BRING YOUR BABY GUIDED LONDON WALK: Women from Holborn's History
Description
Walk starts: Victoria Embankment Gardens, Villiers St, next to Embankment Station, WC2N 6NS. Meet at the garden entrance on the right if you are exiting Embankment tube station at the Villers Street exit. Even if you are not travelling by tube this advice will guide you to the correct garden entrance.
I highly advise using WhatThreeWords to look up the exact location before you leave home: at https://what3words.com/link.belong.logs
There are public toilets on the Embankment side of the station - please leave plenty of time to do this if you need to visit before the walk - walk and exit on the river side of the station and turn left to find the toilets and baby change. If for any reason the gate is locked they can also be accessed by entering the next gate into the gardens and walking around the block.
Walk ends: Red Lion Square, Holborn
Halfway stop for lunch at The Watch House cafe, Somerset House, Aldwych, where there are also toilets and baby change.
'Bring Your Baby' Guided London Walks are sensitively devised to suit parents and carers of even the tiniest babies to enjoy London’s history. We can stop whenever you like to feed and change - without the stress of feeling you are holding up the group. Because every participant brings their baby, patience and baby’s needs are at the forefront of each walk.
Both buggies and slings are welcome. We plan all our routes to be buggy-friendly and step-free.
You are welcome to bring friends and family who do not also have a baby. Please note that every adult attending needs a ticket.
This walk is written and guided by City of London guide Sue Doe, co-writer of the best-selling 'Women from Hackney's History' Volumes I & II (2021 & 2025).
Walk description:
The HQ of the Women’s Freedom League and the WSPU, the two main suffrage organisations - hear stories about The Pankhursts, Emmeline Pethick Lawrence and Gladys Evans.
The site where suffragettes skated all night to avoid the Census in 1911 (and their favourite vegetarian restaurant).
Emma Hamilton, courtesan, who is best remembered as the mistress of naval hero Lord Nelson and the muse of artist George Romney.
The home of the first woman Cabinet minister, Margaret Bonfield.
Sarah Siddons, Welsh actress, and the best-known tragedienne of the 18th century.
Where Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first woman Prime Minister, lived.
Fanny Wilkinson, eminent garden designer, responsible for the design and the layout of more than 75 public gardens across London in the late 19th century.
Eleanor Coade, 18th businesswoman who invented 'Coade' stone, used in many buildings around the Adelphi.
Ethel Ayres Purdie, suffragist, accountant, who ran the Women Taxpayers Agency
Beatrice Webb and Charlotte Payne Townshend, founder and funder of the LSE.
Florence Fenwick Miller, suffragist, journalist, owned the Woman’s Signal published in Covent Garden.
The Old Curiosity Shop.
Lincoln’s Inn.
The Adelphi, full of striking buildings and the home of an 18th century doctor who made the Great Celestial Bed.
If on the day of the walk we are forecast to have very bad weather, I may have to postpone the walk. If it's a bit of light rain we will cope!
Every walk follows the usual health and safety guidelines, such as crossing at traffic lights where possible and having hazards pointed out to you at the start and along the route.
There may be times we have to stand in direct sunlight (although I will always choose shade where possible). Please bring all the necessary sun protection for yourself and your child.
It is recommended you bring appropriate drinks and snacks for the duration of the walk.
I will contact you with booking confirmation after you book. I will supply my mobile number in case of emergencies or in case you are running late. I will also ask you to provide me with a mobile number so you can be contacted before, during or after the walk, but this is not for marketing purposes.
If you like the look of any of my walks, but would prefer to book me privately, please make enquiries at Lucy@bringyourbaby.org. This may particularly be the case if you have people interested who do not have babies.
Important notes about booking:
- Please feel free to invite baby-free friends.
- Children are the responsibility of the parent or guardian, and must be monitored by them at all times.
- Refunds or requests to move to a future event or date must be requested within 24 hours of the event commencing so that we can try to refill the space in adequate time.
- If for any reason Bring Your Baby Ltd are forced to cancel or postpone an event (for example in the case of illness or extreme weather conditions), you are within your rights to request a refund, though we will always suggest an alternative date for you to attend.
- On occasion we take photos or short video clips at our 'Bring Your Baby Pub Quizzes' or 'Bring Your Baby Guided London Walks'. By attending you are giving your permission for these to be used for Bring Your Baby Ltd promotional purposes. Any individual who we have taken a photograph of and published can request that any photographs are removed and deleted at any time. Even if they have given consent when booking according to our terms and conditions, they can of course withdraw their consent and can contact us at Lucy@bringyourbaby.org
(c) Copyright 'Bring Your Baby Ltd'
FAQs
- Can I bring my buggy?
