Unusual Histories

In this episode, the 5th in Danny Hurst´s Unusual Histories Bridge Series, he reaches Blackfriars. Today, you get the history of 3 bridges for the price of one. Danny tells you about the connection the bridge has with monks, theatre, the River Fleet, David Bowie, solar power, the Mafia, and the voice of Queen Victoria. KEY TAKEAWAYS You can still see the columns that supported the old Blackfriars Bridge. They played an important role in constructing the present-day one. The bridge is named after an order of Dominican monks who lived in the area. The decoration on the piers is particularly interesting and clever. It was the London, Chatham and Dover railway that first took trains across the river at this point. A 2nd railway bridge had to be built to ease congestion. Blackfriars is the only station to span the River Thames. Originally users had to pay a toll. BEST MOMENTS ‘This monastic influence is reflected in the piers of the road bridge. ´ ‘The old Blackfriars Bridge was once known as the Alexandra Bridge.’ ‘Both the station and the bridge were renamed in 1937 to avoid confusion with St. Paul's underground station.’ EPISODE RESOURCES https://www.citybridgefoundation.org.uk/ HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS Visit https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access exclusive videos available only for members. https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. Danny continues his Unusual Histories podcast with the Bridge Series, remaining in London travelling east to west to look at the bridges which span the Thames. He looks at their design, construction and history, along with the history of the areas in which they're located on both sides of the river. This series kicks off with an exclusive interview with Dirk Bennett of the City Bridge Foundation, the organisation which looks after London's bridges. Tower Bridge is marking its 130th anniversary this month and Dirk talks to Danny about the history of the bridge as well as the new exhibition that is opening for it. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, the 5th in Danny Hurst´s Unusual Histories Bridge Series, he gets to the newest of London's bridges, the Millennium Bridge. Danny explains why a design fault led to excitation and how the issue was fixed. Unusually, a sculptor was involved in its design as well as an architect. This relatively new addition to London´s cityscape still has some fascinating stories to tell. Danny also shares some of the history of the buildings surrounding the bridge, including revealing that there has been 5 St Paul´s cathedrals, yet the one everyone knows is only the 3rd to sit on that site. That sounds confusing, but all is explained during the episode. KEY TAKEAWAYS The beginning of Harry Potter – The Half-Blood Prince features the Millennium Bridge collapsing. Danny explains why during the episode. Londoners call it the Wobbly Bridge. As the name indicates it was built for the Millennium but opened 2 years late. It was London´s first new bridge in over 100 years. It is not, as many people think, the only "pedestrian only" bridge in London. BEST MOMENTS ‘The bridge was closed on the same day it opened. ´ ‘Like most of London's famous structures, it was the result of a competition.’ ‘There have actually been 5 St Paul´s cathedrals.’ HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS Visit https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access exclusive videos available only for members. https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. Danny continues his Unusual Histories podcast with the Bridge Series, remaining in London travelling east to west to look at the bridges which span the Thames. He looks at their design, construction and history, along with the history of the areas in which they're located on both sides of the river. This series kicks off with an exclusive interview with Dirk Bennett of the City Bridge Foundation, the organisation which looks after London's bridges. Tower Bridge is marking its 130th anniversary this month and Dirk talks to Danny about the history of the bridge as well as the new exhibition that is opening for it. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, which is the 4th in Danny Hurst´s Unusual Histories Bridge Series, he gets to Southwark. Starting by explaining the slightly weird origins of its name and the history around it. He explains why Shakespeare built his theatre The Globe in the area despite it being ridden with rats, bad smells, and huge mosquitos. KEY TAKEAWAYS The area around the bridge is the oldest residential part of London. Southwark was a very dicey area in medieval and early-modern times. The Puritans are the reason the original Globe Theatre was built there. Danny explains why. Today´s bridge is the 2nd one to be built on the site. The original one appears in two Charles Dickens novels. The old bridge had the longest cast iron span ever made. The lighting on the bridge dates back to the original bridge. It is known as the Lonely Bridge, Danny explains why. One of the most famous pubs in London is located near here. BEST MOMENTS ‘The name actually has no connection with walking or even the south. ´ ‘You had to have your wits about you if you went because you were likely to be mugged, or pickpocketed.’ ‘The original contractors went bankrupt.’ EPISODE RESOURCES https://www.citybridgefoundation.org.uk/ HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS Visit https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access exclusive videos available only for members. https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. Danny continues his Unusual Histories podcast with the Bridge Series, remaining in London travelling east to west to look at the bridges which span the Thames. He looks at their design, construction and history, along with the history of the areas in which they're located on both sides of the river. This series kicks off with an exclusive interview with Dirk Bennett of the City Bridge Foundation, the organisation which looks after London's bridges. Tower Bridge is marking its 130th anniversary this month and Dirk talks to Danny about the history of the bridge as well as the new exhibition that is opening for it. