Today In History with The Retrospectors

Latest Episodes:

Birth of the Bikini Jul 05, 2024

Show notes

Rerun: Swimwear never made more of a splash than when designer Louis Réard unveiled his daring new two-piece at the Piscine Molitor in Paris on July 5th, 1946. Showgirl Micheline Bernardini modelled the new attire, named after US nuclear testing site Bikini Atoll. Really.

Eleven years later, Modern Girl magazine still considered it ‘inconceivable that any girl with tact and decency’ would ever be seen wearing a bikini. Yet, by the sixties, it had become commonplace on beaches around the world.

In this episode, Rebecca, Arion and Olly consider the role rival designer Jacques Heim played in inspiring the garment; reveal the countries where it remains illegal to wear a bikini (sometimes); and unearth Sarah Brightman’s surprising role in Bombalurina’s 1990 cover version of ‘Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini’...

Further Reading:

• 15 Hilarious First Reactions to the Invention of the Bikini (BestLife, 2019):

https://bestlifeonline.com/bikini-invention-reactions/

• Fred Cole’s scorn for bikinis (‘Fashion: In The Swim’, TIME, 1950):

http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,813465,00.html

• That Bombalurina video, featuring the future Mrs Barlow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LagoycfdCA

‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’

Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday…

… But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Here Comes The Hamburger Jul 03, 2024

Show notes

Rerun: Who invented the hamburger? It’s almost impossible to know, given that mincemeat has been consumed all around the world, and for centuries - but Oscar Bilby, of Tulsa, Oklahoma is a strong contender.

On 4th July, 1891, he grilled a beef patty, and - for the first time in documented history - PUT IT IN A BUN. And a Fourth of July tradition was born.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly trace the origins of the American burger back to 19th century sailors in New York; consider the claim to fame of rival ‘Hamburger Charlie’ (Charlie Nagreen of Seymour, Wisconsin); and recall the short-lived attempt by the American War effort to rid the hamburger of its German heritage…

Further Reading:

• ‘Where Hamburgers Began—and How They Became an Iconic American Food’ (HISTORY, 2014): https://www.history.com/news/hamburger-helpers-the-history-of-americas-favorite-sandwich

• ‘History of Hamburgers’ (What’s Cooking America): https://whatscookingamerica.net/history/hamburgerhistory.htm

• ‘An Animated History of the Hamburger’ (New York Magazine, 2015): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIjX8OPuf-w

Why am I hearing a rerun?’

Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday…

… But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️

The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham.

Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sailing Alone Around The World Jul 03, 2024

Show notes

Captain Joshua Slocum set sail from Nova Scotia in The Spray, his revamped oyster sloop, on 3rd July, 1898: the first solo circumnavigation of the world.

Sailing alone for no reason other than pleasure was considered a fool’s errand at the time, but, motivated by the death of his beloved first wife, Virginia, Slocum sought solace in the sea. His memoir, dedicated to ‘the one who believed the Spray would return’, detailed his daring journey and struggle against loneliness.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider how Slocum survived - given his navigational aids of a broken chronometer and tin clock; explain how he evaded pirates in Gibraltar - in the most long-winded way possible; and explore his cheese-inspired hallucinations…

Further Reading:

• ’Joshua Slocum and his first Single-handed Sail around the World’ (SciHi, 2021): http://scihi.org/joshua-slocum-around-the-world/

• ’“The Spray will Come Back”: Solo Circumnavigator Joshua Slocum’ (New Bedford Whaling Museum, 2017): https://www.whalingmuseum.org/exhibition/the-spray-will-come-back/

• ‘The Mysterious Disappearance Of A Sea Pioneer’ (Timeline, 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K6ZQiOUG9M

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Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY…

… Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content.

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Death of Hypercolor Jul 02, 2024

Show notes

Generra Sportswear, the Seattle-based company that distributed Hypercolor - the T-shirts that changed colour with heat - and declared bankruptcy on 2nd July, 1992.

In a brief three-month span, between February and May 1991, the company sold a whopping $50 million worth of heat-sensitive T-shirts, shorts, pants, sweatshirts and tights, using the ‘Global Hypercolor’ brand in the UK. However, they struggled to meet the overwhelming demand for their products and as a result of mismanagement and overproduction, couldn’t handle their overnight success.

In this episode, The Retrospectors explain how sex was used to sell its products Down Under; consider why the product was a let-down if you lived in a sub-tropical climate, and ponder whether mood rings became ‘the acceptable face of colour-changing’...

