Ruth Boreham Tours

24/02/2025

Hello all! I've taken a bit of time off in February, for a week's research in Oxford & London (on Mary Somerville - I geeked out a lot!) and also for my birthday, but I have a number of different tours coming up in March, including a brand new one on 18th and 19th centuries in both old and new towns, and a free one on the suffrage movement! Have a wee look and maybe see you on one?

Women's suffrage movement in Edinburgh (2.5hrs, FREE!)
Sat 8 10am-12.30pm https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1232151330799
Sat 8 2.30pm-5pm
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1232156616609
Sun 9 10am-12.30pm
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1232157278589
Sun 9 2.30pm-5pm
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1232157469159

New Town (2hrs, £20pp)
Sat 15 2pm-4pm
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1133464616179

BRAND NEW - 18th and 19th centuries in the old and new towns (2.5hrs, £30pp)
Sat 22 10am-12.30pm
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1236612414019

Heart of the Old Town (1hr, £12.50pp)
Sat 29 11am-12pm
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1133470965169

Canongate (1.5hr, £15pp)
Sat 29 1pm-2.30pm
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1133472158739

Discover the history of Canongate, a separate burgh from Edinburgh until 19th century, and the women who lived/worked here.

17/02/2025

Thanks to Fiona at 'Business Life Edinburgh' for featuring me and my walking tours!

Historian and researcher, Ruth Boreham, is running a women’s history walking tour, through the New Town, on Saturday 15 March. It starts at 2pm, ends at 4pm and costs just over £20 per person.The walk starts at St Andrew Square and concludes in Charlotte Square. Along the way, Ruth will talk abou...

08/02/2025

Waiting for a bus to join friends for a drink after having done my Canongate tour with two brilliant women who have done 2 of my tours already! Brilliant chats along the way - I do love my job ❤️

05/02/2025

Such brilliant news!

03/02/2025

To celebrate International Women's Day on both Sat 8th and Sun 9th March, I will be running a free tour looking at the suffrage movement in Edinburgh. In 2.5 hours you will hear about mass meetings, petitions, criminal acts, about those who supported suffrage for all, to those who felt women had no place putting an x in a box. While much of history taught in schools may focus on London and the Pankhursts/Fawcetts, much happened north of the border as well!

The tour will start outside The Usher Hall, go along to Randolph Crescent, wind along the New Town, and finish on or near Calton Hill (depending on the ability of those on the tour - including myself!)

To find out more, and if you want to book, visit

Join Ruth Boreham on a free tour to celebrate International Women's Day 2025 and find out more about the suffrage movement in Edinburgh.

02/02/2025

Lovely post from someone who attended both my walking tours yesterday ❤️

01/02/2025

Had a lot of fun doing two walking tours today. Paddington was impressed with what I do but sadly was too busy eating to join in 😁

30/01/2025

I had such a brilliant time tonight giving a talk at Gladstone’s Land about women writers in Edinburgh. In an hour I talked to a lovely audience about 8 women writers. How many do you know of? (And how many of you are surprised to see Mary Somerville on it?! 🤣)

Marie Maitland c1550-1596
Elizabeth Hamilton 1756/8-18-6
Jemima Blackburn 1823-1909
Louisa Agnes Czarnecki 1823-1877
Catherine Carswell 1879-1946
Isobel Wylie Hutchison 1889-1982
Dorothy Emily (D E) Stevenson 1892-1973
Susan Ferrier 1782-1854
Mary Somerville 1780-1872

29/01/2025

This Saturday you have not one but two opportunities to hear more from me about the history of women in you lucky things! 😄 Why not join me on one or both tours?
New Town 11am-1pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1133441216189
Heart of the Old Town 2.30pm-3.30pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1133442409759

A walking tour of the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town, highlighting women from history and the work they did.

27/01/2025

Here's a wee update on a fundraiser I have at the moment, to get a biography I am working on finished. It is on Mary Somerville, who I mention on my 'New Town' and 'Women Writers' Tour.