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, which is the 3rd in Danny Hurst´s Unusual Histories Bridge Series, he takes a look at one of the city's lesser-known bridges – Cannon Street Railway Bridge, one side of which was first built in a medieval steelyard, (not what you think it is). Danny also shares the connection between the oldest known monument in London, Alfred the Great, Shakespeare, candle-makers, and Oswald Mosely. KEY TAKEAWAYS Cannon Street was the first street to run through the City of London. The name Cannon Street has nothing to do with armaments. The area was especially important during Roman times. It is the site of the London Stone, which possibly dates back to Druid times. The London Stone is said by some to be the stone Arthur drew Excalibur from. The railway station hotel is where both the Congress of the Communist Party of Great Britain and the New Party, which became British Union of Fascists were founded. BEST MOMENTS ‘In Roman times, Cannon Street was the heart of ancient Londinium. ´ ‘London will flourish as long as the stone remains in the city.’ ‘As a result, his head was mounted on London Bridge afterwards.’ EPISODE RESOURCES https://www.citybridgefoundation.org.uk/ HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS Visit https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access exclusive videos available only for members. https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. Danny continues his Unusual Histories podcast with the Bridge Series, remaining in London travelling east to west to look at the bridges which span the Thames. He looks at their design, construction and history, along with the history of the areas in which they're located on both sides of the river. This series kicks off with an exclusive interview with Dirk Bennett of the City Bridge Foundation, the organisation which looks after London's bridges. Tower Bridge is marking its 130th anniversary this month and Dirk talks to Danny about the history of the bridge as well as the new exhibition that is opening for it. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, which is the 2nd in Danny Hurst´s Unusual Histories The Bridges of London Series, he looks at the incredibly long and surprising history of London Bridge. The bridge has been disappointing tourists for decades who are expecting to see the far more aesthetically pleasing Tower Bridge. The history of London Bridge is the history of London itself, so you don´t want to miss this episode. Danny shares who built the first version, and why it was left to become a ruin, torn down, hit by a boat, burned down several times and was the site of a terrorist attack. He also looks at the origins of the famous children´s song and a nursery rhyme, while busting several London Bridge-related myths. KEY TAKEAWAYS The first bridges in the area were built in the bronze age. The Romans built the first proper London Bridge. That original bridge along with the city of Londinium became a ruin when the Romans left. The centre of the bridge was once the starting point for a pilgrimage. The great water wheels on the bridge that were used by firefighters failed during The Great Fire of London. Shooting the rapids that ran under an older version of the bridge was a popular sport. Severed heads were displayed on the bridge. The way the old bridge impacted the flow of water is why the Thames sometimes froze. The current bridge was opened on 17th March 1973. BEST MOMENTS ‘People come from all over the world to be disappointed by it. ´ ‘The 1970s was not the golden age of British architecture, or indeed the golden age of anything in Britain.’ ‘The number of the bridge supports created dangerous rapids between the piers at high tide.’ HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. Danny continues his Unusual Histories podcast with the Bridge Series, remaining in London travelling east to west to look at the bridges which span the Thames. He looks at their design, construction and history, along with the history of the areas in which they're located on both sides of the river. This series kicks off with an exclusive interview with Dirk Bennett of the City Bridge Foundation, the organisation which looks after London's bridges. Tower Bridge is marking its 130th anniversary this month and Dirk talks to Danny about the history of the bridge as well as the new exhibition that is opening for it.

In this episode, Danny launches his new Unusual Histories series during which he will share details of the long and fascinating history of each of London´s bridges, starting with the iconic Tower Bridge. He is joined by Dirk Bennett, the Exhibition Development Manager for Tower Bridge and Monument who is organising events to celebrate the bridge's 130th anniversary. Listen in to find out if a bus really did jump the gap when the bridge was opened as it crossed, what happened to Bill Clinton on the bridge, and its engineering and construction. Dirk provides an insider's view of the bridge’s history, how things work now and busts several urban myths in the process. KEY TAKEAWAYS Like so many important London landmarks, the iconic Tower Bridge was created as a result of a competition. The bridge was built at no cost to the taxpayer. Dirk explains how that was possible. The bridge is actually made up of 4 different types of bridges. Tower Bridge truly is an iconic landmark which is recognised across the world. The bridge opens 800 to 1000 times a year. There is a bridge lift timetable, but provided sailors book ahead and meet certain criteria they can have the bridge opened just for them. Originally the bridge master lived in an apartment above the bridge 140,000 people turned up to the public opening. The exhibition that will celebrate the 130th anniversary is free and includes the use of augmented reality and innovative animation. BEST MOMENTS‘When you cross Tower Bridge you get 4 bridges in one.’ ‘Spike Milligan wrote a song “Oh Tower Bridge”.’ ‘I looked inside the envelope, and my hair stood up.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Exhibition details - https://www.thecityofldn.com/event/heritage-gallery-exhibition-tower-bridge/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirk-bennett-63b54a15 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2rqyGuhcuDDed97O-ZtxRA HOST BIOHistorian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALShttps://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. Danny continues his Unusual Histories podcast with the Bridge Series, remaining in London travelling east to west to look at the bridges which span the Thames. He looks at their design, construction and history, along with the history of the areas in which they're located on both sides of the river. This series kicks off with an exclusive interview with Dirk Bennett of the City Bridge Foundation, the organisation which looks after London's bridges. Tower Bridge is marking its 130th anniversary this month and Dirk talks to Danny about the history of the bridge as well as the new exhibition that is opening for it.

