A Grand Tour with my Great Great Grandad

A history podcast tracing Ed Hill's great great grandfather's travels and the era that defined him and the Victorian world. In this episode, after finishing his time on the railway, William continues his tour of Milan taking in the Villa Belgiojoso Bonaparte, wanders through the Cristoforis shopping mall, admires the art in the famous Brera gallery and reveals his feelings about the friends he has...

A history podcast tracing Ed Hill's great great grandfather's travels and the era that defined him and the Victorian world. In this episode Great Great Grandad William visits the Santa Maria della Grazia, home to one of the most famous pictures in the world (or is it). He observes grotesque religious characters reminiscent of Dickens caricatures and wonders at the sculptures on the facade of the S...

A history podcast tracing Ed Hill's great great grandfather's travels and the era that defined him and the Victorian world. In this episode William witnesses Carnival in Milan, travels to Cassano di' Adda and Lodi with his daughter and sums up his time working on the railway, including having to deal with the corrupt management of his Belgium boss Mr Thomas. Support this show http://supporter.acas...

A history podcast tracing Ed Hill's great great grandfather's travels and the era that defined him and the Victorian world. In this episode we accompany William as he drives the steam train from Milan to Monza describing the route through the Victorian countryside. He then describes notable journeys during his tenure on the railway and some of the horrific accidents that happen to unfortunate peop...

A history podcast tracing Ed Hill's great great grandfather's travels and the era that defined him and the Victorian world. In this special 25th episode, railway historian Anthony Dawson discusses with Ed the development of the steam railways in Europe and early locomotives like William is driving in Milan, including their impact on transportation and wider society. Support this show http://suppor...

A history podcast tracing Ed Hill's great great grandfather's travels and the era that defined him and the Victorian world. Great great grandad William describes Monza, joins the crowd in Milan for the procession of Corpus Christi and drives the 'Lombarda' steam loco at the grand opening ceremony of the Milan to Monza railway, the second oldest in Italy. Support this show http://supporter.acast.co...

A history podcast tracing Ed Hill's great great grandfather's travels and the era that defined him and the Victorian world. In this episode the steam locomotives have finally arrived in Milan and Great Great Grandad Will begins the first day's trials in front of a crowd of 30,000 people. He then takes a tour of the railway's destination city, 1840s Monza. Support this show http://supporter.acast.c...

A history podcast tracing Ed Hill's great great grandfather's travels and the era that defined him and the Victorian world. In this episode William continues his journey from Milan to Genoa, passing through the ancient city of Pavia where he observes what he considers the dubious artifacts in the cathedral, and reaches the port of Genoa with its long and opulent history. Support this show http://s...

A history podcast tracing Ed Hill's great great grandfather's travels and the era that defined him and the Victorian world. Now on his way to inspect the steam engines being imported to Italy, William visits the Villa Simonetta near Milan with its notorious history and takes in the fabulous surroundings of the Certosa di Pavia monastery. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/a-grand-tour-wi...

A history podcast tracing Ed Hill's great great grandfather's travels and the era that defined him and the Victorian world. In this episode William continues his tour of early 19th century Milan. He visits the Hospital Maggiore. Attends a ceremony in the cathedral welcoming the ruling Austrian viceroy and his highly adorned family and wanders around the Lazzaretto a former plague hospice now home...

A history podcast tracing Ed Hill's great great grandfather's travels and the era that defined him and the Victorian world. In this episode William discusses the numerous markets found in Milan in 1840. He witnesses the wide variety of fruits, vegetables and meats available. Discusses the merits of Macaroni and denounces the 'disgusting' habit of frogs being skinned alive. Support this show http:/...

A history podcast retracing the journeys of my great great grandfather, uncovering the stories, people, and places that shaped his Victorian world. In this episode William is touring 1840s Milan describing the theatres such as the boisterous La Scala and lesser known Teatro alla Canobbiano, considered by him a better place of entertainment. He also praises Carlo Geatano Gaisruck, the worthy Archbi...

A history podcast retracing the journeys of my great great grandfather, uncovering the stories, people, and places that shaped his Victorian world. In episode 17, Great Great Grandad William is touring the streets of 1840s Milan, hearing about the origins of the Arena Civica amphitheatre, the dastardly cruel Galeazzo Sforza (The 5th Duke of Milan) and the scandalous but beautiful Countess Guilia S...

