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Formidable Heroines of History Jul 18, 2022

Show notes

From the notorious thief Mary Frith in the seventeenth century to industrialist and LGBT trailblazer Anne Lister in the nineteenth, these heroines redefined what a woman could be and what she could do in pre-twentieth-century Britain.

Holly Kyte, author and literary critic, joins Dan to shine a light on some of the unsung heroines of British history who refused to play by the rules. They detail the histories of the formidable women whose grit, determination and radical unconventionality saw them defy the odds to forge their own paths.

Produced by Hannah Ward

Mixed and Mastered by Seyi Adaobi

If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download the History Hit app please go to theAndroid or Apple store.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My Life as a Child Prisoner of War Jul 17, 2022

Show notes

The Imperial Japanese occupation of Hong Kong began on December 25, 1941, after the then Governor, Sir Mark Young, surrendered the British Crown colony to the Empire of Japan. The occupation lasted until Japan surrendered at the end of World War Two.

Joining Dan on the podcast today is Barbara Sowerby, who was born in Hong Kong in 1936 to an English father and Portuguese mother. Aged just five years old, Barbara’s happy childhood would change when her family were amongst the fleeing civilians caught and imprisoned by the Imperial Japanese Army. Barbara shares the remarkable story of her time as a child prisoner of war.

This episode is dedicated to Barbara’s late husband Keith Sowerby. Keith detailed the remarkable story of Barbara’s early life and had hoped, before his passing, to publish a book of this extraordinary account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beer Jul 14, 2022

Show notes

Pint, bottle, schooner, tinny … no matter how you drink it, beer is undeniably a part of social life here in Britain and around the world.

But how did it come to hold this position? Why has this been more true for British men than for British women? And what did beer taste like before mass production and microbiology?

Kate Lister has a pint with author, broadcaster and beer lover Pete Brown to find out.

WARNING this episode includes some fruity language

Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by Thomas Ntinas.

Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit.

This podcast includes music from Epidemic Sound and archive clips from "Brooklyn Bar Owner Wins Irish Sweepstake", 1937.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wars in the Atlantic World Jul 13, 2022

Show notes

How has warfare shaped the way humans live in the Atlantic World? Well, a lot. Military campaigns from the late Middle Ages to the Age of Revolution drove the development of technologies like ships, port facilities, fortresses, and roads. Crossing the ocean was made possible, connecting previously separate lands, nations and empires from Europe to West Africa and North and South America.

In this episode, Professor of Early Modern History Geoffrey Plank joins Dan to discuss how connecting the lands of Europe, West Africa and North and South America brought commerce, expansion, empires, the slave trade and more conflict on land and sea. They compare the European, African, and indigenous American experiences of warfare, violence, and military culture over a period of four centuries.

Produced by Hannah Ward.

Edited by Pete Dennis

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 'Dark Ages' with Michael Wood Jul 12, 2022

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Lasting 900 years, the ‘Dark Ages’ were between the 5th and 14th centuries, falling between the fall of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance. Today’s guest overturns preconceptions of the ‘Dark Ages’ as a shadowy and brutal era, showing them to be a richly exciting and formative period in the history of Britain.

For more than 40 years, historian and broadcaster Michael Wood has made compelling journeys into the past, which have brought history alive for a generation. Michael joins Dan on the podcast for the 40th anniversary of his ‘In Search of the Dark Ages’ - an unrivalled exploration of the origins of English identity.

Alongside portraits of Boadicea, King Arthur, Alfred the Great, Athelstan, and William the Conqueror, the story of England is expanded further to include new voices on fascinating characters such as Penda of Mercia, Aethelflaed Lady of the Mercians, Hadrian the African, Eadgyth of England, and Wynflaed.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Black Medal of Honour Jul 11, 2022

Show notes

In 1945, when Congress began reviewing the record of the most conspicuous acts of courage by American soldiers during WWII, they recommended awarding the Medal of Honour to 432 recipients. Despite the fact that more than one million African-Americans served, not a single black soldier received the Medal of Honour.

