Consistently Eccentric

This week we are heading back to the middle ages to discuss the life of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester. A man who became a Prince at age 9, but somehow still managed to make life unnecessarily hard for himself.Determined to expand his territory onto the continent Humphrey came up with what he thought to be a foolproof plan... ...even if his older brother has explained to him in detail exactly why it wasn't.So join us as we discuss his ambitions, his marriages and his eventual downfall.Guest Host: Emma Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are heading back to the turn of the 20th century to discuss the life of Margaret Damer Dawson, a one woman campaigning machine who had a strong sense of justice, and enough money to ensure that her voice was heard.After seeing the way that women in the 1910s were experiencing the criminal justice system, Margaret decided that the only way to improve things would be to have women on the front lines as police officers in their own right, and she would not rest until it happened......which thanks to the start of WWI wouldn't actually take as long as she might have feared.Guest Host: Evie Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy 200th EpisodeThis week we are looking into the biggest disaster in the history of Glasgow shipbuilding, when a relatively small ship designed to ferry people and cargo to Northern Ireland instead became a sunken tomb for over 100 people. Even worse it was a disaster that occurred in front of a large audience, and only a biscuit throw from shore.A tale of cutting corners and entirely predictable consequences the story of the Daphne goes to show that the Victorians were experts at putting profits before people. With a bonus discussion of over 500 years of ship building on the west coast of Scotland that features a cameo from at least two separate King James'Guest Host: Ollie Green Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are heading into the skies this week to talk about Sir Thomas Sopwith, a man who had a natural talent for two things. Engines and business. Luckily for him he was born just in time for the dawning of powered flight. Slightly less luckily he was also in prime position to influence he development of British fighter planes during both world wars.So join us as we shamelessly name drop some of the most important men in aviation history and discuss how the RAF were able to have the edge on the competition in spite of the Government as we delve into the life and times of centurion Sir Thomas Sopwith (who may or may not have murdered his father in cold blood....)Guest Host: Emma Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are delving into the brief period when Britain was a republic, and when anything seemed possible...At least it did to Gerrard Winstanley, a failed businessman who took the promise of more equality to the extreme when he founded a commune in Surrey with the belief that God had told him to prove to the people of England that private property was against the teachings of Jesus.Regardless of if this was true or not, the local landowners were not about to let Gerrard potentially prove that communal living without any attempt to profit off your fellow man could work, so they wrote to the new republic government and soon the head of the army became involved.So join us for a story of naive optimism in the face of state power and vested interests as we see if anyone in the country actually dug the Diggers.Guest Host: Pam Loetterle Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are treading the boards this week as we investigate a series of theatre disasters that took place across Britain, but always in a building named the Theatre Royal.Starting with the most famous theatre fire in 1613 we discuss how, over the next 400 or so years, theatre owners never seemed to learn the lesson that basic safety precautions are never too expensive in the long run (also, buildings insurance seems to be a worthwhile investment).So join us as we discuss how hundreds of people who just wanted to be entertained for a few hours were burned, choked, crushed and even had their pants literally set on fire as a result of some dodgy decision making in pursuit of profits. Guest Host: Jack Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are are dipping our toes into medical history, discussing the life and times of the fastest surgeon (possibly) ever. A native Scotsman, Robert Liston was already an accomplished surgeon while still in his teens. But while his talent was great, his ego appeared to be even greater.After annoying his colleagues in Edinburgh for over a decade, Robert found himself being passed over for plumb positions to the point that he decided to move to London to see if the English would be more appreciative of his skills (and tolerant of his personality).A man who combined natural talent with an inventive mind and a total inability to accept anything other than perfection, Robert Liston was definitely the may you wanted in charge of your operation, but the last person you would ever want to work with.Guest Host: Ang Reddoch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are heading back to the