History

Here for the History

Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson reveal the surprising moments in history behind the traditions, customs and objects all around us.

Latest Episodes:

Do Brits have bad teeth? Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

British people have terrible teeth. That’s the stereotype - but is it true? And what’s the story behind it?

Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton explore how Brits got a reputation for bad teeth thanks to our love of sugar, and we see how British and American teeth took wildly different paths after the Second World War.

Key Sources:

June Thomas - Journalist.

The Bad-Mouthing of British Teeth - Decoder Ring podcast.

Drills, Dentures and Dentistry: An Oral History - BBC Four.

Dr Irwin Smigel - The Times.

Austin Powers bites back: a cross sectional comparison of US and English national oral health surveys - British Medical Journal.

Where did the modern toilet come from? Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

Have you ever stopped to think about the technological marvel that is the modern toilet?

Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson chart a course from a Roman fort in Northumberland via Victorian London to a council flat in 20th century Glasgow. All to find out - when did we get flushing loos? And what happened to all that waste? Does it surprise you how recently these things became the norm? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to hit like, hype and subscribe if you’re Here for the History.

Key Sources

Conversations with Dr Stephen Halliday and Lee Jackson

Why are we obsessed with work? Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

Do you ever feel like work is taking over your life? Well, society didn’t always place so much value on work ethic.

Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton uncover the surprising history behind our modern obsession with hard work.

First, medieval marriage reforms transformed people’s relationship with work. Then, monastic orders and the Protestant Reformation framed hard work as sacred. Finally, the industrial revolution kickstarted our modern fixation on productivity.

Key Sources:

The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous - Prof Joseph Henrich.

Time, Work-Discipline, and Industrial Capitalism - E. P. Thompson.

Blood, Sweat and Tears: The Evolution of Work - Richard Donkin.

The Corrosion of Character: The Personal Consequences of Work in the New Capitalism - Prof Richard Sennett.

Slavery, Capitalism and the Industrial Revolution - Prof Maxine Berg & Prof Pat Hudson.

Why Don’t We Wear Hats Anymore? Oct 01, 2026

Show notes

For centuries leaving the house without a hat would be like leaving the house without your phone or keys - you simply wouldn’t do it. But these days, headwear is an optional add on - a fashion choice, a weather protector, or found on the head of a wedding guest.

Alice and Ben look under the brim of history to find out what on earth happened to the ubiquity of the hat?

We’ll cover a parent’s desperate tactic to keep a son out of trouble, there are highwaymen, practical jokes, and a British supermodel.

Key Sources: The Cultural, Social, and Ideological Role of the Hat in Early Modern England - Professor Bernard Capp Dress for Deference and Dissent: Hats and the decline of Hat Honour - Professor Penelope J. Corfield Hats - Fiona Clark

Why Are We Dog Obsessed? Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

Dogs are man’s best friend - but has it always been that way?

Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton look into how humans and dogs first got acquainted, we’ll hear about the tough lives of medieval dogs, and we’ll reveal how the Victorians forged our modern relationship with our canine friends.

This episode contains a brief description of cruelty to animals. Listener discretion is advised.

Key sources:

Collared: How We Made the Modern Dog - Professor Chris Pearson.

Man and the natural world: Changing attitudes in England 1500-1800 - Sir Keith Thomas.

The Hardworking Dogs of Medieval Europe - Livia Gershon.

Dog, Natural Histories - BBC Radio 4.

Who Invented the “Whodunit”? Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

It was the vicar that did it! In the billiards room! With a candlestick!

To many fans of a murder mystery, this is perhaps a familiar sounding phrase from a classic “whodunit”. But just how did this endlessly popular genre come to be?

Alice and Ben leaf back through the pages of history to uncover just where “whodunits” came from, who invented them, and how they’ve endured centuries of changing tastes.

They will discuss multiple lines of inquiry; from our historical appetite for the gruesome and thrilling; to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; Agatha Christie; and even the impact of the World Wars.

Key Sources: Agatha Christie: A Very Short Introduction - Professor Gill Plain The TV Crime Drama - Professor Sue Turnbull Forever England: Femininity, Literature, and Conservatism Between the Wars - Alison Light Agatha Christie: Lucy Worsley on the Mystery Queen - BBC / Lucy Worsley Caught in the Web of Words: Whodunit - Ken Liss

Where Do Manners Come From? Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton explore how Renaissance books on courtly conduct inspired an era of civility.

They untangle the 18th century age of politeness, and we’ll find out how the Victorians shaped the way we behave today.

But are manners getting worse?

Key Sources:

Sorry! The English and Their Manners - Henry Hitchings. In Pursuit of Civility: Manners and Civilization in Early Modern England - Keith Thomas. Thomas Hoby’s translation of Castiglione’s Book of the Courtier - Mary Partridge, The Historical Journal. The Duel in Early Modern England - Markku Peltonen. In Our Time, Politeness - BBC Radio 4.

Why Do Scots Wear Tartan? Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson dig through the folds of time to understand how Tartan became so woven into Scottish history.

Just how did the material become so intrinsically linked to the nation’s image?

It’s a winding and dramatic story. There’s an exiled prince, a romantic writer, a pair of charismatic brothers and a young queen. It’s a tale of ancient tradition, war and fakery.

Key Sources:

Tartan: The Highland Habit - Professor Hugh Cheape. National Museums Scotland. West Highland Museum.

Why Do We Love Pubs? Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

How did the pub become so central to British culture?

Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton reveal how women ran medieval alehouses, how the Reformation led to a golden age of boozers, and how competition from gin produced the iconic Victorian pub.

Key Sources:

Dr Paul Jennings - The Local: A History of the English Pub. Dr James Wright. Dr Peter Clark. Dr Mark Hailwood - Alehouses and Good Fellowship in Early Modern England.

Why Does the Union Jack Look Like That? Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson delve into the history of the Union Jack - the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

It’s one of the most recognisable British icons, but just why does it look the way it does? What’s the story behind the pattern?

We’ll get into the saintly foundations, the Stuarts, and of course the age old question - where on the flag is Wales?

Key Sources:

The Union Jack: The Story of the British Flag - Professor Nick Groom