A guided walking tour exploring the health, spa treatments and diseases that affected Georgian Southampton, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the region's first tourist guide training course.
Jane Austen: Typhus, Smallpox & Melancholia is a guided walking tour starting from St Michaels Square on Saturday 18 July, running from 11:00 to 12:30. It's organised by the Sarah Siddons Fan Club, and it's one of five walks they're leading across the city this summer.
The tour focuses on health, spa treatments, and the diseases that swept through Georgian Southampton — the kind of things that nearly took Jane Austen before she ever got started. It's a look at the city's medical history through the lens of the Georgian era, so if you've got a thing for Austen or local history, this is right up your street.
There's a bit of a celebration behind it, too. The walk marks the 50th anniversary of the region's first tourist guide training course, and the first badge went to Cheryl Butler, a veteran of the Sarah Siddons Fan Club. That's the same group running the tour, so there's a proper local connection there.
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It's a paid event, and you'll need to book your place in advance. The tour sets off from St Michaels Square, 3-5 Bernard St, Southampton, SO14 2AD, on Saturday 18 July, 11:00 to 12:30. If you want to get in touch with the organisers, the Sarah Siddons Fan Club can be reached on 02380 862882.
