Do 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 behind our modern obsession with hard work. First, medieval marriage reforms transformed people’s relationship with work. Then, monastic orders and the Protestant Reformation framed hard work as sacred. Finally, the indust

For 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 on - a fashion choice, a weather protector, or found on the head of a wedding guest. Alice and Ben look under the brim of history to find out what on earth happened to the ubiquity of the hat? We’ll cover a parent’s desper

Dogs 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 of medieval dogs, and we’ll reveal how the Victorians forged our modern relationship with our canine friends. This episode contains a brief description of cruelty to animals. Listener discretion is advised. Key sources: Co

It 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”. But just how did this endlessly popular genre come to be? Alice and Ben leaf back through the pages of history to uncover just where “whodunits” came from, who invented them, and how they’ve endured centuries of changing ta

Ben 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 how the Victorians shaped the way we behave today. But are manners getting worse? Key Sources: Sorry! The English and Their Manners - Henry Hitchings. In Pursuit of Civility: Manners and Civilization in Early Modern Englan

Alice 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 linked to the nation’s image? It’s a winding and dramatic story. There’s an exiled prince, a romantic writer, a pair of charismatic brothers and a young queen. It’s a tale of ancient tradition, war and fakery. Key Sources: Ta

How 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, and how competition from gin produced the iconic Victorian pub. Key Sources: Dr Paul Jennings - The Local: A History of the English Pub. Dr James Wright. Dr Peter Clark. Dr Mark Hailwood - Alehouses and Good Fellowship in

Alice 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 British icons, but just why does it look the way it does? What’s the story behind the pattern? We’ll get into the saintly foundations, the Stuarts, and of course the age old question - where on the flag is Wales? Key Sourc

Modern 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 British establishment against traditional architecture, and how his followers rebuilt British cities in the hope of improving society. For some, modern architecture is a crime against the public realm. For others, it’s ico

Have 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 afternoon.. Then finally the full two days - but how? We’ll be taking a look at the Medieval period, we’ll introduce you to an important clerk from the Industrial Revolution, and finally a few familiar names will round out the

From 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 original dandy Beau Brummell shaped men’s style to this day, and how sporty Victorians forged the modern suit. But with the rise of working from home, are the suit’s days numbered? Key sources: The Suit: Form, Function and

For 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 one person who invented it? Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson unpack the stories which have all contributed to the success of the package holiday. We’ll start our journey off in Victorian Britain, with a layover to visit a N

There’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 Henderson delve into the history of emotions and ask where the British stiff upper lip came from. We’ll hear how the French Revolution turned Brits against emotion, how the Victorians made repression a virtue, and why everythi

To 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 Loxton and Ben Henderson track the tumultuous and muddy history of women’s pockets. From capacious beginnings, through many fashion changes, to suffragette campaigning and societal expectations. Alice and Ben unpick the surpri

Why 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, and then how it became the most popular cultural phenomenon in the world. Key sources: The Ball is Round: A Global History of Football - David Goldblatt The Association Game: A History of British Football - Matthew Taylor

Why 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 moments that forged the English Language as we know it today. We’ll be looking at Germanic and French invasions, the impact of a period of history called the Great Vowel Shift and Caxton’s first printing press, our ever-increas

Is 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 reputation. They explore how British aristocrats turned towards French food from the 1600s, while Britain’s peasant cuisine was crushed by the industrial revolution and land enclosures. Finally, they examine the enduring legacy of W

How 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 cuppa. We’ll start our journey with the first appearance of tea in England in the 1600s and its popularisation in the English royal court thanks to the Portuguese princess, Catherine of Braganza who married King Charles II. The

Do 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 uncover the origin stories behind all sorts of things - why we dress the way we do, why football is our national sport, why our cities look the way they do. Where does the idea of Britain’s stiff upper lip come from? And why doe