Thanks to the donations I've had so far, in two weeks time I will be in Oxford indulging in some Mary Somerville research! I will be spending three nights at Somerville College (they have a portrait of Mary in their dining hall so I will be 'having breakfast' with her every morning!), and looking at some items at the Bodleian, including hopefully Ada Lovelace papers, and also some items that Somerville College have at their library and archives, including Mary's shell collection. It will be such a brilliant way to get to know her mind a little more.

Then I will be in London for two days. Still firming up plans there, but one thing I will definitely be doing is spending some time at Tate Britain (which I have never been to before) looking at a sketch and unfinished painting by JMW Turner which is now thought to be of Mary. It will be so lovely to see it in person!

I have also signed up to do a course called "How to Craft a Non-Fiction Proposal" which feels a bit pre-emptive given I've not really started writing, but hoping it will give me a steer in the right direction and maybe I will even start doing some writing on the train to/from Oxford!

Best

Ruth

Hi, my name is Ruth and I am fundraising to help complete my r… Ruth Boreham needs your support for Research and write about Mary Somerville, Queen of Science

26/01/2025

Had a lot of fun this morning doing my ‘castle to palace’ tour (rearranged from yesterday) with 4 lovely people. Lovely to see a bit of snow on the Pentlands! (Though v glad nothing underfoot so I didn’t have to walk like a 🐧😁) God I love history & sharing it with people!

24/01/2025

Due to the storm and continued high winds/damage, I am moving my ‘From Castle to Palace’ tour from tomorrow (Sat 25) to Sun. I have contacted all those who were booked, but if the change of date means you now want to join, do get in touch!

22/01/2025

Did you know that Lauriston Castle, an incredible place to visit in Edinburgh, has a programme of talks? Well worth checking out - and I'm not just saying that cause I'm giving a talk there on Wed 29 Oct!
https://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/scotland%E2%80%99s-herstory

Check out their full programme here - they are doing lots of things about the women connected with the building this year.
https://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/venue/lauriston-castle?fbclid=IwY2xjawH9tb9leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHYg52IqqPH_FKwha8WGu_q47LGZNkOZxrVAFHTPFX_KKcoLKumiNtdRENw_aem_k9GFdEFWKilh-qynSF6lEg

History is full of men: politicians, kings, heroes. But what about the women? What role did they play in society?

20/01/2025

Join me on Saturday to explore the magnificent Edinburgh Royal Mile and find out about women like Flora Stevenson, the Edinburgh 7 and Lady Grange.

Walk the length of Edinburgh's Royal Mile, from castle to palace, discovering women's history along the way.

18/01/2025

A headache is sadly preventing me from marching today, but I’m there in spirit and in solidarity with oppressed women worldwide.

https://happeningnext.com/event/edinburgh-uk-women%E2%80%99s-march-2025-eid3a0c4bdx1x

13/01/2025

I'm not running any tours this coming Saturday (15th), but the following three you have choices! It's lovely seeing people book on to them - why not join us and find out more about women who have lived and worked in Edinburgh.

Sat 25th Jan
From Castle to Palace 10am-1pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1121948962549

Sat 1st Feb
New Town 11am-1pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1133441216189

Sat 1st Feb
Heart of the Old Town 2.30pm-3.30pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1133442409759

Sat 8th Feb
Canongate 2pm-3.30pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1133450273279

Discover the history of Canongate, a separate burgh from Edinburgh until 19th century, and the women who lived/worked here.

13/01/2025

Come and hear me talk about amazing Scottish women writers in Edinburgh in the beautiful setting of Gladstone's Land
📅 Thurs 30 Jan
⏲️7-8pm

Women wrote too! Delve into woman writers in Edinburgh 16th-20th centuries with Ruth Boreham at Gladstones Land

04/01/2025

I now have dates for the 5 different women’s history walking tours I run in Edinburgh available for the next 6 months! Check out Eventbrite (link below) to see - and if none of the dates suit please do get in touch!

Also, keep your eyes peeled for an announcement in the next couple of weeks for the new walking tour I will be offering for free for International Women’s Day 👀

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/ruth-boreham-60004057643

Ruth Boreham