#47 A Self Proclaimed Hellraiser & A Woman With A Victorian Beauty Empire (Mary "Mother" Jones & Sarah "Madam Rachel" Russell)

Mary “Mother” Jones & Sarah “Madam Rachel” Russell: Forgotten Women of Irish, American & Victorian HistoryWelcome back to Mostly Unsung the light-hearted comedy history podcast hosted by women, where Annie and Andrea share the remarkable stories of the forgotten people history left behind. Every Wednesday we bring you two bite-sized historical biographies, packed with fascinating facts, social history, and plenty of laughs along the way.This week we’re uncovering the lives of two extraordinary women who refused to accept the limits placed on them.First, Andrea follows the remarkable journey of Mary “Mother” Jones, one of the most outspoken labour activists in American history. Born in Ireland during the Great Famine, her life takes her across the Atlantic to Canada and eventually Chicago. After devastating personal tragedy, she reinvents herself as a fierce campaigner for workers’ rights and child labour reform. Her most famous protest? Leading a march of hundreds of children to confront the President of the United States all with a dash of reinvention and character building!Then Annie heads to the filthy streets of Victorian London, where Sarah “Madam Rachel” Russell decides she’s had quite enough of scraping by on pennies. Instead, she launches one of the most audacious beauty and business schemes of the 19th century: a money-making venture that promised youth, glamour, and transformation to wealthy women. It’s part Victorian beauty empire, part scandal, and honestly the kind of hustle that would probably go viral on TikTok today.If you love funny history podcasts, forgotten women in history, Victorian London stories, and surprising tales of activism, entrepreneurship, and social history, this episode of Mostly Unsung is the perfect place to start.This week Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Joneshttps://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/mary-harris-joneshttps://blog.epicchq.com/herstory-irelands-epic-women-mother-joneshttps://www.iup.edu/library/departments/archives/coal/people-lives-stories/mary-harris-jones.htmlThis week Annie used these sources:https://helenrappaport.com/womens-history/the-true-story-of-madame-rachel/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Rachel_RussellWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!