Jo and Steve Join National Trust Podcast at Rosetta House

We’re excited to share that Jo and Steve were recently invited back to take part in another podcast back in April, with the National Trust — their second with the organisation, and their third podcast overall.

This time the recording took place at the historic Rosetta House in Cowes, a place closely tied to the story of Winston Churchill’s parents. It was here that Lord Randolph Churchill and Jennie Jerome first met during Cowes Week, and later became engaged. Some even speculate that Churchill himself may have been conceived in Cowes — though that remains an intriguing possibility rather than historical fact.

The podcast explores the fascinating world of so-called “Dollar Duchesses,” wealthy American women like Jennie Jerome who married into the British aristocracy and helped shape society and politics in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Jo and Steve were delighted to contribute their local knowledge of Cowes, adding depth and context to this important piece of Island history.

Rosetta House itself forms part of the Churchill Trail on the Isle of Wight. Today you can still see the plaque outside marking the couple’s engagement, or even stay in the cottage and take in the same Solent views that Churchill’s parents once enjoyed.

Click below to listen to the podcast and discover more about this remarkable chapter in history.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/virtual-visit/podcasts/back-when-history-podcast#downton-churchill-and-the-dollar-duchess-phenomenon

Or listen via YouTube below;