Today In History with The Retrospectors

Chicagoans gathered around their radio sets on 10th September, 1924 - to hear Judge John R. Caverly sentence wealthy teenagers and lovers Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb to life in prison for the brutal murder of 14-year-old Bobby Franks. The couple showed no remorse, exhibited a complete lack of empathy, and said they had committed their crime "because we damn well wanted to", but were nonetheless spared the death penalty following the passionate defense submitted by their attorney, the celebrated campaigner Clarence Darrow. In this edition, The Retrospectors explore how classism intersected with blood-lust when it came to the public perception of the pair’s propsective punishment; explore how Nietzsche's concept of the Superman influenced their acts; and explain why their ill-conceived plan to extort ransom money failed so spectacularly… Content Warning: Descriptions of Violence/Murder. Further Reading: • ‘Leopold and Loeb: 90 Years Later, Finding the Truth’ (CrimeReads, 2018): https://crimereads.com/leopold-and-loeb-90-years-later-finding-the-truth/ • ‘Leopold and Loeb's Criminal Minds’ (Smithsonian Magazine, 2008): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/leopold-and-loebs-criminal-minds-996498/ • ‘Darrow’ (Atlantis Films, 1991): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQzN9mtvLvM This episode first premiered in 2023, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks! We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The viral phrase ‘OMG’ has a much longer history than you might think… first being recorded on 9th September, 1917, in a letter from Lord John Fisher, a 75-year-old retired admiral, to Winston Churchill. Fisher used it sarcastically, riffing on the idea of a new order of knighthood; playing off the similar-sounding "OM," the Order of Merit, which he himself had received. While his pun was witty, the abbreviation didn’t catch on at the time, and the acronym stayed buried in history until the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) uncovered it decades later, whilst preparing their 2011 edition. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how OMG resurfaced in 1994, in a soap opera message board; delve into a potted history of abbreviations, from Queen Victoria’s shorthand to Twitter; and reveal the meaning of another of Lord Fisher’s favourite phrases - "Buggin's Turn"… Further Reading: • ‘The First Use of OMG Was in a 1917 Letter to Winston Churchill’ (Smithsonian Magazine, 2012): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-first-use-of-omg-was-in-a-1917-letter-to-winston-churchill-145636383/ • ‘OMG: The creator of the abbreviation 'would have loved emojis'’ (BBC News, 2020): https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-54893939 • ‘The Curious Origins of Popular Sayings’ (Hochelaga, 2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlin1W-qThs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: Clarence Saunders opened the world’s first self-service supermarket, ‘Piggly Wiggly’, in Memphis, Tennessee on 6th September, 1916. Calculating that the revenues gained through impulse purchases would outweigh those lost from shoplifting, Saunders’ concept forever changed the world of shopping for groceries - but his business acumen did not last. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly review Saunders’ promotional hustles; weigh up the items in a shopping basket of the era; and reveal how ‘Piggly Wiggly’ (almost certainly) gained its distinctive name... Further Reading: • ‘The Untold Truth Of Piggly Wiggly’ (Mashed, 2021): https://www.mashed.com/426197/the-untold-truth-of-piggly-wiggly/ • ‘America's First Supermarket at 100: How It Changed the World’ (Time, 2016): https://time.com/4480303/supermarkets-history/ • ‘Piggly Wiggly, the first true grocery store - Life in America’ (Recollection Road, 2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVvgAd_5vpo 'Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday… … But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: Peter The Great levied a tax on facial hair on 5th September, 1698, requiring every man in Moscow to shave or stump up some cash - although there were exemptions for the Orthodox Church. The hare-brained scheme occurred to the eccentric Peter on his expeditions through Europe, where he came to see clean chins as symbolic of progress and sophistication. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly uncover Peter’s other ‘European rules of comportment’; convert the costs of Peter’s taxes into the highly-relatable metric of ‘sturgeon from North’; and reveal how a similar tax was proposed in New Jersey as recently as 1907… Further Reading: • ‘Russia: A Reference Guide from the Renaissance to the Present’ (Mauricio Borrero, 2009): https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Russia/dhm0cGdrTOIC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=beard+tax+1698&pg=PA83&printsec=frontcover • ‘10 terrible taxes in history’ (HistoryExtra, 2018): https://www.historyextra.com/period/general-history/10-terrible-taxes/ • ‘Ten Minute History - Peter the Great and the Russian Empire’ (History Matters, 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tBNr2gjAA0 Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday… … But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When 90 Irish nobles, led by the Earl of Tyrconnell and the Earl of Tyrone, fled for Normandy in the dead of night on 4th September, 1607, their intentions were not entirely clear. Their escape, which became known as the ‘Flight of the Earls’, was mainly a bid for freedom from the tightening grip of English Protestant rule - but did they intend to return, securing support for a rebellion against England en route? Or simply seek refuge in Rome, amidst an increasingly impossible situation for Catholics after the Nine Years’ War? In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly reveal how the slow deterioration of the Irish lords’ status - giving up their titles, language, religion and private armies - led to this moment; consider why other European nations were not keen to support their cause militarily; and explain how one of their progeny ended up in Eton after being abandoned in Ireland… Further Reading: • ‘The Flight of the Earls’ (History Today, 2007): https://www.historytoday.com/archive/flight-earls • ’Rome to mark Flight of the Earls’ (The Irish Times, 2008): https://www.irishtimes.com/news/rome-to-mark-flight-of-the-earls-1.911911 • ’The Flight of the Earls - Dr Hiram Morgan’ (Hill of The O'Neill & Ranfurly House, 2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38QJXROmRVk Love the show? Support us! Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY… … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today’s episode Arion, Rebecca and Olly look into the founding of the massive multinational e-commerce company eBay. On the day it went live it was named AuctionWeb, and was just one project among many being built by its creator, Pierre Omidyar. In fact, a significant part of the site was dedicated to information about Ebola, which happened to be a pet interest of Omidyar. In this episode, The Retrospectors put to bed the myth that eBay was short for “EbolaBay”; list all the things that you cannot sell on the site; and reveal Olly’s first ever eBay purchase… Further Reading: ‘The Small-Scale Story Behind eBay's Big Bucks’ (Time magazine, 2015): https://time.com/4013672/ebay-founded-story/ ‘25 years on since the birth of eBay, a true giant of modern computing’ (The National, 2020): https://www.thenational.scot/news/18693304.25-years-since-birth-ebay-true-giant-modern-computing/ ‘eBay - How It Started’ (Company Man; 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkEorxAxFXo This episode first premiered in 2023, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks! We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Millperra, a quiet suburb in southwest Sydney, is now best known for a tragic event that took place on 2nd September, 1984: a violent shootout between two biker gangs, the Comancheros and the Bandidos, which became known as the ‘Father’s Day Massacre’. As 19 armed Comancheros ambushed the Bandidos in a car park during a motorcycle swap meet, the situation quickly spiralled out of control, with gunfire erupting and innocent bystanders, including an innocent 15 year-old girl, Leanne Walters, caught in the crossfire. The brutality of the event shocked the nation, with eyewitnesses describing a scene of unimaginable horror, with bikers and bystanders alike caught in a bloody battle. