Essential information
| Type | Talks and tours |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Date and times | Wednesday 15 April 2026 | 1-1.30pm |
Come to the Queen' House this April and enjoy a salon discussing the life of Penelope Steel, a Jamaican-born merchant, publisher, and cartographer active in London during the early 19th century.
In the history of navigational technology, it is men who have been celebrated. With the Industrial Revolution there was an appetite for scientific advancement, but the gender norms were still quite inflexible.
Professor Pragya Agarwal's research over the last six years in various archives around the world have revealed how women overcame these barriers, made maps and developed nautical instruments that advanced mapmaking during this time.
In this brief talk, Agarwal will present her research into the life of Penelope Steel and her contributions to maritime navigation and colonial expansion.
About the speaker
Professor Pragya Agarwal is an architect and geographer, an interdisciplinary scholar researching history of science and women, and the founder of a research think-tank investigating global gender inequities. She is the author of five widely acclaimed non-fiction books including Sway, (M)otherhood, and Hysterical.
She is a visiting professor at Loughborough University and a fellow at Newnham College, Cambridge.
Salons in the Queen's House
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This event is part of our Salons series, a programme of talks inspired by the history of the Queen's House and its collections.
The term ‘salon’ was used historically to describe social gatherings in the domestic sphere. Participation was open to a range of individuals, and women often acted as hosts. Salons were alternative spaces for learning, debate and the exchange of ideas. We continue to explore this tradition at the Queen’s House.
Speakers at our salons include artists, researchers, curators and creative practitioners. Their talks bring to light new insights and share different perspectives.
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