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Gossip, Scandal and High Society Apr 26, 2022

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Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, Henry ‘Chips’ Channon documented British high society in eye-watering detail. His diaries are gossipy, sometimes vile and rude but always honest. Even after his death, his diaries struck fear into the British upper classes and it is only recently that they have been able to be published in all their glory. Chips' friendships with figures such as Neville Chamberlain and Edward VIII mean that his diaries provide an unparalleled window into the lives of the powerful. Journalist and author Simon Heffer took on the mammoth task of bringing the diaries to life and sorting through the 1.8 million words that make up the diaries. Simon joins Dan to discuss the life of Chips Channon, how his diaries puncture some of our national myths and why it was 60 years before the diaries could be published.

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.

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Great Scientists We've Forgotten to Remember Apr 25, 2022

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We are told that modern science was invented in Europe, the product of great minds like Nicolaus Copernicus, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein. But science has never been a uniquely European endeavour. Copernicus relied on mathematical techniques borrowed from Arabic and Persian texts. When Newton set out the laws of motion, he relied on astronomical observations made in Asia and Africa. When Darwin was writing On the Origin of Species, he consulted a sixteenth-century Chinese encyclopaedia. And when Einstein was studying quantum mechanics, he was inspired by the Bengali physicist, Satyendra Nath Bose.

James Poskett is an Associate Professor in the History of Science and Technology at the University of Warwick. James joins Dan on the podcast to uncover the ways in which scientists from Africa, America, Asia and the Pacific fit into the history of science.

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The Death of King George V: A Royal Murder Mystery Apr 24, 2022

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Just before midnight on January 20, 1936, King George V died at Sandringham, in Norfolk, England. The scandal of King George V’s reign would not be revealed publicly until 1986, in the diary of his physician, Lord Bertrand Dawson. Dawson had written about the night of January 20, detailing that he had injected the king with a lethal concoction of morphine and cocaine, intending to both grant the king a painless death and to guarantee that his passing would be announced in the morning papers rather than the evening journals.

Jane Ridley is a historian, author and broadcaster who teaches Modern History at the University of Buckingham. Jane joins Dan on this episode of the podcast to discuss who King George V was, the major events of his reign, and the injection that resulted in the king’s death - an act alternately referred to as “euthanasia,” medically assisted suicide or murder.

We need your help! If you would like to tell us what you want to hear as part of Dan Snow's History Hit then complete our podcast survey by clicking here. Once completed you will be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 voucher to spend in the History Hit shop.

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Victoria: A Greedy Queen Apr 21, 2022

Show notes

Warning: There are adult themes, explicit language and references of disordered eating and diets in this episode.

Did you know that before Queen Victoria married Albert she was a well-known party animal, who could easily stay up until 5am, drunk on a concoction of red wine and whiskey?

Or that she was notorious for being able to eat seven or eight courses in half an hour, and had a penchant for mutton curries and the freshest fruit?

Kate is joined Betwixt the Sheets by food historian Dr Annie Gray to discuss Victoria’s very indulgent habits which spilled out into all areas of her life…including the bedroom.

You can find Annie’s incredible book, The Greedy Queen: Eating with Victoria, here.

Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by Annie Coloe.

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The History of the RNLI Apr 20, 2022

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Since its foundation in 1824, the volunteers of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution have been braving the most savage of elements at sea to rescue sailors in distress. Their work has saved the lives of an estimated 143,000 people and helped many, many thousands more. Funded entirely by charitable donations and staffed primarily by volunteers it is a much loved national institution in the UK and Ireland.

Today, Dan is joined by Mark Wordsworth who spent over a decade as a volunteer crewmember and now serves on the board of the RNLI council. Mark and Dan explore how the RNLI came to be founded, its history and some of its most notable rescues. They also discuss the organisations' ethos, which was set out by its founder Sir William Hillary, and how that continues to shape its work today.

If you would like to make a donation to the RNLI you can do so here.

