Spring 2026 Conference – “Remember the ladies”: Women and Revolution

Call for papers!

“Remember the ladies”: Women and Revolution

London, May 2026 (Exact times and locations TBC)

 

In March of 1776, Abigail Adams wrote to her husband, advising him to “Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors.” An eighteenth-century woman, – albeit a woman of relative means – Abigail witnessed first-hand acts of resistance great and small performed by the women of her generation. She stressed that women, like the men who sacrificed alongside them during the American Revolution, were not only deserving of fair laws that promoted equality, but also that her sex was more than capable of fomenting revolution in the face of marginalisation.

 

Yet, while women have historically played vital roles in revolutionary processes, their social, political, cultural, and intellectual contributions remain overlooked and undervalued.

 

We mythologise the infamous ride of Paul Revere, but little is known about the story of Sybil Ludington. When Jean-Paul Marat was assassinated for his fierce written tracts, he was viewed as a martyr; yet, Olympe de Gouges was sentenced to death for demanding equal rights for women and people of colour. The historical record is ripe with accounts of how Toussaint Louverture inspired the people of Saint-Domingue and transformed a burgeoning rebellion into a full-fledged revolution, but we less frequently hear about Cécile Fatiman and the immense courage she instilled in the enslaved people of Haiti as both a revolutionary and a priestess.

 

This conference aims to highlight the legacies of women whose lives were uniquely shaped by resistance, not just during the age of revolution, but also in more modern social movements.

 

Dr Megan King (Public Engagement Manager, Benjamin Franklin House), who specialises in eighteenth-century radicalisation and mobilisation, will spearhead a program of keynote speakers, paper presentations, and 10-minute ‘lightning talks’ to unpack works in progress. We welcome submissions from a range of research interests and disciplinary perspectives, and we particularly invite submissions from PGR students, ECRs, and those employed in the heritage sector.

 

Please email abstracts of no more than 500 words to Dr Megan King at supervisor@benjaminfranklinhouse.org by 10th November 2025.

Spooky Storytelling: BFH After Dark

Join us for a candlelit evening of poetry, prose, and spooky storytelling — from ghostly tales to chilling poems, experience original performances in a historic Georgian home!

Get tickets here!

Spirits of Craven Street: Candlelit Halloween Tours

 

Join us for a candlelit after-hours tour featuring findings from a recent paranormal investigation!

 

See Benjamin Franklin House by candlelight and enjoy an eerie evening exploring the Georgian home that once served as an 18th-century medical school, a Victorian hotel, and the headquarters of a WWII-era clandestine network. You’ll even have a chance to play our glass armonica — which has a haunted history of its own!

 

Get tickets here!

£18 per person with refreshments included

Benjamin Franklin – Great Lives – BBC Radio 4

Our Chairman, John Studzinski, appeared on the latest episode of the BBC Radio 4 programme, Great Lives, to discuss Benjamin Franklin.

 

Listen Now

 

Matthew Parris heads to the house where Benjamin Franklin lived for almost 17 years to meet banker and philanthropist John Studzinski.

Franklin was born in Boston when it was still a part of the British empire, ran away to Philadelphia and lodged near Charing Cross at 36 Craven Street in London for over a decade. He was an agent for the Pennsylvania assembly, and also an ambassador to Paris where he helped persuade the French to join the breakaway American states in their war against the British.

His nominator John Studzinski is chair of the board that runs the Benjamin Franklin House in London and says that he would have loved to have been the great man’s apprentice.

Joining the conversation is Professor Kathleen Burk who admires Franklin the enlightened writer but is less sure about his treatment of his wife. Kathleen Burk is author of Old World, New World: Great Britain and America from the Beginning.

Life Drawing at Benjamin Franklin House

Life Drawing at Benjamin Franklin House

 

✏️ Join us for an inspiring evening of life drawing in the Benjamin Franklin House. Draw a model in period dress, in the beautiful Georgian interior of Benjamin Franklin House, once home to the Founding Father himself. Complimentary drink included in ticket price!
Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just starting out, this session offers a relaxed, supportive space to sharpen your skills and enjoy a unique creative experience.

🗓️ Wednesday 13th August 2025
🕕 6–8 pm
📍 Benjamin Franklin House, 36 Craven Street, WC2N 5NF
💷 £19 (includes a glass of red or white wine) | £15 concession rate (students, over 65s)
✍️ All skill levels welcome, recommended for ages 18. Materials provided

Get your tickets here!

4th of July

Celebrate the Fourth of July with us! 🎆

We are delighted to invite you to the Benjamin Franklin House for a day full of history, exploration, and celebration.

🏠 Enjoy self-guided tours at your own pace.
🚶‍♀️Join our guided walking tours to dive deeper into the history of London.
🍾 You don’t want to miss our evening happy hour with a complimentary drink

BOOK TICKETS HERE

Immerse yourself in the rich heritage of the United States as we commemorate Independence Day in style.
Learn about the 16 years Franklin spent here and walk in his footsteps. Discover the rooms as they were when he left for Philadelphia in 1775 to sign the Declaration of Independence.

Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to experience the museum in a whole new light.

⏰ Drop-in visits from 10am – 3pm
⏰ Walking tours at 10am, 12:30pm, and 3pm
⏰ Happy hour at 4pm – 6pm

To prepare and save time upon arrival, please download our guide on Bloomberg Connects. The app offers a ‘Self-guided Tour’ which we recommend visitors follow.

Staff are available throughout the House to support your visit and answer questions.

 

 

Online Talk: War, Faith, and the Political Genius of Benjamin Franklin

Join us online for a talk by historian Brady Crytzer, where he will detail how in 1756, Benjamin Franklin’s skills in diplomacy helped to yield a compromise Pennsylvania’s Quaker pacifists and the imperial regime that demanded a provincial militia to support North American efforts. In many ways, it’s his first great political achievement.

Book tickets here via Eventbrite!

An Evening with Historian George Boudreau

 

 

Join us as we host our friend George Boudreau, who will deliver a talk entitled “A Glimpse of Franklin on the Cusp: Unraveling an Often Forgotten Image of Franklin at Craven Street”. Focusing on Franklin in portraiture, the talk will fittingly take place in Franklin’s Craven Street parlour!

Talk only : £5

Tour + Talk: £15*

*The House tour will begin at 4:30pm

 

Book tickets here via Eventbrite!

Family Springtime Open House

 

 

Join us for a FREE day of family fun — enjoy a self-guided tour by downloading the Bloomberg Connects app, test your observation skills with a scavenger hunt, try your hand at arts and crafts, and enjoy hot chocolate and practice proper etiquette with Mrs. Polly Hewson, the lady of the House!

 

Pre-booking is not required. Just drop in, and stay as long as you’d like! Last entry will be from 3:30pm.

Colour and Paint in the Smaller 18th-century Town House with Patrick Baty

6pm

Get tickets here via Eventbrite!

 

Join us either in person or online as Patrick Baty talks us through his long career of conserving some of England’s most remarkable historic homes, including his process of restoring the original ‘Franklin green’ color to the wooden-panelled walls of Benjamin Franklin House!