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain what Rule 4 of the gang - "No screwing another member's old lady" - had to do with the battle; marvel at the composure of the bikies who paused their fighting to go and get beers; and reveal what Jock Ross, the man at the centre of the conflict, went on to do next… Further Reading: • ’The Milperra bikie massacre’ (Sydney Morning Herald, 1984): https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/from-the-archives-1984-the-milperra-bikie-massacre-20190826-p52kvb.html • ‘Witnesses recall the Milperra massacre 30 years on’ (ABC News, 2014): https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-02/30th-anniversary-of-the-milperra-massacre-brings-back-bad-memor/5712522 • ‘The Father's Day Massacre: The worst bikie violence in the world’ (60 Minutes Australia, 2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6G38Lbrn9Q Love the show? Support us! Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY… … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: After the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Soviets and Americans agreed to install a ‘hot line’ between their Presidents. On 30th August, 1963, a 10,000 mile transatlantic Washington-Moscow cable went live from the Pentagon to Red Square. In the public imagination (in part thanks to Kubrik’s ‘Dr Strangelove’), it remains a red telephone - but it is, in fact, a pair of beige teletype machines that each required ten staff to operate. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why, prior to this, diplomacy was often being skipped altogether in favour of inflammatory radio broadcasts; consider what the messages the two nations send each other can tell us about their cultural differences; and marvel at just how much geopolitics hinges on whether two particular world leaders like each other… Further Reading: • 'Hot line' between Washington and Moscow to be opened’ (The Guardian, 1963): https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/31/hot-line-between-washington-and-moscow-1963-archive • ‘There Never Was Such a Thing as a Red Phone in the White House’ (Smithsonian Magazine, 2013): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/there-never-was-such-a-thing-as-a-red-phone-in-the-white-house-1129598/?no-ist • ‘History Of The Moscow-Washington ‘Red Phone’’ (NBC News, 2017): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR5Z8jYRyFo Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday… … But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Silicon Valley entrepreneurs Reed Hastings and Mark Randolph registered the website that would become Netflix on 29th August, 1997, they named it ‘Kibble’ after a previous idea they had for a dogfood company. But their new concept - mailing DVDs out in the post - would become one of the big success stories of the dotcom era. To test the model, they sent a Patsy Cline CD through the mail; within a year, they had 30 employees and a growing library of nearly 1,000 DVDs. Their first day saw them ship 137 DVDs, crashing their servers from unexpected demand. Despite the challenges, by 2005, they were mailing out a million DVDs a day, making Netflix a significant player in the DVD rental market - and positioning them perfectly to revolutionise the industry all over again with online streaming. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why Blockbuster (the then-giant in movie rentals) turned down the opportunity to buy up Netflix for just $50 million; consider Hastings’ apocryphal origin story; and reveal how the founders created not one, but two game-changing TV companies… Further Reading: • ‘Netflix: Did one late video really bring down Blockbuster empire? (News.com.au, 2020): https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/other-industries/true-story-behind-netflixs-rise-and-the-downfall-of-blockbuster/news-story/407f8f2305d2800125b3cc9329c48bc4 • ‘Netflix's 20th Anniversary Is Nice, But It Doesn't Matter’ (WIRED, 2017): https://www.wired.com/story/netflix-20th-anniversary/ • ‘Netflix ad’ (Netflix, 1998): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akWxRqObbEM Love the show? Support us! Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY… … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Larry Donovan made headlines by jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge on 28th August, 1886: a daring feat that earned him the name of the ‘Champion Jumper of the World’ and a reputation for daredevil jumps that ultimately led to his early death. Donovan, who worked for the Police Gazette, an early men's magazine filled with sensational stories, prepared for the jump via a mix of practicality and showmanship, deploying weighted shoes to maintain his posture during the fall and padded leggings for protection, but also a black derby hat for style. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly discover the 1880s meme for jumping off bridges; consider why Donovan never attracted the devoted following in Britain he had managed to achieve in America; and reveal how a drunken bet brought the story of this early viral star to a tragic end… CONTENT WARNING: reference to suicide, death by jumping Further Reading: • ‘Larry Donovan, 1880s Bridge Jumper, Lived Too Soon’ (Atlas Obscura, 2017): https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/larry-donovan-bridge-jumper • ’Steve Brodie and the Brooklyn Bridge’ (ThoughtCo, 2017): https://www.thoughtco.com/steve-brodie-and-the-brooklyn-bridge-1773925 • ‘The Infamous Eiffel Tower Death Jump of 1912’ (Content Warning: Death) (Bailey James, 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDUYPrKKM5M Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The awesome, brutal power of the Krakatoa eruption, which had the explosive force of a 200-megatonne bomb, killed more than 36,000 people and cooled the entire Earth by an average of 0.6°C. Curiously, Krakatoa is not the most powerful volcanic eruption in history, but it is perhaps the most famous because it became one of the first global catastrophes, due in large part to the newly installed worldwide telegraphic network that allowed newspapers to broadcast news of the eruption all over the globe. In this episode, The Retrospectors discuss how Krakatoa’s eruption may have inspired Edvard Munch’s The Scream; reveal why, instead of fleeing, locals held festivals when the volcano began to smoke; and explain why, if you are ever find yourself captaining a large ship during a tsunami, you may want to consider sailing towards the wave rather than away from it… Further Reading: ‘Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded’ (Penguin, 2004): https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Krakatoa/Qmz4HFv-IeoC?hl=en&gbpv=0 ‘Krakatoa is still active, and we are not ready for the tsunamis another eruption would generate’ (The Conversation, 2020): https://theconversation.com/krakatoa-is-still-active-and-we-are-not-ready-for-the-tsunamis-another-eruption-would-generate-147250 ‘Krakatoa: The Volcanic Eruption That Shook The World’ (Our World, 2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrFm3HtL8_M Thanks so much for supporting the show! We massively appreciate it. The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Edit producer: Ollie Peart Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: Howard Hawks’ film noir ‘The Big Sleep’ finally hit cinemas on 23rd August, 1946, after extra crowd-pleasing repartee had been inserted, featuring real life couple Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. But more flirtation meant less exposition - making the plot of the detective story notoriously difficult to follow, even to the extent that the filmmakers had to call author Raymond Chandler to ask him who had killed one of the characters. In this episode, Rebecca, Arion and Olly explain why the Hays censorship code compounded an already confusing script; reveal William Faulkner’s left-field approach to WFH; and consider why - on the silver screen, anyway - women appeared to fall at Bogart’s feet… Further Reading: • ‘The Big Sleep: Proof That Plot Doesn’t Matter’ (Den of Geek, 2019): https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-big-sleep-proof-that-plot-doesn-t-matter/ • ‘Homosexuality and the Production Code –The Big Sleep’ (Sophie Hagberg, 2014): https://sophiehagbergscrn131.wordpress.com/2014/03/17/homosexuality-and-the-production-code-the-big-sleep-1946/ • ‘They’re Together Again!’ (Official Trailer, 1946): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-K49CUaeto Thanks so much for supporting the show! We massively appreciate it. The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Edit producer: Ollie Peart Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: The world’s first notable air raid occurred on 22nd August, 1849, when the Austrian Army attacked Venice using a fleet of 200 miniature hot air balloons, each delivering a 33lb pound bomb. Following a disastrous first attempt - when the balloons blew back on to their own men - this time the Austrians equipped each balloon with a long copper wire to trigger the detonation. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly weigh up if the event had a decisive effect on their recapture of the Italian city; consider the psychological impact of attacking from the skies; and reveal why a ‘drone’ is called a drone… Further Reading: • ‘Bombs over Venice’ (History Today, 1958): https://www.historytoday.com/archive/bombs-over-venice • ‘Drones in Society’ by Ron Bartsch, James Coyne and Katherine Gray (Taylor & Francis, 2016) : https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Drones_in_Society/7CglDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=1849+austrian+venice+balloon&pg=PA20&printsec=frontcover • ‘Planehook Stories: The Siege of Venice’ (Droneport Texas): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQQhrd7_32w ‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday… … But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The creation of Haiti was the culmination of a slave revolt that began on a stormy night in the dense woods of Bois Caïman in Saint-Domingue, on 21st September, 1791, when a Voodoo ceremony led by the Jamaican-born priest Dutty Boukman called upon the enslaved Africans to reject their masters and embrace freedom in a bloody uprising. Saint-Domingue was France’s most lucrative colony, producing vast quantities of sugar, coffee, cotton, and indigo. However, this wealth came at an enormous human cost. The brutal conditions on the plantations, exacerbated by rampant diseases like yellow fever, led to a staggering death rate among the enslaved population. Meanwhile the French colonists, who were vastly outnumbered by the enslaved Africans, lived in constant fear of rebellion. When it came, the uprising rapidly gained momentum, destroying hundreds of plantations and killing thousands of white colonists within weeks. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how the revolution was not actually intended to separate Haiti from France; consider how Toussaint Louverture rose through the ranks to command a formidable army and confront Napoleon’s forces; and reveal how the Haitian flag came to be… Further Reading: • ‘Haitian Revolution (1791-1804) • Global African History’ (Blackpast, 2007): https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/haitian-revolution-1791-1804/ • ’How Toussaint L'ouverture Rose from Slavery to Lead the Haitian Revolution’ (HISTORY, 2021): https://www.history.com/news/toussaint-louverture-haiti-revolution • ’The Haitian Revolution - Liberation’ (Extra History, 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfLskhmVd7k Love the show? Support us! Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY… … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Winston Churchill had only been Prime Minister for three months when, on 20th August, 1940, he delivered ‘The Few’ - one of his most iconic speeches - in the House of Commons. Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider how and why Churchill’s paean to the courage of RAF pilots during the Battle of Britain has been so well-remembered - albeit mainly for a quote that appears in the middle of a lengthy address: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few”. In this episode, The Retrospectors reveal why Churchill laboured for hours on his most famous speeches; consider how his pronouncements played a crucial role in boosting national morale; and explore how he himself transformed from a divisive figure to a unifying PM during this pivotal time in British history... Thanks for supporting our show! Further Reading: • ‘The Few’ (International Churchill Society): https://winstonchurchill.org/resources/speeches/1940-the-finest-hour/the-few/ • ‘8 Of Winston Churchill's Best Speeches – Chosen By His Grandson’ (HistoryExtra, 2021): https://www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/churchills-greatest-speeches/ • ‘How Winston Churchill's Speeches helped to win WW2’ (Imperial War Museums, 2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3I_-5njblk This episode first premiered in 2023, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks! We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A whopping 40,000 spectators gathered at Burkhart Hill in Dayton, Ohio, to witness the first-ever All American Soapbox Derby on August 19th, 1934. Hundreds of kids, aged 10 to 15, raced in homemade cars built from recycled materials and old pram and bike wheels, all powered solely by gravity. The event originated in 1933 when young William Condit and his friends were encouraged by his father to organise a race, which drew the attention of the Dayton Daily News. Myron Scott, a photographer for the paper, saw the potential for a larger event, leading to the first official race in 1934, with 362 children participating, creating a local sensation. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how the sport snowballed into a national obsession; reveal that girls as well as boys played an early role in the contest; and explain how a cheating scandal in 1973 nearly saw the wheels come off.... Further Reading: • ‘Myron E. Scott, 91, Ohioan Who Created Soap Box Derby’ (The New York Times, 1998): https://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/08/sports/myron-e-scott-91-ohioan-who-created-soap-box-derby.html • ’August 19, 1934 - The First All American Soap Box Derby’ (This Day In Automotive History, 2021): https://automotivehistory.org/first-all-american-soap-box-derby-race/ • ‘All American Soap Box Derby’ (1934): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiG5pzTmFR0 Love the show? Support us! Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY… … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: Conjoined teenagers Chang and Eng Bunker began their world tour in Boston, Massachusetts on 16th August, 1829. ‘Discovered’ by Scotsman Robert Hunter in Siam (now Thailand), the boys inspired the term ‘Siamese Twins’, despite being ethnically Chinese. Chang was a heavy drinker, and Eng was a teetotaller - yet they shared a liver. They had faced discrimination in the US, yet became slave-owning plantation owners in North Carolina. Then they married sisters - Sarah and Adelaide Yates. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly reveal the sexual side of the brothers’ relationship; explain how the ambiguity of their ethnicity enabled them to climb up through Southern society; and consider the merits of their ‘death cast’, now on display in a Philadelphia museum... Further Reading: • ‘The Death of Chang and Eng, Conjoined Twins Until the Last’ (Atlas Obscura, 2013): https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/morbid-monday-the-demise-of-chang-and-eng • ‘How the original Siamese twins had 21 children by 2 sisters (Mail Online, 2014): https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2825888/How-original-Siamese-twins-21-children-two-sisters-sharing-one-reinforced-bed.html • ‘World Famous Conjoined Twins, Chang and Eng Bunker’ (Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!, 2017): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWXoPrGAQMk ‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday… … But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: Camp Siegfried hosted a ‘Nazi Camp Fete’ for 40,000 attendees on 15th August, 1938. The Summer resort, on Yaphank, Long Island, was the epicentre of the German-American Bund: an organisation devoted to establishing a Nazi stronghold across the United States. Alongside campfire building and swimming lessons, young attendees were taught to emulate the Hitler Youth and host mini Nuremberg-style rallies. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how delegates were trained to anticipate a Nazi coup of the USA; consider why all the key players in the movement escaped serious criminal prosecution, even after the Second World War; and why events such as these were so casually reported, even in the New York Times… Further Reading: • ‘New York's 1930s Nazi Summer Camp’ (Ripley’s, 2016): https://www.ripleys.com/weird-news/nazi-summer-camp/ • ‘A New York Town in the 1930s Embraced Hitler and Nazi Germany’ (History Collection, 2017): https://historycollection.com/welcome-hitler-street-usa-pending/ • ‘Nazis on Long Island: The Story of Camp Siegfried’ (Museum of Jewish Heritage, 2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGJW1VQo1Ts ‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday… … But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Stanford Prison Experiment, created by Philip Zimbardo, began on 14th August, 1971. 24 male college students volunteered to be assigned roles as either ‘guard’ or ‘prisoner’ in a mock jail: the ‘prisoners’ were ‘arrested’ by real cops outside their family homes and marched down to a Police Station before being transferred to their imitation incarceration. Once inside, they were stripped, deloused, and given smocks and ID numbers; while guards were outfitted with khaki uniforms, mirrored sunglasses, and batons, establishing a stark power divide. The guards quickly embraced their roles, with some becoming cruel and abusive. They enforced strict, often humiliating regimens on the prisoners, such as roll calls and physical exercises, to instill a sense of powerlessness. But the guards were not aware they were also subjects of the study… In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly interrogate the selection process and context that belies the study’s impact; consider the distress supposedly experienced by the participants; and ask if this controversial experiment should now be scrubbed from the textbooks… Further Reading: • ‘The Stanford Prison Experiment: Philip Zimbardo defends his most famous work’ (Vox, 2018): https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/6/28/17509470/stanford-prison-experiment-zimbardo-interview • ‘Philip Zimbardo Thinks We All Can Be Evil’ (The New York Times, 2015): https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/19/magazine/philip-zimbardo-thinks-we-all-can-be-evil.html • ‘The Stanford Prison Experiment Was One of the Most Disturbing Studies Ever’ (Weird History, 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRR7CwdHxUE Love the show? Support us! Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY… … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The ‘mock’ battle of Manila took place on 13th August, 1898, when the Spanish Army attempted to save face by staging a low-impact fight with the Americans, handing over the territory of the Philippines without seeming weak. The pseudo engagement aimed for a bloodless resolution, but unintentional shots fired from both sides disrupted the facade. However, the stratagem effectively terminated the Spanish-American war, 106 days after its commencement - and (temporarily) prevented Filipinos from regaining control of their nation. In this episode, The Retrospectors expose the racism underpinning both side’s thinking; reveal what Mark Twain thought of U.S. expansionism; and explain why, due to events in Washington, the battle turned out to be entirely unnecessary… Further Reading: • ‘The Spanish-American War in the Philippines and the Battle for Manila’ (PBS American Experience): https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/macarthur-spanish-american-war-philippines-and-battle-for-manila/ • ‘Struggle for Freedom - By Cecilio D. Duka (Rex Book Store, 2008): https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Struggle_for_Freedom_2008_Ed/4wk8yqCEmJUC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mock+manila+1898&pg=PA164&printsec=frontcover • ‘The Spanish-American War’ (NBC News Learn, 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZMcRzvxTMg This episode first premiered in 2023, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks! We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Isaac Singer's iteration of a mechanised sewing machine received US Patent Number 8294 on 12th August, 1851. By refining an existing design by Elias Howe, and improving it with a straight-line shuttle and straight needle, Singer’s prototype produced 900 stitches a minute, compared to 40 stitches by hand, drastically reducing the time it took to make garments; a beacon of efficiency that slashed production time from hours to mere minutes. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explore the racier chapters of Singer’s private life; marvel at his Steve Jobs-level business acumen; and explain how he turned his initially business-to-business product into a hitherto unprecedented multinational corporation… Further Reading: • ’How Singer Won the Sewing Machine War’ (Smithsonian Magazine, 2015): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-singer-won-sewing-machine-war-180955919/ • ‘Business: Red S’ (TIME, 1929): https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,737940,00.html • ‘How the Sewing Machine Changed Daily Life’ (Henry Ford's Innovation Nation, 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3kh2CDAccU This episode first premiered in 2023, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks! We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: Black Rock - a 200-yard strip of pebbly beach in Brighton - was first set aside for naked bathers on 9th August, 1979. It came after a campaign by the Central Council For British Naturism, who had previously petitioned 140 local authorities. When Conservative councillor Eileen Jakes responded positively to the call, she was accused of pandering to weirdos and perverts. Fellow councillor John Blackman said the beach would facilitate a "flagrant exhibition of mammary glands". In this episode, Rebecca, Olly and Arion consider whether the concerns about the beach concealed latent homophobia; compare their experiences of shedding their own clothes in public; and reveal which nations are most prone to getting naked... Content warning: sexual references, crude comedy. Further Reading: • ‘Britain’s First Nudist Beach’ on BBC World Service ‘Witness History’ (2011): https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p00j84cs • ‘Gay Nude Beach in Brighton, England UK’ (Pink Planet, 2011): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4vlklRT-oI • ‘Naked as nature - if not weather - intended’ (The Guardian, 2 April 1980): https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2012/apr/02/archive-1980-naturist-brighton-beach?INTCMP=SRCH ‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday… … But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: Abbey Road was a street known only to North Londoners until The Beatles posed on the zebra crossing outside EMI Studios on 8th August, 1969. Photographer Iain MacMillan took just six snaps, one of which graced the front cover of their penultimate album, ‘Abbey Road’. The image became instantly iconic, partly due to the decision not to name the band or the album on the front of LP. It even spurred a conspiracy theory that claimed that Paul McCartney was dead, and being played by a lookalike, attested to his by bare feet and the number plate on the vehicle behind him. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why the picture nearly didn’t happen in St John’s Wood at all, but in NEPAL; dive into the ‘Paul Is Dead’ conspiracy; and check out the live feed of hapless tourists approximating the picture… Further Reading: • ‘Obituary: Iain MacMillan’ (The Independent, 2006): https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/iain-macmillan-364645.html • ‘Revisiting London's iconic album cover images’ (BBC News, 2008): https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-43318498 • ‘Beatles fans flock to Abbey Road for 44th anniversary’ (Telegraph, 2013): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoVvSW-Qqmk ‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday… … But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jonathan Jackson, teenage brother of imprisoned black power activist George Jackson, entered the Marin County Courthouse concealing three guns under his raincoat on 7th August, 1970. In the middle of a trial, he took Judge Harold Haley hostage in a bid to secure his brother's release. The previous year had seen a landmark incident at San Quentin Correctional Facility, when three black inmates were shot dead by white prison guards. George Jackson, Jonathan’s brother, had become a prominent figure, founding a Marxist revolutionary group within the prison and campaigning for justice for the ‘Soledad Brothers’. This context made the courtroom siege an explosive event in the fight against systemic racism. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly detail the brief but deadly shootout that followed in the court’s parking lot; discover why the police opened fire, despite the high-profile hostages; and consider how George Jackson later smuggled a gun into prison… CONTENT WARNING: violence, murder, racism. Further Reading: • ’Marin County Courtroom Shootout’ (Bay Area Television Archive, 1970): https://diva.sfsu.edu/collections/sfbatv/bundles/190039 • ‘Bloody Breakout at San Rafael’ (LIFE, 1970): https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=t1UEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA31&dq=harold+haley+james+mcclain&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjEnYX1q9aGAxWGWEEAHYg8DBoQuwV6BAgEEAY#v=onepage&q=harold%20haley%20james%20mcclain&f=false • ‘San Quentin's Bloodiest Riot | The Story of George Jackson’ (19XX, 2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzDoYNd5xjk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Addams Family debuted as a one-panel cartoon in The New Yorker on 6th August, 1938. Created by Charles Addams, the family (who for decades were essentially archetypes, without character names) were a satirical inversion of the ideal postwar American middle-class nuclear family, delighting in the macabre, and seemingly unaware or unconcerned that other people find them bizarre or frightening. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how the Addamses finally got their TV names; consider the on-screen rivalry between their show and the similarly-themed The Munsters; and recall MC Hammer’s SEMINAL interpretation of their iconic theme tune… Further Reading: • ‘Charles Addams Cartoons Are Far Darker Than The Addams Family Films’ (Den of Geek, 2021): https://www.denofgeek.com/culture/charles-addams-cartoons-darker-than-the-addams-family/ • ‘Charles Addams’ (The New Yorker, 2010); https://www.newyorker.com/cartoons/bob-mankoff/charles-addams • ‘The Addams Family: Wednesday Leaves Home’ (MGM, 1964): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxZgUp-E0fo&list=PLwwhtOnMyjuxQy81h7uJMCdsR-bS-uVaD&index=5 This episode first premiered in 2023, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks! We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Plaid Cymru, the Welsh Nationalist Party, was founded on 5th August, 1925, with a principal mission to revive the Welsh language. Despite boasting a history of over 1,400 years - evolving from the Celtic language spoken by ancient Britons - Welsh was on the decline in the 20th century, following significant suppression dating back to the 1536 Act of Union that banned Welsh in legal and public spheres. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how protests over an RAF training camp in Gwynedd altered Plaid’s fortunes; discover the punishments dolled out to Victorian schoolchildren who dared to speak their native language; and - inevitably - have a crack at pronouncing Wales’s longest place-name… Further Reading: • ‘A Profile of Plaid Cymru - All you need to know’ (Politics.co.uk): https://www.politics.co.uk/reference/plaid-cymru/ • ‘Why the Welsh language deserves respect not ridicule’ (Metro, 2021): https://metro.co.uk/2021/02/15/disrespect-for-the-welsh-language-in-the-uk-needs-to-stop-14048261/ • ‘Now You're Talking’ (S4C, 1990): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6anFdal3CgQ&list=PLt6NoCieiwOy9hr_tRT5b6Ag2nZcNtpJ3 Love the show? Support us! Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY… … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: William II, son of William The Conqueror, took a hunting trip to the New Forest on 2nd August, 1100 - and was shot dead by an arrow, which punctured his lung. But, whodunnit? Chroniclers laid the blame at the door of Walter Tirel, who quickly fled to France. But could it have really been fratricide, orchestrated by William’s younger brother Henry? In this episode, Rebecca, Olly and Arion weigh up the suspects; review William’s ‘addiction to sodomy’, and unearth other undignified Royal deaths from history... Further Reading: • ‘Horrible Histories’ do William’s death (BBC, 2011): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DalHBbf7f8 • William’s biography at Historic UK: https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/William-Rufus/ • The Death of William II (Reading Museum, 2017): https://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/blog/death-william-ii ‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday… … But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: Chubby Checker's "The Twist", the most popular single in the history of the Billboard Hot 100, was released on 1st August, 1960. It was just a cover version of a B-side which had already been released by its writer, Hank Ballard - but after it appeared on The Dick Clark Show, the world slowly became obsessed with the catchy tune and simple lyrics, and the suggestive dance that inspired it. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly tell the bizarre story of how Checker was selected to perform the version that sold millions of copies; revisit other 60’s dance crazes the turkey trot, bunny hug, and the grizzly bear; and explain how the song reached No.1 again two years later, thanks to a completely different audience getting hold of the trend… Further Reading: • ‘The Twist: A Worldwide Dance Craze in the 1960s’ (ThoughtCo, 2019): https://www.thoughtco.com/the-twist-dance-craze-1779369 • ‘‘The Twist’ top song of Billboard Hot 100 era’ (NBC Today, 2008): https://www.today.com/popculture/twist-top-song-billboard-hot-100-era-1C9421254 • ‘Chubby Checker performs ‘The Twist’ & ‘Let's Twist Again’ on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’’ (CBS, 1961): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDGprGUreOc ‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday… … But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Jewish man called Copin confessed to the crime (after being tortured), claiming to annually sacrifice Christian children. He was executed and over ninety other Jews were arrested. However, behind-the-scenes negotiations, possibly involving friars and the king’s brother Richard of Cornwall, saw most Jews quietly released by May 1256, suggesting an awareness of the falsehoods fueling the hysteria. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why it was often in the population’s financial interest to perpetuate the ‘blood libel’; consider how the legacy of ‘Little Hugh’ has morphed into modern conspiracy theories like QAnon; and reveal how one enterprising Lincoln resident tried to cash in on Little Hugh tourism in the 1920s… Further Reading: ‘Religion: The Legend of Little Hugh’ (TIME, 1959) https://time.com/archive/6827883/religion-the-legend-of-little-hugh/ ‘Little Saint Hugh of Lincoln revisited | Bat-Zion Susskind-Sacks’ (Times Of Israel, 2016): https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/little-saint-hugh-of-lincoln-revisited/ ‘780. Little Sir Hugh (Child 155) - (Traditional)’ (Raymond Crooke, 2009): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXUL3h5Q5lY Love the show? Support us! Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY… … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 its enormous success in its 70s heyday; and get into a bit of argy-bargy about Snow Patrol’s ‘Chasing Cars’... Further Reading: • ‘Top of the Pops axed’ (The Guardian, 2006): https://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/jun/21/broadcasting.arts • ‘BBC says fond farewell to Top of the Pops’ (BBC Press Office, 2006): https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/06_june/20/totp.shtml • ‘Top of the Pops: The Final Countdown’ (BBC, 2006): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLS3HHDWOeU This episode first premiered in 2023, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks! We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 arches. But progress was slow. By 1810, only the base of the pillars was completed, leading to a makeshift wooden and canvas structure for his wedding procession. