This Week in History

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: 12th to 18th January 16th January 1547 - Ivan The Terrible becomes the first Tsar of Russia. 16th January 1950 - The first edition of "Listen With Mother" is broadcast on the BBC Light Programme. 17th January 1921 - The first public performance of the illusion of sawing a person in half is given at Finsbury...

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: 5th to 11th January 5th January 1066 - Death of Edward the Confessor leading to a succession crisis. 11th January 1922- Leonard Thompson is the first patient to receive an insulin injection for diabetes. 5th January 1971 - The first One Day International cricket match is played at the Melbourne Cricket Groun...

As The Archers celebrates its 75th anniversary, This Week In History takes a look at the development of the drama, and we hear what life was like in Britain in January 1951. How did rationing affect everyday life? What else were people listening to on the wireless? And how did Barwick Green, a song from 1924, come to be chosen as The Archers theme tune? Produced by Amanda Litherland With thanks to...

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: 29th December to 4th January 31st December 1600 - Queen Elizabeth I grants The East India Company a Royal Charter. 29th December 1170 - The death of Thomas Becket. 4th January 1912 - The Boy Scouts Association is granted its Royal Charter by King George V. Presented by Ron Brown and Jane Steel.

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: 22nd to 28th December 22nd December 1972 - The Chilean Air Force finds fourteen survivors of a plane crash in the Andes, ten weeks after it happened. 25th December 800 - Charlemagne is crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III. 26th December 1860 - Hallam FC and Sheffield FC contest the first ever match bet...

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: 15th to 21st December 16th December 1707 - The last recorded eruption of Mount Fuji in Japan. 18th December 1917 - The Soviet government recognises Finland's independence. 19th December 1843 - "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens is published. Presented by Jane Steel and Viji Alles.

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: 8th to 14th December 12th December 1963 - Jomo Kenyatta leads Kenya to independence 13th December 2003 - Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is captured by US forces near his hometown of Tikrit 9th December 1952 - The Great Smog of London finally clears Presented by Jane Steel and Ron Brown

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: 1st to 7th December 4th December 1961 - Announcement of birth control pill approval and use on NHS 5th December 1933 - End of prohibition in the US 4th of December 1154 Pope Adrian IV elected – the only Englishman to ascend to papacy Presented by Jane Steel and Viji Alles

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: 24th to 30th November 28th November 1893 - Women vote for the first time in New Zealand 24th November 1974 - Lucy, the most complete early human skeleton, is discovered 24th November 1852 - Matthew C Perry sets out on a 'diplomatic' mission to Japan. Presented by Caroline Nicholls and Ron Brown

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: the 17th to the 23rd of November 17th November 1558 - The Death of Queen Mary the First 22nd November 1963 - John F. Kennedy is assassinated 23rd November 1963 - Doctor Who debuts on BBC Television Presented by Ron Brown and Viji Alles Produced by Amanda Litherland and Sofie Vilcins

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: 10th to 16th November 11th November 1918 - A republic was declared in Poland 14th November 1680 - Gottfried Kirch discovers the Great Comet 16th November 1979 - Anthony Blunt is revealed as the 'fourth man' in the Cambridge spy ring Presented by Viji Alles and Ron Brown

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: 3rd to 9th November 3rd November 1534 - English parliament passes the Act of Supremacy 9th November 1938 - Kristallnacht 4th November 1922 - Discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb Presented by Jane Steel and Ron Brown

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: 27th October to 2nd November 31st October 1984 - Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi is assassinated 28th October 1726 - "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift is published. 30th October 1974 - Muhammad Ali defeats George Foreman in 'The Rumble In The Jungle' Presented by Viji Alles and Caroline Nicholls Pr...

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: 20th October to 26th October - 25th October, 1400 - The death of the 'Father of English Poetry', Geoffrey Chaucer. - 21st October, 1805 - The Battle of Trafalgar: a British naval victory that would shape the nation's imperial future and identity. - 21st October, 1966 - A colliery spoil tip collapses in the v...

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: The 13th to the 19th of October. - 19th October 1987 Shares plunge after Wall Street crash - aka Black Monday - 13th October 1884 International Meridian Conference in Washington establishes Greenwich as the Universal Prime Meridian of longitude - 14th October 1926 A.A. Milne’s book Winnie-The-Pooh released P...

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: the 6th to the 12th October. 8th October 1769 - James Cook and the crew of HMS Endeavour land in New Zealand 9th October 2012 - 15 year old Malala Yousafzai survives a shooting by the Taliban. 9th October 1446 - King Sejong the Great creates the Korean Hangul alphabet.

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: 29th September to 5th October - 3rd October 1990. East and West Germany were officially reunified. - 29th September 1829. Formation of The Metropolitan police, London's first official police force. - 5th October 1962. The first James Bond film, Dr. No, had its world premiere.

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: 22nd September to 28th September - 22nd September 1692. The last eight victims are hanged in the Salem Witch trials - 22nd September 1968. A ceremony takes place to mark the relocation of the ancient Egyptian Abu Simbel temples - 25th September 1066. King Harold II wins the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Read by...

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: 15th September to 21st September - 16th September 1620. The Mayflower sets sail from Plymouth to America - 19th September 1960. Britain deploys it's first Traffic Wardens - 21st September 1915. Cecil Chubb purchases Stonehenge

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: 8th - 14th September - 9th September 1976. Death of Mao Zedong - 12th September 1846. HMS Terror and HMS Erebus, the British expedition searching for a Northwest Passage, become trapped in ice. - 12th September 1940. Discovery of the Lascaux Cave Paintings Presented by Viji Alles and Jane Steel. Producers: S...

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. This week: 1st September to 7th September - 1st September 1939. Operation Pied Piper begins, evacuating British children to the countryside - 7th September 1936. The last captive Thylacine, commonly known as the Tasmanian Tiger, dies in a zoo in Australia - 3rd September 1967. Sweden begins driving on the right-hand si...

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. BBC Radio 4 explores the history books and archives to see what has happened on this same week throughout history. With short vignettes of the events that have shaped the world and made us who we are today. This week: August 25th - August 31st - 27th August 1896. The British Empire defeat the sultanate of Zanzibar in t...

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. BBC Radio 4 explores the history books and archives to see what has happened on this same week throughout history. With short vignettes of the events that have shaped the world and made us who we are today. This week: August 18th - August 24th - 20th of August 1968. Soviet-led forces invade Czechoslovakia and crush the...

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. BBC Radio 4 explores the history books and archives to see what has happened on this same week throughout history. With short vignettes of the events that have shaped the world and made us who we are today. This week: August 4th - August 10th - 15th of August 1947. Indian Independence began and the country woke to 'lif...

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life. BBC Radio 4 explores the history books and archives to see what has happened on this same week throughout history. With short vignettes of the events that have shaped the world and made us who we are today. This week: August 4th - August 10th - 6th of August 1945. An atomic bomb is dropped on the Japanese city of Hiros...