Present History Podcast: Recent Episodes
Present History
A podcast looking back at history to see how it affects us today, and how it can help us build a better future.
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Thomas Carlyle in 1840 wrote that ‘world history is but the biography of great men’, and yet, British history is filled with powerful, influential and dynamic women, who actively changed the course of Britain forever. This is a history of Britain through the stories of 15 women, and maybe a couple more too.
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Singing Hymns Until Death: The Joy of the British Martyrs | Zachary Peatling | Live at Chalke Valley History Festival 2023
In this talk, recorded live at Chalke Valley History Festival 2023, Zachary Peatling investigates the stories of some of Britain's protestant martyrs, getting to the core of how, why, they could go to their deaths with a sense of joy and hope.
Although she is not often remembered or celebrated, it is difficult to overstate the importance of Æthelflæd and her rule. She was pivotal as a founding mother of England, and ruled with cunning, power and success.
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In this episode, Zachary Peatling had the opportunity to sit down with Philip K. Allan, a critically acclaimed naval historian and author.
Check out Philip:
http://philipkallan.com
https://twitter.com/PhilipKAllan
Follow Zachary:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/zacharypeatling
Website: https://www.presenthistory.co.uk
In this very special episode, Zachary Peatling had the opportunity to sit down with Hannah Greig, an eighteenth-century historian and TV/film historical consultant who’s worked on the likes of Poldark, Bridgerton and The Favourite, and has a wildly successful podcast of her own, the Historical Film Club with Alex von Tunzelmann.
Follow Hannah:
https://twitter.com/Hannah_Greig
https://twitter.com/HistoryFilmClub
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-beau-monde-9780198861188?lang=en&cc=gb
Follow Zachary:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/zacharypeatling
Website: https://www.presenthistory.co.uk
Wicked Women with Grace Beattie
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Welcome to the Present History Podcast! We have a very special episode today, as we are with Stephen Bourne, an award-winning and critically acclaimed writer and social historian.
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Whisky has been a staple of Scottish culture for hundreds of years. And, to the Scottish people, whisky is more than just a drink. As literary historian David Daiches once wrote: “The proper drinking of Scotch whisky is more than indulgence: it is a toast to civilisation, a tribute to the continuity of culture, a manifesto of man’s determination to use the resources of nature to refresh mind and body and enjoy to the full the senses with which he has been endowed.”
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2022 was a tumultuous and potentially disastrous year for the institution of the Prime Minister. The trust in the position had been undermined, the ability of the structure of British government brought into question and the office made into a hollow shell of the power and authority it was meant to yield.
In many ways, the sentiment towards the institution of the Prime Minister in 2022 was reminiscent of the feeling towards the office at its inception.
After 70 years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II has passed away. With the end of the longest reign in British history, comes the end of an era. She had become more than just a queen. In many ways, she had become the figurehead for Britain itself. She encapsulated many of the things that represent ‘Britishness’. She was was a stalwart believer in duty, responsibility and faith. She was guided by her sense of service and inheritance. Whatever you may think of her politically or the institution historically, no one can escape the influence and impact she had on Britain and the world.
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When I first started this Present History Multimedia Project, one of the main things that I wanted to do, and something that was very high up on my list of priorities, was to speak to Amanda Hale.
While writing my undergraduate dissertation about this topic, her book, Mad Hatter, had provided interesting insights into the character and personality of many of the members of the League of Christian Reformers. In particular, James Larratt Battersby, the so-called Mad Hatter, and Amanda’s father.
And so, I shot her an email, intrigued as to what her response would be to me doing a whole multimedia project on the League of Christian Reformers, and especially wanting to do an episode specifically about her father. She responded quickly, and seemed interested in the project, and excited to talk about her book. I was elated. We soon organised a meeting, and, as we sat down to record, the sun was glaring through the blinds in my office, and snow was falling outside the windows of hers. She was in Canada, I was in England. And yet, what should have been an obstacle that made an interview like this impossible, is now hardly a barrier at all.
We pressed record, and for the next hour or so, we discussed James Battersby, his life, career, beliefs and eventual end. We also discussed Amanda, her process in writing, balancing fact and fiction, her research into her father, and how this journey of discovery became more than just research for a book to her, but something that challenged and impacted her to the core.
It was a fascinating conversation, and I can’t wait to you to hear it. So, sit back, get comfortable and enjoy my conversation with Amanda Hale, bestselling author and the daughter of James Larratt Battersby, the Mad Hatter.
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When I first started this Present History Multimedia Project, one of the main things that I wanted to do, and something that was very high up on my list of priorities, was to speak to Amanda Hale.
