During the 1700s London was a lawless capital plagued by theft, violence and corruption. Until Magistrate Henry Fielding created Britain’s first police force. Hear the dramatic story of how the Bow Street Runners fought the city’s criminals in this podcast: tinyurl.com/4h4nsaxn #history #police

Born #OTD in 1634, Katherine Ferrers was known as the Wicked Lady. At dusk she donned her ‘highwayman’s clothes’ and rode out into the night. Her ghost is said to haunt Nomansland Common. Hear the story in our Women and Crime Podcast: tinyurl.com/4hducnyh #history #highwaywoman #crime

The Red Lion pub on Whitehall is the politicians’ local. Visited by every Prime Minster until the 1970s, Tony Blair phoned the pub to try and stop a press leak. Hear the story in our London Pubs podcast: tinyurl.com/nhjf7sdj #history #beer #pubs #lodon #redlion

In 1326 Richard the Raker was a going about his job. As a gong farmer - paid to clean out sewage pits. When the cesspit collapsed, Richard fell into a pool of crap. Hear his story in our History of Sewerage Podcast: tinyurl.com/2ys6jpf3 #history #sewage #publichealth #muck

James Matthews was arrested in parliament. Incarcerated in Bedlam, he claimed he was a secret agent followed by invisible spies - the first original description of paranoid #schizophrenia. Hear the story in our podcast: Bedlam – Story of a Madhouse: tinyurl.com/2whtb2xh #history #mentalhealth

King Haakon IV of Norway sent English King Henry III a white bear. It was taken to live in the Tower of London. Hear about the Pale Bear in our Strange Animal Stories Podcast: tinyurl.com/2mcp4ww5 #history #animals #bear #toweroflondon #bears

Mary Read buried #OTD 1721. Born in England, she began dressing as a boy and joined a pirate crew. Arrested in 1720, she was condemned to death. One of the few women convicted of piracy, hear her story in our Women and Crime Podcast: tinyurl.com/bde5bt3f #history #pirate #piracy

All British postboxes used to be green. This led to confusion and chaos. Find out how and why they were all painted red in our History of the Post Podcast. Listen at: tinyurl.com/2s3cjbrt #history #post #letters #britishhistory

Oliver Cromwell was born #OTD 1599. Three years after he died, his body was exhumed and decapitated, then Cromwell’s head then went on a strange journey. Hear the story in this podcast: tinyurl.com/2dkhenw6 #cromwell #execution #olivercromwell #bloodyhistory

Daniel Defoe died #OTD 1731. Thrown into jail for his political views, where he was inspired to write Moll Flanders. Brought out to the market pillory for public punishment, the people conspired to save him from harm. Hear the story in our Newgate Jail Podcast: tinyurl.com/48dr483b #history #defoe

Happy Birthday William Shakespeare. Born #OTD 1564, he left his birthplace of Stratford upon Avon, and came to London to start his life as an actor and playwright. Hear the story in our Shakespeare podcast: tinyurl.com/wmzsxwk2 #history #shakespeare #theatre #globe #stratford

By the 1800s, London’s graveyards were full. The solution: cemeteries around London. Two rival Necropolis railways competed to bring the funerals by steam train from the city to the graveside. Listen to the story of in our Death and Burial Podcast: tinyurl.com/4d293tjn #history #burial

It was at this hatters in fashionable St James that a headwear icon originated. Who made the first one and why? And who was the Mr Bowler that gave the hat its name. Follow the story in this podcast: tinyurl.com/ysfx4r3s #history #mensfasion #menswear #hats

Winkie the WWII messenger pigeon saved the lives of an RAF crew. The bird was recognised with a medal. Hear the story of Winkie and the crew in our Strange Animal Stories Podcast: tinyurl.com/2mcp4ww5 #animals #history #ww2 #WWII #birds #airforce #RAF #pigeon

Francis Barber was born a slave in Jamaica. He came to England where he worked as a housekeeper for Dr Samuel Johnson. Hear about one of the first properly documented lives of a black man in Britain in our Dr Johnson Podcast: tinyurl.com/r6x2d9m7 #history

Born #OTD 1920 in Notting Hill, Rosalind Franklin’s work creating Photograph 51 was fundamental to the understanding of the DNA double helix. But her science was not properly acknowledged.Hear her story in our Women and Science podcast: tinyurl.com/mms5su69 #history #science

One of the first public toilets in Britain was in York. The Bog on the Bridge was kept clean by Agnes the poor widow. Hear the story in our History of Sewage Podcast at: tinyurl.com/2ys6jpf3 #history #sewage #publichealth #york #yorkshire

Tom was a decoy goose. He fell in love with a goosy girlfriend and followed her to London. But ended up at Leadenhall poultry market. Would he survive? Find out in our Strange Animal Stories Podcast: tinyurl.com/2mcp4ww5 #history #animals #goose #leadenhall #london

For decades most people had nowhere to post a letter in Britain. Then a Victorian novelist working for the Royal Mail changed everything. Hear the story in our History of the Post Podcast at: tinyurl.com/2s3cjbrt #history #post #royalmail #letters

During WW2 London church cat Faith lived at St Augustine’s church. The little pussy disappeared in a bombing raid – but the vicar refused to give up on the congregation cat. Hear the story in our Blitz Cats podcast: tinyurl.com/36jab6bc #cats #caturday #cat #ww2 #blitz #history

Funeral Mutes were a strange Victorian tradition. Hired by undertakers as professional mourners. Hear the story in our Death and Burial Podcast: tinyurl.com/3bvjauwu #history #funeral #mouring #victorianbritain

Died #OTD in 2010 punk prince Malcolm McLaren. He commissioned a bronze death mask for his Highgate headstone, made by the son of the Great Train Robber. Hear the story in our Heads podcast: tinyurl.com/2dkhenw6 #history #punk #punkrock #london #tombstone

Did Winston Churchill invent the onesie in 1930? It was known as the ‘siren suit’, Churchill called it his ‘romper suit’. They were handmade in Jermyn Street. Hear the story of Winston’s onesie in our Men’s Fashion podcast: tinyurl.com/3v5yaztx #history #fashion #menswear #churchill

Margery Kempe was the most passionate pilgrim in Medieval Europe, and one of the most eccentric. Her mystical journey lives on in The Book of Margery Kempe - the earliest autobiography in English. Hear her story is in our women and writing podcast: tinyurl.com/jrcjkwwc #history #women #mystic

Charles Byrne came to London in 1782. At nearly 8ft tall, he made money exhibiting his extreme size. But as his health failed, celebrity anatomist John Hunter wanted Byrne’s body. Hear the story in our History of Medicine Podcast: tinyurl.com/3e8bj827 #anatomy #medicine

Sackerson was the most famous bear in London. Winning so many fights that Shakespeare included him in one of his plays. Hear the story of the celebrity bear in our Strange Animal Stories Podcast: tinyurl.com/2mcp4ww5 #animals #history #bear #shakespeare #bears

What is the oldest pub name in England? What is the funniest? Strangest? Most popular? Which writer has 33 pubs named for him. Find out in our History of Beer Podcast: tinyurl.com/yc6ck7et #history #beer #pubs #ale #taverns #pub

On this day 1856s, Londoners were invited to witness the Washing of the Lions ceremony at the Tower of London. Ticket holders would queue outside for this annual tradition. Here the story in our History of Cats Podcast: tinyurl.com/3cmky79u #cats #history #london #lion #aprilfools

During the Blitz, parks, grand gardens and even the moat at the Tower of London were converted to food production. Hear the story in our London Blitz Podcast: tinyurl.com/mrx4huz4 #history #blitz #WWII #war

In the 1300s, travelling merchants flipped English gold into bigger money in Italy. Did England’s greatest medieval poet make a killing? Find out in our History of Money Podcast. 🎙️Listen at: tinyurl.com/vdaufpea #history #money #chaucer #gold

Hodge the cat lived with Samuel Johnson while he wrote the great English dictionary. Listen to the story of Dr Johnson and his “very fine cat” in our History of Cats podcast: tinyurl.com/3nbvs34b #history #cats #cat #caterday #literature #englishlanguage #pets #animals

James I died #OTD 1625. The king was petrified of witches. The monarch blamed the death of his mother on curses and published a book on dark magic: Daemonologie. Hear the story in our Women and Witchcraft podcast: tinyurl.com/3st7u6j4 #history #witches #witchcraft #curses

For over 100 years mail coaches risked all to deliver. Hear the story the brave post rider who froze to death, and a coach that was attacked by a lion: all in our History of the Post Podcast. Listen at: tinyurl.com/2s3cjbrt #history #post #mail #highwaymen

Born #OTD 1693 John Harrison. The clockmaker solved the great navigation problem: longitude. His timepieces transformed sea travel, saving thousands of sailors’ lives, changing the world. Hear the story in our History of Timekeeping Podcast: tinyurl.com/yahhpzbm #history #clocks #time #navigation

