logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2023
48m 3s

Cooking for Churchill: Georgina Landemar...

History Hit
About this episode

Clear soup, Irish stew and steamed puddings - this was the war work of Georgina Landemare, the Churchills’ longest-serving cook.


Throughout the war years, Georgina served the Prime Minister, delegations of diplomats and the occasional royal, as well as the other staff of 10 Downing Street, Chequers and the War Rooms.


Annie Gray is back with Kate today to introduce us to Georgina; why she went into the service industry, where she learnt to cook the French way, and how she managed to make the most of wartime rations (with a few top-ups here and there).


*WARNING there are adult words and themes in this episode*


Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by Stuart Beckwith.


Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit.


For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters here.

Up next
Yesterday
The Boleyn Who Betrayed Henry VIII
She was executed on Henry VIII's orders alongside Catherine Howard, and was sister-in-law to Anne Boleyn and the King. She lived in the heart of the Tudor court, and almost made it out alive.It was a time of huge danger, and such high stakes. But who was Jane Boleyn? Traitor, spy ... Show More
42m 40s
Oct 7
Inside Imperial Japan's Brothels
After the first licensed brothel opened in the 17th century, how was sex work thought of in Japan throughout the following centuries?From the brothels in the pleasure quarters, to the rise and popularity of male sex workers and where geishas fit into the picture, Kate is joined b ... Show More
50m 34s
Oct 3
The Scandalous Royal Mistress Who Ruled France
Is this strangest threesome in royal history?!We're endlessly fascinated with the lives of royal mistresses, and this has to be one of the most notorious.It takes place in 16th century France between Henry II, his wife Catherine de Medici and his much older mistress, Diane de Poi ... Show More
37m 45s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2023
Cooking for Churchill: Georgina Landemare
Clear soup, Irish stew and steamed puddings - this was the war work of Georgina Landemare, the Churchills' longest-serving cook. Throughout the war years, Georgina served the Prime Minister, delegations of diplomats and the occasional royal, as well as the other staff of 10 Downi ... Show More
47m 1s
Jul 2023
England's First Female Sheriff: Nicholaa de la Haye
Nicholaa de la Haye’s strength and tenacity saved England at one of the lowest points in its history. She remained loyal to King John to the very end, even after most of his knights and barons had deserted him. She stood firm during a siege at Lincoln Castle - where she was const ... Show More
34m 21s
Nov 2023
Mary, Queen of Scots
This is the story of the incredible rise and fall of Mary, Queen of Scots. She was queen of Scotland, she was queen of France, and she could have been queen of England. She led armies, lived as a fugitive, became embroiled in love affairs and spent nearly two decades in jail. Dan ... Show More
41m 55s
Oct 2022
Britain's Worst Prime Minister
Could Liz Truss be Britain's worst Prime Minister? As the political scene in the UK hurtles into further disarray, Dan gets together historians Tim Bale, Catherine Haddon and Robin Eagles to put forward who they think has been Britain's worst Prime Minister over the centuries. An ... Show More
31m 24s
Jan 2023
Churchill's Surprising Career in Scotland
Winston Churchill is possibly the most famous politician in British history. Throughout his career, he would hold numerous positions in government, including serving as the MP for 5 different constituencies. Perhaps the most unusual of these was his time representing the Scottish ... Show More
20m 40s
Nov 2022
Charles et Winston Churchill
Ce quatrième épisode vous fait vivre les coulisses des relationstumultueuses entre le Prime Minister et le chef de la résistancefrançaise. Au programme : une courte idylle de 6 mois suivie de 3 ansde guerre larvée entre ces deux monstres d’orgueil !Notre expert et nos références ... Show More
39m 54s
Sep 2022
The Queen & US Presidents
We had plans today to release the first two episodes of American History Hit but due to the news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II last week, we’ve decided to take some time and do something a little different. You’ll hear those episodes on Thursday September 22, until then here ... Show More
6m 50s
Feb 2024
How to Cook Like a Medieval Chef
Preparing, serving and sharing food has always played a critical role in human history. But what did people in the Middle Ages like to eat and what did their food say about their social status? What was the haute cuisine of medieval Bagdad or Moorish Spain? Victoria Flexner and J ... Show More
32m 2s
Feb 2024
Queen Elizabeth I’s Suitors & Lovers, 2/2: Courting a Queen
Elizabeth I of England and Ireland reigned for 45 years over a golden age of peace, prosperity and flourishing art and culture. And she shocked the medieval world by doing it all without a man. But that certainly wasn’t for lack of proposals. Elizabeth had at least 16 suitors in ... Show More
31m 24s
May 2023
Messalina: Empress of Rome
In this episode of The Ancients, host Tristan Hughes speaks with historian Honor Cargill-Martin about the notorious Empress Messalina, third wife of Emperor Claudius. A lot has been said about Messalina over two millennia: that she was a nymphomaniac who organised orgies and enga ... Show More
39m 11s