This Week in History

Epizódy

• 
  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
• 
  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.