In this episode, which is the last of Danny Hurst´s London Monopoly History podcast series we reach the Mayfair square. In this entertaining episode, he explains how this famous London area went from being known for its prostitution and crime to becoming one of the most exclusive neighbourhoods in the world. Danny explains how events in Mayfair inspired hits for both The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. He also shares the area´s connection to classical music, Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth II, the co-founder of Rolls Royce, the first telephone call and tells you more about the street´s high-end hotels and shops. KEY TAKEAWAYS The tradition of high-class prostitutes dates back to a festival that was first held in 1272. Statistically Mayfair is rarely landed on. There is no longer an official dress code at Claridge's, but anything less than smart casual is frowned upon. Mayfair has a strong connection to the long-lasting fashion trend of wearing tuxedos. The area once had an Underground station. BEST MOMENTS ‘A hangover from earlier times as the festival would attract sex workers. ´ ‘The Grosvenor Square riots were pretty insignificant. However, they did inspire two classic songs.’ ‘Hence dinner jackets in the USA became known as tuxedos.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021) HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this the 26th episode of Danny Hurst´s London Monopoly Board history series we reach Park Lane which runs along the Eastern flank of Hyde Park. A street that is one of the most expensive on the board and in real life, Danny walks you through the connection the street has with Henry VIII, Sherlock Holmes, Muhammed Al Fayed, rough sleepers, what was thought of as London´s safest building and much more. The street is home to several luxury hotels, each of which has its own secrets, some of which Danny shares during the episode. KEY TAKEAWAYS Henry VIII established Hyde Park as a place to hunt deer. The Dorchester (hotel) came through being bombed with only a few broken windows. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor loved The Dorchester. Today, The Dorchester is boycotted by a lot of high-profile people – Danny explains why in the episode. Park Lane is home to the largest underground car park in London. The average price of property on Park Lane is £12 million. BEST MOMENTS ‘For generations, Park Lane has been synonymous with luxury. ´ ‘The Grosvenor house was the first hotel in London to have a swimming pool.’ ‘Its popularity waned with the widening of the street, which restricted resident access to Hyde Park.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021) HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, the 25th in Danny Hurst´s British Monopoly History series we reach the last of the stations on the London-themed board - Liverpool Street Station. Built on the site of a notorious lunatic asylum, the state of which gave the English-speaking world a new word to describe a chaotic, disordered situation. Danny explains the station´s connection to the Knights Templar, Paul McCartney, the Kindertransport, the world wars and how the IRA figured not once but twice in its history. He also explains why savvy Monopoly players buy as many stations as possible. KEY TAKEAWAYS The street is named after Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson, who was also an ether addict. Liverpool Street Station is the main London terminus for the Great Eastern Railway. The 1st hotel to be built in the city is here. The station has been impacted by terrorist offences twice in its recent history. Broad Street was demolished instead of Liverpool Street. BEST MOMENTS ‘It was notorious as one of the worst excesses of lunatic asylums. ´ ‘Thousands arrived at Liverpool Street, the majority never seeing their families again.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021) HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, which is number 24 in Danny Hurst´s Monopoly history series it is the turn of the last green square – the extremely high rent, Bond Street. A street that is home to two of the oldest and most renowned auction houses, the oldest manmade sculpture in London and the Beadles. (Yes, that's with a "d", not a "t"). Find out why the street has been misnamed, and what its connection to James Bond, chocolate, diamonds, Guy Burgess, and the film Titanic is. Also, let Danny take you on a tour of the street´s many famous statues. *Correction-in this podcast it claims the statue of Sekhmet is the oldest manmade object in London. This is actually the oldest manmade sculpture rather than object. KEY TAKEAWAYS The statue above the entrance of Sotheby´s is over 3,600 years old. It has been a luxury shopping destination since the 18th century. The Royal Arcade is a must-see. The street is home to the oldest uniform-wearing security firm in the world. Danny tells you where you can see the work of Henry Moore. BEST MOMENTS ‘There isn´t a Bond Street in London. ´ ‘The origin of this motto goes way back to Roman times.’ ‘It is believed that only one resident lives on Bond Street.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021) HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, the 23rd in Danny Hurst´s Monopoly placename history series we reach Oxford Street and the nearby set of gallows that could hang 24 people at once. Danny tells you all about its famous victims and the history of some of the biggest department stores on the street and shares the story of the underground shops that are said to exist there. He also tells you about the street´s important connections to music, including one of the UK´s most famous jazz clubs, before rounding things up by telling you about some of the street´s most famous placard people, including a man who used his placard to share his belief that eating protein caused sexual deviancy. KEY TAKEAWAYS Oxford Street was previously called Tyburn Road. The huge Tyburn gallows were in use for over 600 years. It is part of a much larger Roman Road. John Lewis was the first department store to open on the street. The street has a rich musical history, is the go-to place for protestors and was the place to go to buy fake goods. BEST MOMENTS ‘Christmas meant, turkey, trifle, and Monopoly – fighting over the car with my sister and sulking over fines and taxes. ´ ‘The end of Oxford Street is considered to be the tacky end.’ ‘He was often spat at during his campaign.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021) HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, which is the 22nd in Danny Hurst´s entertaining London Monopoly board history series, he takes you up West to visit Regent Street. As you will hear, this street is far more than just one of London´s most popular shopping streets. Danny explains why the street is curved and where the 1st X-rated film in the UK was shown. KEY TAKEAWAYS The first moving picture in Britain was shown on the street, in 1896. Pablo Picasso appeared in the 1st X-rated film that was shown in the UK. Regent Street was one of the 1st of London´s streets to be planned out in advance. The entire street was re-developed between 1895 and 1927. The statue of Prospero and Ariel is regularly defaced, Danny explains why. All buildings on the street have to be 5 stories or less, yet Hamley´s toy store is spread over 6 floors. Danny explains how. Despite being one of the busiest streets in the world, every year, it is shut to traffic so a local festival can be hosted there. BEST MOMENTS ‘It was a friendly wave from childhood every time I found myself in one of the locations on the board. ´ ‘Even today, tall buildings are not allowed.’ ‘It appeals to children of all ages.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021) HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, which is the 21st of Danny Hurst´s Monopoly placename history series he tells us all about the 3rd of the yellow squares – Piccadilly. He explains how the street got its name from a fashion accessory, its connection with the theory of evolution, and how a squatter protest led to the area being taken over by Hell´s Angels. He shares the details of The Albany´s rich history and famous residents, the street´s bookshops, hotels and much more. *CORRECTION!!! The Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain was constructed in memory of the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury, not the 8th as it says in this podcast. Also, the 7th Earl did not commit suicide, the 8th did. KEY TAKEAWAYS Piccadilly was formerly named after the wife of Charles II. The street was home to several mansions, one of which now house many of the UK´s most important institutions. A former squatters' commune on Piccadilly is now home to one of the world's most luxurious hotels. Piccadilly played an important role in the UK´s gay history. Due to people´s shaky understanding of classical mythology, one of the street’s statues has been misidentified. Fortnum and Mason´s was the first store in the UK to sell soft toilet paper. The world´s oldest bookshop is on Piccadilly. BEST MOMENTS ‘I do beg your pardon; I sound like an old fart…. ´ ‘The Dilly was the location of clandestine gay bars.’ ‘Raffles the gentleman burglar lives here.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021) HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, which is the 20th of Danny Hurst´s London Monopoly Board history series it is the turn of the 2nd yellow card - Coventry Street. The unlikely home of some supernatural occurrences, gambling clubs and for hundreds of years, prostitution. Coventry Street has always been a buzzy place, with several iconic films premiering there. Danny also shares Coventry Street´s connection to the Charleston, Marlene Dietrich, Charlie Chaplin, Rudolph Valentino, Ella Fitzgerald, and Ronnie Scott. He also explains how Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin dodged death during the Blitz and had his wounds cleaned out with champagne. KEY TAKEAWAYS The street was named after Sir Henry Coventry who was the Secretary of State. Legend has it that the police hired a vampire killer to deal with a strange incident on Coventry Street. The original ceiling of the first Lyons Corner House can still be seen in the café that is there today. Coventry Street was the original centre of London´s jazz scene. BEST MOMENTS ‘It’s one of the least likely places one would expect to come across a vampire, although there are a good few zombies knocking around the place.’ ‘It was famous during the restoration for its gambling clubs and prostitutes.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021) The stories of supernatural Coventry Street - http://www.shadyoldlady.com/location.php?loc=1873 Highgate cemetery grave robbing story - https://www.kentishtowner.co.uk/2012/10/31/wednesday-picture-highgate-cemetery-and-the-tale-of-the-highgate-vampire/ Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic, or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, the 19th in Danny Hurst´s fascinating Monopoly London place names history series it is the turn of Leicester Square. Danny shares the origins of its nickname “Fester Square”, the connection it has with Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and why it is home to a toilet cubicle named after the director Kevin Smith. He also explains the connection to leotards, the ballet, Karl Marx, the Chinese community, several important artists and much more. As well as providing a breakdown of the origins and significance of each of the statues located in Leicester Square. KEY TAKEAWAYS Leicester Square is the place with the most mispronounced name. Since 1937, Leicester Square has been the place for film premiers. The square is home to the largest cinema in the UK. Micheal Cain got his name from Leicester Square. The director Kevin Smith has a toilet cubicle named after him in one of Leicester Square´s cinemas. Next time you visit, look up, Danny explains why. Don´t use the Underground to travel between Leicester Square and Covent Garden. BEST MOMENTS ‘Winter meant Christmas and Christmas meant Monopoly. ´ ‘This house had a drawbridge at the back used to receive corpses from grave robbers.’ ‘This is the shortest journey on the Underground.