world of the Women's Suffrage movement to discuss how a clerical error gave one shopkeeper a chance to vote in a General Election.Having worked her way up to the point where she met the property threshold for a vote (had she been a man) Lilly Maxwell found herself added to the electoral roll for a hastily arranged by-election in Manchester in November 1867.Encouraged to use this mistake as an opportunity to prove that a woman voting would not cause the world to end, Lilly, a Scotswoman in her 60s, had an opportunity to make history.But would she take it? Would her vote be counted? And what would the fallout be if she did?Guest Host: Evie Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are delving into the world of early Victorian pseudo-medicine with a man who can literally be described as 'a bit of a character.'Born into obscurity near Manchester (possibly), young John Smith (at least we assume that was his name) dreamed of becoming famous throughout the British Isles and beyond.To this end he reinvented himself as 'Baron Spolasco', a doctor who could cure absolutely anything, provided you had the cash.So join us as we cover a life of flim-flammery of the highest order. With manslaughter cases, shipwrecks and children of questionable origin thrown in for good measure......as long as we can get Ollie's equipment sorted out. Guest Host: Ollie Green Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are viewing the events of 1756 through the editorial decisions of The Gentleman's Magazine. One of the premier publications of Georgian London.Join us as we discuss the criminal inclinations of butchers, the impact of war with France, and the potential pitfalls of bigamy.Guest Hosts: Emma Heathcote & Ollie Green Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are following a tale of transcontinental industrial espionage from the Victorian Era.Robert Fortune was a poor Scots horticulturalist who just so happened to have been born at a time when plant hunting was deemed to be of vital importance to the British Empire. Determined that his last name would not be his only fortune Robert agreed to travel to China to steal the secrets of their their most valuable commodity... Tea.Going deep undercover Robert would become the lynchpin in a plot to start a rival tea production industry in British controlled India. Of course this would mean long years away from his wife and children, but Robert seemed more than happy with this arrangement.Would he be caught? Would the plants he stole survive the journey to India? and would his disguise be deemed culturally insensitive to a modern audience?All these questions and more will be answered.Guest Host: Jack Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we have an extra special episode, researched and presented by the birthday girl, Pamela Loetterle.We are talking all about Dr John Donne. Born a Catholic and a child genius, we follow his career, love-life and eventual conversion (by Royal Decree) to become the most famous Anglican preacher of his day......who also liked to write saucy poetry.Far more than just the bloke who wrote; 'For whom the bell tolls', Dr Donne was a man who found a way to get to where he wanted to be. Even if he was occasionally a bit of a goth/emo about things.Guest Presenter: Pamela Loetterle Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are talking about a King who was immortalised by Disney, and who was given the nickname 'The Lionheart' due to his prowess in battle.Unfortunately being a king isn't all about battles, and in every other aspect it could be argued that Richard I was sadly lacking. So join us for a story of battles and poor decision making as we discuss the life and times of Richard the Lionheart! (and his tangental influence on the England football team.)Guest Host: Evie Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are learning about what happens when a magician tries to apply his skillset in an active war zone with the tale of Jasper Maskelyne.Determined to serve during WWII, Jasper ended up in Cairo where the British were facing off against the tactical might of Rommel in the deserts surrounding the Nile Delta.What follows is a story of increasingly sophisticated (and almost unbelievable) deceptions which, according to Jasper, were crucial in turning the tide of the North Africa conflict......of course that is if you believe Jasper.Guest Host: Emma Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Emma is taking the lead to tell the tale of how two brothers took a failing drinking chocolate business from the brink of bankruptcy and made it into a chocolate colossus that still exists to this day.Following their father losing his interest in the Cadbury's factory following the death of his wife, his two young sons George and Richard decided that they would take up the reins and try to turn things around.With a few false starts along the way, a world trip to find inspiration and a threat to change tack to Chartered Surveying, this is a tale of learning on the job and taking risks to get one up on your rivals. *NOW WITH BONUS POST-CREDITS CONTENT!