Today In History with The Retrospectors

Latest Episodes:

Introducing... The Fork Jun 25, 2026

Show notes

The fork had only recently received Royal approval in Britain when it was gifted to the Governor of Massachusetts, John Winthrop, on 25th June, 1633.

It took centuries for Americans to feel comfortable with this new way of eating, but in Italy it was already gaining ground, as Englishman Thomas Coryat observed in 1611, noting: "the Italian cannot by any means endure to have his dish touched with the fingers, seeing all men's fingers are not alike cleane. Herupon I myselft thought good to imitate the Italian fashion by this forked cutting of meate."

In this episode, Rebecca, Arion and Olly consider how the Victorians conspired to make cutlery culturally exclusionary; review the American method of ‘cut and switch’; and wonder whether the early Fork Sceptics were right to question the wisdom of putting metal in their mouths...

Further Reading:

• ‘Nearly 400 years later, the fork remains at the center of American dining controversy’, Quartz (2018):

https://qz.com/1313214/nearly-400-years-later-the-fork-remains-at-the-center-of-american-dining-controversy/

•‘The Rise of the Fork’, Slate (2012): http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/design/2012/06/the_history_of_the_fork_when_we_started_using_forks_and_how_their_design_changed_over_time_.html?via=gdpr-consent

•‘The History of the Fork’ by History of the Plate on YouTube (2017): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HCnFChptvI

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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 2026.

This episode originally aired in 2021.

#1600s #Inventions #Food #Royals #US #UK

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Henry VIII's 'Ugly Wife' Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

Anne of Cleves was dumped by her profligate husband Henry VIII on 24th June, 1540, when she was summoned to Richmond Palace and asked to accept an annulment from her tyrannical spouse. In return for her compliance, she received substantial estates, including Richmond Palace itself, and Hever Castle, along with a generous income that made her one of the wealthiest women in England.

Henry granted her the title of "the King's Beloved Sister", placing her in a uniquely privileged position at court. Far from being exiled, she remained a respected figure, maintained good relations with Henry, and became particularly close to his daughters Mary and Elizabeth.

Henry’s fourth marriage had been arranged for political reasons. And popular memory has long reduced Anne's story to being the "ugly wife" Henry found physically repellent at their first meeting. But the portrait painted by Hans Holbein the Younger (of which Henry initially approved) was almost certainly an accurate likeness, and perhaps in truth Henry and Anne were simply incompatible; Anne had been raised in a practical German court that valued piety and household management, while Henry fancied himself a Renaissance prince steeped in courtly romance.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider Anne’s relative good fortune (compared to the fate of some of Henry's other wives); review the relative physical condition of the two young lovebirds; and reveal why Anne may have believed, in spite of the evidence, that their marriage had been consummated…

Further Reading:

• ‘Anne of Cleves: The Great Survivor | Hampton Court Palace’ (Historic Royal Palaces, 2026): https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/history-and-stories/anne-of-cleves/

• ‘Was Anne Of Cleves Henry VIII's Most Successful Queen?’ (HistoryExtra, 2021): https://www.historyextra.com/period/tudor/anne-of-cleves-henry-viii-successful-queen-fourth-wife-tracy-borman/

• ‘What History Gets Wrong About Anne Boleyn | Timestamp’ (BBC, 2025): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC-4Ra4q17A

#Tudor #Women #Royals #Wedding

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Bobbitt Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

Lorena Bobbitt cut off her husband John Wayne Bobbitt’s penis with a kitchen knife while he was asleep in their apartment in Manassas, Virginia on 23rd June, 1993. After a nine-hour surgery, Bobbitt’s penis was successfully reattached – and the case became an international news sensation.

The 24 year-old manicurist was charged with malicious wounding and faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted. But in court she showed that her then-husband had repeatedly sexually and physically abused her and was found Not Guilty, on the basis of temporary insanity.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how John’s penis was discovered and transported after amputation; explain why Virginia’s marital abuse laws were insufficient to cover the scope of the Bobbitt’s relationship; and consider one of the weirdest offers to ever come from Playboy…

CONTENT WARNING: rape, domestic violence, gore.

Further Reading:

• ‘Lorena Bobbitt: SEX, LIES, AND AN 8-INCH CARVING KNIFE’ (Vanity Fair, 1993): https://www.vanityfair.com/style/1993/11/lorena-bobbitt-interview-sex-lies-carving-knife

• ‘You Know the Lorena Bobbitt Story. But Not All of It’ (The New York Times, 2019): https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/30/arts/television/lorena-bobbitt-documentary-jordan-peele.html?searchResultPosition=4

• ‘The night Lorena Bobbitt sliced off her husband John’s penis’ (ABC 20/20, 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmSWTavWC_A

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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 2026.

