In this episode of the Anglotopia podcast, host Jonathan Thomas speaks with historian Julie Summers about her extensive work in uncovering the hidden corners of 20th-century British history. They discuss her approach to storytelling, the evolution of British Vogue, the significant contributions of the Women’s Institute during World War II, and her personal connections to historical narratives. Julie shares insights from her research and the impact of her work on understanding British history.
Links
- Julie Summers’ Books on Amazon
- Julie’s Books on Bookshop.org
- Julie Summer Official Website
- Home Fires (JustWatch)
Takeaways
- Julie Summers specializes in uncovering untold stories of ordinary people during extraordinary times.
- Good history is rooted in storytelling, making facts relatable and engaging.
- The Women’s Institute played a crucial role during World War II, contributing significantly to the war effort.
- British Vogue has evolved from a fashion magazine to a chronicle of British identity.
- Julie emphasizes the importance of accuracy and detail in historical writing.
- The requisitioning of country houses during WWII transformed British country house culture.
- Jam Busters highlights the overlooked contributions of women in wartime.
- Julie’s personal connections to historical figures enrich her storytelling.
- The impact of social media has changed the role of print magazines like Vogue.
- Julie is excited about her upcoming book on the Women of D-Day.
Sound Bites
1. On the power of details: “I’m totally fixated about the weather—in fact, I’m known in the family as the biggest weather nerd of all times. If I’m describing a scene that happened on a certain day, I will go right back to the original meteorological forecasts.”
2. On discovering Our Uninvited Guests: “The chap at the hotel said, ‘No, no, no, this hotel was taken over by the Royal Air Force in the war. And the George down there, that was overtaken by the post office because the British government, had Britain been attacked and invaded, were going to send the government and all the major offices of state up to Harrogate.'”
3. On finding Sandy Irvine’s boot: “Jimmy Chin said, ‘Yeah, it had a foot in it in the sock. And the sock had a name tape on it. And the name tape said A.C. Irvine.’ And I went, ‘Oh my God, you found my great uncle’s foot.’ And I literally had not expected it.”
4. On the WI’s massive contribution: “They made 12 million pounds of jam and preserves during the Second World War—a third of the quantity of jam that was consumed. And all of that was from fruit that they’d either picked from the hedgerows or produced in their own gardens.”
5. On Harrods’ first escalator (1898): “Management was so concerned about the potential for customer accidents or panic that they stationed an employee at the top offering cognac and smelling salts to those who had completed the ‘ordeal.'”
6. On researching her grandfather: “He said, ‘Well, like most Englishmen, I can write the story of my sex life on the back of a postage stamp.’ And I thought, ‘Whew, off the hook!'”
7. On why women’s contributions were overlooked: “Shall I say what I really think? It’s because they’re women. I think the women’s voices were drowned out after the Second World War by the incredible stories of heroism of men.”
8. On the tragic “Brownies” at Brockett Hall: “The women who were giving birth to illegitimate children were known as the Brownies, and they were set to work in the kitchens at Brockett Hall until they went into second stage labor. They were dressed in brown uniforms—that’s why they were called the Brownies. I found that very chilling.”
9. On Home Fires being canceled: “The new writer asked the exec producer, ‘So how many series are we working towards?’ And she said, ‘Six, maybe nine.’ And three days later, I got a phone call to say, ‘We’ve been cut.’ And I let out a big F-bomb.”
10. On women and D-Day: “I stood up in front of these historians and said, ‘How many women do you think were directly involved in the planning for D-Day?’ One man said 100. A woman said 3,000. And I said, ‘No. 348,000 British women were involved in the planning for D-Day and more than that of American women.'”
Chapters
- 00:00 Exploring Julie Summers’ Journey as a Historian
- 04:41 The Art of Storytelling in History
- 09:36 The Evolution of British Vogue
- 19:48 Uncovering Untold Stories of Wartime Britain
- 25:24 The Impact of War on British Country Houses
- 29:35 Transforming History into Drama: Home Fires
- 32:24 The Overlooked Contributions of Women in War
- 39:07 Family Legacy and Historical Research
- 45:13 The Unsung Heroes of D-Day
- 48:42 Future Projects and Historical Interests
- 50:06 anglotopia-podcast-outro.mp4