Jane Austen’s passion for fashion
From ribbons, bonnets and ballgowns to Mr Darcy’s see-through shirt, the works of Jane Austen have long sparked the imaginations of fashion-minded readers and audiences. But what did the author hersel...
11 Sep 202326min
The brain behind the Dambusters raid
The Dambusters raid of May 1943 is one of the most celebrated episodes of the Second World War. But in military terms, was it in fact a flop? And was Barnes Wallis, the man behind the audacious attack...
10 Sep 202326min
Spanish flu: everything you wanted to know
Did the Spanish flu pandemic actually begin in Spain? What were the symptoms? Is it true it killed more people than the First World War, and how similar was it to the Covid pandemic? Speaking to Laure...
9 Sep 202332min
Women who shaped the Roman empire
How do you surface the stories of women in the Roman empire, when the majority of ancient texts were written by men, telling of military victories and losses, or intrigues in the political arena? Spea...
7 Sep 202342min
Great Reputations: Oliver Cromwell
In the latest in our series charting the contested reputations of key historical figures, Ronald Hutton and Mark Stoyle debate the life and legacy of statesman, politician and military leader Oliver C...
6 Sep 202357min
The secret club for radical New York women
In downtown New York, in the early 20th century, a secret club of women met regularly, to discuss ideas, politics, art and their own lives. They forged friendships and alliances, and took up some of t...
5 Sep 202343min
Margaret Cavendish: scandalous 17th-century writer
Margaret Cavendish has been largely forgotten and, when remembered, divides opinion. One of England’s first female philosophers, professional authors and scientists, the 17th-century writer challenged...
4 Sep 202337min
The triumph of Joan of Arc
In 1429 a young peasant woman burst onto the scene and transformed the fortunes of England and France in the Hundred Years’ War. In today’s episode, medieval historian and former supreme court judge J...
3 Sep 202338min
