no other. It explores the evocative, occasionally astounding sense of invisibility tied to the women of Cambridge – many of whom have shaped the city as we know it today, whether socially, politically or even architecturally. Simultaneously a celebration of these influential females, and a means of recognition for the lesser-known characters who played their part in creating a more progressive political landscape, the tours enable participants to uncover fascinating local stories. Many have been systematically excluded from the city’s historical and cultural conversation, despite their undeniable influence on the present, and several were significant figures in educational reform. Take Philippa Fawcett, who scored the top mark in the University of Cambridge’s 1890 Mathematical Tripos entrance exam by 13%, yet was not afforded the chance to obtain a degree. She was not the only one, and in fact Trinity College Dublin capitalised on this injustice, inviting the snubbed women to gain degrees there instead, providing them with the freedom to be independent – and go on to teach. Some of the stories are more shocking than others. The tours don’t shy away from the more salacious tales that underpin the city’s recent history, citing the university’s historic partnership with Cambridge police, and its devastating impact on young women during Victorian times. In an era when being young and female supposedly meant you must be dangerous to young men – on account of potentially leading them astray – it was commonplace for women to be arrested
8 Oct
16 OCTOBER 2021 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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