London History Lectures: Strands of Radicalism in Soho's Denmark Street 1850-1880
A tiny meeting house, converted from a chapel, stood at the back of number 18 Denmark Street, Soho, until the end of the 19th century. The Eclectic Hall regularly hosted a range of political radicals and counter cultural commentators, often attracting sell-out crowds. Using this venue as a prism, Sarah Wise investigates the shifting currents in ‘Soho radicalism, mapping the various currents of political radicalism packed
into...
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Join us for this one-off lecture to explore the radical history of Soho's Denmark Street.
The Eclectic Hall was the informal headquarters of Bronterre O’Brien’s National Reform League throughout the 1850s and into the early 1870s. John DeMorgan’s National Republican Brotherhood also based itself here, and the hall additionally provided an address for the Mutual Colonisation and Co-Operative Emigration Land Company, which assisted London working-men to settle in remote Nebraska.
Less formally, Eclectic Hall appeared from time to time in the police reports of daily newspapers because it hosted inexpensive, unlicensed (and therefore illegal) performances of popular plays and revues. The venue was also used by smaller, special-interest campaigning groups, such as the Lunacy Law Reform Association (founded 1873).
What will we cover?
Denmark Street, Soho, as a site of radical politics
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Evaluate the political history and significance of Denmark Street for London's history
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
One-off lecture - all levels of knowledge welcome.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
One-off lecture. Optional further reading will be provided.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
No other costs - pen and paper if you wish to take notes.
Sarah Wise is an award-winning writer and historian, with an MA in Victorian Studies from Birkbeck, University of London. She teaches social history and literature at the University of California’s London Outreach Center. Her interests are urban history, working-class history, medical history and nineteenth-century literature and reportage. Her most recent book, Inconvenient People: Lunacy, Liberty and the Mad-Doctors in Victorian England, was shortlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize. Her 2004 debut, The Italian Boy: Murder and Grave Robbery in 1830s London, was shortlisted for the 2005 Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction and won the Crime Writers’ Association Golden Dagger. Her follow-up The Blackest Streets: The Life and Death of a Victorian Slum (2008) was shortlisted for the Royal Society of Literature's Ondaatje Prize. She was a contributor to the volume Charles Booth's London Poverty Maps, published by Thames & Hudson/London School of Economics, and appeared on BBC Radio 4's In Our Time to discuss Booth's work https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000wsxf For reviews www.sarahwise.co.uk/reviews.html
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
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https://www.citylit.ac.uk/london-history-lectures-strands-of-radicalism-in-soho-s-denmark-street-1850-18803062896London History Lectures: Strands of Radicalism in Soho's Denmark Street 1850-1880https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/social-anthropology-1024.jpg1919GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/London history & walks/Courses/Online courses228511771178118417311228511771178<p>A tiny meeting house, converted from a chapel, stood at the back of number 18 Denmark Street, Soho, until the end of the 19th century. The Eclectic Hall regularly hosted a range of political radicals and counter cultural commentators, often attracting sell-out crowds. Using this venue as a prism, Sarah Wise investigates the shifting currents in ‘Soho radicalism, mapping the various currents of political radicalism packed into this tiny area of central London; and giving an idea of the audiences who came along to listen, and the atmosphere of attending such meetings. </p>003062857London History Lectures: Strands of Radicalism in Soho's Denmark Street 1850-18801919https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/social-anthropology-1024.jpgInStockEveningWedOnlineAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekday2026-11-04T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allNov 2026Culture, history & humanitiesHLW3231919London History Lectures: Strands of Radicalism in Soho's Denmark Street 1850-1880191219Sarah Wiselondon-history-lectures-strands-of-radicalism-in-soho-s-denmark-street-1850-1880/hlw323-2627<p>A tiny meeting house, converted from a chapel, stood at the back of number 18 Denmark Street, Soho, until the end of the 19th century. The Eclectic Hall regularly hosted a range of political radicals and counter cultural commentators, often attracting sell-out crowds. Using this venue as a prism, Sarah Wise investigates the shifting