Fanny Duberly

Inspired by reading the diary of a woman who served in the Russian cavalry against Napoleon, the course highlights  half a dozen other ladies who – accidentally or on purpose – found themselves involved in the wars of the early 19th century. Some famous, like Lady Sale and Fanny Duberly, others low-ranking and obscure.

We will examine the extraordinary lives of a range of fascinating women ranging from lowly soldiers’ wives to aristocrats in order to glimpse into the difficult and often dangerous roles that they undertook.

The title of the course comes from a contemporary description of the Crimean war, and will look at the various ‘ladies’ who ignored this advice and were present.

It is made up of short biographies of these ‘ladies’, peppered with anecdotes of their extraordinary lives. As usual on Richard’s courses it will be based around plenty of pictures of the period.