A history podcast retracing the journeys of my great great grandfather, uncovering the stories, people, and places that shaped his Victorian world. Join William as he tours 1840s Milan visiting the many gates or 'Porta' entrances into the city. These include the spectacularly adorned Porta Sempione (Arch of Peace), ancient (or is it) Porta Romana and the impressive Porta Ticinese. Support this sho...

A history podcast retracing the journeys of my great great grandfather, uncovering the stories, people, and places that shaped his Victorian world. In this episode Great Great Grandad William explores the interior of Milan Cathedral, where he admires the beauty of the stain glass windows, ponders over the rock crystal sarcophagus of St Carlo Borromeo, observes the busy queues for confession and th...

A history podcast retracing the journeys of my great great grandfather, uncovering the stories, people, and places that shaped his Victorian world. In this yuletide episode of A Grand Tour with my Great Great Grandad, William continues his journey through 1840s northern Italy by stagecoach. On his way he encounters a fine granite bridge built on the orders of Napoleon over the Ticino river, the la...

A history podcast retracing the journeys of my great great grandfather, uncovering the stories, people, and places that shaped his Victorian world. In this episode Great Great Grandad William has now got to Turin on his way to Milan so he decides to spend a couple of days seeing the sights and sounds of that city at the time in 1840 when it was still part of the Piedmont-Sardinia Duchy. His travel...

A history podcast retracing the journeys of my great great grandfather, uncovering the stories, people, and places that shaped his Victorian world. In this episode we join Great Great Grandad William as he travels to Milan, undertaking the perilous journey over the alps from the Duchy of Savoy to Piedmont. With no tunnels or trains the journey is a combination of horse drawn carriage and sledge. S...

A history podcast retracing the journeys of my great great grandfather, uncovering the stories, people, and places that shaped his Victorian world. Continuing his journey, Great Great Grandad William journeys through France to Italy over the alps. First starting at the silk trade centre of Lyon then to Chambery the capital of Savoy and finally to Épierre where he takes in the colourful sights and...

A history podcast retracing the journeys of my great great grandfather, uncovering the stories, people, and places that shaped his Victorian world. Grandad Will continues his journey by horse drawn Diligence from Paris to Milan taking in the rural sights of the River Soane, the towns of Chalon-sur-Soane, Macon and first impressions of one of France's largest cities, Lyon. Support this show http://...

A history podcast retracing the journeys of my great great grandfather, uncovering the stories, people, and places that shaped his Victorian world. In this episode, we join William travelling to the Palace of Versailles by train. Setting off on his journey by stagecoach from Paris to Italy. Then visiting the Palace of Fontainbleau where he sees the table where Napoleon signed his abdication and th...

A history podcast retracing the journeys of my great great grandfather, uncovering the stories, people, and places that shaped his Victorian world. In this episode William meets Napoleon's veterans at the Hotel des Invalides, wanders by the floating swimming baths of the Seine, visits an engineering exhibition at the Conservatoire des Arts and observes the religious ceremonies taking place at...

A historical podcast retracing the real-life journeys of my great great grandad to uncover the people, places, and events that shaped his world. In this episode Great Great Grandad Will visits the noisy Paris stock exchange of the 1840s, encounters the grandeur of the Luxembourg Palace, strolls around the national assembly of the Palais Bourbon and stops by the Paris Mint. Support this show http:/...

A historical podcast retracing the real-life journeys of my great great grandad to uncover the people, places, and events that shaped his world. In this episode Great Great Grandad William discovers the curious sculpture of the Elephant of the Bastille, wanders the calm surroundings of Pere Lachaise cemetery, admires the artworks of the Louvre and discovers the church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois....

A history podcast retracing the journeys of my great great grandfather, uncovering the stories, people, and places that shaped his Victorian world. In this episode Great Great Grandad William wonders at the animals in the botanical gardens of the Jardins des Plants, takes a tour of Napoleon's wine market and the Pantheon and ponders on Sunday trading in France. Support this show http://supporter.a...