This Week in History

June 22nd to June 28th 23.06.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.25th June 1947: Anne Frank's diary is published for the first time.24th June 1374: People begin dancing uncontrollably in the city of Aachen, Germany, in what comes to be known as St John's Dance26th June 1974: A packet of gum becomes the first product to be sold using a barcode.

June 15th to June 21st 15.06.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.18 June 1984 - 'The Battle of Orgreave' sees police officers clash with striking miners.16 June 1824 - The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (now known as the RSPCA) is formed.21 June 1948 - The world’s first stored-program computer is switched on in Manchester.

June 8th to June 14th 08.06.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life..8th June 793: A Viking raid on the island of Lindisfarne marks the beginning of the Viking Age in Europe.9th June 1975: The first live transmission from the House of Commons is broadcast on the radio.9th June 1898: China leases Hong Kong to Britain for 99 years.

June 1st to June 7th 01.06.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.6 June 1944: Allied forces begin their assault on Nazi occupied France in an invasion officially called Operation Overlord but more commonly known as D-Day. 5 June 1963: Scandal erupts at Westminster, when John Profumo resigns from government after confessing to an affair with the model Christine Keeler. 5 June 1833: Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage meet at a party at Babbage's London townhouse. The two friends' work laid the foundation for modern computing.

May 25th to May 31st 25.05.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.25th May 1895: Oscar Wilde is sentenced to two years hard labour for the crime of gross indecency. 27th May 1703: St Petersburg is founded on the banks of the Neva River25th May 1659: Richard Cromwell resigns as Lord Protector, leading to the restoration of the monarchy. Charles II lands at Dover exactly one year later.

May 18th to May 24th 18.05.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.23 May 1618 - Second Defenestration of Prague leads to the Thirty Years War 24th May 1844 - first telegraph message sent 21st May 1780 - Elizabeth Fry is born

May 11th to May 17th 11.05.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.16th May 1943 - Operation Chastise: No. 617 Squadron RAF begins the famous Dambusters Raid 13th May 1787 - The First Fleet sets sail for Botany Bay, Australia, with 11 ships and over 700 convicts 17th May 1861 - The first color photograph, of a tartan ribbon is shown by Scottish scientist James Clerk Maxwell to the Royal Institution in London

May 4th to May 10th 04.05.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.4th May 1990 - Latvia declares its independence 10th May 1857 - Indian rebellion against British rule by the East India Company begins 10th May 1824 - The National Gallery first opens at 100 Pall Mall

April 27th to May 3rd 27.04.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.2nd May 1982 - The Argentine navy cruiser General Belgrano is controversially sunk by a British nuclear submarine during the Falklands War. 1st May 1707 - The Act of Union unites England and Scotland to form Great Britain. 3rd May 1978 - Marketing manager Gary Thuerk sends the first spam email.

April 20th to April 26th 20.04.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.23rd April 1984 - The virus which causes HIV/AIDS is discovered. 21st April 1509 - Henry VIII accedes to the English throne. 25th April 1859 - The construction of the Suez canal begins.

April 13th to April 19th 13.04.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.13th April 1970 - An explosion on board Apollo 13 threatens the lives of three astronauts. 16th April 1616 - William Harvey begins publicising the pioneering medical theory that blood circulates around the body. 18th April 1930 - Listeners who tuned in to the BBC for the 845pm bulletin were told 'there is no news'.

April 6th to April 12th 06.04.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.10th April 1815 - Mount Tambora erupts, the largest in recorded history. For two years particles stay in the air across the globe, inspiring various artworks. 6th April 1994 - A plane carrying President Habyarimana of Rwanda and the Burundian President Ntaryamira is shot down, sparking the start of the Rwandan Genocide. 7th April 1853 - Queen Victoria uses chloroform to relieve the pain of childbirth, a pioneering moment for obstetric medicine.

March 30th to April 5th 30.03.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.1st April 2001 - Slobodan Milošević, the former president of The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, surrenders to police special forces. 4th April 1968 - The civil rights activist Martin Luther King is assassinated. 1st April 1748 - The ruins of the Roman city of Pompeii are discovered.

March 23rd - March 29th 23.03.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.23 March 1900 - Excavations begin at Knossos, Crete, revealing the Bronze Age Minoan civilisation 27 March 1963 - The Beeching report is published, leading to mass railway closures in the UK 26 March 1778 - Beethoven gives his first concert at the age of 7, he dies on the same day in 1827

March 16th to March 22nd 16.03.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.March 21st In 1556 - the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, was burnt at the stake in Oxford during the reign of Queen Mary. March 17th 1921 - the first family planning clinic opened in Holloway, North London, by Marie Stopes. March 20th 1966 - the World Cup trophy was stolen from its display in Central Hall, Westminster - only to be discovered by a dog, Pickles, a week after.

March 9th to March 15th 09.03.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.March 11th - In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev was named the Soviet Union's new leader. March 11th - In 1702, Britain's first daily newspaper - The Daily Courant - began publication. March 15th - In 44BC - the Ides of March - the Roman emperor, Julius Caesar, was assassinated by a group of senators.

March 2nd to March 8th 02.03.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.This week: 2nd to 8th MarchMarch 7th - 1876 Alexander Graham Bell receives a patent for the telephone in the US March 2nd - 1965 One of the most popular musical films of all time, "The Sound of Music," premieres March 4th 1522 - Anne Boleyn makes her debut at the English court at the Green Castle pageant.

February 23rd to March 1st 23.02.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.This week: 23rd February to 1st March24th February 1999 - The Metropolitan police force was branded "institutionally racist" by the Macpherson Report which examined the murder of the black teenager, Stephen Lawrence. 1st March 1565 - The city of Rio de Janeiro was founded by the Portuguese. 26th February 1839 - The first Grand National was run at Aintree. Then called the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase, it was won by a horse called Lottery

16th - 22nd February 16.02.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.This week: 16th - 22nd February16th February 1959 - Cuba's revolutionary leader Fidel Castro is sworn in as prime minister. 21st February 1804 - The world's first railway journey takes place. 22nd of February 1797 - The last Invasion of Britain; French soldiers land at Fishguard… but are soon captured.

9th to 15th February 09.02.2026 5min

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.This week: 9th to 15th February13th February 1258 - Five centuries of Abbasid rule ends when Baghdad falls to the Mongols. 11th February 1990 - Nelson Mandela is released from prison after 27 years. 15th February 1971 - Britain converts to decimal currency. Presented by Jane Steel and Ron Brown.