City Sounds

In this episode of Unspoken Rules, we dive into one of the most overused—and misunderstood—words in everyday life: sorry. Sparked by a listener’s voicemail, the team unpacks the many meanings behind this seemingly simple word, from polite reflex to genuine expression of remorse.Host Lizzy reflects on her own habit of over-apologising—something many of us can relate to—whether it’s saying sorry for sneezing, asking someone to move their bag, or even when someone else bumps into you. But why do we do this? Is it cultural, gendered, or simply ingrained social behaviour?To explore this, the episode features insights from Dr. Eva Ogiermann, a linguistics expert specialising in apologies across cultures. She explains how apologies have evolved from serious, religious acts of seeking forgiveness into everyday social tools—especially in English, where “sorry” can be used casually and often without deep intent.Mediator, Stephen Wildblood KC, adds another layer, sharing how apologies function in conflict resolution. He highlights the importance of sincerity, tone, and body language, noting that words alone don’t determine whether an apology feels genuine.The episode also examines cultural differences. Research shows that British people apologise far more frequently than others—often automatically—while in countries like Germany, apologies are less frequent but more deliberate and meaningful.Through listener stories, including a failed grand romantic gesture involving graffiti, the episode reveals how complicated apologies can be. Ultimately, it asks: has “sorry” lost its meaning, or has it simply evolved?Producers: Jake Preston, Lizzy Leach, Michael EllisEditors: Michael Ellis, Jake PrestonSound Designer: Michael EllisWith special thanks to Stephen Wildblood and Dr. Eva Ogiermann. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this debut episode of Glorious Mud, the series for those who are London curious — host Lucinda Acland introduces mudlarking past and present, uncovering the striking story of Peggy Jones, a Georgian mudlark captured in an 1805 volume of the magazine, Kirby’s Wonderful and Eccentric Museum — and who later vanished without trace or explanation. Wading waist-deep at Blackfriars to feel for coal with her bare feet, Peggy survived on what the Thames surrendered between tides. But who was she, how did she live and why did she disappear?  Through vivid historical accounts and insight from Kate Sumnall, curator of the Museum of London Docklands’ 'Secrets of the Thames' exhibition, we explore the stark divide between mudlarking as survival in the past and today’s regulated, increasingly popular hobby.  Perfect for listeners who love London history, past lives and intrigue, this episode brings a cast of the Thames’s forgotten characters back into view.   Step into the mud. Meet Peggy Jones. Listen to Glorious Mud now and discover what the river remembers.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 4: Food & Drink In this episode, detective Melusi is sent into the streets of Islington to uncover the history of food, drink and the spaces that shaped everyday life in the borough. Guided by local experts, he follows a trail through markets, dining halls, and gin distilleries, revealing how trade, industry, and working-class communities transformed Islington over the centuries. From the bustling meat trade of Smithfield to the chaos of the gin craze, the evidence is everywhere - if you know where to look. Stops on the trail include: Smithfield Market: London’s historic meat market, operating since at least the 12th century and rebuilt in 1868 by Horace Jones. Once a site of livestock trading, public spectacles, and even executions - including that of William Wallace - it remains the UK’s largest wholesale meat market today (albeit whose days are numbered). St Bartholomew’s Hospital area: a site tied to the darker history of Smithfield, where public executions took place, reflecting the area’s role as both a centre of commerce and spectacle. Alexandra Trust Dining Rooms: founded by Thomas Lipton with the support of Princess Alexandra, these dining halls provided affordable meals for working-class Londoners in the early 20th century, serving thousands with innovative large-scale kitchens. Whitecross Street Market: a historic street market that once served a poor and densely populated community, now a vibrant food destination offering global cuisines. The area was also home to a notorious debtor’s prison and an 18th-century red-light district. Clerkenwell Gin Distilling Sites: including the legacy of Booth’s Gin and other distillers, which flourished during the 18th-century gin craze - a period famously depicted in Gin Lane, highlighting the social consequences of widespread alcohol consumption. Islington guides, in order of appearance: Jane Parker · Nigel Smith · John Finn · Jonathan Wober Produced by: Sandy WarrWith thanks to: Jane Parker and the tour guides at Islington Guided Walks Presented by Islington Guided Walks and City St George’s, University of London To book a walk or find out more, visit Islington Guided Walks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 3: Literature In this episode, detective Mokshika is sent into the streets of Islington to investigate the borough’s rich literary past. Guided by local experts, she uncovers a web of connections between iconic writers and radical voices who shaped literature - and society itself. From the shadowy personal life of Charles Dickens to the rebellious legacy of Joe Orton, the evidence is everywhere - if you know where to look. Stops on the trail include: Northampton Park: Once home to Ellen “Nelly” Ternan, where her long and controversial relationship with Charles Dickens began - raising questions that still intrigue historians today. Colebrooke Cottage, Islington: the home of Charles Lamb and Mary Lamb, co-authors of Tales from Shakespeare and central figures in a vibrant literary circle that included William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Angel, Islington: a key meeting point near the Lambs’ home, where literary salons brought together some of the most influential thinkers of the Romantic period, including Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley. 25 Noel Road, Islington: the former home of Joe Orton, where his meteoric rise - and tragic death alongside partner Kenneth Halliwell - marked one of the most shocking literary stories of the 20th century. Islington Library & Museum: where Orton and Halliwell’s infamous altered library books are preserved - once considered criminal damage, now celebrated as subversive art. Islington guides, in order of appearance: Jane · Jonathan · Alan · Chris Produced by: Sandy WarrWith thanks to: Jane Parker and the tour guides at Islington Guided Walks Presented by Islington Guided Walks and City St George’s, University of London To book a walk or find out more, visit Islington Guided Walks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 2: Women and suffragettes In this episode, detective Jackie heads into the streets of Islington to uncover the story of women’s emancipation told through the people and places in the borough. With the help of the Islington Guides, her travels take her from a familiar local pub to the site of a notorious prison as she hears about amazing women from Shakespearean times to the modern era. Her journey ends with the explosive events around the women’s suffragette movement. The evidence is everywhere, if you know where to look. Stops on the trail include: Dame Alice Owen pub, St John Street: named after a philanthropist who pushed the boundaries of convention to leave a remarkable legacy which continues almost 500 years since her birth. Statue of Mary Wollstonecraft, Newington Green: Controversy has longs surrounded the life and works of radical thinker and mother of modern feminism, Mary Wollstonecraft. It is natural therefore that her statue is similarly divisive. What makes it quite so unusual? Site of Holloway prison: Hundreds of suffragettes were incarcerated here during the fight for women’s emancipation. We hear about Islington women who were at the forefront of the campaign and about Constance Markievicz the first woman elected to Parliament. Site of Lyons Tea House, the Angel: Situated in one of the early 20th century buildings at the Angel, the Lyons tea shop offered liberation for women in all sorts of ways, from work to social gatherings and one unexpected indispensable facility... Islington guides, in order of appearance: Jane Parker · Alan Travis · Johannah Barrett · Oonagh Gay Produced, mixed and scripted by: Jackie Imas and Hannah GrievePresented by: Islington Guided Walks and City St George's, University of London To book a walk or find out more, visit Islington Guided Walks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.