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George III’s mental incapacitation was formally recognised by Parliament on February 5th, 1811, when The Regency Act handed power to his son, the future George IV. Though George III had struggled with bouts of illness for decades, his periods of lucidity made it difficult to decide when, or even if, he should be replaced. He resisted the idea of ceding power, particularly to his son, with whom he had a notoriously difficult relationship. Parliament wasn’t thrilled about George IV either, seeing him as indulgent, irresponsible, and politically aligned with the opposition.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly examine George III’s "mad spells"; discover the shockingly cruel treatments contemporary medicine offered up - including blistering his skin with arsenic, dunking him in freezing water, and using leeches to "suck out the madness" - and explain how he kept the love of his people even as his health declined…CONTENT WARNING: mental health trauma, infant mortality.Further Reading:• ’The King's 'Malady': George III's Mental Illness Explored’ (Historic Royal Palaces):https://www.hrp.org.uk/blog/the-kings-malady-george-iiis-mental-illness-explored/#gs.jra39q• ‘George IV’ (Historic UK):https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/George-IV/• ‘Mad King of Britain: King George III 👑 Private Lives of Monarchs’ (Smithsonian Channel, 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh0RV27qxSALove 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 PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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The debut of ‘The Sims’ happened on this day, February 4th, 2000.Will Wright (‘Sim City’) developed an initial concept which revolved around architecture - but soon the Sims themselves proved to be the most captivating aspect of the gameplay. Unlike other avatars, The Sims lived full lives with jobs, hobbies, relationships, and even their own language, Simlish. Despite initial scepticism from publisher EA (due to the game’s perceived mundanity and lack of interest to boys) The Sims sold 8 million copies, and millions more in Extension Packs; and, beyond its success, was praised for its humour, soundtrack, and commitment to self-expression.In this episode, The Retrospectors reveal how same-sex relationships have always been part of the Sims appeal; explain how the game’s sequels pulled off the ultimate in-game meta twist; and uncover how its predecessor Sim City evolved from conventional game design… Further Reading:• ‘The Way We Live Now: Questions for Will Wright; How to Win at Life’ (The New York Times, 1999): https://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/31/magazine/the-way-we-live-now-10-31-99-questions-for-will-wright-how-to-win-at-life.html?searchResultPosition=5• ‘Sex and the Sim city: welcome to a whole new world’ (The Times, 2004); https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sex-and-the-sim-city-welcome-to-a-whole-new-world-nt27s3t6tf8• ‘The History Of The Sims’ (GameSpot, 2017): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7HwKKyUecsJoin 🌴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 PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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The women of the Wild West mostly spent their lives laundering men’s clothes, bringing up children, and avoiding getting caught in the crossfire - but that didn’t stop a legend forming around them; not least dime novel heroine and ‘Bandit Queen’ Belle Starr, who was murdered on 3rd February, 1889.The ‘outlaw’ was riding home, two days before her 41st birthday, eating a piece of cornbread, when she was blasted off her horse. And then shot again, in the face. But mystery still surrounds the identity of her killer.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how the fallout from the civil war shaped Starr’s life; ask whether ostrich plumes, rattlesnake rattles and dried earlobes could come back into fashion; and explain what Tom Starr’s gang had in common with Elton John… Further Reading: • ‘Belle Starr the Bandit Queen: How a Southern Girl Became a Legendary Western Outlaw’ (Atlas Obscura, 2013): https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/belle-starr-the-bandit-queen • ‘Belle Starr The Badass "Bandit Queen" Of The Wild West’ (allthatsinteresting, 2021): https://allthatsinteresting.com/belle-starr‘Belle Starr's Crazy Life Story & Grave!’ (Rhetty for History, 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2XLrY0cuJ8Love 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 ❤️Go to proton.me/todayinhistory to receive a 38% discount on Proton Mail 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 PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.This episode originally aired in 2022Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Before Yuri Gagarin, before Alan Shepard… a chimp called Ham was blasted into space for six-and-a-half minutes of weightlessness on 31st January, 1961. He successfully returned to Earth without serious physical injury, albeit over 100 miles away from NASA’s intended splashdown location.Travelling at 5,857 m.p.h, Ham was seated in a special chair called a ‘biopack’, which administered electric shocks to the soles of his feet if he failed to complete basic tasks in orbit.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider how Ham’s schooling had striking parallels with the training undertaken by human astronauts; reveal just how much of him is actually ‘buried’ at the International Space Hall of Fame; and explain the fate of the SECOND chimp in space, Enos, who wasn’t quite so lucky… CONTENT WARNING: animal cruelty, animal experimentation and dissectionFurther Reading:• Meet Ham The Chimp, The Animal Astronaut Who Changed History (All That’s Interesting, 2021): https://allthatsinteresting.com/ham-the-chimp• ‘Ham the astrochimp: hero or victim?’ (The Guardian, 2013): https://www.theguardian.com/science/animal-magic/2013/dec/16/ham-chimpanzee-hero-or-victim• ‘NASA's First Chimp in Space’ (Smithsonian Channel, 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wdbV4SBGYoLove 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 ❤️Go to proton.me/todayinhistory to receive a 38% discount on Proton Mail 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 PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.This episode originally aired in 2023Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Running a remote Yorkshire farm, with no flushing toilet and no electricity is an unlikely route to TV stardom, but 46 year-old spinster Hannah Hauxwell managed it on 30th January, 1973, when ITV aired the landmark documentary ‘Too Long A Winter’.Speaking lyrically about her singlehood, how she braved the bitter Winter, and how she survived on a grocery budget of just £5 per month, Hauxwell’s story inspired thousands of viewers to send her food parcels and arrange for her homestead to be modernised. In a series of follow-up films, Hauxwell travelled to America, met the Pope and Queen Mother, and became arguably the UK’s first ‘reality TV star’.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how Hauxwell came to be featured on the programme that made her name; revel in an era where it was possible to be a TV personality without ever having even seen a television; and wonder if such a career trajectory would be possible today… Further Reading:• ‘Hannah Hauxwell: the lasting legacy of the daughter of the Yorkshire Dales’ (Yorkshire Post): https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/interactive/hannah-hauxwell-yorkshire-dales-legacy• ‘Hannah Hauxwell: 'She didn't ask to be filmed, but her natural personality made her a star' (The Northern Echo, 2018): https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/15913703.hannah-hauxwell-she-didnt-ask-filmed-natural-personality-made-star/• ‘Too Long A Winter’ (Yorkshire TV, 1973): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC5WeuLHUdULove 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 PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.This episode originally aired in 2023Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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When fans of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns, suggested holding an annual dinner to mark his birthday, they probably didn’t realise a) it would still be happening over 200 years later; and b) they got the wrong date. Yet, even though Burns was born on January 25th, the first ever Burns Supper was celebrated on January 29th, 1802, just a few years after the ‘Caledonian Bard’s untimely death at 37.Burns had become an icon not just in Scotland but for literary fans across classes and nations. Known for his ability to weave the lives of ordinary people into rich, poetic tapestries, Burns appealed to everyone—from working-class Scots to Oxford scholars. His revolutionary politics, his embrace of Scottish dialect, and his relatable themes resonated far and wide, leading to widespread admiration. By the early 19th century, his reputation had transformed him into Scotland’s answer to Shakespeare. But it also helps that you can turn recitals of his poetry into what is effectively a drinking game on a wet January evening…In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly reveal how haggis, neeps, and tatties weren’t *always* on the menu; explain how the ‘lasses’ eventually came out of the kitchen; and discover the delightful hybrid events hosted in Vancouver, Canada, which blend Burns Night with Chinese New Year…Further Reading:• ’When is Burns Night? Date, origins, traditions and how to host a proper Burns supper’ (The Scotsman, 2019): https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/when-is-burns-night-date-origins-traditions-and-how-to-host-a-proper-burns-supper-1423727• ’Celebrating Burns Night: Haggis, Whisky, and Scottish Heritage’ (The Standard, 2025): https://www.standard.co.uk/going-out/bars/burns-night-haggis-whisky-celebration-b1204521.html• ’Address To A Haggis, By Robert Burns’ (Gareth Morrison, 2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5f_yDLZBaALove 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 ❤️Go to proton.me/todayinhistory to receive a 38% discount on Proton Mail 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 PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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General John J. Pershing’s mission to capture the guerrilla leader Pancho Villa in Mexico was quietly withdrawn on 28th January, 1917Initiated in response to Villa's cross-border raid on Columbus, New Mexico, the mission was ordered by President Woodrow Wilson but proved embarrassing and ineffective for the U.S, Army, with Villa remarking that Pershing ‘came in like an eagle, but left like a wet chicken’.In this episode, The Retrospectors track Villa’s career from highway thief to general in the revolutionary army; discover his unusual approach to finding a spouse; and reveal what happened to his head after he was assassinated… Further Reading:• ‘General Pershing's Mexican Expedition to capture Pancho Villa predates his World War I career’ (National Museum of American History, 2016): https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/general-pershings-mexican-expedition-capture-pancho-villa-predates-his-world-war-i• ‘Pancho Villa’s Last Gasp’ (Texas Monthly, 1983): https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/pancho-villas-last-gasp/• ‘UNITED STATES VS. MEXICO - THE PURSUIT OF PANCHO VILLA’ (Historic Films Stock Footage, 1916): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byL6QIDRY6oLove 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 PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Modern art was controversially celebrated on 27th January, 1687, when Charles Perrault read his poem ‘The Century of Louis The Great’ at the Académie Française - railing against the prevailing wisdom that believed literature should follow the strict classical templates laid down by the likes of Homer and Aristotle.The subsequent debate between rival factions of ‘ancient’ and ‘modern’ intellectuals raged for more than five years, and became known as ‘the quarrel’. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly ask how much of Perrault’s argument was actually to do with kissing Louis XIV’s arse; explain what Aesop had to do with the gardens at the Palace of Versailles; and wonder if the Ancients would have approved of Agatha Christie… Further Reading:• ‘The Battle of the Books: History and Literature in the Augustan Age’ by Joseph M. Levine (Cornell University Press, 1991): https://bit.ly/32GeA9V• ‘Charles Perrault, a multifaceted man’ (breteuil.fr): https://www.breteuil.fr/en/charles-perrault-a-multifaceted-man/• ‘Charles Perrault INVENTED fairy tales Cinderella Mother Goose Little Red Riding Hood Sleeping Beauty’ (Timeline, 2015): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLGOJHaE6oULove 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 ❤️Go to proton.me/todayinhistory to receive a 38% discount on Proton Mail 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 PeartCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Henry VIII is typically remembered as he was at the end of his life - weighing in at a colossal 28 stone, with ulcerated legs, failing eyesight and an explosive temper. But, prior to the jousting accident he suffered 24th January, 1536, history had recorded him as merry, affable and physically attractive.Jousting was his favourite sport, but after being knocked off his horse and falling unconscious for two hours, he appears to have become increasingly erratic, irritable and cruel - not least to his wife Anne Boleyn and her four famous successors.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly suggest why the identity of Henry’s jousting opponent was not recorded; explain why the Vatican were really quite excited by Henry’s head injury; and ask whether the King’s demeanour really did change significantly, or whether he was ALWAYS a bit of a jerk… Further Reading:• ‘The jousting accident that turned Henry VIII into a tyrant’ (The Independent, 2009): https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/the-jousting-accident-that-turned-henry-viii-into-a-tyrant-1670421.html• ‘Henry VIII: ‘brain injury caused by jousting to blame for erratic behaviour and possible impotence'’ (HistoryExtra, 2016): https://www.historyextra.com/period/tudor/henry-viii-brain-injury-caused-by-jousting-to-blame-for-erratic-behaviour-and-possible-impotence/• ‘Full Metal Jousting - The Biggest Hits’ (The History Channel, 2012): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWVZgp-eQG8Love 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 ❤️Go to proton.me/todayinhistory to receive a 38% discount on Proton Mail 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 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame welcomed its first inductees in a star-studded event at the Waldorf Astoria, New York on 23rd January, 1986. But the ceremony was not the glamorous HBO spectacular we have come to expect today: the audience was mostly music executives, and it was not filmed for television.Conceived by Atlantic Records chairman Ahmet Ertegun, the nonprofit foundation initially had lofty ambitions of recognising unsung heroes of the genre, and redressing racial injustice.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how the Rock Hall came to be located in Cleveland, of all places; investigate the claims of sexism that have plagued the institution; and recall the phenomenal rejection issued by Axl Rose following an invitation to perform… Further Reading:• ‘The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame: From An Idea, To A Labor Of Love, To A Spectacular Event’ (Billboard, 2004): https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=0A8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA17&dq=ertegun+rock+and+roll+hall+of+fame&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi3os-Fr7r8AhWQaMAKHZc8AzoQ6AF6BAgEEAI#v=onepage&q=ertegun%20rock%20and%20roll%20hall%20of%20fame&f=false• ‘Why the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame should be put out of its misery’ (The Guardian, 2016): https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/apr/04/rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-should-be-destroyed• ‘Chuck Berry, Keith Richards, Jerry Lee Lewis, Neil Young – "Roll Over Beethoven"’ (Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, 1986): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mM_1eDzWYzI&list=PLuYH1Vrzl1TMtAjBPm80j0EGOT0FL8Uc4&index=2Love 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
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With their colourful uniforms and pomp, the Vatican’s iconic Swiss Guards might seem more decorative than dangerous today - but their origin is far from ornamental. On January 22nd, 1506, 150 elite Swiss mercenaries marched into the City, and were blessed by ‘Warrior Pope’ Julius II at sunset to protect the Pope during a tumultuous era of political strife.
