This week on the show, it’s a veritable feast as we discuss some of the most infamous dinner parties from history. We’ve got the super-sweet suppers that the teenage Emperor Elagabulus loved to throw, the horrendous story of the Black Dinner at Edinburgh Castle in 1440 and finally, we’ll hear what spectators saw when they gathered round to watch Louis XIV eat his massive daily dinner. Lots of chat this week about stocks, pillories and the nature of Rod Stewart’s massive train set. If you’ve got ...
Jul 28, 2024•26 min•Ep. 59
This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed from yesterday! On the show this week we’re discussing some of the most absolutely disastrous ideas that history has to offer; we’ve got airships, the infamous Sinclair C5 and various attempts at creating ’smell-o-vision’ (which sometimes involved a ‘smell-brain’). Plus, we’re still struggling to get over the concept of trifle, especially with the possible inclusion of veal. If you’ve got any more of trifle, savoury trifle or anything on the worst exces...
Jul 22, 2024•28 min•Ep. 58
On the show this week we’re discussing some of the most absolutely disastrous ideas that history has to offer; we’ve got airships, the infamous Sinclair C5 and various attempts at creating ’smell-o-vision’ (which sometimes involved a ‘smell-brain’). Plus, we’re still struggling to get over the concept of trifle, especially with the possible inclusion of veal. If you’ve got any more of trifle, savoury trifle or anything on the worst excesses of Victorian cuisine, you know what to do: hello@ohwhat...
Jul 21, 2024•35 min•Ep. 58
This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed from yesterday! On the show this week we’re going mad for health and safety. We’ll be discussing what health and safety looked like in Ancient Rome, the various procedures in place in medieval monasteries and also, we’ll be talking about Peter Duncan cleaning the clockface of Big Ben in 1980 armed with only a mop, a plank and a rope. Lots to discuss elsewhere this week too: does buying a single toilet seat mean you’ll be buying toilet seats constantly f...
Jul 15, 2024•30 min•Ep. 57
On the show this week we’re going mad for health and safety. We’ll be discussing what health and safety looked like in Ancient Rome, the various procedures in place in medieval monasteries and also, we’ll be talking about Peter Duncan cleaning the clockface of Big Ben in 1980 armed with only a mop, a plank and a rope. Lots to discuss elsewhere this week too: does buying a single toilet seat mean you’ll be buying toilet seats constantly forever? Was landfill the golden age of rubbish? And what an...
Jul 14, 2024•37 min•Ep. 57
This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed from yesterday! This week we’re off the leash and talking about some of history’s most noteworthy animals. We’ll have Joséphine Bonaparte’s vertically challenged pet dog Fortune, Britain’s first zebra of note and the incredible story of the mayor of Texan town Lajitas (who just happens to be a goat called Clay Henry). Following on from our music episode, there’s lots of chat about our favourite non-lyrical aspects of songs. And in an OWAT first, Elis ta...
Jul 08, 2024•26 min•Ep. 56
This week we’re off the leash and talking about some of history’s most noteworthy animals. We’ll have Joséphine Bonaparte’s vertically challenged pet dog Fortune, Britain’s first zebra of note and the incredible story of the mayor of Texan town Lajitas (who just happens to be a goat called Clay Henry). Following on from our music episode, there’s lots of chat about our favourite non-lyrical aspects of songs. And in an OWAT first, Elis takes his place in the inaugural Plaudits Corner. If you want...
Jul 07, 2024•37 min•Ep. 56
This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed from yesterday! Fire up the orchestra because this week you’ll be listening to us talk about: Music. We’ve got for you the ancient music of Antiquity, Richard the Lionheart and his banging tunes and the history of songs being sung on the terraces. Lots and lots of chat this week about what it would be like to be trapped in a prison made of trifle. If you’ve got anything to add to the conversation, you can email us at: [email protected] If you're imp...
Jul 01, 2024•34 min•Ep. 54
Fire up the orchestra because this week you’ll be listening to us talk about: Music. We’ve got for you the ancient music of Antiquity, Richard the Lionheart and his banging tunes and the history of songs being sung on the terraces. Lots and lots of chat this week about what it would be like to be trapped in a prison made of trifle. If you’ve got anything to add to the conversation, you can email us at: [email protected] If you're impatient and want both parts in one lovely go next time plus ...
Jun 30, 2024•25 min•Ep. 54
This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed from yesterday! Cut a couple of holes in your newspaper and have a butchers at this week’s episode which is: Spies. We’ll be checking out how sophisticated spies were in Britain during the 1600s, we’ll be peeping on the secret police in Ancient Rome and we’ll be trying to spy on the spies of the BBC. And we’ve got more listener blunders this week to make Tom feel better. Have you done something as silly as accidentally packing a duffel coat thinking it ...