currents in ‘Soho radicalism, mapping the various currents of political radicalism packed into this tiny area of central London; and giving an idea of the audiences who came along to listen, and the atmosphere of attending such meetings. </p>0000-Available|2026-11-04 00:00:00<p>Join us for this one-off lecture to explore the radical history of Soho's Denmark Street. </p><p>The Eclectic Hall was the informal headquarters of Bronterre O’Brien’s National Reform League throughout the 1850s and into the early 1870s. John DeMorgan’s National Republican Brotherhood also based itself here, and the hall additionally provided an address for the Mutual Colonisation and Co-Operative Emigration Land Company, which assisted London working-men to settle in remote Nebraska. </p><p>Less formally, Eclectic Hall appeared from time to time in the police reports of daily newspapers because it hosted inexpensive, unlicensed (and therefore illegal) performances of popular plays and revues. The venue was also used by smaller, special-interest campaigning groups, such as the Lunacy Law Reform Association (founded 1873). </p><p> </p><p>A tiny meeting house, converted from a chapel, stood at the back of number 18 Denmark Street, Soho, until the end of the 19th century. The Eclectic Hall regularly hosted a range of political radicals and counter cultural commentators, often attracting sell-out crowds. Using this venue as a prism, Sarah Wise investigates the shifting currents in ‘Soho radicalism, mapping the various currents of political radicalism packed into this tiny area of central London; and giving an idea of the audiences who came along to listen, and the atmosphere of attending such meetings. </p><p>Denmark Street, Soho, as a site of radical politics</p><p>Evaluate the political history and significance of Denmark Street for London's history </p><p>One-off lecture - all levels of knowledge welcome. </p><p>One-off lecture. Optional further reading will be provided. </p><p>No other costs - pen and paper if you wish to take notes. </p>HistoryLondon history & walksvirtual191912HLW323NONEWed04/11/2619:00 - 20:3019:0020:301 session1One-off onlyEveningWeekdayOnlineOnlineSarah WiseBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2026-11-04T00:00:00+00:00Nov 2026Culture, history & humanities1919London History Lectures: Strands of Radicalism in Soho's Denmark Street 1850-1880london-history-lectures-strands-of-radicalism-in-soho-s-denmark-street-1850-1880/hlw323-2627<p>A tiny meeting house, converted from a chapel, stood at the back of number 18 Denmark Street, Soho, until the end of the 19th century. The Eclectic Hall regularly hosted a range of political radicals and counter cultural commentators, often attracting sell-out crowds. Using this venue as a prism, Sarah Wise investigates the shifting currents in ‘Soho radicalism, mapping the various currents of political radicalism packed into this tiny area of central London; and giving an idea of the audiences who came along to listen, and the atmosphere of attending such meetings. </p>0000-Available|2026-11-04 00:00:00<p>Join us for this one-off lecture to explore the radical history of Soho's Denmark Street. </p><p>The Eclectic Hall was the informal headquarters of Bronterre O’Brien’s National Reform League throughout the 1850s and into the early 1870s. John DeMorgan’s National Republican Brotherhood also based itself here, and the hall additionally provided an address for the Mutual Colonisation and Co-Operative Emigration Land Company, which assisted London working-men to settle in remote Nebraska. </p><p>Less formally, Eclectic Hall appeared from time to time in the police reports of daily newspapers because it hosted inexpensive, unlicensed (and therefore illegal) performances of popular plays and revues. The venue was also used by smaller, special-interest campaigning groups, such as the Lunacy Law Reform Association (founded 1873). </p><p> </p><p>A tiny meeting house, converted from a chapel, stood at the back of number 18 Denmark Street, Soho, until the end of the 19th century. The Eclectic Hall regularly hosted a range of political radicals and counter cultural commentators, often attracting sell-out crowds. Using this venue as a prism, Sarah Wise investigates the shifting currents in ‘Soho radicalism, mapping the various currents of political radicalism packed into this tiny area of central London; and giving an idea of the audiences who came along to listen, and the atmosphere of attending such meetings. </p><p>Denmark Street, Soho, as a site of radical politics</p><p>Evaluate the political history and significance of Denmark Street for London's history </p><p>One-off lecture - all levels of knowledge welcome. </p><p>One-off lecture. Optional further reading will be provided. </p><p>No other costs - pen and paper if you wish to take notes. </p>HistoryLondon history & walksconfigurable
11841178London history & walkshttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/history/london-history-and-walks1/2/285/1177/1178/11841/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/London history & walks