The Swiss were Renaissance Europe’s answer to modern special forces. Renowned for their phalanx formations and halberds, they could dismantle charging cavalry with precision. Their reputation as fierce fighters had already drawn the attention of earlier popes, including Sixtus IV and Alexander VI, who hired Swiss mercenaries to bolster their armies.
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly revisit the lethal Sack of Rome in 1527; explain how Jules Repond revived and reformed the Guards in the 20th century; and consider the strict qualifications for candidates to become a member of their ranks…
Further Reading:
• ’A history of the Vatican's Swiss Guard’ (Daily Telegraph, 2011): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/vaticancityandholysee/8873853/A-history-of-the-Vaticans-Swiss-Guard.html?msockid=23c525cc0876634208c637a40951628f
• ‘The Swiss Guard’ (Suisse Société): https://houseofswitzerland.org/swissstories/society/swiss-guard
• ’Ex-guards march to mark 500th anniversary’ (Associated Press, 2015):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyF8VDovJqM
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Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️
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The iconic DeLorean DMC-12 rolled off the production line in Belfast on 21st January, 1981.
Priced at $25,000, the stainless steel gullwing sportscar was marketed as a luxury item, but its actual features fell short of the hype. The DeLorean Motor Company faced financial troubles, and had ceased production within just two years. But the car found its way into the "Back to the Future" script because John DeLorean, the man behind the car, was embroiled in a $24 million cocaine conspiracy, making headlines during the film's development.
In this episode, The Retrospectors explain how DeLorean leveraged his profile within the car industry to raise the funds to finance his dream project; explain how the car’s production in Northern Ireland led to untrained workers and corporate deceit of the British government; and reveal how Doc Brown very nearly drove a Mustang...
Further Reading:
• ’The Short, Chaotic History of the DeLorean’ (Time, 2016):
https://time.com/4180894/delorean-history/
• ‘DeLorean Motor Company and the DMC-12: the full story’ (AutoExpress, 2021): https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/features/354919/delorean-motor-company-and-dmc-12-full-story
• ‘Back to the Future: The DeLorean’ (Amblin Entertainment, 1985): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0cw6lU5jo4
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Ozzy Osbourne orally decapitated a bat live on stage in Des Moines, Iowa on 20th January, 1982; an act that quickly went down as one of the most outrageous moments in rock n roll history.
Concertgoer Mark Neal, 17, said the bat was dead long before he threw it on stage. But this was not Osbourne’s first offence: he had previously shocked attendees at a CBS press launch by biting the head away from a live dove.
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly trace the origins of Osbourne’s bizarre bird-and-bat-beheading behaviour; applaud the ingenuity of his long-suffering wife Sharon; and debate whether Alice Cooper intentionally threw a chicken to a braying mob to be mutilated…
CONTENT WARNING: animal cruelty, offensive language beeped.