*Guest Presenter: Emma Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are back with another episode written and researched by the extremely knowledgeable Pamela Loetterle who wanted to shine a light on one of the forgotten nobles from the Elizabethan / Stuart era, Sir Julius Caesar. The son of immigrants Julius was determined that he would become a man of power, wealth and influence within Court, setting his sights on the position of 'Master of the Rolls.' But as his family were new money rather than an established noble line, he would have to take a rather circuitous route in his rise to power and influence.With potentially more historical name drops than any other episode in Consistently Eccentric History, join us as we make the case that Sir Julius Caesar should be just as well known as his famous namesake.Lead Host: Pamela LoetterleGuest Host: Joe Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are talking about a rare event in British history, a spree shooting. Though it could easily have been two.Barry Williams was a man who struggled to see other people as anything other than objects, and who had a fascination with guns, which is not the best combination.So when he began to get annoyed with his neighbours in the middle 70s, it was only a matter of time before he decided he needed to take steps to get rid of them.But at least he would not be released from custody and left to stockpile a second arsenal of weapons... Right?!Guest Host: Ollie Green Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are talking about a woman who was forced by circumstance to live in a cave, and made it work.Denounced by her neighbours as a witch, Mother Shipton leaned into the role in order to survive and did such a good job that she is still remembered nearly 500 years later.But what parts of her story are true? Was she actually able to tell the future? And why did it take so long after her death for anyone to write her biography?Tune in to find out.Guest Host: Evie Heathcote If you like what we can do you can leave us a tip on Kofi at: ko-fi.com/consistentlyeccentrichistory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are delving into the world of Elizabethan espionage this week to discuss a displaced Jewish doctor who realised that the way he communicated with his fellow exiles across Europe could just so happen to be turned into a readymade spy network for profit.Quickly rising in influence after leaving his home of Portugal in his 30s, Dr Lopez managed to reach the dizzying heights of personal physician to Queen Elizabeth herself.But the desire to return home never left him, and the schemes he participated in to try and engineer a chance to live out his days back in Portugal led him deeper and deeper into a tangled web of split loyalties and risky choices...Guest Host: Emma HeathcoteIf you enjoy our podcast you can drop us a donation on KoFi at:ko-fi.com/consistentlyeccentrichistory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For our first 2025 episode we are discussing two separate occasions when whisky* related disasters caused death and destruction within the British Isles.With a brief history of whisky production over the years, explaining how a monopoly of larger distillers was encouraged by the government and how this may have contributed to setting the conditions for the disasters that followed, it is a story of profit over safety...Luckily that sort of thing never happens nowadays right?Guest Host: Ollie Green*We are using the Scottish spelling in deference to the fact that Ollie does live in Scotland, not because we have an official preference between the two. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Consistently Eccentric we are discussing the life of a poor Georgian woman who enjoyed 15 minutes of fame due to a sensational biography and her willingness to wear pants.When she was abandoned by her husband Hannah Snell decided that she was not going to take it lying down. So (according to her) she borrowed a set of her brother-in-law's clothes and headed off in hot pursuit as 'James Grey'... A name which was also borrowed from her brother-in-law.According to her biography what followed was nearly 5 years of deception which included stints in both the Army and the Navy as well as trips to India and Africa... but just how reliable were her stories? And would she ever actually find her husband so she could give him a piece of her mind?Guest Host: Evie Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are heading to the Cornish coast to discuss a history of shipwrecks that culminated in a lifeboat disaster that still holds a grim record in the UK.From the initial wreckers of the middle ages, through early attempts to formalise a system of help for stricken sailors, two world wars and the creation of the RNLI.Guest Host: Ollie GreenIf you like the episode you can support us via KO Fi at: ko-fi.com/consistentlyeccentrichistory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are joined by Ang from 'Dissecting Medical History' to discuss the origins of the Third Plague Pandemic, and how everything was made worse by the British.When the plague was threatening the colony of Hong Kong the British Colonial Government had a chance to take decisive action to stop the outbreak in its tracks. All they would have to do would be to impose some restrictions...... unfortunately this would likely cause profits to temporarily dip, and we can't have that can we?Guest Host: Ang ReddochIf you want to leave us a tip you can do at: ko-fi.com/consistentlyeccentrichistory All proceeds go back into making more episodes! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to season 3 of Consistently Eccentric History!We are coming in hot with the story of Thomas Day and his 'experiment' to try and raise a girl to become his perfect wife. Taking Sabrina from an orphanage at age 12 (under false pretences) he spent the next 6-7 years trying to mould her into becoming the kind of woman that he would want to spend the rest of his life with.Would he succeed? Why was he not arrested? How did this man have friends?All of these questions and more will be answered!Guest Host: Emma HeathcoteYou can support what we do by leaving a tip at: https://ko-fi.com/consistentlyeccentrichistory/goal?g=0 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are discussing a woman whose advocacy for the wellbeing of children should be much better known; Lady Allen of Hurtwood.Starting out with a passion for plants and a plan to make a career creating beautiful gardens, Marjory Allen became convinced that gardens and green spaces should be a tool for improving the lives of all of the people living in Britain. Becoming one of the leading lights of the movement towards Landscape Architecture. Reflecting on the benefits of her own childhood spent exploring and getting muddy at the family farm, she soon developed an idea for how she could ensure that even inner city children might be able to replicate some of the positive experiences that she had as a young girl...... and like most innovative structural ideas, it came originally from the Scandinavians.Guest Host: Evie Heathcote (The princess of wordplay) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When setting up a brand new colony it is important to ensure that you have a long term plan. Unfortunately for the convicts being sent to Botany Bay in Australia, it seemed that their ongoing welfare was more of an afterthought. And when the first Governor left and placed the leader of the New South Wales Corps in temporary charge things went downhill fast. Which is always a likely outcome when alcohol becomes the primary currency...The impact of allowing the New South Wales Corps to abuse their power, even for a short time, led to nearly 20 years of struggle to get the colony in Australia under some sort of control.This week we will be talking about these efforts, how they were undermined, and how eventually the Colonial Office got so desperate that they appointed the former captain of the HMS Bounty, William Bligh, to be the new Governor. Because surely you could trust everyone to follow orders under his watch?Guest Host: Ollie Green Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To commemorate Remembrance Sunday this week we are talking about a man who gave more than most to the British Army, during a career that spanned both world wars.Despite being born in Belgium, Adrian Carton de Wiart's desire to see excitement saw him lying about both his age and nationality in order to fight for the land of his grandmother against the Boers in South Africa. This was the start of a long, distinguished and regularly painful military career.A man apparently with no fear, and with a reputation for being damned near un-killable, Adrian would take any mission sent his way, no matter how impossible and no matter what he might lose in the process.Guest Host: Emma Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This bonus episode is coming to you from long time listener, two time guest host and now first time main host Pamala Loetterle. Because we at Consistently Eccentric are always looking to encourage other people to start their own podcasts and become more successful than we are!A mystery involving animal bones buried in a coffin in London. Pamala has been investigating the why, the who on a tale that takes us into the strange world of Sir Richard Owen, an anatomist who appeared much more at home around bits of dead animals and humans than he did around his wife (if the length of their engagement was anything to go by).So join us for a podcasting debut and some extra talk regarding how to get human bones through airport security, amongst other topics. Guest Host: Joe Heathcote. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How frustrated would you feel if you were the first King of a united England, but practically no one knows who you were? This week we will be trying to do our part to address this injustice by talking about the life and times of King Athelstan. A man who took the chances that were presented to him in order to create a brand new country.With a good quota of vikings, many a fortunate death along the way and some of the most difficult to pronounce names we have come across in a while, join us to learn about this important Wessex monarch.Now if only we could figure out where we left him....Guest Host: Ollie Green Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are discussing the origins and eventual demise of the most successful women's football team of the 20th century. Starting as a way to