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021) Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E Leicester Square mispronunciation story HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, which is No. 18 of Danny Hurst´s London Monopoly history series, we reach the obscure, yet fascinating, Fenchurch Street Station. The scene of the 1st murder on a train in Britain with a connection to The Hitchhiker´s Guide To The Galaxy, Green Street and Round The Horne. Danny also shares the details of places nearby that offer spectacular views of London. Including a little-known one where you don´t have to book in advance. He also explains why the stations are a cash cow for Monopoly players. KEY TAKEAWAYS Scotland Yard got ahead of the first person to murder someone on a train in the UK and apprehended him on his arrival in New York. Danny explains how. It is the only mainline station without direct access to an Underground station. The station is close to some great tourist destinations. Danny shares details of the best ones in the episode. London´s oldest market is nearby. BEST MOMENTS ‘Google Maps didn´t exist in those days. ´ ‘Fenchurch Street is named after the numerous hay markets.’ ‘People often mistake Tower Bridge for London Bridge because the name is famous from the song.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021) HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, the 17th in Danny Hurst´s fascinating look at the history of the placenames from the London version of Monopoly he tells you all about Trafalgar Square. The home to London´s oldest bronze statue which was hidden in a garden to save it from destruction. Today, it serves an important purpose. Danny disproves a modern naming myth, explains how the square was cleared of feral pigeons and shares its connection with the Cenotaph. He also shares some fascinating facts about the famous statue of Nelson. KEY TAKEAWAYS The capital´s oldest bronze statue survived due to the cunning of a metalsmith with a surprising name. It is the 3rd largest square in London. The square got its modern name in 1830. Several embassies are housed in the area, including a couple of surprising ones. The famous lions are not anatomically correct, Danny explains why. Hitler had plans to take Nelson´s Column to Germany. Every year, a menorah is lit for each night of Hanukkah. No residential properties have been sold there since 2018. BEST MOMENTS ‘All distances within and from London are measured from this statue. ´ ‘It was always full of worse for wear post club clubbers at all hours of the morning.’ ‘The Lions themselves were a running joke for many years.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021)⁠ Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E Café in the Crypt - https://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/visit/cafe-in-the-crypt/ HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

This episode, which is the 16th in Danny Hurst’s London Monopoly board history series, is the turn of the world-famous Fleet Street. Danny explains how it became the centre of the UK´s newspaper industry and what its connection with the “Chance” square is. It is home to what is probably London´s oldest statue, plays an important role in the capital´s sewage system and is where a popular type of cigarette was invented. In the episode, Danny tells you all about these, as well as sharing the street´s connection with Samuel Pepys, Charles Dickens, Geoffrey Chaucer´s attack on a friar and Sir John Falstaff. KEY TAKEAWAYS The street gets its name from the river that runs beneath it. In 1500, Wynkyn de Worde opened the first printing press on the street, kickstarting its long association with the press industry. One publisher remains on the street, and they print comics. The conduit that supplied the area once flowed with wine. We have Sir Christopher Wren (indirectly) to thank for the shape of British wedding cakes. BEST MOMENTS ‘Because I am really old, it was the days before DVD players. ´ ‘It's one of the few buildings in the city of London, which dates back to the before the Great Fire of 1666.’ ‘Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is known for its nooks and crannies.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021)⁠ Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E Thomas Paine – The Rights of Man - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rights-Man-Thomas-Paine-ebook/dp/B09RZMW36Q HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, which is the 15th in Danny Hurst´s whirlwind history tour of the places on the London Monopoly board he takes a look at Strand; the street where the gunpowder plot was hatched and the home to several spectacular palaces. He reveals the origins of Savoy operas, why you have to exit and enter the hotel by driving on the right and why the Roman baths are not what you think they are. You´ll also learn about the first house in London to get a number and the street´s connection to one of the world´s biggest cigarette brands. KEY TAKEAWAYS The origin of the name is related to an old term for a riverbank. Somerset House, which is located on the Strand, has been used in many different ways, which Danny talks us through. The famous bath house off the street is not as old as we have been led to believe. Chunni the Asian elephant, who used to perform at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, once lived on the street. To approach the entrance of The Savoy you have to drive on the right. The live version of “No Woman No Cry” was recorded at The Lyceum. The Strand is the location of several London firsts. BEST MOMENTS ‘It just sounds stupid not to say the Strand. ´ ‘Visitors have to see it through a window as it can only be viewed by appointment.’ ‘Big Benzene is the largest clock face in the UK.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021)⁠ Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, which is number 14 of Danny Hurst´s London Monopoly board history series, he takes a look at Vine Street. It is one of the law-and-order squares, so it is associated with some really strange goings-on, including a 1791 case that involved auto-erotic asphyxiation, and a haunted police station. The street also has an odd connection with one of The Pogues' songs and The Marquis of Queensbury. KEY TAKEAWAYS It is the only square on the London Monopoly Board that does not have a pub. Crime was so high here that one of the passageways to Regent Street had to be gated off. The Police station in the street was closed but had to reopen because of the crime rate. It is now demolished. The adjacent Free Parking square is a reminder that surprisingly there are still quite a lot of free parking places available in Central London. BEST MOMENTS ‘People on the Monopoly pub crawl have to drink around the corner on Swallow Street now. ´ ‘Vine Street is the most expensive of the orange cards on the London Monopoly board.’ ‘The adjacent Free Parking Square is enough to make most people snort derisively.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021)⁠ Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

This episode of Danny Hurst’s London Monopoly board history series is all about (Great) Marlborough Street, the home of the world-famous magistrates court which has been the scene of many scandalous cases including Oscar Wilde vs the Marquis of Queensbury, Brian Jones and Keith Richards' drug trial and the prosecution of Christine Keeler. Danny also shares the connection the street has with Winston Churchill, Charles Darwin, Horatio Nelson, expensive cars and cigarettes. KEY TAKEAWAYS All orange squares on the London Monopoly board are connected to law and order. The court has seen famous people tried for drug possession, indecency, gun crimes and a list of other offences. Danny tells you about some of them in the episode. The most popular cigarette in the world was first made on the street. Liberty´s has the most famous frontage on the street. Carnaby Street – the home of the swinging sixties – is just off Marlborough Street. BEST MOMENTS ‘John Lennon and Yoko Ono were tried for obscenity there in 1970. ´ ‘Marlborough Street became known for its car showrooms.’ ‘They let anyone live there these days.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021)⁠ Details of the trial connected to the Profumo Affair - https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian-profumo-keeler/41347358/ Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, which is number 12 in Danny Hurst´s London Monopoly board history series, it is the turn of Bow Street. The first of the orange squares on the board, which all have a legal connection. Find out why a full-scale riot broke out there, how it became the location of the world´s first police force and its connection to My Fair Lady, Oscar Wilde, The Krays, and Casanova. KEY TAKEAWAYS Bow Street is the home of the world´s first police force. A tradition of heavy gin drinking led to a crime wave in the area. Bow Street courthouse operated continuously between 1740 and 2006. Queen Victoria is behind the reason the light on the Bow Street police station is a different colour. Danny explains why that happened. Properties on Bow Street are currently selling for around £1,884 per square foot. BEST MOMENTS ‘This disturbance becomes popularly known as the Battle of Bow Street. ´ ‘Drunk for a penny – Dead drunk for two.’ ‘This is the only police station in Britain to have a white light rather than a blue light.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021)⁠ Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

This episode is the 11th stop in Danny Hurst´s history tour of the place names on the London Monopoly board. Today, it is the turn of Marylebone Station, the board location nobody knows how to pronounce. Learn about the origins of its unusual name and the connection with several other London area names. The station has frequently been used as a film set, find out why and which films were shot there. Also, discover how cricket held up its opening and why it nearly closed down in the 80s. KEY TAKEAWAYS Marylebone is the newest mainline station in London. The opening scene of The Beatles film A Hard Day's Night was shot here and it has been a shooting location for many others. Sherlock Holmes lived just around the corner and, today there is a museum there, but not at 221B as you might expect. Cricket delayed the construction of the station. Danny explains why. If you are playing Monopoly, buy every station you can get your hands on. BEST MOMENTS ‘Nobody outside London says the word Marylebone unless they are playing Monopoly. ´ ‘This part of London is littered with blue plaques.’ ‘Players are four times more likely to land on a station than any other property.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021)⁠ Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

For this episode, which is number 10 in Danny Hurst´s London Monopoly locations history series, he tells you all about Northumberland Avenue, the most expensive of the pink properties. Listen to discover the street´s connection with Alec Guinness, The Goon Show, The Beatles, Sherlock Holmes, and the Percy family (sadly not related to Lord Percy Percy of Blackadder fame). He also tells you about a floating pub, where the Hotspur in Tottenham Hotspur´s name comes from, why the street is so wide and its connection with London´s life-saving sewage system. KEY TAKEAWAYS The Beatles recorded more live sessions on Northumberland Avenue than they did anywhere else. There is a connection between the street and why the football team Tottenham Hotspur was so named. Property on today´s Northumberland Avenue is now cheaper than on the other two pink squares. In the 1950´s the Northumberland Arms was renamed the Sherlock Holmes. Find out why in the episode. BEST MOMENTS ‘On the corner of the bridge is a memorial to possibly London's greatest unsung hero. ´ ‘Numerous 19th-century figures… had their voices recorded here for posterity.’ ‘Northumberland Avenue has really gone downhill lately.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021)⁠ Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know; fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, which is No. 9 of Danny Hurst’s history-based tour of the London version of the Monopoly board, we arrive at Whitehall. Home to the earliest Renaissance building in Britain, the executioner´s scaffold, and today, many of the UK´s most important political ministries. Listen to find out about the street´s surprising connection to Guy Fawkes, Harvard University, the IRA, and the singer James Blunt, as well as why the term Prime Minister started as a derogatory term. KEY TAKEAWAYS Two royal palaces went up in smoke, including Whitehall. Downing Street, which is just off Whitehall, is hard to miss due to the high number of armed police officers and soldiers. The walls of Downing Street were painted black in the 1960s to cover up pollution damage. The cenotaph is not the only war memorial on the street, there are several others. BEST MOMENTS ‘The area has remained the centre of British government for almost 500 years. ´ ‘First Lord of the Treasury is the official title for the Prime Minister.’ ‘Is it even possible for anyone to actually own property in Whitehall since it´s all government buildings?’ EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021)⁠ Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, which is No. 8 in Danny Hurst´s Monopoly board series, he shares the fascinating history of Pall Mall. It is the home to some of London´s most exclusive and poshest clubs. Sit back and enjoy stories of spies, James Bond, Madonna, Casanova, gentlemen´s clubs and royal connections as well as learning about a weird connection with a croquet-like game and the dictionary. KEY TAKEAWAYS The RAC club is where some soviet spies used to meet up. Exactly who they were is shared in the episode. The RAC club has its own Post Office Pall Mall is different from The Mall. Pall Mall was named after a game called Pell Mell, which was played in the area. The street name is why Americans have shopping malls. Why that is the case is explained in the podcast. The connection to Pall Mall cigarettes is not what you think. BEST MOMENTS ‘Pall Mall is quite posh. ´ ‘Pall Mall is famous for its gentlemen´s clubs.’ ‘The Reform Club was one of the first gentlemen's clubs to change its rules on allowing women.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021)⁠ Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E How to play Pell Mell - https://www.tradgames.org.uk/games/Pall-Mall.htm HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know; fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, which is the 7th of Danny Hurst´s Monopoly history series it is the turn of the most expensive light blue property on the board – Pentonville Road. Listen to learn why there is a lighthouse on the street, and its connection with Iggy Pop, Lenin, Trotsky, and the Hatton Garden robbers. He also compares the value of Pentonville Road in 1936, when the game was first sold, to today´s valuations. Including, the inflationary difference. KEY TAKEAWAYS The lighthouse building does have a lighthouse on the roof. It was lit when there were fresh oysters available. Weird…. Danny explains it all in the episode. Pentonville Road was once an industrial manufacturing centre. The jail which is next to the Pentonville Rd square on the board is not located on the street. According to Zoopla, Pentonville Rd is now the 3rd cheapest London Monopoly square from which to buy property. BEST MOMENTS ‘This was Britain´s first planned ring road. ´ ‘Most Londoners would raise their eyebrows and say "Where?" if you were to say you are from Barnsbury.’ ‘Both men are hiding out in London and Lenin invites Trotsky to his home.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021)⁠ Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know; fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, which is the 2nd in Danny´s Monopoly Game series. Danny reveals the secrets and incredibly long and varied history of the joint cheapest property on the board – the Old Kent Road. He explains where the army tank that was located on the street disappeared to, why the nearby roundabout is still known as the Bricklayer´s Arms and the real reason black cab drivers won´t go south of the river after midnight, as well as revealing an unlikely spot on the Old Kent Road, which gives you fantastic views of the city. KEY TAKEAWAYS In 1415, King Henry V of England, partied with his troops in what is now Curry's. The Old Kent Road was built by the Romans and was called Watling Street by the Anglo-Saxons. The street was once home to what was once the biggest gas holder. There is a weird connection between Old Kent Rd, the cheapest property, and Mayfair, the most expensive on the board. Listen to find out what it is. There is a great cheap market just off Old Kent Road. Danny tells you where. BEST MOMENTS ‘(My sister and I) would snigger at the idea of either of us winning a beauty contest. ´ ‘ (The Old Kent Road) was the very path that Chaucer´s pilgrims took.’ ‘The car park of Curry´s affords some of the most spectacular views of the city.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021)⁠ Bank of England Inflation Calculator - https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy/inflation/inflation-calculator Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know; fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this very first episode of Unusual Histories, Danny begins his exploration of the history you didn't learn at school, covering all of the weird, grizzly, and fascinating bits. Things that not even Horrible Histories covered. This episode kicks off The Monopoly Series, which will take you on a journey around the London Monopoly board to enjoy the varied and interesting history of each iconic location. Today, Danny covers the history of the game itself which is weirder than you think. He also explains where the old boot piece came from, the street colouring system and why the Nazis banned the game. KEY TAKEAWAYS Charles Darrow based Monopoly on another existing board game. The original game was created to illustrate the negative impact land monopolism has and to promote an alternative called Georgism. The Community Chest was not added until 1932, 26 years after the invention of the original game. The guy behind the jail bars is a caricature of Charles Darrow. The Great Depression played an important role in popularising Monopoly. The Nazis banned Monopoly – Danny explains why. There is a version called Anti-Monopoly. BEST MOMENTS ‘Lizzie Magie was an anti-monopolist, ironically. ´ ‘Darrow didn´t invent Monopoly.’ ‘The brown squares were the slums of the time.