About this podcast
Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson reveal the surprising moments in history behind the traditions, customs and objects all around us.
Episodes
- Where Did Cash Come From? · 31 minWhen you find a coin down the back of the sofa, have you ever wondered where it came from? Do you know your farthings from your pennies? Your guineas from your pounds? From…
- Do Brits Have Bad Teeth? · 28 minBritish people have terrible teeth. That’s the stereotype - but is it true? And what’s the story behind it? Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton explore how Brits got a reputation for…
- Where Did The Modern Toilet Come From? · 31 minHave you ever stopped to think about the technological marvel that is the modern toilet? Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson chart a course from a Roman fort in Northumberland via…
- Why Are We Obsessed With Work? · 37 minDo you ever feel like work is taking over your life? Well, society didn’t always place so much value on work ethic. Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton uncover the surprising history…
- Why Don’t We Wear Hats Anymore? · 31 minFor centuries leaving the house without a hat would be like leaving the house without your phone or keys - you simply wouldn’t do it. But these days, headwear is an optional add…
- Why Are We Dog Obsessed? · 34 minDogs are man’s best friend - but has it always been that way? Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton look into how humans and dogs first got acquainted, we’ll hear about the tough lives…
- Who Invented the “Whodunit”? · 37 minIt was the vicar that did it! In the billiards room! With a candlestick! To many fans of a murder mystery, this is perhaps a familiar sounding phrase from a classic “whodunit”…
- Where Do Manners Come From? · 35 minBen Henderson and Alice Loxton explore how Renaissance books on courtly conduct inspired an era of civility. They untangle the 18th century age of politeness, and we’ll find out…
- Why Do Scots Wear Tartan? · 36 minAlice Loxton and Ben Henderson dig through the folds of time to understand how Tartan became so woven into Scottish history. Just how did the material become so intrinsically…
- Why Do We Love Pubs? · 30 minHow did the pub become so central to British culture? Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton reveal how women ran medieval alehouses, how the Reformation led to a golden age of boozers…
- Why Does the Union Jack Look Like That? · 34 minAlice Loxton and Ben Henderson delve into the history of the Union Jack - the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It’s one of the most recognisable…
- Why Do We Have ‘Ugly’ Buildings? · 27 minModern buildings are ugly - that’s what opinion polls suggest - but if it’s true, what’s the story behind it? Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton see how a Swiss architect turned the…
- Who Invented the Weekend? · 31 minHave you ever wondered why we get Saturday and Sundays off each week? Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson try to figure out who invented the weekend. We got Sunday, then Saturday…
- Why Do We Wear Suits? · 33 minFrom royal coronations to criminal trials, the suit is men’s go-to uniform. But why? Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson reveal the suit’s origins in the court of Charles II, how the…
- Package Holiday: Why do Brits go to Benidorm? · 37 minFor decades Brits have enjoyed package holidays in sunnier climes of Spain, in resort towns like Benidorm. But why is that? Where did the package holiday itself come from? Was it…
- Stiff Upper Lip: Do Brits Have Emotions? · 34 minThere’s a well known stereotype that Brits don’t show their emotions. George Gershwin even composed a song about the famous ‘Stiff Upper Lip’. This week Alice Loxton and Ben…
- Why Don’t Women’s Clothes Have Pockets? · 37 minTo the frustration of many, a lot of women’s clothes don’t have pockets. But why on Earth is that the case? Especially when men’s clothing seems to be full of pockets. Alice…
- Why Are Brits So Obsessed With Football? · 38 minWhy are Brits so obsessed with football? Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson explore the origins of football, how the game transformed from a gentleman’s hobby to the people’s game…
- English Language: Why Do We Speak Like That? · 30 minWhy do our spellings not match our pronunciations? Why are so many words just really weird? Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson take us on a whistle stop tour of some of the key…
- Why does British food have such a bad reputation? · 35 minIs British cooking a crime against food? Or is this a foreign plot to do down Britain? Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton investigate the history behind Britain’s culinary…
- Why do British people love tea? · 31 minHow and when did tea arrive in the UK? Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson take a look at the mythological origins, the role of a Portuguese princess and even going to war for a…
- Are You Here For The History? · 2 minDo you ever stop to think where the stereotypes, social norms, traditions, and beliefs that fill our everyday life come from? History lovers Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson…