keep workers motivated in a munitions factory in Preston, the Dick Kerr Ladies quickly developed a reputation as the best team in the country (and specifically as a better team that the French could muster). Their charitable aims and massive crowds shining a spotlight on the fact that the women's game could be every bit as competitive and exciting as the men's.Unfortunately the FA didn't like the idea of having to compete, and so hatched a dastardly plan to prevent Women's football from continuing to grow...Guest Host: Evie Heathcote (Goalkeeper) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What would you do for love? This week we are discussing a man who had an extreme answer to this question, Samuel Bellamy.When he was told that he was too poor to marry a Cape Codder by the name of Goodie Hallett, Sam decided that he would just have to get rich as quickly as possible. Which (considering his only skill was sailing) naturally led him down the road to piracy.But would he be good at it? Would he make enough money to win his Goodie? And what would Goodie do while she waited? All this and more will be answered, regardless of if you want it to be!Guest Host: Emma Heathcote (Who does not like extended discussions regarding nautical administration) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When we found out that some people believe the subject of our most recent episode was Jack the Ripper, we at Consistently Eccentric HQ knew that we needed to come together to decide for ourselves if we would be adopting this theory moving forwards.So enjoy a bonus conversation between Joe, Ollie and Emma to determine if cotton merchant James Maybrick was indeed the most notorious criminal of the 1800s......if Joe can manage to keep them all on topic.Guest Hosts: Ollie Green and Emma Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens if you take a hypochondriac with masses of cash and give him unlimited access to whatever medicines / drugs / potions he fancies? Well you might end up with a man like James Maybrick who became obsessed with patent medicines to an apparently deadly degree. A successful Liverpool Cotton Merchant, James married a young American woman called Florence, however he neglected to mention that he already had a secret family (which seems like it might have been an important). When this secret finally got out it led to a series of events that resulted in death, accusations of murder and the acquisition of many many cats.So join us this week with a tale of Late Victorian scandal and the perils of an unregulated medicine industry.Guest Host: Ollie Green Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Like all primary school children in Britain, Evie will be studying the Ancient Egyptians at some point. So we have decided to give her a head start by talking about one of the most famous events of the 20th Century, the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun.With quick explainers of why Pharaoh's started being buried in the Vally of the Kings, and how Tutankhamun came to die at the age of only 19 (though without mentioning the fact he was a child of incest and was married to his own sister). We follow the story of Howard Carter, a self-taught illustrator with a single-minded ambition who would do anything to stay in Egypt and keep searching for the elusive boy-king and in doing so became one of the most famous archeologists ever......Shame he hated talking to people.Guest Host: Evie Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emma has returned! And this week to ease her back into cohosting duties we are becoming paranormal investigators to discuss a potential haunting that took place in South London in 1938.Alma Fielding had it all, a new three bed house, a husband on a good wage and (potentially) a lover that she kept in the shed at the bottom of the garden... though this last one might have been cobblers.But following a bout of kidney trouble she suddenly found herself under poltergeist attack!Luckily for her a paranormal investigator called Nandor Fodor was on hand to help. Prepare for a wild tale of ever escalating paranormal problems, with appearances from Harry Houdini, Bela Lugosi and Sigmund Freud.Guest Host: Emma Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we conclude our search for the last battle on English soil with a trio of conflicts that all centre around the Stuart Dynasty, specifically James II. With Urban warfare, Irish Panic and artful men from Somerset all making an appearance it is also an unintentional summary of the downfall of the house of Stuart......Which we cover in reverse order to ensure that you are paying attention. And by the end we do promise that we will confirm which fight was in fact the last battle to ever be fought on English soil (to this point at least).Guest Host: Ollie Green Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prior to recording the second part of our 'Last Battle on English Soil' episodes, Ollie announced that he would only take part on one condition.......that Joe try Marmite again. It turned out that Ollie was deadly serious, so in order to ensure that the episode would be released on time Joe gave in to the demand. This allowed an opportunity to discuss the historical significance of Marmite (amazingly it turns out to have been quite important during the 20th century) and to chat about various other foods, before the conversation deteriorated into the tangental randomness that dominates all the conversations within the team when a script is not involved.So if you want a bit of an insight into how we warm up for recording, or if you just want another opportunity to hear our lovely voices please enjoy....... and sorry for the swearing.Diva of a Co-host making demands: Ollie Green Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are beginning a search for the last battle to be fought in England which, due to some disagreement about what actually constitutes a battle, could be one of at least six separate events which span the course of four separate centuries. In this first episode we are covering an accidental WWII mini-invasion, a mental health crisis that went way too far, and the many ramblings of Bonnie Prince Charlie. But were any of these actually battles? Tune in to find out if we will even need a part two!Guest Host: Ollie Green*Disclaimer - the host's views on Marmite are their own and should not be considered representative of Consistently Eccentric History. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Georgians sure knew how to sensationalise a story. So when a rich mother and daughter went on trial for the murder of their orphaned 13 year old servant girl many a pamphlet was written.This week we are discussing the content of those pamphlets, how reliable they might be, and trying to understand why a person would admit to eating their own poop while giving evidence in a court of law.Guest Host: Ollie Green Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are discussing the life of a lawyer, poet and inventor from the Tudor era called John Harington. When banished from the court of his godmother Queen Elizabeth for saucy translations John had five years to contemplate life, and he came to the conclusion that his life could be made measurably better if he was able to poo in comfort. So he set about trying to come up with an improved defecation system, one that he would eventually present to the Queen herself. Would she like it? Would John be allowed to return to court? And what exactly is a 'Gong Farmer'?Join us to find out. Now with 30% more conversations about poo!Guest Host: Evie Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's holiday time!This week we are off to New Zealand to discuss how a misunderstanding in a quickly translated treaty led to all out war between the British and the Maori (despite that fact that they had been united by a hatred of the French).What started out as a mutually beneficial arrangement was quickly ruined by the British insisting on introducing tariffs and otherwise messing with the sovereignty of the Maori people of the North Island. But while in other countries the British were able to bully their way to absolute power over the locals, the Maori were not going to take it lying down.They decided to make their frustrations known via the medium of flags, leading to one of the more unique wars the British Empire was ever involved in.Guest Host: Ollie Green Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In honour of the Open Championship (albeit a week late) we are discussing the life of a man considered to be the grandfather of modern golf.A native of St. Andrews, born a short chip shot from the famous old course, Tom Morris was exposed to golf from the time he could walk.However golf-related fallings out would lead to an extended exile from his home town, one that could only be ended by proving himself to be the best golfer in the British Isles....How hard could that be?Guest Host: Ollie Green Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are heading stateside this week to discuss the founder of the State of Georgia.James Oglethorpe was a member of the upper classes, soldier, MP and murderer (though he didn't often put this last one on his CV). Despite coming from extreme privilege, James decided to dedicate his career in Parliament to trying to reform the conditions of the common man, both in the Royal Navy and in the prison system.It was only when his attempts to work within the parliamentary system hit a brick wall that James began thinking that things would be much easier if he was able to set up a society of his own. Where he could make the rules and ensure equality for all......and it just so happened that there was a space between Carolina and Florida that hadn't yet been settled.Guest Host: Pam Lotterle Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are talking about the incredible afterlife of a woman called Hannah Beswick. After witnessing her brother almost being buried alive, Hannah developed a bit of a complex about it. So much so that she decided to entrust the care of her body to her family doctor, insisting that he only allow her to be buried when he was certain that she was dead.Unfortunately the doctor in question enjoyed collecting interesting medical oddities... and he had just come up with a new method of embalming that he was keen to try out.So join us for a tale of phobias, specialised coffins, legal muddles and ghosts.Guest