Yes! All our walks are designed to be step-free and we judge capacity based upon the number of buggies we can safely accommodate on each walk - this is why we ask for number of buggies on checkout.
If you are physically able to wear a sling - I know some people physically can't for many reasons - it's a good idea to chuck one in your buggy in case baby needs a cuddle during the walk!
- Are walks step-free?
Yes! When I created these walks they were designed specifically to be step-free.
This doesn't include kerb drops, which are sometimes unavoidable.
- When and where will I be able to change my baby?
We always include a halfway stop where there are proper baby change facilities available and opportunities to get food and drink.
Please do not ever worry or be embarrassed about having to ask to stop - this is what I designed Bring Your Baby Guided London `Walks for when my son was a baby. Everybody on the walk is in the same boat as you and will understand.
If you find you urgently need to change baby during the walk please let your guide know. If you bring a portable change mat it may be possible to look for a place en route to stop and do this, or if you are not comfortable doing so, you can ask your guide to drop you a pin to your mobile phone so you can leave and catch up with the group after changing. It is imperative you let your guide know you are leaving. Please do not assume they have noticed you leave as they have a lot of people to monitor at the same time as guiding! :)
- Where and when will I be able to feed my baby?
We always include a halfway stop where there are proper baby change facilities available and opportunities to get food and drink and feed baby if they are awake There will also always be seating for you to sit down and feed.
If you find you urgently need to feed baby during the walk please let your guide know (though it has been known for some savvy parents to breast-feed from their sling at the same time as walking!)
Please do not ever worry or be embarrassed about having to ask to stop - this is what I designed Bring Your Baby Guided London `Walks for when my son was a baby. Everybody on the walk is in the same boat as you and will understand.
If you need to stop to feed before or after the halfway stop, it may be possible to look for a place en route to stop and do this, or if you are not comfortable doing so, or need more than a few minutes, you can ask your guide to drop you a pin to your mobile phone so you can leave and catch up with the group after feeding. It is imperative you let your guide know you are leaving or stopping. Please do not assume they have noticed as they have a lot of people to monitor at the same time as guiding! :)
- Can I bring friends without babies?
Yes! `There only needs to be one person in your group with a baby, so feel free to invite friends, parents, grandparents, neighbours...!
Every adult needs a paid ticket.
Please indicate the number of buggies when asked at checkout if you are buying multiple tickets.
- What do I do if I am late for the walk?
You will always be provided with your guide's number (please check your junk email if you have not received this before the walk), so please call or text them to let them know. If you will be really late they can drop you a pin so you can catch up.
- Can I bring children older than babies?
This is at the discretion of parents, but most walks have points which will be along busy roads, and so children need to be monitored at all times - by the parent or guardian, not your guide!
Some walks involve a lot of walking, so it is advisable to bring a buggy for children if they are still using one. Children's scooters are not suitable or permitted on our walks.
Please note that occasionally the content on our walks may be unsuitable for younger ears, though your guide will alert you to this if relevant, and will try to subtly adapt their words!
If older children are restless during the walk we have a halfway stop for lunch and baby change where they could stretch their legs at the same time. Occasionally we pass through a park or traffic-free area where they can get out of buggies to stretch their legs, but this is not guaranteed on every walk.
- Can I bring my dog?
This is at the discretion of your guide for each particular walk, so please check ahead by emailing Lucy@bringyourbaby.org
In all cases, dogs need to be well-behaved, and owners aware that some customers on our walks (including both adults and children) may have fears around dogs, so sensitivity is required at all times.
- What do I do if I find I can't attend any more?
We have a 24-hour refund policy, which includes moving your ticket over to another event, so as long as it's within this timeframe you are able to cancel.
The reason for this policy is that if I can't refill the space within the 24 hours I still have to honour to pay my guide. Thank you for your understanding.
If you have missed this timeframe for refunds we would still appreciate you letting us know you will not be attending so the group isn't waiting for you. You will have your guide's number emailed to you before the walk, so please contact them directly.
- I need extra time at the halfway stop
Most of our walks provide an hour (a few are 30 minutes) for feeding and changing halfway, but we understand the unpredictable nature of babies, who may have been asleep during lunchtime or suddenly fill their nappy at the end of the lunch stop! Please let your guide know if you need more time and they can always drop you a pin so you can catch up.
It is advisable to use the baby change at the start of the halfway stop if babies are awake, but know this isn't always possible.
Some of our customers may have school pick-ups for older children, or other appointments to get to after the walk, so we appreciate your consideration in feeding and changing within the allocated time if possible.
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