National Trust

Back When | History Podcast

History EN ↓ 28 episodes

Imagine being a fly on the wall of history. Historians Helen Antrobus and James Grasby take you inside the stories of the people, places and moments that made us. Experience the Great Stink of London. Make an entrance onto the Georgian dating scene. Find out if you'd survive a medieval battle and unlock the secrets of Britain’s space race. Our past is all around us. And we'll be transporting you behind the scenes at landmarks from castles to dance halls and WWII bunkers to workhouses. You’ll meet people from all walks of life whose fascinating stories have shaped who we are now. Lean in for...

Author

National Trust

Episodes

The Great Stink | London's Smelly History 02.04.2025 13:51

It's the height of summer in 1858 and something rotten is lurking in the river Thames. Historian James Grasby unravels the smelliest side of our recent history as we step back into Victorian London to discover the Great Stink. Hear how politicians scrambled to keep the stench out of parliament and find out what the smell meant for the working classes. [Ad] This podcast is sponsored by CEWE,...

Black Arrow Rocket | When Britain joined the Space Race 02.04.2025 24:09

Britain’s space race efforts were bold but short-lived. Join historian Helen Antrobus for the tale of Britain’s space race. It’s the mid 1950’s and the height of the Cold War era. British engineers are working in secret at The Needles on the Isle of Wight, testing a nuclear deterrent, the Black Knight Rocket. But by the end of the 1960s the British rocket programme is under threat. Engineers h...

Introducing Back When 05.03.2025 1:10

Introducing Back When, a new history podcast taking you inside the stories of the people, places and moments that made us. Launching 2 April. Join historians Helen Antrobus and James Grasby for a fly on the wall view of our past. Discover the forgotten story of Britain's space race. Uncover the unsettling history of witches' familiars. And hear the origin story of sci-fi author HG Wells. Our histo...