Further Reading:
• ‘Everything you need to know about Ozzy Osbourne biting the head off a bat in Des Moines’ (desmoinesregister.com): https://eu.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/kyle-munson/2016/01/20/everything-you-need-know-ozzy-osbourne-biting-head-off-bat-des-moines/79055858/
• ‘When Ozzy Osbourne Bit Off the Heads of Two Doves (ultimateclassicrock.com)’:
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/ozzy-osbourne-dove-bite-head/
• ‘Ozzy Osbourne talking to David Letterman about the bat incident’ (NBC, 1982): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxn2_sO5los
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We all know you’re here because you - like us, are a bona fide history nerd, so here's a little something from the producers of this podcast; a brand new series of Conflict Of Interest with the Imperial War Museum. We think you're going to love it
How have artists, filmmakers and photographers shaped our understanding of wars and conflict? Journalist and writer Helen Lewis explores the recently-opened Blavatnik Art, Film and Photography Galleries at Imperial War Museum, London.
From No Man's Land to mushroom clouds, Helen discovers the people that have interpreted over a hundred years of conflict, in this specially-curated tour by James Bulgin, Head of Public History at IWM.
They are joined by Suzanne Plunkett, Reuters' Chief Photographer for the UK and Ireland, and a photojournalist for almost 30 years - and someone who can give us a first hand account of what it’s like to be capturing a seismic event in the moment.
Objects Discussed:
Paul Nash, The Menin Road, 1919
John Armstrong, Pro Patria, 1938
War Pictorial News No. 21
Mushroom Cloud over Nagasaki, 1945
Suzanne Plunkett, People Covered in Dust and Debris New York, 11 September 2001 -
© AP (IWM DC 123993)
© AP (IWM DC 124023)
Narrator: James Taylor. Producer: Matt Hill at Rethink Audio, with support from Eleanor Head, Daniel BenChorin, and the IWM Institute team at Imperial War Museums
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The first night of Richard Sheridan’s classic comedy ‘The Rivals’ did not go according to plan. Critics thought it was too long, the Irish gentry in the audience were insulted, and an actor was pelted with rotten fruit. It closed after one performance on 17th January, 1775.
But then… after eleven days of rewrites, recasting and edits (a process Sheridan called “prunings, trimmings and patchings”), the show re-opened - and became the much-loved hit it remains to this day.
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly expose how Sheridan exploited his notoriety in Bath to put bums on seats; unpick how the play’s famous ‘Malapropisms’ achieved seminal status; and revisit the best of Sheridan’s real-life one-liners…
Further Reading:
• ‘The scourge of Bath’ (The Guardian, 2004): https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2004/may/15/theatre
• The Dramatic Works of Richard Brinsley Sheridan (Cavan Library): http://www.cavanlibrary.ie/file/Local-Studies/Library-Scanned-Docs/The_dramatic_works_of_Richard_Brinsley_Sheridan.pdf
• ‘What Are Malapropisms?’ (Bright Idea, 2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMdgr-qSAfM
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Prior to the release of his book Don Quixote on 16th January, 1605, Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes had previously been a soldier, a royal messenger, a tax collector and – for a spell – a slave.But perseverance paid off for the aspiring author who, at the age of 57, produced a book that has been called “the greatest piece of literature ever written”.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly discuss why Cervantes’ poetry and plays weren’t as successful as his first novel; reveal how his characters became embedded in the English language; and explain why Don Quixote is really just Shrek but 400 years earlier. Further Reading:• ‘Disney’s many failed attempts to bring Don Quixote to the screen’ (Polygon, 2020): https://www.polygon.com/entertainment/2020/9/15/21436961/disneys-failed-attempts-to-bring-don-quixote-to-the-screen• ‘No Ordinary Man - The Life and Times of Miguel de Cervantes’ (Dover Publishing, 2006): https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/No_Ordinary_Man/CBHLqNlLuEMC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Miguel+de+Cervantes&printsec=frontcover• ‘Why should you read "Don Quixote"?’ (TED-Ed, 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDUPu6tMWHY 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
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Groundbreaking police procedural Hill Street Blues first aired on NBC on January 15th, 1981. Back then, TV dramas were mainly mindless entertainment, overshadowed by sitcoms or feel-good fare such as Little House on the Prairie. But, with its richly chaotic blend of overlapping dialogue, gritty realism, and complex characters, Hill St broke the mould.
Yet the pilot’s test audiences found the unconventional format disorienting—the flawed characters, unresolved storylines, and chaotic setting were too unfamiliar for comfort. Nonetheless, NBC renewed the low-rated show, partly because its small audience was an influential demographic of discerning viewers who valued its intelligence and depth.
