Episodes

Nine year-old ‘Little Hugh’ went missing in Lincoln on 31st July, 1255. A popular narrative emerged that local Jews (in fact gathering for a wedding) had kidnapped, tortured, and crucified him, perhaps even eating his blood; an antisemitic myth that persisted for centuries, only called out by the Church of England in 1955. A local […]

The final episode of ‘Top Of The Pops’ aired on 30th July, 2006. Co-hosted by necrophiliac paedophile Jimmy Savile, the BBC institution ended after 42 years with little fanfare and no live performances. In this episode, The Retospectors consider whether TOTP could or should have survived longer into the 21st century; unpick what lay behind

King Louis Philippe unveiled an iconic Parisian monument, the Arc De Triomphe, on 29th July, 1836. But, due to fears of an attack, only 11 people attended the event – six of whom were soldiers.  Originally commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 after his victory at Austerlitz, the Arc was inspired by the ancient Roman triumphal

Rerun: Linguist L. L. Zamenhof published ‘Dr. Esperanto’s International Language’ on 26th July, 1887 – and in so doing launched Esperanto, the most popular ‘constructed language’ on Earth. Thanks to apps like Duolingo, there are still around 2 million esperantists today. It was once even proposed as the official language of the incipient League of

American professor Hiram Bingham “discovered” Machu Picchu on 24th July, 1911 – though he initially misidentified it as Vilcabamba, the last stronghold of the Inca civilization during the Spanish conquest. Unlike Vilcabamba, Machu Picchu was built at the peak of the Inca Empire’s glory. Believed to have been a winter retreat for the Inca elite,

The world’s first ice cream cone – credited by thousands of thrilled visitors was said to have occurred at the St Louis World’s Fair, on July 23rd, 1904. What’s less clear is which of the fair’s vendors first concocted the viral treat: Charles E. Menches, Ernest Hamwi, Abe Doumar, Albert and Nick Kabbaz, Arnold Fornachou

What happened to the ‘Lost Colony’ at Roanoke? It’s a mystery that’s intrigued American historians for centuries – and one that began on 22nd July, 1587, when the settlers, led by John White, first landed there; only to discover that a previous colony had been wiped out by hostile tribespeople. This new settlement, however, was

Rerun: The world’s biggest-selling chocolate bar underwent a name-change in Britain on 19th July, 1990. Until then – concerned that Brits might refer to their candy as ‘knickers’ – Snickers had been known as ‘Marathon’ in the UK.  31 years later, the decision still smarts for some sections of the confectionary-buying public – but, thanks

Punch Magazine published its first edition on 17th July, 1841. Subtitled ‘the London Charivari’, the weekly periodical aimed to carve a niche in the market with less crude and bawdy satire compared to its contemporaries.  Its early days were challenging, with poor circulation and financial troubles. But, as it gained in popularity and influence, it

The world’s first parking meter was installed in Oklahoma City on July 16th, 1935. Park-O-Meter No. 1 was the brainchild Carl C. Magee, who’d moved to Oklahoma after being acquitted of manslaughter in New Mexico. Indignant opponents of his system considered paying for parking to be un-American, as it forced drivers to pay what amounted