While writing my undergraduate dissertation about this topic, her book, Mad Hatter, had provided interesting insights into the character and personality of many of the members of the League of Christian Reformers. In particular, James Larratt Battersby, the so-called Mad Hatter, and Amanda’s father.
And so, I shot her an email, intrigued as to what her response would be to me doing a whole multimedia project on the League of Christian Reformers, and especially wanting to do an episode specifically about her father. She responded quickly, and seemed interested in the project, and excited to talk about her book. I was elated. We soon organised a meeting, and, as we sat down to record, the sun was glaring through the blinds in my office, and snow was falling outside the windows of hers. She was in Canada, I was in England. And yet, what should have been an obstacle that made an interview like this impossible, is now hardly a barrier at all.
We pressed record, and for the next hour or so, we discussed James Battersby, his life, career, beliefs and eventual end. We also discussed Amanda, her process in writing, balancing fact and fiction, her research into her father, and how this journey of discovery became more than just research for a book to her, but something that challenged and impacted her to the core.
It was a fascinating conversation, and I can’t wait to you to hear it. So, sit back, get comfortable and enjoy my conversation with Amanda Hale, bestselling author and the daughter of James Larratt Battersby, the Mad Hatter.
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
The two black saloon cars had been there all morning. Not many had noticed them, tucked away in an off-road lane. And, if they had, they had not made a fuss. The people of River, however reluctantly, had become used to seeing strange people doing strange things in their serene village. Not too long ago, the peace of the farmland had been broken by the thunderous voice of a Pastor contending for his Christian faith. It had all started when new owners had arrived at River House. They had quickly renamed it Kingdom House. It was as if a shadow followed the new inhabitants; a dark cloud that washed over the village. Almost everyone in the village knew that these men and women were fascists, and that at least all of the men had been interred in a prison camp for most of the war. The villagers hadn’t accepted them with open arms. But they had been respectful. Then, the newspapers started to report that these people were trying to bring in a massive bust of Hitler’s head to the house. To their village. Their fathers, brothers, sons and friends had fought and died in a war trying to defeat the evil of Hitler and his regime. Now, they were expected to accept a bastion of this ideology, in their village? Not only this, these people, this League of Christian Reformers, were worshiping him. That’s why the Pastor had come, that’s why the atmosphere of the village had shifted.
The government had done nothing. And said they wouldn’t do anything. Inaction had been tolerated long enough.
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The Third Episode in the Hitler's Kingdom Come Project!
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As the breeze curled its way down the street, it carried the low rumble of a black, mud-spattered saloon car. Strapped to its roof were large loud-speakers. It drew up to the massive gate that guarded the entrance to Kingdom House. At the wheel was the 48-year-old Victor Walker. His wide brimmed hat shadowed his eyes from the sun, his jaw set, his heart beginning to pound. He was the pastor of Elim Four-Square Gospel Church, and had driven 15 miles with the sole intention of engaging these ‘Reformers’. He wanted to call them out for what he believed was blasphemy and believed they deserved to be rebuked. Parking the car, he stepped outside. He looked up at the gate that loomed over him.
He grabbed the wide, ribbed microphone, his Bible under one arm, he adjusted his tie briefly. He lifted the microphone towards his face. And began.
‘Hello everyone. I propose to hold a short religious service here today.’
This is the story of a British pastor who stood up against the Legion of Christian Reformers.
When you think of Nazis and religious cults, you probably think of an old gothic castle in a dark corner of Germany.
You don’t tend to think of England. Much less, leafy Surrey.
But, in 1943, a group of men came together to worship Hitler as the second coming of Christ.
They went on to form a church in Petworth, Surrey. Growing to around 12 members, this cult worshiped Hitler at their altar, wrote letters to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Chief Rabbi and went about attempting to make Hitler's Kingdom Come.
This extreme group of fanatical fascists and radicalised pseudo-Christians were brought up in Parliament 4 times, noticed in Soviet Moscow and reviled by their local community. They wrote books, theological works, memoirs and manifestos, marched the fascist campaign trail, but were seen as slightly too bizarre for Oswald Mosley and his British Union of Fascists.
The government said they couldn’t do anything because, despite being a little 'odd' or 'out there' in the words of their local MP, technically, they had done nothing illegal. It was only after stiff opposition from local churches and pastors, and a violent raid by local mercenaries that the cult finally disbanded.
Using recently declassified MI5 files and the secret letters of its members, this multimedia project will incorporate every social media platform, to tell an innovative, groundbreaking and engaging historical narrative.
