Jane Robinson is the acclaimed author of twelve books and has been described by the BBC as ‘one of our most original and engaging social historians.’ She writes popular and accessible books about history seen through women’s eyes. Jane read English at Oxford; then worked in the antiquarian book trade in London, specialising in voyages and travel, before becoming a full-time writer and lecturer. She’s a frequent guest speaker at literary festivals, for national museums and libraries, university alumni groups, massed Women’s Institute Federations etc.. She has accepted invitations to speak from - among others - the British Council in Cyprus, the Arts Club in New York, St George's University in Grenada, the Australian Society of Genealogists and on P&O’s anniversary circumnavigation aboard Aurora in 2017.

Jane has contributed many times to Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4 (on which two of her books have been serialised) and on The World at One, BBC Radio 3's Night Waves, Start the Week, Dan Snow's History Hit podcast, other Radio 4 programmes, NBC in America, ABC in Australia, Classic FM in South Africa and on countless UK local radio stations. Television experience includes appearances in mainstream documentaries and magazine programmes on BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 4 and ITV. She is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, the Royal Geographical Society, a Hawthornden Fellow and since 2015, a Senior Associate of Somerville College, University of Oxford

Click here to visit Jane's website (with links to audio/visual clips) >> www.jane-robinson.com

TRAVEL HISTORY:

1. Wayward Women. A journey through the past 17 centuries with our most spirited women travellers, focusing if required on specific destinations.

2. Angels of Albion. The Memsahibs of British India and how they coped when their world turned upside down during the Indian Mutiny of 1857.

3. Mary Seacole. The Caribbean ‘Black Nightingale’ who ran a hotel in Panama, nursed Crimean War casualties and became one of Victorian England’s most charismatic celebrities.

4. Glass ceiling? What glass ceiling? History’s most surprising career-women, especially those who earned a living at sea or far from home.

5. Parrot Pie for Breakfast. A lively anthology of writings by and about women pioneers and settlers in the British Colonies, including Australia, New Zealand and North America.

GENERAL SOCIAL HISTORY:

6. Bluestockings. The astonishing history of the first women in Britain to be admitted to university; the prejudice they faced as trailblazers - and the fun they had.

7. A Force to be Reckoned With. The colourful story of the Women’s Institute, which began in Canada and became one of the feistiest and most original movements in our national history.

8. In the Family Way: for family history enthusiasts, an exploration of the stigma of illegitimacy between the Great War and the Swinging Sixties, with moving personal stories of hardship and triumph.

9. Hearts and Minds. How a long-forgotten episode in the history of the suffragettes and votes for women changed our world for ever. A celebration of people-power, and an introduction to some of the strongest characters you’ll ever meet.

In 2017 I was invited to lecture on Aurora's circumnavigation celebrating 180 years of P&O heritage. I lectured on women travellers in parts of the world covered by the ship's itinerary; the talks were based on 5 of my 10 popular history books.

The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.