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021)⁠ Lizzie Magie - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lizzie_Magie Anti-monopoly - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1931/anti-monopoly Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E/ HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know; fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, of Danny Hurst´s Monopoly history series, you get to learn the role Charles Dickens played in making The Angel, Islington famous. The building and the area surrounding it have a long and chequered history, which is why this episode is so interesting. That history involves sheep, Hogarth, Thomas Paine, Charles Dickens, Tony Blair, Boris Johnson, and a murder, as well as a cast of arty types with the odd fictional character and a 20-year-old bike thrown in. KEY TAKEAWAYS The Angel Islington is said to be the only property on the London Monopoly board which is an actual building. Danny explains why that is not entirely accurate. It was once called The Sheepcote Building. When it was a coach house Hogarth painted it. A picture of it, that is … Hogarth was not much of a decorator. The Clash, The Buzzcocks and The Sex Pistols played at The Screen on The Green, just a short walk from The Angel. Islington was gentrified early, so some homes cost millions. BEST MOMENTS ‘The site has been known as The Angel since the 19th century. ´ ‘It (Angel station) has the longest escalators on the London Underground.’ ‘Everyone smells of beans and marijuana.’ (Crap Towns) EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021)⁠ Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E Crap Towns - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crap-Towns-Returns-Unpopular-Demand/dp/184866222X Crap Towns II - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crap-Towns-II-Nation-Decides/dp/0752225456 HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know; fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, which is No. 3 in Danny´s fascinating series which looks at the history of the places on the London Monopoly board he reveals some surprising facts about Whitechapel Road and indeed Whitechapel itself. A street which houses the skeleton of the Elephant Man (John Merrick), also has a strong connection with Jack the Ripper, Ronnie Kray, The Salvation Army, and Banksy. An interesting mix and that is only the tip of the iceberg of what Danny reveals about the road and the area which is immediately adjacent to it. Because Whitechapel has been shaped by waves of immigration from the 16th century onwards, its history is particularly rich and varied. KEY TAKEAWAYS The Whitechapel area is named after a church. The Jack the Ripper connection is not what you think. Altab Ali Park was named after a young British Bangladeshi man, who was murdered in a racist attack. Many of the religious buildings have changed hands multiple times with each sale resulting in a new faith group worshipping there. The oldest bagel bakery is just off the street and weirdly now sells bacon. The Liberty Bell was made on Whitechapel Road. BEST MOMENTS ‘The Jack the Ripper murders did not actually take place on Whitechapel Road. ´ ‘Nearby, Brick Lane is famous for its Bangladeshi curry houses.’ ‘A semi will set you back at around £880,000 which in 1936 was £15.071.05p.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021)⁠ Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know; fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, which is No. 4 in Danny Hurst´s Monopoly podcast series, we reach the square that is Kings Cross Station. He looks at whether this was where Boudica made her last stand and is buried. Danny also reveals why it is built slap bang next to another major station – St Pancras. Of course, he also covers the Harry Potter connection as well as the history of the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel. KEY TAKEAWAYS There is a weird potential connection between Boudica and why JK Rowling chose platform 9 ¾ for her Harry Potter books. Unlike many other areas in London, Kings Cross has only been gentrified once and that did not happen until the beginning of the 21st century. The station sits on the site of a smallpox hospital. Kings Cross has been used in numerous dystopian post-WWII films. The station has been bombed twice, once in 1941 and again in 1973. BEST MOMENTS ‘One-upmanship and money prevailed over common sense. ´ ‘Despite gentrification, these issues have merely been swept under the carpet.’ ‘This led to smoking being banned across the London Underground network.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021)⁠ Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know; fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

In this episode, which is No. 6 in Danny´s Monopoly Squares History series you get to learn all about Euston Road. This inner London Ring road which is right on the boundary of the congestion charge zone has been giving drivers grey hair for centuries. The road has seen a lot of change, including the one of the greatest acts of architectural vandalism. It is home to several once-iconic buildings, 6 stations and fantastic museums. Surprisingly, it also has its very own wind tunnel and is home to a building that makes Danny think of Trumpton. You´ll have to listen to find out which one. There is a slight error in this episode, Euston was the first inter-city railway station in central London rather than the first actual station as stated. KEY TAKEAWAYS Ironically, Euston Road was built hundreds of years ago to help farmers to avoid congestion. The road was named after the landowner´s ancestral home. Euston Station was the first central London railway station. The original entrance arch stands on Euston Road, though originally it was demolished ahead of the original Euston station. For train and tube travellers, Euston Road is a magnet. It has 6 stations. The British Library building is on Euston Road. BEST MOMENTS ‘Everyone goes this way to avoid paying. ´ ‘This is believed to be the windiest part of the capital.’ ‘The church is a Greek Revival church.’ EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021)⁠ Trumpton fan website - http://www.t-web.co.uk/trumptmp.htm Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 Podcast Description "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know; fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, the other numerous sides of every story. We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…