We will chart the story of the League of Christian Reformers, from their dark inception in the prison camps on the Isle of Man, through their wacky theology and worldview, and to their eventual demise. We will have deep dives on each of the members, uncovering their lives and stories, including a fascinating interview with one of their daughters! Not only this, we’ll also be looking at British Fascism as a whole, where the league intercepted with men like Oswald Moseley and groups like the British Union of Fascists and the Nordic League.
Make sure to follow us on Instagram and TikTok, subscribe on YouTube, and follow the Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you don’t miss a single piece of content. You can also check out our website at www.presenthistory.co.uk, where they’ll be a homepage for the entire project, so you never lose track.
Stay tuned, its going to be a crazy ride.
...
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In this episode of the Present History Podcast, Zachary Peatling sat down with Annie Whitehead, an Anglo-Saxon historian and critically acclaimed author, to discuss the Kingdom of Mercia, Aethelflaed, and more!
Check out Annie Whitehead:
Website: https://www.anniewhiteheadauthor.co.uk
Twitter: @AnnieWHistory
Mercia: The Rise and Fall of a Kingdom: https://www.waterstones.com/book/mercia/annie-whitehead/9781398103337
Check out Zachary Peatling:
Website: https://www.presenthistory.co.uk
Twitter: @zjpeatling
In this episode of the Present History Podcast, Zachary Peatling sat down with Annie Whitehead, an Anglo-Saxon historian and critically acclaimed author, to discuss the Kingdom of Mercia, Aethelflaed, and more!
Check out Annie Whitehead:
Website: https://www.anniewhiteheadauthor.co.uk
Twitter: @AnnieWHistory
Mercia: The Rise and Fall of a Kingdom: https://www.waterstones.com/book/mercia/annie-whitehead/9781398103337
Check out Zachary Peatling:
Website: https://www.presenthistory.co.uk
Twitter: @zjpeatling
In this episode of the Present History Podcast, Zachary Peatling sat down with Joanna Grochowicz, a polar historian and critically acclaimed author, to discuss Ernest Shackleton, the Endurance and the incredible stories of polar exploration!
Check out Joanna Grochowicz:
Website: https://www.joannagrochowicz.com
Twitter: @GrochowiczJ
Shackleton's Endurance: An Antarctic Survival Story: https://www.waterstones.com/book/shackletons-endurance/joanna-grochowicz/9781911679158
Check out Zachary Peatling:
Website: https://www.presenthistory.co.uk
Twitter: @zjpeatling
In this episode of the Present History Podcast, Zachary Peatling sat down with Joanna Grochowicz, a polar historian and critically acclaimed author, to discuss Ernest Shackleton, the Endurance and the incredible stories of polar exploration! Check out Joanna Grochowicz: Website: https://www.joannagrochowicz.com Twitter: @GrochowiczJ Shackleton's Endurance: An Antarctic Survival Story: https://www.waterstones.com/book/shackletons-endurance/joanna-grochowicz/9781911679158 Check out Zachary Peatling: Website: https://www.presenthistory.co.uk Twitter: @zjpeatling
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We have a very special episode today, as we are with Dr George Severs, a leading oral historian, specialising in the history of activism, sexuality, religion and work, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Birkbeck, University of London, and a member of the Editorial Board of Oral History, the journal of the UK’s Oral History Society (OHS).
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We have a very special episode today, as we are with Dr George Severs, a leading oral historian, specialising in the history of activism, sexuality, religion and work, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Birkbeck, University of London, and a member of the Editorial Board of Oral History, the journal of the UK’s Oral History Society (OHS).
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The First World War was one of the most catastrophic and impactful events in British history, and the soldiers’ experience of it has often been boiled down to mud, blood, poison gas and ‘going over the top’. But, there are aspects of life that were fundamental to a soldier’s experience that have been simply overlooked. For example, the ‘Trench Talk’; the way in which the soldiers communicated with one another, how they voiced their feelings and emotions, and even, how they interacted with the public back home. Slang and banter would be crucial parts in how the soldiers on the front experienced and dealt with the horrors of war.
