Latest news with #StreetHistorians
Edinburgh Live
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
We tried Edinburgh's new history tour on 'forgotten' women trailblazers
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info An Edinburgh tour company has been revitalising the capital's tourism circuit with a batch of new walking tours offering fresh perspectives on Scottish history. Edinburgh Live recently reported on Fraser Horn's tour company, Street Historians, after he decided to replace his Harry Potter tours with LGBTQ ones this June. Founded by Fraser just last year, the company aims to set itself apart from other tour companies through fresh offerings and brave stances. We tried their brand new Edinburgh LGBTQ history tour and we liked it so much that we went back for more. This time, we tagged along for the Edinburgh's Forgotten Women Tour. Tour guide Elinor said: "The idea behind the 'forgotten' women's tour is they've always been here doing cool interesting things, but we permanently forget them and make it so we don't have the same stories to remember them by." The walking tour met on the Royal Mile and began by introducing us to a woman who I had been walking past for years without noticing. Elsie Inglis was a pioneering doctor in Edinburgh and one of the first women to practice medicine in the capital and is renowned for founding the Scottish Women's Hospitals. She even has a plaque on the Mile above Crest of Edinburgh shop. (Image: Edinburgh Live) I was struck by the fact that I had never noticed the plaque before, underlining the "forgotten" nature of many of the capital's most influential female figures. Elinor pointed out how Edinburgh has remarkably few statues to commemorate women. There were plans to erect a statue in honour of Inglis, but the plans stalled and the plaque on the mile remains one of the only tangible monuments to Inglis in the city. The tour meanders up the Mile and eventually through Grassmarket before concluding at the University of Edinburgh campus. On the way, Elinor made stops at City Chambers to discuss female recipients of the Edinburgh Award - such as J.K. Rowling and Nicola Benedetti, the first female director of Edinburgh international festival. We learned about how Saint Giles was an odd choice for the patron saint of Edinburgh. According to Elinor, the man never set foot in Scotland in his life, let alone Edinburgh. In fact, there are several female saints with closer ties to the Scottish capital that might have made better options, such as Saint Margaret who helped establish Roman Catholicism in Scotland. In Riddle's court off the Royal Mile, we observed a plaque dedicated to Patrick Geddes, the man credited as the pioneering town planner who shaped the layout of today's Edinburgh. However, Elinor told how his wife Anna Morton was a major influence on his work, saying: "There are a lot of plaques to him around the city but I think it should be 'Anna Morton and Patrick Geddes' on the plaque." The tour shined a light on the prominent women who shaped Edinburgh's history, many of whom are overlooked. It was fascinating to stand before well-trodden Edinburgh landmarks and learn something completely new about a female historical figure. The tour runs for two hours and includes many more stories than those mentioned in the article. You can find more information on booking a tour with Street Historians here. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news send straight to your messages.
Edinburgh Live
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
'Conflicted' Edinburgh tour guide replaces Harry Potter tours with LGBTQ ones
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info An Edinburgh tour guide has dropped all his Harry Potter walking tours in June and replaced them with LGBTQ+ tours. Fraser Horn, the founder of Edinburgh tour company Street Historians, told Edinburgh Live that he was "really conflicted" about whether to continue Harry Potter tours amid ongoing controversy surrounding series author J.K. Rowling. The Harry Potter franchise is baked into the fabric of Edinburgh, with Rowling famously residing in the Scottish capital and deriving elements of the iconic series from features of the city. However, in recent years the author has been at the centre of the culture wars, most recently inspiring a 2024 Fringe play entirely about her political views. Fraser, a queer tour guide, has decided to cut all Harry Potter tours from his lineup this June. On his blog, Fraser explained his thought process behind the decision. He shared: "There's an increasing amount of negativity around the [Harry Potter] series which is making it much harder to conjure up affection and for that reason the Edinburgh Street Historians are having internal discussions. "JK Rowling, for years beloved by many due to her championing of some pretty great causes related to children's books and funding research into multiple sclerosis, got involved in politics. In particular, LGBTQ politics was her issue. In particular, comments about the trans community." (Image: Alvaro Palomo) He told Edinburgh Live: "It felt good to make my position clear on this. Street Historians as tour company wants to be different. "Some companies have put out statements [about Rowling] and others have said nothing and seem to feel it's not their business to comment. I think it is our business. We're in a position to say things and we have a responsibility. If the world is becoming a less welcoming place, it's our job to make world a more welcoming. The tours tell the story of prominent queer Scots from throughout history. It also delves into how Scotland has transformed into a more accepting place for queer people. One notable figure discussed on the tour is Harry Whyte, an Edinburgh-born spy for the United Kingdom campaigned for the acceptance of same-sex relationships in the Soviet Union during the 1930s. Fraser wants to tell the stories of these littler-known queer historical figures with ties to Edinburgh. The tours last around 90 minutes and take guests through Bristo Square where Edinburgh Pride Marches conclude and up Forest Road, George IV Bridge, the Royal Mile, and Calton Hill. Fraser will resume Harry Potter tours after June but says he is unsure about whether to continue including them. He was "keen" on Harry Potter for "a very long time" but has his doubts about continuing to platform the series. Fraser added: "I'm good at the Harry Potter tours and I like way the guests love it. People are still really committed and love the books even 20 years later. "I have a passion for giving them a great part of their trip. Overall, guests don't seem to mind Rowling's opinions on things and you've got to appeal to the people who are here. But there comes a point where it's harder to justify. "I'm really conflicted on this and a lot of tour guides are thinking similar. Not all, but some definitely are."