Jun 24, 2024•22 min•Ep. 53
Cut a couple of holes in your newspaper and have a butchers at this week’s episode which is: Spies. We’ll be checking out how sophisticated spies were in Britain during the 1600s, we’ll be peeping on the secret police in Ancient Rome and we’ll be trying to spy on the spies of the BBC. And we’ve got more listener blunders this week to make Tom feel better. Have you done something as silly as accidentally packing a duffel coat thinking it was a sleeping bag? If yes, you can email us at: hello@ohwh...
Jun 23, 2024•24 min•Ep. 53
This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed from yesterday! This week we’re darting around folk festivals from history to learn their strange traditions; we’ll be heading to Lincolnshire to learn about the Haxey Hood, to Gloucester for the Cheese Rolling and finally off to America to learn of the once enormously popular phenomenon of Horse Diving. And was telly better when it ended around midnight and signed off with the national anthem? The answer is yes, so don’t add to that debate. But if you’...
Jun 17, 2024•29 min•Ep. 52
This week we’re darting around folk festivals from history to learn their strange traditions; we’ll be heading to Lincolnshire to learn about the Haxey Hood, to Gloucester for the Cheese Rolling and finally off to America to learn of the once enormously popular phenomenon of Horse Diving. And was telly better when it ended around midnight and signed off with the national anthem? The answer is yes, so don’t add to that debate. But if you’ve got anything else you can email: [email protected] I...
Jun 16, 2024•28 min•Ep. 52
This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed from yesterday! This week on the show we’re discussing the magnificent inventions invented by early US Presidents! For you we have George Washington’s threshing barn (not a pub), Thomas Jefferson’s wheelie chair (as exciting as it sounds) and Benjamin Franklin’s lightning rod (not as rude as it sounds). When exactly was the golden age of parking? We can’t decide if it was the coin-based or app-based eras. If you have anything on parking, inventions or a...
Jun 10, 2024•28 min•Ep. 50
This week on the show we’re discussing the magnificent inventions invented by early US Presidents! For you we have George Washington’s threshing barn (not a pub), Thomas Jefferson’s wheelie chair (as exciting as it sounds) and Benjamin Franklin’s lightning rod (not as rude as it sounds). When exactly was the golden age of parking? We can’t decide if it was the coin-based or app-based eras. If you have anything on parking, inventions or anything else, you know what to do: [email protected] If...
Jun 09, 2024•31 min•Ep. 50
This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed from yesterday! It’s our first ever sequel episode and this week we’re looking at one of our favourite subjects: Blunders. We’ll be discussing a man often regarded as one of the worst US Presidents ever, Andrew Johnson (not the striker or Elis’ old flatmate), the Swiss Army and how they accidentally invaded another country and how the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II got soundly beaten on the battlefield. This week we found out that Tom literally once hit t...
Jun 03, 2024•24 min•Ep. 49
It’s our first ever sequel episode and this week we’re looking at one of our favourite subjects: Blunders. We’ll be discussing a man often regarded as one of the worst US Presidents ever, Andrew Johnson (not the striker or Elis’ old flatmate), the Swiss Army and how they accidentally invaded another country and how the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II got soundly beaten on the battlefield. This week we found out that Tom literally once hit the headlines and that headline was ‘IDIOT’. We also heard o...
Jun 02, 2024•28 min•Ep. 49
This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed from yesterday! Let’s point our ears in the direction of some of the greatest oratory from history, because this week we’re discussing: Speeches. Henry V’s St Crispin’s Day speech (both in fiction and non-fiction), Elizabeth I at Tilbury and the campaigning of John Petts. We found out this week that Tom Craine’s favourite speech was performed by THAT guy from Come Dine With Me. Can you name a better speech? On this and anything else, you can email us at...
May 27, 2024•31 min•Ep. 48
Let’s point our ears in the direction of some of the greatest oratory from history, because this week we’re discussing: Speeches. Henry V’s St Crispin’s Day speech (both in fiction and non-fiction), Elizabeth I at Tilbury and the campaigning of John Petts. We found out this week that Tom Craine’s favourite speech was performed by THAT guy from Come Dine With Me. Can you name a better speech? On this and anything else, you can email us at: [email protected] If you're impatient and want both p...
May 26, 2024•32 min•Ep. 48
This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed from yesterday! It’s time to take a look at some of the most infamous criminals history has to offer; the story of Bonnie and Clyde, the infamous Al Capone and American crime boss Arnold ‘The Brain’ Rothstein. Also.. What were you doing during the great storms of the past? If you’ve got anything on that or anything at all! Do send us an email at: [email protected] If you're impatient and want both parts in one lovely go next time plus a whole lot mo...