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how Hill Street Blues revolutionized TV storytelling; consider the outdated societal attitudes on display in their pilot episode; and reveal why Rebecca was prevented from discussing her love for show on the BBC’s Mastermind…
Further Reading:
• ‘Hill Street Blues’: The most influential TV show ever (CNN, 2014): https://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/29/showbiz/tv/hill-street-blues-oral-history/index.html
• ’15 Surprising Facts About Hill Street Blues’ (Mental Floss, 2018): https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/73436/15-gripping-facts-about-hill-street-blues
• ‘Hill St Blues, Episode 1’ (NBC, 1981):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeJEEAtZH_I
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 ❤️
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24-year-old doctor Jesse Bennett successfully performed a C-section on his wife, Elizabeth, saving both her life and their daughter Maria's: 14th January, 1794, in a log cabin on the Virginia Frontier. The attending physician's refusal to participate, leaving the scene altogether, left Bennett to make quick decisions - though this included spontaneously removing his wife's ovaries.The groundbreaking operation remained a local legend for nearly a century, as he never publicly reported it due to concerns about disbelief and the delicacy of the matter.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why, despite the success of this operation, C-sections still weren’t routinely performed until over a century later; investigate whether earlier examples of successful caesareans had happened in Africa; and consider whether pig-spaying was an appropriate qualification for midwifery…Further Reading:• ‘Caesarean Section - A Brief History: Part 2’ (US National Library of Medicine): https://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/cesarean/part2.html• ‘House Of The Dragon: A History Of Mediaeval Caesareans (C-Sections)’ (HistoryExtra, 2022): https://www.historyextra.com/period/general-history/caesarean-c-section-childbirth-history-origins/• ‘African midwives successfully performed C-sections before it was common in Europe’ (Verify, 2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mto400r_T3MThis episode first premiered in 2024, 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 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Chariot racing was a dangerous and violent sport at the best of times, but on 13th January, 532, a hooligan-led protest at the Hippodrome of Constantinople - known as ‘the Nika rebellion’ - ultimately lead to over 30,000 deaths and the destruction of half the City.
Upon hearing his wife urge him that ‘royalty is a good burial shroud’, the Emperor Justinian reportedly decided to slaughter his own people to maintain his position of power. Yet, despite this, he was ultimately deemed to have earned his epithet: ‘The Great’.
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly unearth the tradition of ‘curse tablets’; explain why Empress Theodora switched allegiances from the ‘greens’ to the ‘blues’; and reveal how a eunuch wielding gold coins helped to stabilise the Byzantine empire…
Further Reading:
• ‘Overview of the Nika Revolt’ (ThoughtCo, 2019): https://www.thoughtco.com/the-nika-revolt-1788557
• Deadly Moments in History - The Nika Riots (Invicta, 2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm9mscL2qHU
• ‘12 Historic Little Known Rebellions with Tragic and Bloody Ends’ (History Collection, 2017): https://historycollection.com/12-historic-little-known-rebellions-tragic-bloody-ends/9/
‘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 ❤️
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Rerun: The Sinclair C5, Sir Clive Sinclair’s disastrous entry into the EV market, launched at Alexandra Palace on 10th January, 1985. Looking like a cross between a mobility scooter and a child’s pedal car, it had no on-board storage, was too heavy to climb uphill, and a top speed of 15km per hour. But Sinclair had contracted Hoover to produce the vehicle, expecting orders of 200,000 units per year.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly revisit the original publicity material for this doomed design classic; rank the public embarrassment of the car’s failure against Sinclair’s other high-profile flops; and reveal the contents of the optional ‘wet weather kit’ drivers could enjoy…Further Reading:• ‘A Revolution in Personal Transport’ - the original press kit from the launch (1985): www.sinclairql.net/downloads/1985-01-10_Sinclair_C5_launch_press_kit-SQPP.pdf• ‘Sinclair C5: the history of Sir Clive Sinclair’s electric car’ (Auto Express, 2021): https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/356059/sinclair-c5-history-sir-clive-sinclairs-electric-car• ‘Imagine a Vehicle that can drive you five miles for a penny’ - original Sinclair C5 TV advert (1985): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EQetm_qWDgPhoto credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/eevblog/‘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 2025.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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