Further Reading:

• ‘Why Hypercolor T-Shirts Were Just a One-Hit Wonder’ (Smithsonian Magazine, 2013): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/why-hypercolor-t-shirts-were-just-a-one-hit-wonder-3353436/

• ‘Generra: Hot Start, Then Cold Reality -- Company Reflects Industry's Woes’ (The Seattle Times, 1992): https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19920703&slug=1500288

• ‘Generra Hyper Color Shirts - Heat Makes It Happen’ (TV Commercial, 1992): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXgLR55tx3Y

This episode first premiered in 2023, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!

We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts:podfollow.com/retrospectors

The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.

Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024.

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When Sharks ATTACK! Jul 01, 2024

Show notes

The real-life ‘Shark Week’ that inspired Peter Benchley's novel Jaws kicked off with the shocking mauling of 23 year-old Charles Vansant off the coast of Beach Haven on 1st July, 1916.

At first, the public refused to believe that a shark could be responsible.But five days later, another attack occurred at Spring Lake, claiming the life of Swissman Charles Bruder, whose legs were completely severed.

The spate of shark attacks that followed this became known as ‘12 Days of Terror’, capturing national attention, and leading President Woodrow Wilson to authorise federal aid to ‘drive away’ the sharks from New Jersey.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly unpick the early hypotheses, from killer whales to sea turtles; explain why so many beachgoers couldn’t swim; and consider how one shark ended up in the hands of a Barnum & Bailey lion tamer…

CONTENT WARNING: gore, description of death by shark attack

Further Reading:

• ‘The Real-Life 'Jaws' That Terrorized the Jersey Shore’ (HISTORY, ): https://www.history.com/news/the-real-life-jaws-that-terrorized-the-jersey-shore

• ‘Spielberg tells of guilt over harm hit film Jaws may have done to sharks’ (The Guardian, 2022): https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/dec/18/steven-spielberg-tells-of-guilt-jaws-film-sharks

• ’SHARK ATTACK Caught on Camera!’ (Discovery, 2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDTXqg_vsMQ

Love the show? Support us!

Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY…

… Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content.

Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before There Was 'Crufts' Jun 28, 2024

Show notes

Rerun: The first modern dog show took place in Newcastle on 28th June, 1859. Essentially a sideshow to the annual exhibition of cattle, it featured just 23 pointers and 27 setters. The owners of the champion breeds won a gun.

Allegations of inbreeding and nepotism plagued the contest from the very beginning; controversies which eventually sparked the invention of The Kennel Club in 1873.

In this episode, Olly, Rebecca and Arion consider the competition’s historical connections to pigeon-fancying and eugenics; unearth Charles Dickens’ sceptical opinion of the 1862 ‘Monster Dog Show’ in Islington; and explain how Charles Cruft maneuvered himself up from dog-food salesman to create the premier event in canine display…

Further Reading:

• Early 20th century dog shows at Vintage News Daily:

https://vintagenewsdaily.com/22-lovely-photos-that-capture-vintage-dog-shows-in-the-early-20th-century/

• ‘The Surprising History of Victorian Dog Shows’, (History Extra, 2009): https://www.historyextra.com/period/victorian/the-surprising-history-of-victorian-dog-shows/

• British Pathé visits Monkstown Championship Dog Show (1950):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSbO7vWuDpc

‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’

Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday…

… But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Hugh Met Divine Jun 27, 2024

Show notes

Rerun: It was the sex scandal of the year: British rom-com star Hugh Grant procuring the services of hitherto unknown L.A. streetwalker Divine Brown on Sunset Boulevard on 27th June, 1995.

When their in-car liaison went public the following morning (following their arrest for lewd behaviour), Grant embarked upon what has become seen as a textbook ‘apology tour’, culminating in an appearance on The Tonight Show in which Jay Leno asked him the question on everybody’s lips: “What were you thinking?”.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why Brown originally thought Grant was a cop, and certainly not a celebrity; question the racial undertone to the press reaction to the incident; and recall how Grant’s appearance was pivotal in securing The Tonight Show’s place ahead of Letterman’s Late Show in the TV ratings for years to come…

Further Reading:

• ‘Hugh Grant arrested with sex worker 20 years ago’ (The Guardian, 2015): https://www.theguardian.com/film/from-the-archive-blog/2015/jun/26/hugh-grant-arrest-prostitute-divine-brown-20-1995