This episode originally aired in 2023.

#90s #US #Crime #Strange

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I Invented The Donut 🍩 Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

Sea Captain Hanson Gregory claimed to have first cut a hole in a donut on 22nd June, 1847, sparking an American tradition: the nation now consumes ten billion donuts per year.

But Americans munched on Dutch “oily cakes” for decades prior to that, and the corporate intervention of Dunkin’ Donuts - founded in Gregory’s hometown - might help explain why Gregory’s origin story has stuck…

Regardless, there were two inarguable milestones in America’s adoption of this sugary treat: volunteer women handing them out to homesick soldiers in France during World War One; and New Yorker Adolph Levitt’s invention of the first automatic donut machine in the 1920s.

In this episode, Arion, Olly and Rebecca explain why donuts were being considered the “Food of the Future” at the World’s Fair; reveal why the trope of police officers frequenting donut shops has its basis in truth; and consider why a journalist’s trip to an old people’s home in 1916 has skewered our understanding of DONUT TRUTH 🍩!

Further Reading:

• ‘Rhodri Marsden's Interesting Objects: The doughnut hole’ (The Independent, 2015): https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/rhodri-marsden-s-interesting-objects-the-doughnut-hole-10326542.html

• ‘The Maine Ship Captain Who Invented the Modern Donut’ (New England Historical Society): https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/maine-ship-captain-invented-modern-donut/

• ‘How does a Donut Machine work? (Krispy Kreme)’ (Jared Owen, 2024): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPR43MiRtmw

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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 2026.

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Making The Metropolitan Police Jun 19, 2026

Show notes

Sir Robert Peel received royal assent for the Metropolis Police Improvement Bill on 19th June, 1829 - leading to the creation of London's first professional police force, who were soon nicknamed ‘Bobbies’ in tribute.

The Met’s first constables hit the streets that Autumn, dressed in tailcoats (to signify their role as servants of the people), and top hats (strengthened with an iron ring for protection), and all in blue to distinguish them from the red colouring used by the Army.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly unpick ‘Policing By Consent’; reveal the recruitment criteria for new members of the force; and explain why officers became known as ‘PC Plod’...

Further Reading:

• ‘The Metropolitan Police: an introduction to records of service 1829-1958’ (The National Archives): https://media.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php/the-metropolitan-police-an-introduction-to-records-of-service-1829-1958-2/

• ‘The establishment of the Metropolitan Police - Enforcing law and order’ (BBC Bitesize): https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zy9sn9q/revision/4

• ‘The founding of the police force | History - The Strange Case of the Law’ (BBC Teach, 2017): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KA2dbDtFnA

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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 2026.

This episode originally aired in 2024.

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The Town Disney Built Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

Designed by Imagineers, and located on the outskirts of Walt Disney World, the town of Celebration, Florida welcomed its first residents on 18th June, 1996.

Over 5,000 families had applied to be amongst the first ever homeowners to reside, full-time, in the grounds of a theme park. Conceptually, the town was a mash-up of the wistful nostalgia that inspired the designs of Disneyland’s original Main St, USA and Disney’s ‘utopian city of tomorrow’ vision (which, eventually, manifested as EPCOT).

In this episode, Olly, Rebecca and Arion consider the restrictions of living in a New Urbanist community; ask why the town remains over 90% white; and wonder whether anyone really needs singing bins…

Further Reading:

• Disney fan-site ‘Inside The Magic’ on Walt’s ‘Florida Project’: https://insidethemagic.net/2021/01/walts-disney-florida-project-lp1/

• Insider takes a tour of modern-day Celebration (2020): https://www.insider.com/what-it-is-like-to-live-in-celebration-florida-2020-1

• ‘Celebration: the creepy real life town Disney built in Florida’ (news.com.au, 2019):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCko6cVniEw

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 ❤️

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 2026.

This episode originally aired in 2021.

#90s #Strange #US

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O.J. Simpson's Car Chase Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

O.J. Simpson, wanted for questioning over the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman, was followed by both the LAPD and the world’s news cameras on 17th June, 1994, as he sat creeping along the motorway, holding a gun to his head, in a white Ford Bronco driven by his former teammate Al Cowlings.