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'Henry VIII’s wives have been constantly reinvented. But not Katherine Howard. The legend and the myth often outweigh the actual woman’s story—a multifaceted woman who was both a victim and an agent of her own fate. She was a real teenage girl living in the moment, unaware of the significant consequences lurking in the shadows. Katherine deserves a new analysis in an age in which a woman’s sexual choices are no longer held against her. One that acknowledges her imperfections but does not condemn her for them.' - Grace Beattie, The Maligned Queen: The Life and Legacy of Katherine Howard (The Afterlife of History Blog)
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'Henry VIII’s wives have been constantly reinvented. But not Katherine Howard. The legend and the myth often outweigh the actual woman’s story—a multifaceted woman who was both a victim and an agent of her own fate. She was a real teenage girl living in the moment, unaware of the significant consequences lurking in the shadows. Katherine deserves a new analysis in an age in which a woman’s sexual choices are no longer held against her. One that acknowledges her imperfections but does not condemn her for them.' - Grace Beattie, The Maligned Queen: The Life and Legacy of Katherine Howard (The Afterlife of History Blog)
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This episode contains potential spoilers for all the James Bond films and books, so, if by some miraculous turn of events you have managed to avoid them all for the last sixty years, go watch them and then come back! If not, thank you for tuning in and enjoy!Also, a quick little trigger warning, we will be discussing 9/11 and its aftermath.James Bond has been a staple of British literary and cinematic culture for the past 59 years. He has undergone a slow, steady, evolution into the modern world, carrying with him the luggage of his Cold War origins and a need to remain relevant. He has always been a kind of mouthpiece for the political and cultural issues faced by Britain and America throughout his emphatically consistent cinematic career. Beginning as a figurehead of resurgent British power in the years of economic downturn following the Second World War, becoming the icon of Britain’s Cold War, through the American War on Drugs, the fears of seemingly omnipotent media moguls, and internal threats, Bond has been brought firmly into the modern world, standing against terrorism and biological- and cyber-warfare. He is, and always has been, a product of the sixties constantly adapting to whatever threat his real-world, modernising nation needed him to face.
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The following episode contains potential spoilers for all the James Bond films and books, so if, somehow, you’ve managed to avoid Bond for your entire life and still don’t know what happens, go watch the films first and then come back. If not, get comfortable and enjoy! Throughout his cinematic career, Bond has faced stereotypical Soviet threats, grandiose crime lords and eccentric businessmen; home-grown internal threats, nuclear weapons, biological warfare, space-travel, terrorism and dictatorships. What all these antagonists have in common, is that they’re just as much a product of their time as the character of Bond himself. Whatever was a perceived threat to Britain’s security at the time, invariably ended up reflected in the latest instalment of the Bond franchise. This was common from the very beginning.
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The First World War was one of the most catastrophic and impactful moments in British History. It saw the advent of new ways of waging war; a new, more mechanised, more industrial kind of war that began to encompass every aspect of British society. Every class, every position, every man, woman and child; no one and nothing was left untouched by the Great War. In the history of Britain, there are few events that can match the true impact the First World War had.For many, their understanding of the Great War begins with the Western Front, with fields pockmarked with vast craters, laced with mud-filled trenches, with barbed wire, gas and No-Man’s Land. But, Britain was in turmoil even before the declaration of war was written.
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A very special interview with Dr Edward Madigan, lecturer in Public History and First World War Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London, discussing all things World War One!
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Christianity is the most popular and widespread religion in the world, and it is no less prevalent here, having been the official state religion since the end of the Roman era. And yet, Christianity in Britain has a long, complicated and controversial history. And so, in this episode of the Present History Podcast, we will be examining this history from the Roman Era until now.
So, let’s delve into a history of being Christian and British.
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The history of Jews in Britain is an often overlooked part of our history. And yet, it is longer, deeper and more violent than many would know. In this episode of the Present History Podcast, we’re going to look at the history of Judaism, antisemitism and Jewishness in Britain, from the Roman era until today.
So, let’s dive in to a brief history of being Jewish & British.
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Thomas Carlyle in 1840 wrote that ‘world history is but the biography of great men’, and yet, British history is filled with powerful, influential and dynamic women, who actively changed the course of Britain forever.
In this episode of the Present History Podcast, we’re going to look at the history of women, women’s rights, sexism and feminism. Through the lives of a number of incredible women, we will get a brief overview of British women’s history from the Roman era to the present day.
So, let’s take a look into a history of being Female & British.
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The history of race and Britain is a long, complicated and contentious one. In this episode of the Present History Podcast, we’re going to take a deep, but brief dive into this history and how it directly affects us today, taking a particular focus on the treatment of black people in this country.
In light of all that has happened recently in America, with the murder of George Floyd, and the overwhelming response to it, I know that I’ve found myself finding it very easy to talk about racism in America, the history of it, I can name the major figures, talk about the events, talk about MLK and Malcom X, the Civil Rights Act of 1968, and everything that happened with that. But I, personally, know that I have very little knowledge of the history of race, racism and race relations in Britain. So this whole episode has kind of come out of my own personal research, as I have tried to understand the history of this issue in our own country.
So let’s dive into a brief history of being Black & British.
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