Consistently Eccentric History
History
About
The British Isles have thousands of years of history, so it's weird that all most people were taught at school was World War Two, how many wives Henry VIII had and that the Battle of Hastings took place in 1066 (always worth a try if you are trying to guess someones pin number). If you've always wanted to learn about all the bits between these events, but only if it can be done in a random and eclectic manner why not try Consistently Eccentric History? A podcast where each week you can listen in while I tell one of my friends a story about a lesser known person or event in British history, the weirder and less believable the better. With an archive of over 150 episodes you will never again be short a weird historical fact when trying to impress others. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
- Maurice Wilson - It is plane to see that climbing Everest is hard
This week we are heading to the Mills of Bradford to meet a Yorkshireman whose unshakable self-belief led to one of the most longwinded self-destructions in history. Having survived the horrors of WWII (and the retail industry), a chance e…
- James Barry - It women can't be doctors, then why not stop being a woman?
This episode details the story of Dr. James Barry, who adopted a male identity to access medical training and subsequently pursued a distinguished career in the British Armed Forces, notably contributing to midwifery.
- The Hammersmith Ghost - (or) A ghostly Georgian Blunder(buss)
The Hammersmith Ghost was a local oddity in the winter of 1803 that became a source of fear, leading to multiple deaths. A ghostly Georgian blunderbuss was used for protection.
- Jeanne de Clisson - (or) Middle aged female piracy is the best kind of piracy
The episode discusses Jeanne de Clisson, a medieval woman who turned to piracy in the English Channel for revenge after her husband was executed by the French king. The story involves dysfunctional marriages and power struggles.
- The British Union of Fascists (Oswald Mosley Part 3) - (or) How to get London to hate you
This episode covers Oswald Mosley's leadership of the British Union of Fascists. It discusses the lack of public support for the movement in Britain compared to Italy and Germany, and mentions secret Italian funding, the death of Mosley's…
- James Graham and his Celestial Bed - You don't need a degree to be a doctor of love (though you may need to be insane)
Consistently Eccentric History discusses James Graham, who, despite lacking qualifications, ventured into medicine and wellness. He created the Celestial Bed, a Georgian-era device aimed at improving marriage and procreation, transitioning…
- The Halifax Slasher - (or) should we be concerned about Yorkshire?
This week we are heading back to 1938 to talk about a very odd crimewave that plagued the people of Halifax during the cold, dark days of November. When Mary Sutcliffe reported being attacked by a man wielding a blade, it was assumed that…
- Charlotte Temple - (or) a cautionary tale for Valentine's day
As we head toward February 14th, Pam is bringing us a tale of Georgian romance. In fact one of the first and most popular tales of romance in early American history. Starting in the UK it is a story of the upper classes, scandals and doome…
- Mosley in Parliament (Oswald Mosley Part 2) - The life and soul of multiple (political) parties
It is back to the story of the most famous British Fascist this week as we discuss the Parliamentary career of Oswald Mosley, which started at the tender age of 22. Going in with a naive belief that he would quickly rise through the ranks…
- Mul-Sac John - Royalist Highwayman with sooty giblets
This week we are talking about a humble chimney sweep who ended up becoming a millionaire, via the medium of highway robbery! Though he originally appeared to want to do the right thing, John Cottington found that even the most successful…
- 1726, a year of Crime! - (or) a merry tale of snick and snee.
To celebrate the new year we are looking back exactly 300 years to see how the criminal fraternity of London were dealt with in the courtroom of The Old Bailey. With tales of theft, murder, persecution and duels it there are parts that see…
- John Elwes - A misrepresented Ebenezer Scrooge?
Merry Christmas from Consistently Eccentric! To celebrate the big day we are discussing the life of John Elwes, a Georgian man with unimaginable wealth, who chose to spend as little of it as possible. While his eccentricities led him to be…
- Oswald Mosley pre-politics (Oswald Mosley Part 1) - (or) how to ruin a right leg in four easy instalments
This week we are starting the tale of the most famous of all British Fascists, Oswald Mosley. Born into privilege and the certainty that he would never have to work for a living should he not wish to, Oswald should have enjoyed an idilic c…
- The History of British Theme Park Deaths (UNEDITED) - Proof that those of us who were teenagers in the 2000s were the most hardcore
This week we have been in Scotland visiting Ollie, so we decided to take the chance to record a three person episode. To celebrate we are discussing every death that has occurred at the many Theme Parks of the UK and Ireland. Starting with…
- Mary Kingsley - A victorian woman travelling alone? You better believe I AfriCAN!
