Hidden Histories

May 07 2021 51 ep. 32 mins 2.5k

Hidden Histories Podcast artwork

Hidden Histories sees Helen Carr exploring some of the country's hidden treasures, as she and some of our finest historians scramble through the actual spaces where history happened. Whether she's visiting the whorehouses of Covent Garden, or retracing the steps of the Peasants Revolt, Helen and her guests are a delightful guide to the hidden histories that lie just off the beaten track.
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Sarah Goldsmith on the Grand Tour

May 07 2021 26 mins

Sarah Goldsmith talks about the Grand Tour as a rite of passage for young men. These young men went abroad to learn things about art and architecture. She also discusses the way the Grand Tour intersected with military rites of passage and how some grand tourists ended up at the Battle of Waterloo. To follow Sarah Goldsmith: @S_Goldsmith_This was produced in partnership with the Ar

Joanne Paul on Anne Dowriche and the French Revolution

May 06 2021 23 mins

Joanne Paul talks to Helen about Anne Dowriche. Dowriche was a 16th century writer, usually classified as a pious writer. Joanne casts her instead as a deeply political writer, and explains how her commentaries on the wars of religion were a rare example of political writing from a Tudor woman. To find out more about Joanne's work, follow her on Twitter: @Joanne_Paul_ Or check out

Rachel Hewitt on the History of Women, the Outdoors and the Safety of the Streets

May 05 2021 36 mins

Rachel Hewitt talks to Helen about women in sports and mountaineering, and how that plays into perceptions of women generally, as well as informing current gendered perceptions of who gets to use public spaces. Women are subject to a myriad network of social pressures, many of which are informed by previous perceptions of history. Sports play a large role in constructing such socia

Emily Cock on Disability in the Early Modern Period

May 04 2021 25 mins

Emily Cock talks to Helen about Thomas Fairfax, the Civil War general who used a wheelchair, as well as the history of disability more generally. What did it mean to have facial scars in the 17th century, and how did the Earl of Arlington use a scar on his nose to curry favour with Charles II?Thomas Fairfax's wheelchair: https://www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/military-hi

Louisa Egbunike on the Nigeria-Biafra War Through the Arts

May 03 2021 23 mins

Louisa Egbunike discusses the history of the Nigeria-Biafra war, and particularly how Nigerians responded to the war through the visual and written arts. To follow more of Louisa's work, follow her on twitter at @LouisaEgbunike. Unfortunately, there were a few connection issues in the recording of this podcast, and the sound may be a little patchy at times. Many apologies if you ha

Sophie Oliver on Jean Rhys

Apr 30 2021 22 mins

Sophie Oliver talks to Helen about Jean Rhys, the author of Wide Sargasso Sea, intended as a prequel to Jane Eyre. Sophie talks about how she practices history, and the role of objects in literary history.To follow Sophie's work: @sophieolive @LivUniEnglish @LivUniThis was produced in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Follow their work here: https://tw

Jon Healey on the Tumultuous 17th Century

Apr 29 2021 34 mins

Jon Healey discusses the 17th century in all its twists and folds and manifest complexity. He talks about the Royalists, the Parliamentarians, the Levellers, the Diggers, and the Quakers and what each group stood for and fought for, as well as the Glorious Revolution and tales of drunken cavaliers delivering sermons and placing their genitalia into wine cups.To follow Jon's work: @

Nandini Das on the Early Age of Travel

Apr 28 2021 31 mins

Nandini Das talks to Helen about the early age of travel in the Elizabethan era. This era saw the beginnings of travel, with the likes of Thomas Coryate creating 'travel wagers' - where he dared others to bet against him circumnavigating Europe. Nandini also reflects on immigration in the Elizabethan era, and she chronicles some of the similarities and differences around discussion

David Petts on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne

Apr 27 2021 27 mins

David Petts talks about Lindisfarne, the Holy Island. He talks about how St Cuthbert ended up as patron saint of the island, and how the practice of early Christians there. Since Lindisfarne is a tidal island, the coming and going of the tides was often compared with the parting of the Red Sea, and the sea itself was seen as a channel to God. To follow David's work, go here: @David

Emma Butcher on Children And Warfare In The 18th To The 21st Century

Apr 26 2021 34 mins

Emma Butcher talks to Helen about her work on children in warfare. They talk about why children enlisted, and what they did on the battlefield. They discuss the likes of Joseph Bara and Marjorie Fleming, as well as the many magical worlds created by the Bronte sisters. To find more of Emma's work, follow @EmmaButcher_ or see her website: https://www.emmabutcher.net/aboutThis was pr