How to choose a pope
All eyes have been on the Vatican in recent days, as the conclave have decided who will be the next pope. But how does the process today compare to that…
The Red Scare
and the attack on the labor movement
British country names explained
Why is 🏴England named after the Angles and not the Saxons? Does 🏴"Welsh" really mean slave? And where was the original 🏴Scotland? These questions answered and many more on this…
The unification of Italy: everything you wanted to know
In 1861, the kingdom of Italy was proclaimed, unifying the various Italian states under one national banner. But what did it mean to be 'Italian' in the mid-19th century? How…
Where did our numbers come from?
Why do our numbers look the way they look? Why do we count the way we count? These questions answered and many more in this video looking at where English…
Dangerous delights: Victorian Britain’s cocaine habit
In the 19th century, a magic new drug took the medical community by storm, riding a wave of scientific endeavour. But, as this Long Read written by historian Douglas Small…
Welcome to Hollywoodland: John Waters
If you’ve finished all episodes of The Old Man is Still Alive, I’ve got another treat for you from Jake Brennan at Hollywoodland. Have a listen to this episode of…
Public vs private: history behind closed doors
What's the difference between private and public life – and where should we draw the line between the two? Over the centuries, these boundaries have often been blurred, as Tiffany…
Working Class History Podcast – Pirates
Double podcast episode about the Golden Age of Piracy, with historian Marcus Rediker. The legendary pirates of this era weren’t just thieves—they were daring rebels challenging the very systems of…
The institutions many hold dear
are rotten to the core.