May 20, 2024•33 min•Ep. 47
It’s time to take a look at some of the most infamous criminals history has to offer; the story of Bonnie and Clyde, the infamous Al Capone and American crime boss Arnold ‘The Brain’ Rothstein. Also.. What were you doing during the great storms of the past? If you’ve got anything on that or anything at all! Do send us an email at: [email protected] If you're impatient and want both parts in one lovely go next time plus a whole lot more(!), why not treat yourself and become an Oh What A Time:...
May 19, 2024•27 min•Ep. 47
This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed from yesterday! This week on the we’re discussing Gangs ie. proper mean ones so not the Scouts (Chris) or the Boys Brigade (Elis). We’ll be taking a look at some of the razor gangs of Glasgow, the infamous American mafia and going back in time to see what gangland was like in Medieval Britain. Have you ever landed on a rhubarb patch? Would you like to live on Cockney Island? And want to hear what Welsh sounds like in another accent? You know what to do,...
May 13, 2024•37 min•Ep. 45
This week on the we’re discussing Gangs ie. proper mean ones so not the Scouts (Chris) or the Boys Brigade (Elis). We’ll be taking a look at some of the razor gangs of Glasgow, the infamous American mafia and going back in time to see what gangland was like in Medieval Britain. Have you ever landed on a rhubarb patch? Would you like to live on Cockney Island? And want to hear what Welsh sounds like in another accent? You know what to do, drop us an email at: [email protected] If you're impat...
May 12, 2024•35 min•Ep. 45
This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed from yesterday! This week we’re talking about unique weather events through history. From the great freeze of 1899 that plunged Miami to sub-zero temperatures, the great storm (in the UK) of 1987 (and how badly Michael Fish got it all BANG WRONG) and of course, the LONG-HOT-SUMMER-OF-NINETEEN-SEVENTY-SIX (which Elis’ parents WILL NOT STOP GOING ON ABOUT). Plus there’s even more Jeremy Bentham bantz. And if you want to get in touch with the show, you kno...
May 06, 2024•28 min•Ep. 44
This week we’re talking about unique weather events through history. From the great freeze of 1899 that plunged Miami to sub-zero temperatures, the great storm (in the UK) of 1987 (and how badly Michael Fish got it all BANG WRONG) and of course, the LONG-HOT-SUMMER-OF-NINETEEN-SEVENTY-SIX (which Elis’ parents WILL NOT STOP GOING ON ABOUT). Plus there’s even more Jeremy Bentham bantz. And if you want to get in touch with the show, you know what to do: [email protected] And YES! You may have s...
May 05, 2024•25 min•Ep. 44
This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed from yesterday! In this episode we’ll be taking a look at incredible stories of survival through history; from the men of the American Civil War who had their lives saved via a Bible in their pocket, Alexander Selkirk - the man whose story inspired Robinson Crusoe, Violet Jessop - who survived three infamous ships of the White Star Line and the bonus bit for the OWAT: Full Timers this week is ‘the miracle of the Andes’ ie. the story of the Uruguayan rug...
Apr 29, 2024•36 min•Ep. 39
In this episode we’ll be taking a look at incredible stories of survival through history; from the men of the American Civil War who had their lives saved via a Bible in their pocket, Alexander Selkirk - the man whose story inspired Robinson Crusoe, Violet Jessop - who survived three infamous ships of the White Star Line and the bonus bit for the OWAT: Full Timers this week is ‘the miracle of the Andes’ ie. the story of the Uruguayan rugby team who survived a plane crash in the Andes and were fo...
Apr 28, 2024•32 min•Ep. 39
This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed from yesterday! This week we’re looking at some of the all-time great corpses. We’ll be taking a look at the Tollund Man, a whole bunch of corpses still on display around the world, what the Roman’s did with corpses; plus our bonus bit for the OWAT: Full Timers this week is the yarn of what happened to William The Conquerer’s mortal remains. Plus, Corrections Corner is back and it’s Tom on the naughty step. We also get to hear what Welsh sounds like in ...
Apr 22, 2024•23 min•Ep. 38
This week we’re looking at some of the all-time great corpses. We’ll be taking a look at the Tollund Man, a whole bunch of corpses still on display around the world, what the Roman’s did with corpses; plus our bonus bit for the OWAT: Full Timers this week is the yarn of what happened to William The Conquerer’s mortal remains. Plus, Corrections Corner is back and it’s Tom on the naughty step. We also get to hear what Welsh sounds like in a Manchester accent. If you’ve got anything to send our way...
Apr 21, 2024•24 min•Ep. 38
This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed from yesterday! This week on the show we’re taking a trip to 10 Downing Street to analyse Prime Ministers from yonder. We’ll be taking a look at Lloyd George, Margaret Thatcher, Ramsey MacDonald and the full timers will this week get their bonus 4th part on Robert Walpole (who was not, I repeat NOT, the world’s tallest man). On that note, is it possible to look 22 years old when you’re nearly 9ft? And Elis’ mum would regularly walk two miles to school w...
Apr 15, 2024•36 min•Ep. 37
