Edwardian Britain's most famous fraudster

Join us on The Explaining History Podcast as we sit down with historian and author Mark Bridgeman to unravel the extraordinary life—and daring deceptions—of Violet Charlesworth, Britain’s first notorious female fraudster. In his landmark new book, Nothing for Something, Bridgeman spent three years mining court records, witness statements, private archives, and first-hand site visits to reconstruct a scandal that captivated Edwardian Britain.

Violet Charlesworth, before her 25th birthday, bilked acquaintances out of the equivalent of £4 million by masquerading as an heiress destined for a vast inheritance. She indulged in lavish gowns, glittering jewels, country estates, and motor cars—all funded by well-meaning lenders who believed they’d soon be repaid with interest. When news broke of her “tragic” death in a car accident, the front-page frenzy eclipsed coverage of the King and Prime Minister. But as Bridgeman reveals, the accident was a cunning ruse to throw off her creditors.

We discuss:

• Unearthed Evidence: How Bridgeman uncovered dozens of items—lost for over a century—that rewrite what we thought we knew about Violet.
• Comparisons to The Five: Why his detailed portrait of a little-known woman echoes Hallie Rubenhold’s groundbreaking approach.
• The Aftermath of Infamy: Violet’s time behind bars alongside suffragettes, her post-prison stage performances, paid interviews, and mysterious vanishing act.
• The Final Mystery: Bridgeman’s most compelling theories about what ultimately became of Violet Charlesworth.

Whether you’re a true-crime aficionado, a fan of social history, or simply love a great story of audacity and reinvention, this episode pulls you deep into a world of high-society intrigue and one woman’s relentless appetite for more—at any cost. Tune in and prepare to have your notions of Edwardian Britain—and the place of women within it—forever changed.

*****STOP PRESS*****

I only ever talk about history on this podcast but I also have another life, yes, that of aspirant fantasy author and if that's your thing you can get a copy of my debut novel The Blood of Tharta, right here:

Help the podcast to continue bringing you history each week

If you enjoy the Explaining History podcast and its many years of content and would like to help the show continue, please consider supporting it in the following ways:

If you want to go ad-free, you can take out a membership here

Or

You can support the podcast via Patreon here

Or you can just say some nice things about it here

---

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.