As the SUV rolled steadily towards Los Angeles, fans gathered on bridges and roadside verges, waving and shouting to the former sports star and actor. The chase lasted about two hours, and TV networks seized on the story with unprecedented intensity, interrupting normal programming across the United States, including the 1994 NBA Finals, with millions watching both events simultaneously.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider how Simpson’s history of spousal abuse was already known by the public; discover how this moment pre-echoed the racial division and lax treatment that would later form part of the commentary around Simpson’s infamous court case; and reveal why the event was a bumper day for Domino’s Pizza…

Further Reading:

• ‘Revisiting O.J. Simpson's 1994 Bronco Chase — Revisit Shocking, Slow-Moving Car Chase’ (People, 2024): https://people.com/oj-simpson-1994-bronco-car-chase-details-8630083

• ‘Al Cowlings - OJ Simpson's best friend who infamously drove a white Bronco as the accused killer held a gun to his own head during iconic police chase - breaks cover after NFL star's death (and STILL remains loyal to the Ford brand)’ (Mail Online, 2024): https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-13299503/oj-simpson-death-police-chase-ford-bronco.html

• ‘The O.J. Simpson car chase lasted 45 minutes. Watch it unfold’ (CNN, 1994): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuRD3TQEoeY&rco=1

#Crime #Strange #90s #Celebrity #Black

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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.

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Humanity Dick and the RSPCA Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

The world’s first animal charity, the RSPCA, was set up on June 16th, 1824, by a small group of men who met in Old Slaughter’s Coffee House in St. Martin’s Lane, London.

They had been brought together by Arthur Broome, a vicar and animal-welfare campaigner, but the main member of the group was Irish MP Richard Martin, widely known as “Humanity Dick” who had recently passed the first legislation of its kind against the mistreatment of horses and cattle.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly look into why in the 19th century people who were interested in animal rights were seen as faintly ludicrous cranks; explain how one of the driving forces behind the RSPCA ended up in an unmarked grave; and discuss why cloven animals need to have duels fought on their behalf…

Further Reading:

• ‘16 June 1824: The world's oldest animal charity, the RSPCA, is founded’ (Money Week, 2015): https://moneyweek.com/396015/16-june-1824-the-worlds-oldest-animal-charity-the-rspca-is-founded

• ‘The History of the RSPCA’ (Animal Legal and Historical Center, 2017): https://www.animallaw.info/article/history-rspca

• ‘Draw my life - History of the RSPCA’ (RSPCA, 2017): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7yhxxKuSUM

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.

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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.

#1800s #Victorian #Animals #UK

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Dante Gets Political Jun 15, 2026

Show notes

Future poetic powerhouse Dante Alighieri was enshrined as one of Florence’s six priors on 15th June, 1300: a top political gig in the city’s complex guild-based government.

But his beloved hometown was a powder keg, split between rival factions: the Guelphs and the Ghibellines; and the Guelphs themselves were split into “white” and “black” camps. Dante, a White Guelph, soon found himself deep in the messy middle of this feud, helping to exile leaders from both factions after street fights broke out. He was then tried in absentia, on trumped-up charges, and sentenced to death by fire - beginning a long road of exile.

In this episode, Arion, Olly and Rebecca consider how Dante turned his rage and wisdom into one of the greatest literary works of all time, The Divine Comedy; explain what a poet was doing in the Physicians Guild in the first place; and reveal how it wasn’t until 700+ years later that Florence officially pardoned him…

Further Reading:

• ‘Dante Alighieri: his Life, The Divine Comedy & Other Books’:

https://www.museocasadidante.it/en/dante-alighieri/biography/

• ‘Return of Dante: the Guelphs and the Ghibellines’ (The Independent, 2008): https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/return-of-dante-the-guelphs-and-the-ghibellines-850012.html

• ‘Why should you read Dante’s “Divine Comedy”? - Sheila Marie Orfano’ (Ted-Ed, 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbCEWSip9pQ

Love the show? Support us!

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

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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.

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Meet Me At The Automat Jun 12, 2026

Show notes

Before McDonalds, there was the Horn & Hardart Automat - a chain restaurant featuring coin-operated glass windows, which opened its first branch in Philadelphia on 12th June, 1902. The business would grow to serve 800,000 people per day.

Customers exchanged nickels for dishes including meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and cherry pie. Beautifully designed with marble counters, stained glass, and chrome fixtures, the venues had an upscale ambiance, but catered mainly to working people, with a notable cult following among struggling artists.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how union pickets and fast food formats eventually caught up with the enterprise; consider the intense nostalgia still strongly felt by the chain’s former customers; and reveal how the whole concept was inspired by a visit to Berlin Zoo…

Further Reading:

• ‘Meet Me at the Automat’ (Smithsonian Magazine, 2001): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/meet-me-at-the-automat-47804151/

• ‘The Automat: Birth of a Fast Food Nation’ (HISTORY, 2012): https://www.history.com/news/the-automat-birth-of-a-fast-food-nation

• ‘Hitchcock's Monologue - The Problem With Automat Diners’ (CBS, 1958): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE9euHvuhYU

This episode originally aired in 2024.

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