Rob Child is an Emmy-nominated screenwriter, director and published author. Allene Carter is the daughter-in-law of Edward Allen Carter Jr., an Army sergeant who exhibited heroism on the battlefield. Rob and Allene join Dan on the podcast to share why the seven African American soldiers had been denied recognition for 50 years and the remarkable story of how they were ultimately awarded the prestigious military decoration.

Produced by Hannah Ward

Mixed and Mastered by Dougal Patmore

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Shortest History of Democracy Jul 10, 2022

Show notes

In a time of grave uncertainty about the future of our planet, the radical potential of democracy is more important than ever.

From its beginnings in Syria-Mesopotamia – and not Athens – to its role in fomenting revolutionary fervour in France and America, democracy has subverted fixed ways of deciding who should enjoy power and privilege, and why. Democracy encourages people to do something radical: to come together as equals, to determine their own lives and futures.

In this vigorous, illuminating history, acclaimed political thinker John Keane traces its Byzantine history, from the age of assembly democracy in Athens, to European-inspired electoral democracy and the birth of representative government, to our age of monitory democracy. He gives new reasons why democracy is a precious global ideal and shows that as the world has come to be shaped by democracy, it has grown more worldly – American-style liberal democracy is giving way to regional varieties with a local character in places such as Taiwan, India, Senegal and South Africa.

In an age of cascading crises, we need the radical potential of democracy more than ever. Does it have a future, or will the demagogues and despots win? We are about to find out.

Produced by Hannah Ward

Mixed and Mastered by Dougal Patmore

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coffee Jul 07, 2022

Show notes

A cup of coffee was once a luxury. Now it is quick, cheap and widely available — a daily essential for many.

How did this happen? Today on Patented, Jonathan Morris walks us through the evolution of coffee: from how people first figured out its psychoactive properties, to the transformations in roasting, processing and preparation that resulted in a coffee shop on every high street.

Listen to the History of Coffee podcast here.

Find Jonathan's book, Coffee: A Global History here.

This episode was produced by Emily Whalley

The senior producer is Charlotte Long

Edited and mixed by Seyi Adaobi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boris Johnson: Removing a Prime Minister Jul 06, 2022

Show notes

It's been an extraordinary day in British politics with dozens of Conservative MPs handing in their resignations and expressing a lack of confidence in Prime Minister Boris Johnson. It feels like this could be the end of his premiership. Johnson has clung to power despite scandal after scandal, including allegations of financial misconduct, risking national security and lying to parliament. Anyone else would have resigned or been ousted by now. How has Boris Johnson managed to stay in office?

Dan is down at Westminster after an explosive Prime Minister's Questions. With analysis from Labor MP and historian Chris Bryant, former Tory politician and diplomat Rory Stewart and Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University, Tim Bale, Dan looks to history for insight into the parliamentary system, how political conduct has changed over the last century and how we ended up here.

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and Hannah Ward

Mixed and Mastered by Dougal Patmore

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Forgotten Massacre at Dartmoor Prison Jul 05, 2022

Show notes

During the War of 1812, the last time Britain and the United States went to war with each other, more than six thousand American sailors ended up in Dartmoor Prison. At the end of the war, prisoners remained behind Dartmoor’s walls for months after peace had been ratified. The prisoners’ fury at their continued incarceration led to an uprising on April 6, 1815, and then to a massacre: nine Americans were shot dead, the last men to be killed in a war between the two countries.

Nick Guyatt is a historian, author and lecturer in modern history. Nick joins Dan on the podcast to discuss the extraordinary story of what happened at Dartmoor during the War of 1812, what really took place in the prison, and how the tragedy created a brief and fiery outrage in the United States but then slipped from view.

Produced by Hannah Ward

Mixed and Mastered by Dougal Patmore

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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