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
- 1103
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
Eminem vs His Mom
Marshall Mathers III, aka Eminem, was sued for defamation by his own mother, Debbie, on 29th June, 2000. The suit was primarily in response to a lyric, “My Mom does more dope than I do”, from his hit…
00:11:18 |
Tue 29 Jun 2021
Before There Was ‘Crufts’
The first modern dog show took place in Newcastle on 28th June, 1859. Essentially a sideshow to the annual exhibition of cattle, it featured just 23 pointers and 27 setters. The owners of the champio…
00:11:20 |
Mon 28 Jun 2021
Introducing… The Fork
The fork had only recently received Royal approval in Britain when it was gifted to the Governor of Massachusetts, John Winthrop, on 25th June, 1633.
It took centuries for Americans to feel comfortab…
00:11:31 |
Fri 25 Jun 2021
The Town That Danced To Death
‘Dancing Mania’ - in which people spontaneously danced to exhaustion, some until they broke their ribs and subsequently died, took hold of Aachen, Germany on 24th June, 1374.
We still don’t really kn…
00:11:31 |
Thu 24 Jun 2021
Batman Begins
Over $750m of merchandise had already been sold on the basis of the trailer alone, when Tim Burton’s Batman was released in the USA on 23rd June, 1989. Ten days later, it became the fastest-film ever…
00:11:13 |
Wed 23 Jun 2021
McEnroe’s Wimbledon Meltdown
John McEnroe was once the world’s No.1 tennis player, winning seven major Grand Slams. But he’ll always be remembered for his extraordinary rant against umpire Edward James at Wimbledon on 22nd June,…
00:11:59 |
Tue 22 Jun 2021
Let’s Triangulate Britain
The Ordnance Survey - a government-funded agency created to aid the military in the event of invasion from France - took receipt of a theodolite on 21st June 1791, and so began the epic task of accur…
00:10:49 |
Mon 21 Jun 2021
The Town Disney Built
Designed by Imagineers, and located on the outskirts of Walt Disney World, the town of Celebration, Florida welcomed its first residents on 18th June, 1996.
Over 5,000 families had applied to be amon…
00:11:18 |
Fri 18 Jun 2021
The Arrival of Lady Liberty
Still the tallest statue in the USA, the Statue of Liberty arrived from France - in no less than 214 crates - in New York City on 17th June, 1885.
Costing just $10m in today’s money, the Lady went on…
00:11:50 |
Thu 17 Jun 2021
Welcome To The Monster Raving Loony Party
Over beers at The Golden Lion in Ashburton, Devon, ‘Screaming’ Lord Sutch founded his anti-establishment political party The Monster Raving Loony Party on 16th June, 1982.
It wasn’t the first time th…
00:11:33 |
Wed 16 Jun 2021
Blackadder Begins
Rowan Atkinson headed up the cast and writing team, yet the first series of ‘The Black Adder’ drew a decidedly mixed reaction from audiences and critics when it debuted on BBC TV on 15th June, 1983.
…
00:11:30 |
Tue 15 Jun 2021
The Vatican’s Naughty Library
Circulated in some form since the 16th century, the ‘Index of Forbidden Books’ was quietly discontinued by Pope Paul VI on 14th June, 1966.
In its 400-year+ history, the Index Librorum Prohibitorum h…
00:11:42 |
Mon 14 Jun 2021
Chuck Berry v the I.R.S.
It was the THIRD time behind bars for legendary rock n’ roller Chuck Berry when he was found to have dodged $110,000 in income tax on 11th June, 1979.
He insisted on being paid cash-in-hand for his s…
00:11:45 |
Fri 11 Jun 2021
The Very First 'Boat Race'
The Oxford v Cambridge Men’s Boat Race has been an annual tradition since 1856 - but the first one was the result of a light-hearted bet between two friends called Charles on 10th June, 1829.
When Wo…
00:11:47 |
Thu 10 Jun 2021
The Man With The Idolatrous Maypole
Orgies, drinking songs, and - perhaps most damagingly of all - Paganism were rumoured tools of the colonist Thomas Morton when he established Merrymount, New England. It wasn't long before he was dep…
00:11:27 |
Wed 09 Jun 2021
The Hawaiian Pizza - A Legacy
Sam Panopoulos, creator of the Hawaiian pizza, died on 8th June, 2017 at the age of 83. Originally Greek, he moved to Ontario, Canada at the age of 20 and opened a restaurant where he experimented wi…
00:10:58 |
Tue 08 Jun 2021
When 'Grease' Was The Word
Edgy, gritty and sexy, the Broadway production of ‘Grease’ opened at the Broadhurst Theatre on 7th June, 1972, beginning what would become a record-breaking eight-year run.
Despite NOT featuring som…
00:11:31 |
Mon 07 Jun 2021
Crazy Frog v Coldplay
‘The Annoying Thing’ is how the begenitaled amphibian animated by Erik Wernquist was first described; but by the time he released his first single ‘Axel F’ he was universally known as The Crazy Frog,…
00:11:39 |
Fri 04 Jun 2021
The Woman Who Shot Andy Warhol
Radical playwright Valerie Solanas, author of the SCUM Manifesto (for the ‘Society of Cutting Up Men’) attempted to assassinate pop artist Andy Warhol at The Factory on 3rd June, 1968.
As a result, W…
00:11:05 |
Thu 03 Jun 2021
The World’s Most Violent Football Match
The ‘Battle of Santiago’ was the name given to the shambolic and brutal World Cup Final between Chile and Italy on 2nd June, 1962.
Featuring drop-kicks, punching and nose-breaking, the incendiary foo…
00:11:08 |
Wed 02 Jun 2021
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are the property of The Retrospectors. This content is not affiliated with or endorsed by eachpod.com.