Episodes
There’s Something About Mary
The Pope defined the dogma of The Immaculate Conception – confirming that, in the view of the Catholic Church, Christ’s mother Mary had not only been ‘full of grace’, but was completely absent of sin even at her own conception – on 8th December, 1854. Despite this having been an unofficial concept amongst the faithful […]
There’s Something About Mary Read More »
RETRO
The Pope defined the dogma of The Immaculate Conception – confirming that, in the view of the Catholic Church, Christ’s mother Mary had not only been ‘full of grace’, but was completely absent of sin even at her own conception – on 8th December, 1854. Despite this having been an unofficial concept amongst the faithful
Morecambe, Wise & Mr Preview
Oscar-winning conductor André Previn was an unlikely choice of celebrity guest for the Christmas special of ‘The Morcambe and Wise Show’ recorded on 7th December, 1971 – but the 13-minute sketch they taped together remains one of Britain’s all-time favourites. The music hall-style caper – which revolves around a comically catastrophic interpretation of Grieg’s Piano
Morecambe, Wise & Mr Preview Read More »
RETRO
Oscar-winning conductor André Previn was an unlikely choice of celebrity guest for the Christmas special of ‘The Morcambe and Wise Show’ recorded on 7th December, 1971 – but the 13-minute sketch they taped together remains one of Britain’s all-time favourites. The music hall-style caper – which revolves around a comically catastrophic interpretation of Grieg’s Piano
Joyce Brothers, $64,000 Swot
A female contestant had never scooped the jackpot on an American TV quiz show before New York psychologist Dr Joyce Brothers won $64,000 on 6th December, 1955. Her specialist subject was boxing – a topic about which she knew little, until she devoted herself to studying the annals of the sport in preparation for multiple
Joyce Brothers, $64,000 Swot Read More »
RETRO
A female contestant had never scooped the jackpot on an American TV quiz show before New York psychologist Dr Joyce Brothers won $64,000 on 6th December, 1955. Her specialist subject was boxing – a topic about which she knew little, until she devoted herself to studying the annals of the sport in preparation for multiple
The Potato-Porting Polymath
Renaissance Man Thomas Harriot was noted for many things – devising the theory of refraction, creating mathematical symbols including ‘greater than’ and ‘lesser than’, and being the first person to draw the Moon through a telescope. But the contribution for which he’s most remembered is bringing back the potato to Britain – an event commonly
The Potato-Porting Polymath Read More »
RETRO
Renaissance Man Thomas Harriot was noted for many things – devising the theory of refraction, creating mathematical symbols including ‘greater than’ and ‘lesser than’, and being the first person to draw the Moon through a telescope. But the contribution for which he’s most remembered is bringing back the potato to Britain – an event commonly
Heidi Fleiss, Hollywood Madam
Tinseltown’s most notorious pimp was convicted of providing high-class ‘call girls’ to undercover police officers on 2nd December, 1994. It followed a dramatic sting involving the LAPD, the Beverly Hills police department, the state alcoholic beverage control agency and the state attorney General’s office. They seized her ‘little black book’ (actually a red Gucci diary)
Heidi Fleiss, Hollywood Madam Read More »
RETRO
Tinseltown’s most notorious pimp was convicted of providing high-class ‘call girls’ to undercover police officers on 2nd December, 1994. It followed a dramatic sting involving the LAPD, the Beverly Hills police department, the state alcoholic beverage control agency and the state attorney General’s office. They seized her ‘little black book’ (actually a red Gucci diary)
There’s Poison In My Pint
Thousands of beer barrels were emptied into the streets across Lancashire on 1st December, 1900 – when it finally dawned on people that the cheap stout they’d been drinking was contaminated with arsenic. Over 6,000 members of the public were poisoned, mostly across Manchester and Salford, thanks to the practice of breweries padding out the barley
There’s Poison In My Pint Read More »
RETRO
Thousands of beer barrels were emptied into the streets across Lancashire on 1st December, 1900 – when it finally dawned on people that the cheap stout they’d been drinking was contaminated with arsenic. Over 6,000 members of the public were poisoned, mostly across Manchester and Salford, thanks to the practice of breweries padding out the barley
Football’s First International
England played Scotland in a publicly-advertised game for the first time on 30th November, 1872 – kickstarting international football as we know it today. The English team included players drafted in from Oxford University. The Scottish team was entirely made up of teammates from Queen’s Park. The score was 0-0. Much of the game was
Football’s First International Read More »
RETRO
England played Scotland in a publicly-advertised game for the first time on 30th November, 1872 – kickstarting international football as we know it today. The English team included players drafted in from Oxford University. The Scottish team was entirely made up of teammates from Queen’s Park. The score was 0-0. Much of the game was
Concorde – The Future of Flight
Supersonic aircraft took a giant leap forward when the French and British governments signed a treaty to join forces on designing Concorde on 29th November, 1962. Up until this point, the two countries had been developing their aircraft separately – which had already cost the United Kingdom £150 million. Technologically superior and far more luxurious
Concorde – The Future of Flight Read More »
RETRO
Supersonic aircraft took a giant leap forward when the French and British governments signed a treaty to join forces on designing Concorde on 29th November, 1962. Up until this point, the two countries had been developing their aircraft separately – which had already cost the United Kingdom £150 million. Technologically superior and far more luxurious
Signal-Jamming Aliens
Your TV signal wobbles. An alien voice (albeit one with a Southern English accent…) seizes control of your set. And, instead of newsreader Andrew Gardner reporting on the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army, you hear a voice claiming to be ‘Vrillon’, of Ashtar Galactic Command, with a message for humanity. Such was the experience for
Signal-Jamming Aliens Read More »
RETRO
Your TV signal wobbles. An alien voice (albeit one with a Southern English accent…) seizes control of your set. And, instead of newsreader Andrew Gardner reporting on the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army, you hear a voice claiming to be ‘Vrillon’, of Ashtar Galactic Command, with a message for humanity. Such was the experience for
Elizabeth of Russia’s Bloodless Coup
Wearing an armoured breastplate, clasping a silver cross and seizing an Army spontoon, 31 year old Elizabeth Petrovna appeared at the HQ of the elite Preobrazhensky Regiment guards in St. Petersburg on 25th November, 1741 – intent on over-throwing Tzar Ivan VI (a baby), and seizing the Russian throne for herself. Although she was the
Elizabeth of Russia’s Bloodless Coup Read More »
RETRO
Wearing an armoured breastplate, clasping a silver cross and seizing an Army spontoon, 31 year old Elizabeth Petrovna appeared at the HQ of the elite Preobrazhensky Regiment guards in St. Petersburg on 25th November, 1741 – intent on over-throwing Tzar Ivan VI (a baby), and seizing the Russian throne for herself. Although she was the