NEWS
Upcoming talks
Grime and Glamour: London’s Wartime Volunteer Ambulance Service
16 May 2022, 8pm
Clapham Society
In person
Under Fire: the wartime diaries of a Chelsea Volunteer Ambulance driver
Thursday 26 May 2022, 6.30pm
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Libraries
Free online talk
Register at EventBrite
Past talks
Stockwell War Memorial at 100
Lambeth History Unlocked
YouTube link coming soon!
The Cinderella Service: London’s Wartime Volunteer Ambulance Service
21 Feb 2022, 7pm
Durning Library, London SE11
Online talk: Self-Publishing Your History Book
An online talk covering research, preparation of the manuscript, print platforms, crowdfunding, ebooks, marketing and sales, using my own experiences with self-publishing.
#TwiceRemoved with Natalie Pithers
Talking about life on the World War 2 home front and my latest book Under Fire. Watch it on YouTube.
Talk: Louise Michel in South London
Watch it on YouTube.
Talk: The Murder of Mary Ashford
By her own consent: The Murder of Mary Ashford and Rape Culture in the Georgian Era
Watch it on YouTube
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The Indefatigable Mrs Meredith
Read my article on VauxhallHistory.org on Mrs Meredith, a 19th-century pioneer in reforming aftercare for women prisoners.
The Door Podcast
Catch me on The Door History Podcast, a new project with Lena Augustinson, in which we unlock women’s stories. In 30-minute episodes.
Sunday Sequence
In August 2020 I participated on BBC Radio Ulster’s discussion on the struggle to live up to the past.
Jury of Matrons talk
My talk related to Lucy Kirkwood’s play The Welkin at the National Theatre, London was cancelled due to the Coronavirus situation. Read the blog instead.
Sanditon
Read my review of the TV adaption of Jane Austen’s unfinished novel for the Historical Writers’ Association. Also my episode recaps.
Reviews of my books
Under Fire
“One of the best descriptive accounts of WWII bombing of Chelsea and London”
“I so enjoyed this book. It is rare to find a writer who does their research so thoroughly and then wears their learning so lightly.”
“Wonderful book. Fabulous blend of diary accounts and social history revealing a little known aspect of WW2 – the Ritzkrieg – posh debs taking on the Luftwaffe. A great love story buried in here too and amazing walk-on parts from Kenneth Clark, AP Herbert, Dr Magnus Pyke and the Major from Fawlty Towers (who served as a London bobby during the Blitz.) Great material for a TV series.”
Miranda Kaufmann on The Disappearance of Maria Glenn
“Clifford tells her tale with sympathy and insight, carefully picking out the chain of events from the conflicting contemporary reports. The Disappearance of Maria Glenn is a fascinating read, dispelling our romantic notions of Regency ‘elopements’ by throwing light on a case where the ‘suitor’ was clearly motivated more by avarice than love.”
Emily Brand on Women and the Gallows
“[I] can already confirm that the actual contents are Very Excellent.”