This week we are discussing the brief but influential career of Mary Henrietta Kingsley, a woman who only began travelling in her 30s, but who nevertheless managed to write two of the most influential travelogues of the late Victorian era.…
- The HMS Birkenhead disaster - Women and children (and horses) first!
This week we are heading of the southern coast of South Africa for a cautionary tale of what can happen as a result of multiple little mistakes. With questions regarding the design, the decision making of the crew, the impact of various 'i…
- The End of Port Royal (Port Royal Part 3) - An earth-shattering conclusion
It is time to draw to a close our series on Port Royal, beginning with the return of Henry Morgan to Jamaica with a mission to end piracy. Though of course he instead decided to find a way to turn a (slightly corrupt) profit. But while the…
- Pirating with Royal Consent in Jamaica (Port Royal Part 2) - If you do it well enough we may even name a brand of Rum after you
This week we continue our exploration of the history of Port Royal, learning not only how it got it's name, but also how it developed into being the economic powerhouse of the Caribbean... it was extortion. But even a Pirate port needed le…
- How the English ended up in Jamaica (Port Royal Part 1) - (or) Puritans don't do well in the sun
This week we are embarking on a three part series covering the most notorious pirate port in the Caribbean, so naturally we are starting by talking about Oliver Cromwell. While the Spanish were busy conquering South America, they saw Jamai…
- Cleopatra's Needles - (or) the difficulties in managing rock-hard shafts
As a special bonus episode, Pamela is taking us through the history of both of the Obelisks that have been given the monicker 'Cleopatra's Needle.' This is a story that covers nearly 4,000 years and a hell of a lot of wrangling over shippi…
- William Hacket - A cheap(side) version of a messiah
This week we have beaten a plague of technical troubles to recount an Elizabethan tale of a born-again Christian who took things a little too far. William Hacket was an illiterate servant who managed to talk his way into a good marriage an…
- Big Daddy and the Fall of British Wrestling - (or) repetition to the MAX!
This week we finish our dive into British Wrestling with the story of the Crabtree brothers and how they inadvertently contributed to the decline of the wrestling industry. It is a story of office politics, nepotism and at least one death.…
- The Rise of British Wrestling - (or) you can't perform a cross buttock on TV
It is time to lace up your boots and get ready to rumble as we dive into the history of British Wrestling. From an Edwardian fad for Greco Roman wrestling we follow the highs and lows of grappling in the UK through seven decades, to the in…
- Robert Maudsley - More than a spoonful of punishment
This week we are heading into the bowels of Yorkshire to talk about Robert Maudsley, a man who holds one of the most unwanted records in human history. After an abusive upbringing and decent into drug addiction, Robert made some choices th…
- The Night of the Big Wind - A significant blow to the housing stock of Ireland
This week we are discussing the weather in Ireland. Specifically the evening of January 6th 1839, when 'Women's Christmas' was interrupted by one of the worst storms in Irish history. We discuss the loss of life, livestock and (tree) limbs…
- The Freckleton Air Disaster - (or) Never underestimate the British weather
This week both Emma and Ollie are joining in for the story of the worst aviation accident in Britain during WWII, which just so happened to take place a stones throw from where Emma grew up. The unassuming village of Freckleton was more th…
- Elstow Abbey - (or) Nuns Gone Wild!
This week we are lucky enough to have an extra bonus episode written and presented by friend of the show Pamela Loetterle, who has been delving into the rather naughty history of the Nuns of Elstow Abbey. A tale of longstanding religious i…
- Wojtek the Bear - Do bears transport artillery shells in the woods?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Dr Robert Clements - (or) why marriage can be hazardous to your health
This week we are heading to my hometown of Southport to discuss Dr Robert Clements. A man who saw marriage as a means of improving his bank balance, and who was willing to 'divest' himself of his wife as soon as the money ran out. While yo…
- The Bargarran Witches - (or) you need to be Shaw before you start throwing accusations of witchcraft around
This week we are getting spooky in Scotland, with the tale of how a volcanic eruption may have contributed to the country's last mass witchcraft trial. When little Christian Shaw began experiencing fits, she was soon able to convince her p…
- John St. John Long - (or) sketching out a medical career
Get ready for another extra special episode from friend of the show Pam Loetterle! This time she is bringing us the tale of John St. John Long, a handsome Irishman who decided that actually studying medicine should not be a requirement for…
- Joseph Pocklington - Building a reputation (and a fort) in the Lake District
This week (on the hottest day of the year) we are talking about Joseph Pocklington. A man with a dream to become an architect, and who was fortunate enough to have enough money to make that dream a reality despite a complete lack of skill.…
- The consequences of Robert Clive - An abused membrum (Robert Clive Part Three)
As we end our series on Robert Clive we discuss his second attempt to break into UK politics and the results of his governorship of Bengal... It turns out that trying to reform corrupt business practices is much harder if everyone knows th…
- Anna Atkins - Being a pioneer of photography can be fatiguing
Strap in for the first ever Consistently Eccentric episode written and hosted by Evie! We are heading back to the Georgian era to discuss the life and achievements of Anna Atkins, a botanist with a passion for reproducing what she saw in t…
- Lottie Dod - (or) what does one do after their tennis career?
