Today In History with The Retrospectors
Curious, funny, surprising daily history - with Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina and Arion McNicoll.
From the invention of the Game Boy to the Mancunian beer-poisoning of 1900, from Julius Caesar's invasion of Britain to America's Nazi summer schools... each day we uncover an unexpected story for the ages. In just ten minutes!
Best Daily Podcast (British Podcast Awards 2023 nominee).
Get early access and ad-free listening at Patreon.com/Retrospectors or subscribe on Apple Podcasts.
- Update frequency
- every day
- Average duration
- 12 minutes
- Episodes
- 1105
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
The Cryogenic Rush Job
Rerun. Dr James Bedford became the first dead body to be cryogenically frozen on 12th January, 1967 – a day still commemorated in the ‘suspended animation’ community as Bedford Day.
But in this burge…
00:12:11 |
Thu 12 Jan 2023
BA's 'Dirty Tricks'
British Airways paid out one of the largest libel settlements in UK history on 11th January, 1993, for engaging in disreputable business practices, including shredding documents, poaching passages, a…
00:12:13 |
Wed 11 Jan 2023
How Rockefeller Got Rich
On 10th January, 1870 John D. Rockefeller took his first steps towards becoming the world’s richest ever person by forming his company, Standard Oil.
He had arrived in the oil industry at a time of w…
00:11:56 |
Tue 10 Jan 2023
Introducing Income Tax
“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”, the American statesman Benjamin Franklin once said, but until 9 January, 1799, taxation looked very different to the way it …
00:12:14 |
Mon 09 Jan 2023
Rink-O-Mania!
Roller skates, most readily associated with the 1970s, were actually first patented in the US on 6th January, 1863, by New York furniture salesman James Plimpton.
Plimpton developed the shoes after b…
00:11:36 |
Fri 06 Jan 2023
When Bonnie Met Clyde
America's most notorious outlaws, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, first bonded over a cup of condensed milk hot chocolate on 5th January, 1930.
The couple went on to traverse the States on a shooting…
00:11:58 |
Thu 05 Jan 2023
Let's Build The Burj
The world’s tallest tower - Dubai’s Burj Khalifa - had its grand opening ceremony on 4th January, 2010, heralded with the launch of 10,000 fireworks. Previously known as ‘Dubai Tower’, it was re-name…
00:12:04 |
Wed 04 Jan 2023
Hanging Lord Haw Haw
Nazi propagandist William Joyce, best known to British radio listeners as ‘Lord Haw Haw’, was hanged by Albert Pierrepoint at Wandsworth Prison on 3rd January, 1946.
At the peak of his powers, his an…
00:12:01 |
Tue 03 Jan 2023
Captain Blood, Colonel Sanders and the Cyclonic Comedienne
Compilation. Happy New Year, Retrospectors!
Before the show returns on January 3rd, Arion, Rebecca and Olly are taking one last look back at their favourite episodes from 2022.
In ‘Eva Tanguay, Cycl…
00:34:43 |
Sun 01 Jan 2023
The Retrospectors Quiz Of The Year 2022
Happy Holidays! Arion, Rebecca and Olly will be back with more cracking ‘Today in History’ content from January 3rd 2023… but in the meantime, it’s time to wrap the year with the Pub Quiz that ONLY m…
00:18:13 |
Fri 23 Dec 2022
Edison’s Christmas Lights
Rerun. The first string of lights festooned upon a tree dazzled visitors to the New York home of Edward Johnson, Vice President of the Edison Electric Light Company, on 22nd December, 1882.
Lit patri…
00:11:47 |
Thu 22 Dec 2022
Mud’s Christmas Hit
Melancholic Elvis pastiche ‘Lonely This Christmas’, by glam rockers Mud, became the UK’s Christmas No. 1 hit on 21st December, 1974, beating off festive competition from top 70s popsters Gilbert O’ S…
00:12:00 |
Wed 21 Dec 2022
The Carnival on the Water
The ‘Frost Fair’, held on the frozen River Thames, caused a sensation on 20th December, 1683, when all London society, from Charles II down, came out to enjoy a bacchanalian Christmas on the ice. The…
00:11:37 |
Tue 20 Dec 2022
Meet Ebenezer Scrooge
Charles Dickens’ novella ‘A Christmas Carol’ was written in just six weeks, and published on 19th December, 1843. The timeless story, which introduced the world to Ebeneezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and th…
00:12:00 |
Mon 19 Dec 2022
Dior's New Look
30 Avenue Montaigne, Christian Dior’s atelier in Paris, opened its doors on 16th December 1946. His staff had just six weeks to get it ready for their first show on February 12th, 1947 - the landmark…
00:11:58 |
Fri 16 Dec 2022
Napoleon’s Second Funeral
Rerun. Napoleon was buried in an unmarked grave in St. Helena. But, 19 years later, on 15th December, 1840, he got buried again: this time at Les Invalides, Paris.
It was an ornate state occasion, …
00:11:23 |
Thu 15 Dec 2022
Broadway's Biggest Flop
Lionel Bart’s musical ‘La Strada’, based on the hit Fellini film, suffered the ignominy of closing after its opening night in New York on 14th December, 1969, losing $650,000.
Heroin addict Bart neve…
00:11:59 |
Wed 14 Dec 2022
The Resigning Pope
Celestine V rocked the Catholic world on 13th December, 1294, when he stood up, gave a short speech, stripped himself of his Papal insignia and resigned the Pontificate. He was 79 years old, and had …
00:12:12 |
Tue 13 Dec 2022
Winona's Shoplifting Scandal
Winona Ryder was arrested for shoplifting from Saks Fifth Avenue, Beverly Hills on 12th December, 2001. Amongst the products she had stuffed into her hat was a Marc Jacobs sweater worth $760, and Fre…
00:12:09 |
Mon 12 Dec 2022
Here Comes Corrie
Coronation Street, the world’s longest-running soap opera, first aired on 9th December, 1960. But only 13 episodes had been commissioned by Granada, following a torturous development process. Boss Si…
00:11:53 |
Fri 09 Dec 2022
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