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how the design evolved during some incredibly rocky decades of French history; discover how the wide boulevards around it ‘curbed’ further insurrections; and consider what would have become of London’s equivalent, Marble Arch, if it had passed through quite so much political upheaval… Further Reading: • ‘History of the Arc de triomphe’ (Official Website): https://www.paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr/en/discover/history-of-the-arc-de-triomphe • A Guide To Visiting Arc De Triomphe (& How To Get Inside) (MSN, 2023): https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/a-guide-to-visiting-arc-de-triomphe-how-to-get-inside/ar-AA1hMQBS • ‘Paris' Arc de Triomphe wrapped in fabric 60 years later’ (CBS, 2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPQBeKOsphs Love the show? Support us! Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY… … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Nations - but shortly afterwards, many esperantists, including Zemenhoff’s own children, were murdered in the Holocaust. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly learn about Amikejo, the 3.5 sq km territory between the Netherlands, Germany and France where Esperanto nearly became the official language; revisit the 1966 horror film ‘Incubus’, starring William Shatner; and consider whether Duolingo has killed off the language conference hook-up scene... Further Reading: • ‘L.L. Zamenhof and the Shadow People’(The New Republic, 2009): https://newrepublic.com/article/72110/ll-zamenhof-and-the-shadow-people • Tim Morley’s Ted X talk on why primary school children should learn Esperanto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gSAkUOElsg • ‘The bizarre story of a long-lost horror film made entirely in Esperanto, starring William Shatner’ (Quartz, 2017): https://qz.com/1035897/the-bizarre-story-of-a-long-lost-horror-film-made-entirely-in-esperanto-starring-william-shatner/ Por bonifiko materialo kaj subteni la montr, vizito Patreon.com/Retrospectors Ni ..os est malantaŭo morgaŭ! Sekvi nin kie ajn vi trovas, ke viaj podkastoj: podfollow.com/Retrospectors La Retrospectors estas Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, kun Matt Monteto. Temo Muziko: Pasi La Pizojn. Parolisto: Bob Ravelli. Grafika desegnado: Terry Saunders. Redakti Produktiston: Emma Corsham. Kopirajto: Rekonsider Aŭdio / Olly Mann 2024 ‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday… … But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: Chairman Mao Zedong swam in the Yangtze River on 25th July, 1966. Despite being in his Seventies, the leader was said by party propagandists (and hence every newspaper in China) to have set a world-record pace of nearly 15 km in 65 min. This piece of political theatre showed the world that the public face of the Chinese Communist party was in robust physical shape (despite reports in the West to the contrary), and reset Mao’s image in China after his disastrous ‘Great Leap Forward’ had claimed the lives of millions of people. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly unpick the symbolism of this iconic event; explain how Mao leveraged the publicity to reconsolidate his power; and reveal what Mao got VERY wrong about sparrows… Further Reading: • ‘The Chairman's Historic Swim’ (TIME, 1999): http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2054250,00.html • ‘Power of symbolism: The swim that changed Chinese history’ (SupChina, 2021): https://supchina.com/2021/07/14/power-of-symbolism-the-swim-that-changed-chinese-history/ • ‘This photo triggered China’s Cultural Revolution’ (Vox, 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXByOrRrO7c&feature=emb_ti ‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday… … But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, its exact purpose remains a mystery due to that civilisation’s lack of written records. Situated 2,430 metres above sea level, the site features remarkable stone structures that have withstood earthquakes due to their precise construction without mortar. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how Bingham got the funds to explore Peru so doggedly; consider whether Speilberg and Lucas were directly inspired by his escapades to create Indiana Jones; and explain how he went on to earn the nickname "The Flying Senator"... Further Reading: • ‘Who Discovered Machu Picchu?’ (Smithsonian Magazine, 2009): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/who-discovered-machu-picchu-52654657/ • ‘Hiram Bingham And The Rediscovery of Machu Picchu’ (HistoryExtra, 2023): https://www.historyextra.com/period/early-modern/machu-picchu-inca-city-history/ • ‘Machu Picchu 101’ (National Geographic, 2017): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnMa-Sm9H4k Love the show? Support us! Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY… … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 and David Avayou have all been touted as the inventor(s) of the first edible cone. In this episode, The Retrospectors investigate the pre-1904 claims to the creation; ponder why Oyster cones aren’t a more popular choice at Mr Whippy, and consider the hygienic monstrosity of the pre-cone ‘Penny Lick’... Further Reading: • ‘How the 1904 World’s Fair Showcased New American Foods’ (HISTORY, 2023): https://www.history.com/news/1904-st-louis-worlds-fair-new-american-foods • ‘Free Cone Day History: Who Invented Ice Cream Cones?’ (Time, 2016): https://time.com/4288576/ice-cream-cone-history/ • ‘The History of Ice Cream | Food: Now and Then’ (NowThis, 2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53noEBeu9gQ This episode first premiered in 2023, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks! We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 under immense pressure to succeed - as it was financed by Sir Walter Raleigh, who needed to establish a permanent colony by 1591 to retain his charter from Queen Elizabeth. Yet, a few years later, White returned to find the colony abandoned, with the word "Croatoan" carved into a post. Where had they gone? In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly investigate the theories offered up over the years; explain how the narrative of hostile natives skewed the data; and check out the "Dare Stones", claiming to be messages from Virginia Dare’s mother… Further Reading: • ‘The Lost Colony of Roanoke’ (Reader’s Digest, 1992): https://www.historyfiles.co.uk/FeaturesAmericas/NorthColonial_English02.htm • ’The Roanoke Island Colony: Lost, and Found?’ (The New York Times, 2015): https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/11/science/the-roanoke-colonists-lost-and-found.html • ’The Colony of Roanoke’s Mysterious Disappearance | The UnXplained’ (History Channel, 2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sckzQiXapk8&t=13s Love the show? Support us! Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY… … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 to the ‘You’re Not You When You’re Hungry’ campaign, its popularity has increased, regardless. In this episode, Olly, Rebecca and Arion dig around in the manosphere, untangle the Mars / Milky Way / Three Musketeers transatlantic naming nightmare; and reveal Frank Mars’ penchant for women named Ethel… Further Reading: • ‘It’s packed full of peanuts, but not too sweet’ - the 1980s ‘stockbrokers’ Marathon ad featuring Rebecca’s ex-colleague https://youtu.be/QJgD9cI4_xQ • ‘Case study: How fame made Snickers' 'You're not you when you're hungry' campaign a success’ (Campaign, 2016): https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/case-study-fame-made-snickers-youre-not-when-youre-hungry-campaign-success/1410807 • ‘The Untold Truth of Snickers’ (Mashed, 2020): https://www.mashed.com/203394/the-untold-truth-of-snickers/ ‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday… … But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: Before the Ballot Act of 18th July, 1872, the British electorate were expected to declare their preferred candidate publicly at hustings, often under pressure from their employers and landlords, and plied with alcohol supplied by the politicians standing for election, in a process known as ‘soaking’. Over the years, alternatives had been put forward - including Jeremy Bentham’s concept of 1818, which involved a multitude of secret boxes with viewing windows - before the modern idea of private booths and a ballot box came to the fore. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and OIly explain why many voters saw secret ballots as sneaky and cowardly; explain how Australia beat Britain when it came to instituting voting in secret; and discover the teething problems experienced when Pontefract became the first town to test out the new process… Further Reading: • ‘Britain's first secret ballot’ (BBC News, 2015): https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-31630588 • ‘Rhodri Marsden's Interesting Objects: Pontefract's secret ballot box’ (The Independent, 2015): https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/rhodri-marsden-s-interesting-objects-pontefract-s-secret-ballot-box-a114506.html • ‘What was the Secret Ballot? | The Ballot Act 1872’ (Royal Holloway University London, 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9M8Lix4FgUM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 contributed the modern use of the word "cartoon" to the English language - alongside some excellent examples of the form, thanks in large part to illustrator John Leech - before its downfall in the second half of the twentieth century. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how Punch innovated the idea of the Christmas annual; explore how they gave big breaks to the likes of John Betjeman, Sylvia Plath, and P.G. Wodehouse; and discover Mohammed Al-Fayed’s attempts to turn the publication’s fortunes around… Further Reading: • ‘The first issue of Punch’ (History Today, 2016): https://www.historytoday.com/archive/months-past/first-issue-punch • ‘About Punch Magazine’ (PUNCH Magazine Cartoon Archive): https://magazine.punch.co.uk/about/index • ’Punch Magazine’ (British Pathé, 1962): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ACJhyygIxU Love the show? Support us! Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY… … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 to a tax on their cars without due process of law. In this episode, The Retrospectors uncover the colourful past of another parking meter pioneer, Roger Babson; unpick the financial model still used by POM parking meters to this day; and get all hot-under-the-collar about penalty charges issued 90 years ago… Further Reading: • ‘16 July 1935: the world’s first parking meter is installed’ (MoneyWeek, 2014): https://moneyweek.com/329940/16-july-1935-the-worlds-first-parking-meter-is-installed • ‘Gravity Research Foundation Monument – Atlanta, Georgia’ (Atlas Obscura, 2016): https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/gravity-research-foundation-monument • ‘The im parking meter celebrates 87th anniversary’ (CBS Saturday Morning, 2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-tB03VCOrw This episode first premiered in 2023, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks! We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The ‘Great Stink’ - when the stench of untreated human and industrial waste was amplified by a particularly hot Summer - reached a peak on 15th July, 1858, when members of Parliament lead by Benjamin Disraeli rushed through an emergency cleanup bill, kickstarting a transformative revamp of London’s sewage system. Prior to this, waste from factories, slaughterhouses, and households accumulated on the capital’s riverbanks, creating a thick, malodorous crust. Most Londoners believed that bad air caused illness, rather than the poisoned water itself - a misunderstanding which initially led people to simply cover their noses to avoid the stench. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly reveal the desperate methods attempted by MPs in order to prevent the stench from entering the Palace of Westminster; marvel at the architectural ambition of Sir Joseph Bazalgette, chief engineer of the Metropolitan Board of Works; and explain why the ‘miasma theory’ had gone unchallenged for centuries… Further Reading: • ‘Too hot? In 1858 a heatwave turned London into a stinking sewer’ (BBC News, 2018): https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-45009749 • ‘London's Great Stink’ (Historic UK): https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Londons-Great-Stink/ • ‘Bazalgette: Saviour of the Great Stink’ (): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k8AnhNkN04 Love the show? Support us! Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY… … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: ‘Disco Demolition Night’, the brainchild of 24 year-old shock jock Steve Dahl, caused mass hysteria at Comiskey Park, Chicago on 12th July, 1979 - causing a pitch invasion that lead to 39 arrests. Intended as a promotional event for a Tigers vs White Sox doubleheader, attendees were lured with discounted admission if they turned up to the game armed with disco records to be blown up with powerful explosives; an intermission entertainment that has since been contextualised as a racist, homophobic book-burning. In this episode, Olly, Rebecca and Arion examine why Chicago was caught in a rock/disco divide; revisit the club classics of 1979; and question the wisdom of sex on third base… Further Reading: • Broadcast footage from the night - from The Museum of Classic Chicago Television: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqDkBM9vxw8 • ‘Disco Demolition: the night they tried to crush black music’ (The Guardian, 2019): https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jul/19/disco-demolition-the-night-they-tried-to-crush-black-music • ‘July 12, 1979: 'The Night Disco Died' — Or Didn't’ (NPR, 2016): https://www.npr.org/2016/07/16/485873750/july-12-1979-the-night-disco-died-or-didnt ‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday… … But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Image: By Eddie Wagner - Original publication: 1979, Chicago TribuneImmediate source: https://www.chicagomag.com/chicago-magazine/july-2016/the-night-disco-died/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72807463 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: China’s greatest naval explorer, Zheng He, set sail on the first of seven epic voyages on 11th July, 1405. He led a fleet of 255 ships, with an estimated 28,000 people on board. A eunuch, and a Muslim, he had risen through the ranks to become a right-hand man of the Emperor, and his prowess at sea vastly bettered the likes of his European contemporaries Christopher Columbus and Marco Polo. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly ask whether reports of his size and stature were nonetheless exaggerated; consider why, for many years prior to this, China had limited exploration by sea; and explain why, despite his incredible success, bureaucrats then tried to purge He’s name from the records… Further Reading: • ‘Biography of Zheng He, Chinese Admiral’ (ThoughtCo, 2019): https://www.thoughtco.com/zheng-he-ming-chinas-great-admiral-195236 • ‘China’s greatest naval explorer sailed his treasure fleets as far as East Africa’ (National Geographic): https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/history-and-civilisation/2020/05/chinas-greatest-naval-explorer-sailed-his-treasure-fleets-as-far-as-east-africa • ‘Zheng He: World Explorers’ (PBS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGcbIoTyY6s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Scopes Monkey Trial - one of the most famous show trials in U.S. history - began in Dayton, Tennessee on 10th July, 1925. Though it centred on John T. Scopes - a high school teacher put on trial for teaching evolution - he was actually a substitute teacher who may never have really taught the textbook concerned, and had put himself in the frame to test the Butler Act, a Tennessee law prohibiting the teaching of any theory that contradicted the biblical account of creation. The trial transformed Dayton into a chaotic carnival. Spectators and journalists from around the world flocked to the small town, which became a hub of street preachers, revival tents, and vendors selling Bibles and toy monkeys. Both sides of the trial brought in heavyweights: William Jennings Bryan, renowned fundamentalist and three-time presidential candidate, volunteered to assist the prosecution, while the famous defence attorney Clarence Darrow, took up Scopes' defence. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how the trial came to be heard out on the courthouse lawn; explain what happened to Scopes after receiving his sentence; and reveal which real-life monkeys were harmed in the making of the trial… Further Reading: • ‘Scopes Monkey Trial: The Historic Trial That Began 90 Years Ago’ (TIME, 2015): https://time.com/3952775/scopes-monkey-trial-1925/ • ‘Timeline: Remembering the Scopes Monkey Trial’ (NPR, 2005): https://www.npr.org/2005/07/05/4723956/timeline-remembering-the-scopes-monkey-trial • ’Inherit the Wind’ (MGM, 1960): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtNdYsoool8 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mozart’s grand tour of Western Europe, began on 9th July 1763, when the boy wonder was just 7 years old. Taking in Germany, France, and England, Wolfgang and his sister Maria Anna played for Royal families, leading musicians, and even wowed the crowd in a pub, the Swan and Hoop in Moorgate. In this episode, The Retrospectors speculate as to how much cash Mozart’s father Leopold may have pocketed for himself; reveal how, at the age of eight-and-a-half, Mozart had a younger ‘showbiz age’; and explain why the illness that plagued the family was actually stroke of good luck for fans of Mozart’s music… Further Reading: • ‘Mozart's biography: his first concert and European tour (1762 - 1765)’ (Classic FM): https://www.classicfm.com/composers/mozart/guides/biography-part-2/ • ‘Mozart, By Julian Rushton' (Oxford University Press, 2006): https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Mozart/WKcRyYvC_8cC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mozart%27s+grand+tour&pg=PA7&printsec=frontcover • ‘Why Was Mozart's Birth So Special?’ (BBC Select, 2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzWPlND3k0k This episode first premiered in 2023, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks! We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When North Korean dictator Kim Il-sung died unexpectedly of a heart attack on 8th July, 1994, his nation went into ten days of mourning, reflecting the deep-seated personality cult he’d cultivated over his 40-year rule. Kim’s passing marked the end of a generation of Marxist revolutionaries in the region, creating uncertainty about whether his successors could maintain the same level of idolization from the population - especially given that his death happened during the early stages of a devastating famine. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly uncover the elaborate grieving ceremonies that followed, featuring goose-stepping soldiers, enormous red flags, and thousands of citizens displaying intense, theatrical emotion; explore Kim’s reputation in the West, where he was both by turns both ridiculed and respected; and consider how his son, Kim Jong-il, took control of the dynasty, via assiduous propaganda… Further Reading: • ‘Kim Il Sung, N. Korea's Longtime Leader, Dies : Asia: Death of Communist dictator at 82 comes weeks before North-South meeting. Experts expect instability’ (Los Angeles Times, 1994): https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-07-09-mn-13445-story.html • ‘Lessons from the death of North Korea's first leader’ (BBC News, 2011): https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-16252540 • ‘North Korea's Kim Il-Sung Dies [1994]’ (Old News, 2017): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk6JmvMfVms Love the show? Support us! Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY… … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: Swimwear never made more of a splash than when designer Louis Réard unveiled his daring new two-piece at the Piscine Molitor in Paris on July 5th, 1946. Showgirl Micheline Bernardini modelled the new attire, named after US nuclear testing site Bikini Atoll. Really. Eleven years later, Modern Girl magazine still considered it ‘inconceivable that any girl with tact and decency’ would ever be seen wearing a bikini. Yet, by the sixties, it had become commonplace on beaches around the world. In this episode, Rebecca, Arion and Olly consider the role rival designer Jacques Heim played in inspiring the garment; reveal the countries where it remains illegal to wear a bikini (sometimes); and unearth Sarah Brightman’s surprising role in Bombalurina’s 1990 cover version of ‘Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini’... Further Reading: • 15 Hilarious First Reactions to the Invention of the Bikini (BestLife, 2019): https://bestlifeonline.com/bikini-invention-reactions/ • Fred Cole’s scorn for bikinis (‘Fashion: In The Swim’, TIME, 1950): http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,813465,00.html • That Bombalurina video, featuring the future Mrs Barlow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LagoycfdCA ‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday… … But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: Who invented the hamburger? It’s almost impossible to know, given that mincemeat has been consumed all around the world, and for centuries - but Oscar Bilby, of Tulsa, Oklahoma is a strong contender. On 4th July, 1891, he grilled a beef patty, and - for the first time in documented history - PUT IT IN A BUN. And a Fourth of July tradition was born. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly trace the origins of the American burger back to 19th century sailors in New York; consider the claim to fame of rival ‘Hamburger Charlie’ (Charlie Nagreen of Seymour, Wisconsin); and recall the short-lived attempt by the American War effort to rid the hamburger of its German heritage… Further Reading: • ‘Where Hamburgers Began—and How They Became an Iconic American Food’ (HISTORY, 2014): https://www.history.com/news/hamburger-helpers-the-history-of-americas-favorite-sandwich • ‘History of Hamburgers’ (What’s Cooking America): https://whatscookingamerica.net/history/hamburgerhistory.htm • ‘An Animated History of the Hamburger’ (New York Magazine, 2015): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIjX8OPuf-w Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday… … But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Captain Joshua Slocum set sail from Nova Scotia in The Spray, his revamped oyster sloop, on 3rd July, 1898: the first solo circumnavigation of the world. Sailing alone for no reason other than pleasure was considered a fool’s errand at the time, but, motivated by the death of his beloved first wife, Virginia, Slocum sought solace in the sea. His memoir, dedicated to ‘the one who believed the Spray would return’, detailed his daring journey and struggle against loneliness. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider how Slocum survived - given his navigational aids of a broken chronometer and tin clock; explain how he evaded pirates in Gibraltar - in the most long-winded way possible; and explore his cheese-inspired hallucinations… Further Reading: • ’Joshua Slocum and his first Single-handed Sail around the World’ (SciHi, 2021): http://scihi.org/joshua-slocum-around-the-world/ • ’“The Spray will Come Back”: Solo Circumnavigator Joshua Slocum’ (New Bedford Whaling Museum, 2017): https://www.whalingmuseum.org/exhibition/the-spray-will-come-back/ • ‘The Mysterious Disappearance Of A Sea Pioneer’ (Timeline, 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K6ZQiOUG9M Love the show? Support us! Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY… … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Generra Sportswear, the Seattle-based company that distributed Hypercolor - the T-shirts that changed colour with heat - and declared bankruptcy on 2nd July, 1992. In a brief three-month span, between February and May 1991, the company sold a whopping $50 million worth of heat-sensitive T-shirts, shorts, pants, sweatshirts and tights, using the ‘Global Hypercolor’ brand in the UK. However, they struggled to meet the overwhelming demand for their products and as a result of mismanagement and overproduction, couldn’t handle their overnight success. In this episode, The Retrospectors explain how sex was used to sell its products Down Under; consider why the product was a let-down if you lived in a sub-tropical climate, and ponder whether mood rings became ‘the acceptable face of colour-changing’... Further Reading: • ‘Why Hypercolor T-Shirts Were Just a One-Hit Wonder’ (Smithsonian Magazine, 2013): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/why-hypercolor-t-shirts-were-just-a-one-hit-wonder-3353436/ • ‘Generra: Hot Start, Then Cold Reality -- Company Reflects Industry's Woes’ (The Seattle Times, 1992): https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19920703&slug=1500288 • ‘Generra Hyper Color Shirts - Heat Makes It Happen’ (TV Commercial, 1992): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXgLR55tx3Y This episode first premiered in 2023, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks! We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices