My Love Letter Time Machine - Victorian History

Season 5, bonus episode. Ingrid answers listeners' questions, talks about the future of My Love Letter Time Machine, and introduces her Grandfather Owen's memoirs, (who was a nurse in the Royal Navy during WW2). Ingrid will come back with Janie’s story in the Spring in a new season of the podcast, and then lead into story of her family getting through the first world war, the depression,...

Season 5, episode 12. 1893 to 1894.  I’m so sorry to break your hearts, but mine is broken too. In 1894, after a protracted chest infection, Fred started coughing up blood + with horror, he + Janie would have realised that they were staring tuberculosis in the face.  Support the show

Season 5, episode 11. 1890 to 1893. Janie and Fred move to the seaside in Redcar, North Yorkshire, we get to have rather a lovely snapshot of their life together with  financial security, social mobility and even some balls and banquets. However back in Sheffield, Tuberculosis rears its ugly head.  Support the show

Season 5, episode 10. September 1883 to August 1889. We follow Janie and Fred's growing family, catch up with their family and friends back in Sheffield, and the goings on at the North Eastern Steel Company in Middlesbrough, as well as take a look at the impact of the first globally reported disaster.  Support the show

Season 5, episode 9. October 1882 - November 1883. We follow Janie and Fred's first year of as newlyweds as they settle into married life in Middlesbrough, but back in Handsworth, Sheffield, all is not well. 1883 proves a year of highs and lows, of birth, marriage and death.  Support the show

Season 5, episode 8. 7th - 12th October 1882. It's Fred and Janie's wedding! We have the last of the letters, and Ingrid tries her best to recreate the wedding of her Great Great Grandparents. Grab your tissues.  [Wedding March Pipe Organ royalty free music standard license purchased from audio jungle/ Envato] Support the show

Season 5, episode 7. 2nd - 6th October 1882. The last full week of letters before Janie and Fred's wedding! Janie is rushing around organising everything for the wedding attendents, Fred is get the finishing touches made to what will be their new home, and, we have a little look at the tradition of  bride-to-be's bottom drawer. Support the show

Season 5, episode 6. 28th September - 1st October 1882.  An industrial accident involving a crane takes place at Fred's works in Middlesbrough, and we take look at the history of the adoption of the telephone in Victorian Britain. Fred and Janie also reflect that their time of writing to each other is coming to an end. Support the show

Season 5, episode 5.  September 24th - 28th 1882. Janie is industriously sending household items up to Middlesbrough on the luggage train, and Fred is rather irritated - because his laundry keeps going missing, and someone has been taking Janie's letters out of his coat pocket and reading them. Support the show

Season 5, episode 4. September 20th-23rd 1882. Fred gets into a fine old mood over the course of these next letters, as the caliber of wedding guests being invited, by Janie’s Mother, not Janie I hasten to add, is making him fret. We also take a little look at the Derbyshire spa town of Buxton and the history of 'taking the waters'. Support the show

Season 5, episode 3.  17th - 19th September 1882. Content warning for Victorian  alcohol abuse. Confusion arises over a mystery groomsman, Fred is arranging for their banns of marriage to be published, and Janie has to deal with a family quarrel when Emma’s drinking takes a turn for the worse. Support the show

Season 5, episode 2. September 12th-16th 1882. Today we have a row about bridesmaids - Fred continues to try and rein in Janie’s wedding plans to absolutely no avail. 1882 was a Royal Wedding year, and while Janie would have been fascinated, she may have been more influenced by accounts of society weddings taking place in Yorkshire. Bridesmaids in hats seem to have been very popular.  Support the...

Season 5, episode 1. September 9th-11th 1882. We are now properly into the run up to Janie and Fred's wedding in four weeks time, and Fred offers what some might consider unwise opinions into what his bride should or shouldn't be wearing. Fortunately his letter arrives after Janie has already ordered her wedding dress.  Support the show

Season 4. Bonus mini episode. How a tiny newspaper clipping from 1843 took me on a little adventure on the history of cricket, featuring a brief look at a stadium disaster from 200 years ago, and the possible origins of how Janie's parents got together. Support the show

Season 4, episode 13. Q&A Bonus episode. In which Ingrid answers questions from listeners and talks about the importance of the letters. We also look forward to the Season  5 featuring the last of Fred and Janie's letters (out in September 2023),  and consider the future of the podcast.  Support the show

Season 4, episode 12. 5th-8th September 1882.  The wedding planning is picking up steam, Janie is gifted a wedding present from the elusive Fred Johnson. Our Fred finaly finds their new house, and we take a look at the Cutlers Company of Hallamshire and some unexpected family history therein. Support the show

Season 4, episode 11. 28th August - 4th September 1882. Janie bless her heart, is swamped, almost literally, working for the Cross Keys supporting the Handsworth Feast and Flower Show in miserable weather. Fred seems to have difficulty understanding why Janie just doesn't have the time to write to him. Support the show

 Season 4, episode 10. August 23rd-27th 1882. Our Fred decides goes on an adventure and climbs Roseberry Topping just south of Middlesbrough, in which he narrowly avoids killing his silly self. Fred and Janie try and firm up who will be their bridesmaids and best man for their wedding,  and it’s all hands on deck at the Cross Keys as Janie gets ready for the Handsworth Feast and Flower Show.  Supp...

Season 4, episode 9. August 19th - 23rd 1882. Content Warning: Victorian alcohol abuse and its effects in the family environment. We discover that Janie had been ice skating, and a really upsetting row blows up at the Cross Keys. We take a look at the history of Victorian indoor ice rinks or 'Glaceriums' as they were known.  Support the show

Season 4, episode 8. 14th-18th August 1882. Janie’s fabulous account of a family day at the seaside at Cleethorpes, and, we take a look at the Married Women's Property Act of 1882 that was passed into English law that very week. A law that came a little too late for some of the women in the family.  Support the show

Season 4, episode 7.  August 11th - 14th 1882. After the drama of cousin Maria's collapse last week, the 'Wellingtons' and the Warburtons rally around her. Also Fred & Janie get back on track with preparing and planning for their future married life.  The joy however is tempered with Emma's continuing issues. Support the show

Season 4, episode 6. 3rd-10th August 1882. Fred returns to Sheffield for a visit and seems to be being ghosted by his best friend, and Janie gets a bit of a fright when her cousin Maria Staniforth suddenly falls ill. We also take a look at some matrimonial superstitions of the day. Support the show

Season 4, episode 5. 30th July - 2nd August 1882. Fred and Janie discuss who is going to be Fred’s best man at their upcoming wedding, Fred goes to see a practice of the North Yorkshire Artillery Volunteers, and we look at the Victorian tradition of the Language of Flowers - a craze where people gave secret meanings to different types of flowers. Support the show

Season 4, episode 4.  24th - 28th July 1882. Fred gets some very encouraging news from his boss Mr Cooper and we look at the average working wage in Victorian Britain. Emma gets hold of some liquor and lays into Polly again, but this time, Polly stands up to her and gives her what for!  Support the show

Season 4, episode 3. 20th - 22nd July 1882. We find out more about Fred’s neck of the woods in Middlesbrough by taking a look at the Victorian Parks movement as a response to industrialisation, and Ingrid ends up sharing her own personal 'hymn' to Sheffield Cathedral.  Fred also seems to be rather sad that he's not yet going to be a father. Which is probably just as well at the mome...