Host: Ollie Green Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you think of the bombing raids of WWII most people instantly picture the East End of London. But this week we are talking about a lesser known, and much shorter blitz that took place on the other side of the Irish Sea.Consisting of only four nights over the course of less than a month, the people of Belfast could not have imagined the amount of horror that could be caused in such a short span of time. But when your government assumed that they would never need to defend themselves, they tend to be slightly under prepared.So join us for a tale of how misplaced confidence can result in terrible consequences of historic proportions. Guest Host: Ollie Green Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As everyone is settling in for another big summer of sport, we have decided to discuss one of the first big summer events hosted in the UK, the 1908 Olympic games.Originally due to be held in Italy, a last minute change was required due to an unfortunately timed natural disaster. This allowed London to sneak in and put together a very British games in practically no time. From the eccentric stadium, to the selection of events, and even the rules, the 1908 games were designed for one purpose only; to put Britain at the top of the medal table.But would the organisers succeed? Would swimmers become accidentally impaled, and what exactly are the differences between 'British Athletics Rules' and the rules that the rest of the world follow?Guest Host: Evie Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are back to conclude our breakdown of the eight attempts on the life of Queen Victoria during her reign. This time the motives for regicide range from Irish Nationalism to underappreciated poetry and we finally get some variation from simply trying to shoot her... which is nice.If you have not listened to part one yet, I would strongly suggest that you do so, otherwise there will be quite a few references and callbacks that will likely not make sense. Though I can appreciate it may be hard to tell if the episode seems any more chaotic than usual.Guest Host: Emma Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are discussing the first four attempts on the life of Queen Victoria, which all took place during a two year span from 1840-42.While most of her subjects seemed to love the young Queen, the inequality in Britain meant that there were plenty of people who felt that life was rigged against them and at least three of these subjects had access to guns.So join us for a tale of poor marksmanship, even poorer assessments of mental health, and weird historical quirks in the first of a two part series on the people who wanted to show the establishment that they were very, very frustrated with their position in Victorian Britain.Gust Host: Emma Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It has been a long time, but we are back to the world of true crime this week with the tale of Catherine Hayes, a disgruntled wife who saw a convenient solution to all of her marital problems.... Murder.Hatching a plot alongside not one, but two lovers, Catherine figured that the bustle of London would allow her to get away with bumping off her husband. Just as long as they could quickly get rid of the evidence. After all, no body no crime, right?But even without a formal police force, would Catherine's plan succeed, would she finally get to enjoy her husband's money in the thruple of her dreams? And how exactly do you figure out who a head belongs to before photographs were a thing?Guest Host: Ollie Green Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are talking about one of the longest lived of all royals as part of our ongoing series focused on queen consorts of England and the UK. When little Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was born at the dawning of the 20th century it would have seemed practically impossible to her family that she would also see the beginning of the 21st, while being one of the most recognisable people in the entire country.It is a story of not following conventions and updating the image of the royal family into the recognisable state it is today, and is one of the few stories we cover where my lifetime overlaps with the subject (which amazed Evie no end.)Guest Host: Evie Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are meeting Mary Willcocks, a young woman from a poor family who didn't want to accept her lot as a future housewife scraping an existence in a tiny rural village.Armed only with her own sense of self importance and a gift for making up stories, she left for London, determined to make her fortune. Free to reinvent her past she began presenting herself first as a globetrotter and then as a foreigner with a persona that drifted further and further from Britain as time passed.The end result was Princess Caraboo, member of a Javanese royal family who excited the nobility of the small village of Almondsbury.Would Mary be able to keep up her deception? What was her end game? And did she finally get to travel the world as she always wanted? We answer these questions and more.Guest Host: Emma Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.