In 1909, suffragette Elspeth McClelland walked into a London post office and paid to be a “human letter” delivered to 10 Downing Street. Hear her story in our History of the Post Podcast at: tinyurl.com/2s3cjbrt #history #post #womensrights #postoffice #suffragette

Our new podcast. From the first Valentine’s letter to postal highway robbery, from spies to street wars and the first stamp, hear how the postal system evolved into a network that connected a nation in our History of Post Podcast: tinyurl.com/2s3cjbrt #history #post #letters #stamps

In the 1700s men wore wigs that signalled status, style and rank. They got taller and more flamboyant, until foppish men were tottering around in absurd giant periwigs. Hear the story in our Men’s Fashion Podcast: tiny.cc/3anu001 #history #fashion #menswear

Born #OTD 1750 Caroline Herschel. The first female astronomer rode through the night, 30 miles from Windsor to Greenwich, to claim the first sighting of a comet. Hear her story in our Women and Science podcast: tinyurl.com/37hhfsye #history #science #astronomy #comet

Died #OTD 1891 Joseph Bazalgette. In 1858 pollution in the River Thames caused The Great Stink. Parliament called on Joseph Bazalgette to build a sewer system that is still used today. Hear the story in our History of Sewerage podcast: tinyurl.com/2ys6jpf3 #history #London #publichealth

Margaret Catchpole was born #OTD 1762. This kind rural house servant stole a horse to ride to meet her lover in London and was deported to #Australia - where she recorded the life of the #aboriginals and early settlers. Hear her story in this podcast: tinyurl.com/4hducnyh #history

London. 1810s. A gang of #graverobbers terrorised the city. One of the gang writes a diary detailing the stories of the bodies they sold to the surgeons. We bring the true story to life in our podcast: The Diary of a Graverobber. Listen here: tinyurl.com/rhswu35f #history #burial #graveyards

Moll Cutpurse was a child thief in Tudor London who became a celebrity as the first female smoker in England. Fame took her on stage in The Roaring Girl – a tale of cross dressing and scandalous behaviour. Hear her story in our Women and Crime Podcast: tinyurl.com/bde5bt3f #history #tudors #theatre

Mary Anning died #OTD in 1847. She hunted for fossilised dinosaurs along the cliffs of the English Channel, and changed our thinking about prehistoric life and the history of the Earth. Hear her story in our Women and Science podcast: tinyurl.com/4b2ppbs2 #history #women

Rosalind Franklin’s work was fundamental to the understanding of the DNA double helix - the key to life. But her pioneering science was not properly acknowledged. Hear her story in our Women and Science podcast: tinyurl.com/4b2ppbs2 #history #WomensDay2026 #WomensDay

Down a backstreet near the Thames is Crossbones Graveyard. Controlled by the Bishop of Winchester who licensed and taxed the prostitutes known as the ‘Winchester Geese’. Hear about the women who lived, worked and died there in our Death and Burial podcast: tinyurl.com/3bvjauwu #history #london

Margery Jourdemayne was a seer. She was a necromancer to the Dutchess wife of the king’s brother. Accused of witchcraft, Margery's life was in peril. Hear the story of Old Mother Madge in our Women and Witchcraft Podcast: tinyurl.com/2d4a7y2k #history #witches #witchcraft #sourcery

Born #OTD 1702 Jack Sheppard. The orginal “Jack the Lad”. His escapes from the infamous Newgate Prison were legendary and he became a London celebrity. But could he evade the noose at Tyburn? Find out, in our dramatic podcast: tinyurl.com/48dr483b #history #london #prison

#OTD 1943, during air raids in London, people hurried to the shelter at Bethnal Green Tube. There was no raid, but what happened was one of the greatest wartime civil tragedies. We tell the story in our Blitz Podcast tinyurl.com/mrx4huz4 #history #ww2 #blitz #london

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese was rebuilt after the Fire of London. Famous as a literary pub - regulars included Dickens, Conan Doyle and PG Wodehouse. But its most famous resident was Polly the Parrot. Hear the story in our History of London Pubs Podcast: tinyurl.com/nhjf7sdj #history #pubs #parrots

In 1665 William Mompesson was the vicar of Eyam. When the plague arrived at his remote village, he closed the town. The villagers could not leave - and nobody was allowed in. The decision brought him personal tragedy. Hear the story in our Plague Village Podcast: tinyurl.com/2hhejvpw #history