Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford The Disappearance of Grace Oakeshott
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Dec 5, 2025 The podcast dives into the mysterious disappearance of Grace Oakeshott, a woman who vanished from a beach in 1907, leaving behind only her clothes. It explores her ambitious upbringing, her struggles within a restrictive marriage, and a hidden love affair. The narrative suggests Grace reinvented herself as Joan Reeve after fleeing to New Zealand, where she contributed significantly to her new community. Through Grace's story, the discussion highlights the limited freedoms and legal challenges women faced at the time.
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Vanishing On Arzon Beach
- On August 27, 1907, Grace left her folded clothes on Arzon beach and walked into the sea, never returning.
- The staged scene passed as a common drowning and triggered a death notice in England.
Education As A Route To Independence
- Grace's upbringing and education set her on an unusual path for women of her era.
- Her parents invested in schooling that aimed to make their daughters self-sufficient and socially respectable.
Cambridge, Friendship, Then Marriage
- Grace attended Cambridge, excelled in political economy and history, and befriended Renée Courtauld.
- She left after a year, likely for financial reasons, then returned to teach and later married Harold Oakeshott.
