ON PREVIOUS DAYS:
- YESTERDAY:
Pepsi Owes Me a Fighter Jet - DAY BEFORE:
Virginia Woolf's Diary - DAY BEFORE THAT:
When Noel Gallagher Met Tony Blair - DAY BEFORE BEFORE THAT:
Welcome To Mordor
ON THIS DAY
The Shocking Debut of the Electric Chair
Axe murderer William Kemler became the first person to be put to death by electric chair at Auburn Prison, New York on 6th August, 1890. It did not go smoothly.
The first charge failed, and the second was abandoned only after two minutes. Despite the gruesome spectacle, Ohio soon became the second state to authorise death by electrocution.
In this episode, Rebecca, Olly and Arion reveal the origins of the word ‘electrocution’, examine the underhand business practices of Thomas Edison; and review the most popular ‘final meal’ choices on Death Row…
Content Warning: description of prolonged execution; botched hangings; suicidal thoughts; animal electrocution.
Further Reading:
• ‘Death and Money: The History of the Electric Chair’ (thoughtco, 2019):
https://www.thoughtco.com/death-money-and-the-history-of-the-electric-chair-1991890
• ‘On This Day: The first execution by electric chair’ (HISTORY, 2010): https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-execution-by-electric-chair
• ‘How Does The Electric Chair Work?’ (The Infographics Show, 2018):
ON THIS DAY
The Shocking Debut of the Electric Chair
Axe murderer William Kemler became the first person to be put to death by electric chair at Auburn Prison, New York on 6th August, 1890. It did not go smoothly.
The first charge failed, and the second was abandoned only after two minutes. Despite the gruesome spectacle, Ohio soon became the second state to authorise death by electrocution.
In this episode, Rebecca, Olly and Arion reveal the origins of the word ‘electrocution’, examine the underhand business practices of Thomas Edison; and review the most popular ‘final meal’ choices on Death Row…
Content Warning: description of prolonged execution; botched hangings; suicidal thoughts; animal electrocution.
Further Reading:
• ‘Death and Money: The History of the Electric Chair’ (thoughtco, 2019):
https://www.thoughtco.com/death-money-and-the-history-of-the-electric-chair-1991890
• ‘On This Day: The first execution by electric chair’ (HISTORY, 2010): https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-execution-by-electric-chair
• ‘How Does The Electric Chair Work?’ (The Infographics Show, 2018):
ON PREVIOUS DAYS:
- YESTERDAY:
Pepsi Owes Me a Fighter Jet - DAY BEFORE:
Virginia Woolf's Diary - DAY BEFORE THAT:
When Noel Gallagher Met Tony Blair - DAY BEFORE BEFORE THAT:
Welcome To Mordor
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OLLY MANN
Olly Mann made his name with another trivia-wielding podcast, Answer Me This! with Helen Zaltzman – and now presents The Modern Mann, The Week Unwrapped, and Four Thought for BBC Radio Four. He also has an A-Level in History, so Dan Snow beware.
REBECCA MESSINA
Rebecca got a passion for podcasting working at The Week magazine and a passion for trivia appearing on University Challenge in 2011, making The Retrospectors her natural home.
ARION MCNICOLL
Arion started out in satirical news in Australia, then moved to the UK to work for ostensibly serious publications including The Times, CNN, and The Week… before realising that since around 2016 the news has all been satire really.
Do you have a day of note that we should cover? Or would you or your business like to support the podcast? Get in touch!
