Mother Clap’s Holborn coffee house is open to all comers, a place of companionship and community, until a tip-off leads to a midnight raid. Two women, exiled from their families, set up a utopian homestead in a remote Welsh cottage, inspiring a generation of Romantic poets. The celebrated Chevalier d’Eon, soldier, diplomat and spy, challenges a rival to a fencing match. The sweepstake is not over who will win, but whether the Chevalier is a man or a woman. Dr Anthony Delaney discusses with us the histories of people who dared to challenge society’s expectations, unearthing archives and court records to reveal the tragedies and the joys of queer life three centuries ago. Breathing new life into the forgotten and offering radical new interpretations of celebrated figures such as Anne Lister, Queer Georgians is an invitation to view our shared history in a whole new light.

Dr Anthony Delaney is an award-winning historian, broadcaster, actor and presenter known for bringing compelling historical stories to life across page, screen, stage and audio. Originally from Kilkenny, Ireland, he trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and holds a PhD in 18th-century social and cultural history from the University of Exeter, where he is now an Honorary Fellow. His areas of expertise include the history of gender and sexuality, crime and punishment, the transatlantic slave trade, the history of medicine, and monarchy. He co-presents History Hit’s smash hit podcast, After Dark and his first book, Queer Georgians was named one of the top history books of 2025 by Waterstones, The iPaper, and Book Riot in the US. Anthony’s accessible, narrative and engaging approach to history has earned him recognition including ‘Rookie of the Year’ at the CrimeCon True Crime Awards and nominations for ‘Best New Presenter’ and ‘Listeners’ Choice at the UK ARIA Awards and British Podcast Awards respectively. ‘Delaney writes with great precision… It’s impossible not to feel invested in the drama and well-being of his most cherished characters… A hugely immersive read…’ Tonie Walsh, Irish Independent

Anthonys’ website can be found here: https://anthonydelaney.co.uk/