International Women's Day Tour - Rule Breakers and Code Breakers
- Available 1 day only! Saturday 8th March, International Womens Day
- Refundable up until 7 days before travel.
This International Womens Day, learn of the lesser known heroes of the war and the women who pushed boundaries to simply be seen and heard.
Tour Includes:
- Admission to Bletchley Park & Hampton Court Palace
- Travel by executive coach
Bletchley Park
Halfway between the two great Universities of Oxford and Cambridge at the middle point on the railway line stands Bletchley Park, not only equidistant from these great think tanks but on an express railway link to London. The location was ideal. Now it needed to be populated with the women and men who became the codebreakers, those mathematical brains that cracked the German Enigma cipher codes and the staff of 10,000, 75% of whom were women, working tirelessly intercepting messages and ultimately shortening the war by possibly two to four years.
Many of the women were recruited from the Women's Services and were in uniform, many more recruited locally. They could never mention the work they were doing, not even to those closest to them. Winston Churchill referred to them as "my golden geese that never cackle".
We start the tour at Block C where we learn about daily life for those working at "Station X" then continue to the original mansion that predated the complex and was first requisitioned by the military in 1939. Here we can learn of the beginnings of the project and how a simple newspaper crossword alerted the initial team into inviting other great minds to Bletchley Park.In Huts 3 and 6 we can watch interviews from the codebreakers and staff. There is a full archive interview with Joan Clarke, chief cryptanalyst and mathematician, portrayed by Keira Knightley in The Imitation Game. Hut 8 contains a replica of Alan Turing's office and Hut 11 contains a restored Bombe machine where you can marvel at its operations and see the conditions that the women had to work in, a building they called the Hell Hole.
Other exhibits include the National Museum of Computing and The National Radio Centre. Please grab some lunch here, our departure is at 12.45pm for our two hour journey to Hampton Court Palace.
Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace was originally built as a residence for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Archbishop and Chancellor to Henry VIII from 1514 but was given to the King as a "gift" in order to keep his head!! It was also here that Henry would entertain his many wives and even order the execution of one of them, wife number 5, Catherine Howard! As a 'grace and favour' Palace many minor royals and relatives would live here including Princess Sophia Duleep Singh, daughter of the last Maharaja of Lahore and goddaughter of Queen Victoria. Her strong belief in women's rights saw her regularly positioned by the Palace gates with her signboards and placards constantly making the public aware of the discrimination and unethical actions that befell the women of the United Kingdom. She befriended Emmeline Pankhurst and other leading suffragettes and was involved in the Black Friday confrontation in Parliament on 18th November 1910 which sadly escalated into violence with many of the 300 female protesters being injured.
Therefore Hampton Court is not just about Henry VIII and his six wives but it is about people like Princess Sophia whose philanthropy and kindness, alongside her steadfast belief in women's rights should not be forgotten.
We have about two and a half hours here. Explore this beautiful Palace, see the Tudor Base Court and Clock Court, the extensive kitchens, the Great Hall and Chapel, the late 17th century additions by Sir Christopher Wren for King William and Queen Mary including the Fountain Court and then get yourselves lost in the maze!
DEPARTURE INFORMATION
Please ensure you arrive at your allocated departure point at least 10 minutes before your departure time.
TIME | MEETING POINT |
---|---|
7:45am |
Outside Gloucester Road Tube station, meet at the station exit. (MAP) |
If you intend to travel to our central London meeting point by public transport, you can plan your journey in advance on the Transport for London website - click here
TOUR TIMINGS
TIME | DESTINATION |
---|---|
08:00am |
Depart Central London |
09:30am |
Arrive Bletchley Park |
12:45pm |
Depart Bletchley Park |
2:45pm |
Arrive Hampton Court Palace |
5:30pm |
Depart Hampton Court Palace |
6:30pm | Arrive Central London |
DEPARTURE INFORMATION
Please ensure you arrive at your allocated departure point at least 10 minutes before your departure time.
If you intend to travel to our central London meeting point by public transport, you can plan your journey in advance on the Transport for London website - click here
TOUR TIMINGS
Please note that all timings above are estimated and assuming normal traffic conditions. Due to the changeable nature of road conditions, we cannot guarantee a precise time when you will get back to London.
On the return to London, the tour will drop off at the original departure point.
Is the Meeting Point easy to find?
-
YES! The meeting point is directly outside Gloucester Road Tube station, and very easy access for taxis. We recommend you arrive at the meeting point 10 minutes before the departure time. Your International Friends day trip has been carefully planned to ensure maximum enjoyment, which sadly means we cannot delay our departure times to wait for latecomers. This would impact the day's itinerary and could mean we miss booked entry times at attractions. If you are running late please phone the emergency number and our team will help you. If you miss the departure for your tour, you are welcome to join the Studio Tour. Any expenses incurred in doing so will be at your own expense. Refunds cannot be issued for passengers who miss their tours departure through their own late arrival.
How will I identify the International Friends vehicle at the meeting point?
-
Depending on the number of people travelling on a particular day we use executive minivans or coaches. On arrival at the pick up location the guide/driver will announce themselves, will be holding a sign reading “International Friends” and will be aware of your names ready to welcome you on board.
Is entry included in my ticket price?
- Entry into Hampton Court Palace and Bletchley Park is included.
Is there food and drink included?
- There is no food or drink included.
Can I bring food and drink onboard the vehicle?
- There is to be NO Hot Food or Beverages (exception if hot beverage is in a sealed reusable thermal cup) on board the coaches due to the risk of scalds or burns and smells remaining on board the vehicle. Only Cold food & beverages with screw top lids are to be taken on board any vehicle. All litter must be taken from the vehicle and disposed of appropriately, please recycle where possible.
Do we need to tip staff?
- Tips are entirely at the customer’s discretion and in no way expected. Should you feel inclined to tip a 10% tip is considered customary in the UK.
What time do we arrive back in London?
- We aim to arrive back in London at approximately 06:30pm. Please note all timings are estimated and assuming normal traffic conditions. On return to London this tour drops off at Gloucester Road Tube station.
Images are courtesy of Historic Royal Palaces.