HMS Black Joke

HMS Black Joke

Please note that this episode contains mentions of racial trauma, slavery and violence.


The most feared ship in Britain’s West Africa Squadron, His Majesty’s Black Joke was one of a handful of ships tasked with patrolling the western coast of Africa in an effort to end hundreds of years of global slave trading. Once a slaving vessel itself, only a lucky capture in 1827 allowed it to be repurposed by the Royal Navy to catch its former compatriots.


A.E. Rooks is an expert in this little-discussed facet of the transatlantic slave trade. Rooks joins Dan on the podcast to chronicle this history of the daring feats of a single ship - whose crew and commanders would capture more ships and liberate more enslaved people than any other in the Squadron.


Produced by Hannah Ward

Mixed and Mastered by Dougal Patmore


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 the Android or Apple store.

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

Episoder(1493)

Walter Purdy: The Traitor of Colditz

Walter Purdy: The Traitor of Colditz

In the Second World War, the Germans liked to boast that there was 'no escape' from the infamous fortress and POW camp Colditz. However, the elite British officers imprisoned there were determined to ...

16 Aug 202232min

The Tiananmen Square Massacre

The Tiananmen Square Massacre

In 1989, Beijing's Tiananmen Square became the focus of large-scale demonstrations as mostly young students crowded into central Beijing to protest for greater democracy. On June 4, 1989, Chinese troo...

15 Aug 202233min

Mutiny on The Bounty

Mutiny on The Bounty

Numerous novels, TV shows and as many as 5 movies- including the Hollywood classic starring Clarke Gable and Marlon Brando - have immortalised the story of the Mutiny on the Bounty in the popular imag...

14 Aug 202222min

300 Years of British Prime Ministers Part 2

300 Years of British Prime Ministers Part 2

2/2. It's a big summer for British politics with Boris Johnson's resignation and the race between conservative hopefuls Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss to take his place, firmly on. To make sense of this co...

12 Aug 202255min

300 Years of British Prime Ministers Part 1

300 Years of British Prime Ministers Part 1

1/2. It's a big summer for British politics with Boris Johnson's resignation and the race between conservative hopefuls Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss to take his place firmly on. To make sense of this cov...

10 Aug 202249min

Unrest in Parliament: The Hot Summer of 1911

Unrest in Parliament: The Hot Summer of 1911

The summer of 1911 was a hot one. Massive strikes took place across the country, including seamen, railwaymen, coal miners, women working in food processing and garment-making and even school children...

9 Aug 202232min

The Origins of Rome

The Origins of Rome

Known as the Eternal City, ancient Rome was one of the greatest civilisations in human history, but how did it come about?With a turbulent history of Kings, civil wars and imperial desires - Rome has ...

8 Aug 202244min

The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb

The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb

On August 6 and 9, 1945, US B-29 bombers, dropped their nuclear bombs on the two cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing hundreds of thousands and consigning millions to disease and genetic defects....

7 Aug 202227min

Populært innen Historie

rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
rss-katastrofe
historier-som-endret-norge
henrettelsespodden
rss-benadet
sektledere
rss-nadelose-nordmenn-gestapo
aftenposten-historie
historier-som-endret-verden
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
rss-historiske-romanser
med-egne-oyne
rss-frontkjemperne
rss-gamle-greier
historiepodden
liberal-halvtime
historiepodden-ww2
vare-historier
sannhet-eller-konspirasjon
rss-historiepodden-ww2