大象传媒

Susan Morrison uncovers the forgotten stories of the enterprising female brewers in Medieval Scotland, also known as 'ale wives.' Professor of History and Scottish Studies at the University of Guelph in Canada, Professor Elizabeth Ewan sheds light on the tumultuous life and brewing practices of Inverness brewster Elspet Barnet, and the ale-tinged humorous poetry of the time. Susan also visits the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh to view some artifacts from the Eglinton Tournament featured in the 'Wild and Majestic: Romantic Visions of Scotland' exhibition. The Medieval-style tournament of 1839 - an extravagant folly to some, and a romantic masterpiece to others - drew crowds of around 100,000 people from around the UK to Ayrshire. Finally, Susan explores the innovation of the washing machine and what it meant to Scottish housewives such as her Mum, from the 1940's to 1970's, and how they changed the face of housework across the board.