This week we are taking a quick break from Robert Clive to mark the beginning of Wimbledon by talking about the most interesting of the early champions, Charlotte 'Lottie' Dod. Due to the success of her father's cotton business Lottie knew…
- The Second Coming of Robert Clive - Trying to get out of a black hole (Robert Clive Part Two)
We are returning to our tale of Robert Clive, picking back up with his return to England as a celebrity and the way he managed to blow through a fortune in only two years. Luckily the East India Company were more than happy to welcome him…
- The Origins of Robert Clive - A love of fighting out of all measure (Robert Clive Part One)
We are heading back to the Georgian era this week to begin the tale of a man who is arguably the single person most responsible for the British taking control of the Indian subcontinent for nearly 200 years. But how did the son of a minor…
- Thomas Morton - Trying to get merry with the Puritans (and failing)
We are making our way across the Atlantic this week to discuss one of the shortest lived, but undeniably most fun settlements on the New England Coast. When Lawyer, Thomas Morton, was left in temporary charge of a small group of indentured…
- Margery Kempe - (or) a full and honest account of every time I wept
This week we are heading back to the 15th century to discuss the life of a middle class housewife who just so happened to also regularly speak to Jesus Christ. Following the traumatic birth of her first child, Margery Kempe began experienc…
- Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester - I would do anything for love, but I won't fight a duel with a Bergundian Duke.
This week we are heading back to the middle ages to discuss the life of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester. A man who became a Prince at age 9, but somehow still managed to make life unnecessarily hard for himself. Determined to expand his terri…
- Margaret Damer Dawson - Recognising the police force could use a woman's touch
This week we are heading back to the turn of the 20th century to discuss the life of Margaret Damer Dawson, a one woman campaigning machine who had a strong sense of justice, and enough money to ensure that her voice was heard. After seein…
- The Daphne Disaster - (or) a serious Scottish shipping snafu
Happy 200th Episode This week we are looking into the biggest disaster in the history of Glasgow shipbuilding, when a relatively small ship designed to ferry people and cargo to Northern Ireland instead became a sunken tomb for over 100 pe…
- Sir Thomas Sopwith - (or) flying through 100 years of aviation
We are heading into the skies this week to talk about Sir Thomas Sopwith, a man who had a natural talent for two things. Engines and business. Luckily for him he was born just in time for the dawning of powered flight. Slightly less luckil…
- Gerrard Winstanley - Digging the idea of communism
This week we are delving into the brief period when Britain was a republic, and when anything seemed possible... At least it did to Gerrard Winstanley, a failed businessman who took the promise of more equality to the extreme when he found…
- The many fires of the Theatre Royal - Bringing the house down (multiple times)
We are treading the boards this week as we investigate a series of theatre disasters that took place across Britain, but always in a building named the Theatre Royal. Starting with the most famous theatre fire in 1613 we discuss how, over…
- Robert Liston - He knows the quickest way to get you legless
This week we are are dipping our toes into medical history, discussing the life and times of the fastest surgeon (possibly) ever. A native Scotsman, Robert Liston was already an accomplished surgeon while still in his teens. But while his…
- Lilly Maxwell - It is always a Bright idea to use a vote when you are (accidentally) given one
This week we are heading back to the world of the Women's Suffrage movement to discuss how a clerical error gave one shopkeeper a chance to vote in a General Election. Having worked her way up to the point where she met the property thresh…
- Baron Spolasco - (or) proof you should always check your doctor's credentials
This week we are delving into the world of early Victorian pseudo-medicine with a man who can literally be described as 'a bit of a character.' Born into obscurity near Manchester (possibly), young John Smith (at least we assume that was h…
- The Gentleman's Magazine 1756 - Why not have a butchers?
This week we are viewing the events of 1756 through the editorial decisions of The Gentleman's Magazine. One of the premier publications of Georgian London. Join us as we discuss the criminal inclinations of butchers, the impact of war wit…
- Robert Fortune - Was practically never home for tea
This week we are following a tale of transcontinental industrial espionage from the Victorian Era. Robert Fortune was a poor Scots horticulturalist who just so happened to have been born at a time when plant hunting was deemed to be of vit…