• ‘“What the hell were you thinking?” - How Hugh Grant’s arrest for ‘lewd conduct’ changed the way celebrities say sorry’ (The Independent, 2020):

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/hugh-grant-arrest-divine-brown-sex-worker-nine-months-elizabeth-hurley-a9584341.html

• ‘Hugh Grant on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno’ (NBC, 1995): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqCbgHM5MqU

‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’

Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday…

‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’

Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday…

… But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Real Pied Piper Jun 26, 2024

Show notes

What happened to the 130 children that went missing from the town of Hamlein, Lower Saxony on 26th June, 1284? According to legend, a vindictive ‘Pied Piper’ took revenge after the town had failed to stump up for his magical pest control services. But numerous sources corroborate that, fairy tales aside, the town’s children really did disappear.

An inscription on the facade of a timbered house in the city, dating back to 1602, commemorates the strange event, and notes the Piper's role in leading the children away (though it makes no mention of rats). And church records and stained glass windows depict a Piper leading away ghostly children.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly compare hypotheses on this centuries-old mystery; consider whether the kids were deliberately groomed to settle new communities; and reveal why the current-day Piper paraded for tourists is wearing the WRONG clothes…

Further Reading:

• ‘The grim truth behind the Pied Piper’ (BBC Travel, 2020): https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20200902-the-grim-truth-behind-the-pied-piper

• ‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Robert Browning’ (Poetry Foundation): https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45818/the-pied-piper-of-hamelin

• ‘Faerie Tale Theatreseries: The Pied Piper of Hamelin’ (Showtime, 1986): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg43OBEISY0

Love the show? Support us!

Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY…

… Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content.

Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Flag For Gay Pride Jun 25, 2024

Show notes

The ‘rainbow flag’ first flew in San Francisco’s United Nations Plaza for Gay Pride Day, on June 25th, 1978.

Created by Gilbert Baker, a friend of Harvey Milk, the original flag featured eight colours – but hot pink and turquoise were dropped from future iterations thanks to a lack of cloth. It was 30ft tall and 60ft wide.

In this episode, The Retrospectors discuss how Baker’s flag usurped a previous gay symbol, subverted from Nazi iconography; reveal the ‘meaning’ of each of the original stripes; and discuss how this radical icon became dragged into corporate culture via ‘pinkwashing’...

Further Reading:

• ‘Original rainbow Pride flag returns to its San Francisco home after 43 years’ (The Guardian, 2021): https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/12/original-rainbow-pride-flag-returns-san-francisco

• ‘Gilbert Baker, whose rainbow flag flew over the rise of gay rights, dies at 65’ (The Washington Post, 2017):: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/gilbert-baker-whose-rainbow-flag-flew-over-the-rise-of-gay-rights-dies-at-65/2017/04/01/07becbe8-16e5-11e7-833c-503e1f6394c9_story.html

• ‘History of the Rainbow Flag at Harvey Milk Plaza’ (Gilbert Baker Foundation, 2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R3NAFyHzXI

We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts:podfollow.com/retrospectors

The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Edward III's Garter Club Jun 24, 2024

Show notes

The Order of the Garter, Britain’s highest chivalric order, was established by King Edward III on 24th June, 1348.

Influenced by Arthurian legend and the popularity of the Crusades, monarchs all over Europe dreamt up similar orders to boost their own support. But in Britain, the Garter ceremony is still held annually, at Windsor’s St. George's Chapel, featuring knights in elaborate costumes, including velvet cloaks and Tudor bonnets.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly unpick the membership criteria for being in this monarch’s mates club; explore the apocryphal origin story of the order, featuring a lady’s modesty on the dancefloor; and consider who should occupy the three currently vacant spaces in King Charles’s Order…

Further Reading:

• ‘What is the Order of the Garter? The ancient honour bestowed to the Queen, Prince and Princess of Wales and Duchess of Gloucester’ (Tatler, 2024): https://www.tatler.com/article/what-is-the-order-of-the-garter

• ‘St George and the Garter - Medieval manuscripts blog’ (British Library, 2020):

https://blogs.bl.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2020/04/st-george-and-the-garter.html

• ‘Order of the Garter Ceremony at Windsor Castle’ (Darryl Wilson, 2010): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LobQn5wjVck

Love the show? Support us!

Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY…

… Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content.

Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices