Photo © Leanne Bracey

Lara is a rare find herself; someone who can compel people to look deeply at a scrap (quite literally) of material culture washed up on the shores of the River Thames, and through so doing expose them to the rich histories of those who have gone before us. Lara’s eye is acute, her analysis forensic and her story-telling epic. I was so grateful that she took the time to share all of this with us at the Museum of London.

Sharon Ament, Director, Museum of London

Festivals: 

  • Chalke Valley History Show
  • Chelsea History Festival
  • Cuckfield Book Festival
  • Derby Book Festival
  • Faversham Lit Fest
  • Greenwich Book Festival 
  • Hartlepool Folk Festival
  • Henley Literary Festival
  • Ilkley Literature Festival
  • Isle of Wight Literary Festival
  • London Rivers Week
  • Off the Shelf, Sheffield University
  • Richmond Literature Festival
  • Riverside Community Big Local, Kent
  • St Albans Festival of Culture
  • Thames Festival, London
  • Tidefest, London
  • Tring Book Festival
  • Wealden Literary Festival
  • Write Idea Festival
© Zoe Savitz for The Telegraph Magazine

Speaking Events:

  • 5×15
  • American Women of Surrey
  • Artworker’s Guild, London
  • Arvon
  • Bishopsgate Ward Club, London
  • Bloomsbury Publishing, London
  • Broad Lit, Kent
  • City Hall – for the Mayor of London
  • Conway Hall, London
  • Council for British Archaeology, London
  • Deaf Awareness Week (signed talk), London
  • Emma Bridgewater’s Factory, Stoke-on-Trent
  • Google Talk – Google HQ, London
  • History Big Night in at Southwark Cathedral, London
  • House of European History, Brussels
  • Jersey Ladies Literary Luncheon, Jersey
  • Museum of London
  • National Maritime Museum, London
  • Nerd Nite, London
  • Reweirding London
  • Salon for the City, London
  • Society of Antiquaries, London
  • TED Talk – TEDx Newcastle 
  • Rose Playhouse, London
  • Southbank Centre, London – The Making of a National Park City
  • Southwark Cathedral, London
  • Trouble Club, London
  • Ruth Tomlinson Jewellery, London
  • University College London, Institute of Archaeology, London
  • Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, London
© Tori Frenc for The Washington Post

Exhibitions:

Throwaway, the House of European History, European Parliament, Brussels (2023)

Cecilia Vicuña, the Turbine Hall, Tate Modern, London (2022-23)

Mudlarking Day, a film by Francesca Long (2021)

Mudlarking Day, Southwark Cathedral, London (2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024)