This Week in History

Epizodes

• 
  September 21st - September 27th 21.09.2026 6min

  Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.23rd September 1846: Through applying maths and physics, the planet Neptune is officially observed and identified by the German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle. 22nd September 1735: The man regarded as the first British Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole, moves into Number 10 Downing Street.26th September 1968: Theatre censorship is abolished in the UK, ending restrictions which had existed for over 200 years.
• 
  September 14th - September 20th 14.09.2026 5min

  Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.19th September 1991: Two tourists stumble onto the mummified body of a man who lived around 3;500 years ago - Ötzi the Iceman16th September 1400: Owain Glyndŵr begins a fierce but ultimately unsuccessful Welsh revolt against English rule.14th September 1752:  The British Empire adopts the Gregorian Calendar after skipping 11 days between September 3 and September 13. Presented by Caroline Nicholls and Jane Steel.
• 
  September 7th - September 13th 07.09.2026 5min

  Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.7th Sept 1978: Georgi Markov is assassinated in London by a poison umbrella.13th Sept 1814: Francis Scott Key writes 'The Star Spangled Banner'.Sept 12th 1878: Cleopatra's needle is erected in London.
• 
  August 31st - September 6th 31.08.2026 5min

  Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.1st September 1939: Budding journalist Clare Hollingworth reports on the outbreak of World War Two in Europe.2nd September 1666: The Great Fire of London begins in Pudding Lane.4th September 1893: Beatrix Potter writes the story of Peter Rabbit.
• 
  August 24th - August 30th 24.08.2026 5min

  Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.29th August 1882: English cricketers lose to Australia at The Oval. A mock obituary is published, leading to the creation of The Ashes series.27th August 1939: The first test flight of a jet powered engine takes to the sky in Germany24th August 1516: Ottoman forces defeat the Mamluk Sultanate at the Battle of Marj Dabiq
• 
  August 17th - August 23rd 17.08.2026 5min

  Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.17th August 1998: President Bill Clinton admitted to an inappropriate relationship with a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky.23rd August 1305: Scottish national hero William Wallace was hung, drawn and quartered for treason, after resisting King Edward I of England's rule in Scotland.20th August 1882: Tchaikovsky's famous 1812 Overture was given its official premiere in the centre of Moscow.
• 
  August 10th - August 16th 10.08.2026 5min

  Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.13th August 1521: The Aztec capital Tenochtitlan fell to the Spanish conquistadors.11th August 1971: Edward Heath becomes the first UK Prime Minister to win an international sporting event while in office.10th August 1895: The first Proms concert was held at the Queen's Hall in Langham Place, London.
• 
  August 3rd - August 9th 03.08.2026 5min

  Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.5th August 1975: Dutch Elm disease spreads to Yorkshire. Millions of elm trees perished across the UK in the outbreak. 6th August 1890: In New York, a convicted axe murderer; William Kemmler; became the first person to be executed by electric chair. 9th August 1173: Construction begins on the Leaning Tower of Pisa
• 
  July 27th - August 2nd 27.07.2026 5min

  Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.29th July 1921: Adolf Hitler becomes the leader of the National Socialist Party of German Workers.2nd August 1880: Greenwich Mean Time is officially adopted across the UK, thanks in part to the evolving train industry.2nd August 1100: King William the 2nd of England, the son of William the Conqueror, is killed by an arrow while hunting in the New Forest.
• 
  July 20th - July 26th 20.07.2026 5min

  Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.25th July 1978: Louise Joy Brown, the world's first successful IVF baby, is born at Oldham General Hospital.24th July 1851: The Window Tax, based on the number of windows on a house, is abolished in the UK.21st July 365 AD: A tsunami devastates the Egyptian city of Alexandria.
• 
  July 13th - July 19th 13.07.2026 5min

  Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.16th July 1054: The Patriarch of Constantinople is excommunicated by Pope Leo IX, leading to The Great Schism between Eastern and Western Churches.14th July 1969: The four day 'Football War' breaks out between El Salvador and Honduras17th July 1841: The satirical magazine Punch is first published
• 
  July 6th - July 12th 06.07.2026 5min

  Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.10th July 1553: Lady Jane Grey becomes Queen for 9 days.8th July 1947: The Roswell Incident sparks UFO conspiracy culture.8th July 1776: The US Declaration of Independence is read publicly for the first time.
• 
  June 29th to July 5th 29.06.2026 5min

  Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.29th June 1613: The original Globe Theatre burns down mid-performance.30th June 1967: Major Robert H. Lawrence, Jr. becomes the first African-American to be selected as an astronaut.2nd July 1928: The 1928 Equal Franchise Act grants all women in the UK over the age of 21 the right to vote, and puts them on an equal footing with men.
• 
  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