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Operation Mincemeat: The Deception that Changed WWII Apr 19, 2022

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It’s 1943. The Allies are determined to break Hitler’s grip on occupied Europe and plan an all-out assault on Sicily, but they face an impossible challenge - how to protect a massive invasion force from a potential massacre. It falls to two remarkable intelligence officers, Ewen Montagu and Charles Cholmondeley to dream the most inspired and improbable disinformation strategy of the war - centred on the most unlikely of secret agents: a dead man.

In today's episode, Matt Lewis sits in for Dan to discover the behind the scenes history of the new movie Operation Mincemeat with director John Madden and historian Ben McIntyre on whose book the film is based. A fascinating listen whether you've seen the movie or not!

Operation Mincemeat is in cinemas across the UK now.

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Josephine Baker: Entertainer and Spy Apr 18, 2022

Show notes

On November 30th, 2021, Josephine Baker, the French-American performer, second world war resistance hero, and activist became the first Black woman to enter France’s Panthéon mausoleum of revered historical figures. As one of the most remarkable figures of the 20th century, Baker risked her life working for the resistance during the second world war, smuggling documents between music sheets and using her fame to open doors and access information.

Monique Y. Wells is the co-founder of Entrée to Black Paris and a contributor on Paris’ Black history and culture. Monique joins Dan to discuss the life of Josephine Baker - the iconic entertainer of the Jazz Age who became one of the unsung heroes of the war effort.

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**A Short History of Pirates** Apr 17, 2022
Show notes

Swashbuckling, murder and robbery on the high seas! We're bringing back the fan favourite episode on Dr Rebecca Simon's 'Pirate Queens: The Lives of Anne Bonny & Mary Read' from our archive.

She takes Dan through a dramatic history of piracy in the Caribbean and the Atlantic World. She tells the extraordinary stories of pirates Anne Bonny, Mary Read as well as captains Blackbeard, Jack Rackham and the notoriously sadistic Charles Vane. She also gives Dan the lowdown on pirate treasure.

If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit (make hyperlink with:
History Hit) - subscribe today!

To download the History Hit app please go to the Android or Apple store.

We need your help! If you would like to tell us what you want to hear as part of Dan Snow's History Hit then complete our podcast survey by clicking here (link:
Dan Snow's History Hit Podcast Survey). Once completed you will be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 voucher to spend in the History Hit shop.

See acast.com/privacy (make hyperlink with :
Acast Privacy Policy - An Independent Podcast Company | Acast) for privacy and opt-out information.

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

TITANIC: Survivors and Lost Souls Apr 14, 2022

Show notes

Part 3/3. News of Titanic's fate sent shockwaves around the world; stories and illustrations of that fateful night splashed across newspaper stands on every corner. One town was affected more than most: Southampton. It's said everyone in the Southern English port knew someone who had perished on the Titanic.

In today's episode, Dan travels to the Southampton SeaCity museum to meet with Andy Skinner, Learning Engagement Officer and Titanic expert to discover what happened to survivors after the Carpathia arrived in New York and the effect on the town. You'll hear the stories of the crew who survived and had no choice but to go back out to sea, of artefacts rescued from the ship, like a watch that stopped at the moment its owner plunged into the freezing Atlantic and the fate of the unsinkable stoker' Arthur John Priest 'as Dan and the History Hit team search for his grave.

Listen to part one of this series TITANIC: The Unsinkable Ship here and part two TITANIC: A Night to Remember here.

This episode was produced by Mariana Des Forges. Mixed and mastered by Dougal Patmore. The Assistant Producer is Hannah Ward.

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TITANIC: A Night to Remember Apr 13, 2022

Show notes

Depicted countless times in art, television and film, the night of the 14th of April 1912 has haunted and fascinated us for over a century. This is a dramatic moment by moment retelling of the sinking of the Titanic in the freezing North Atlantic after the 'unsinkable' ship struck an iceberg. Hear the stories of what happened on the decks and in the lifeboats; those who survived and those who perished. Dan is also joined by renowned Titanic expert Tim Maltin to debunk and explain the many myths about the sinking and offers an explanation for what really went wrong that night.

Listen to part one of this series TITANIC: The Unsinkable Ship here.

If you want more Titanic, you can find Tim's books here.

This episode was produced by Mariana Des Forges. Mixed and mastered by Dougal Patmore.

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