Afleveringen
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Sir Robert Peel received royal assent for the Metropolis Police Improvement Bill on 19th June, 1829 - leading to the creation of London's first professional police force, who were soon nicknamed ‘Bobbies’ in tribute.
The Met’s first constables hit the streets that Autumn, dressed in tailcoats (to signify their role as servants of the people), and top hats (strengthened with an iron ring for protection), and all in blue to distinguish them from the red colouring used by the Army.
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly unpick ‘Policing By Consent’; reveal the recruitment criteria for new members of the force; and explain why officers became known as ‘PC Plod’...
Further Reading:
• ‘The Metropolitan Police: an introduction to records of service 1829-1958’ (The National Archives): https://media.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php/the-metropolitan-police-an-introduction-to-records-of-service-1829-1958-2/
• ‘The establishment of the Metropolitan Police - Enforcing law and order’ (BBC Bitesize): https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zy9sn9q/revision/4
• ‘The founding of the police force | History - The Strange Case of the Law’ (BBC Teach, 2017): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KA2dbDtFnA
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The worldâs first life insurance policy was signed on June 18th, 1583.The person insured was one William Gybbons, who worked as a meat and fish salter, and the beneficiary of the policy was a man named Richard Martin. Curiously, the relationship between the two men has been lost in the mists of time.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly do the maths and work out exactly how much a human life is worth; discuss how, like all good insurers, the underwriters tried to weasel out of having to pay the policy after Gybbons died; and reveal why Ancient Romans used to have clowns at their funeralsâŚFurther Reading:⢠âBetting on Lives: The Culture of Life Insurance in England, 1695-1775â (Manchester University Press, 1999): https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Betting_on_Lives/3wq8AAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0 ⢠âThe greatest surety: a brief history of life insuranceâ (InsurTech, 2023): https://insurtechdigital.com/articles/the-greatest-surety-a-brief-history-of-life-insurance ⢠âLife Insurance Day: The Historyâ (Beagle Street, 2017): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO-auTZ6fcI This episode first premiered in 2023, for members of đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´ - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks! We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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India’s most famous building, Agra’s Taj Mahal, was commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan - following the death in childbirth of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, on 17th June, 1631.
Renowned for its stunning architecture - a blend of Indian, Persian, and Islamic styles - the mausoleum can be seen not only as a testament to the couple’s love (despite the fact the Shah had three other wives…), but also as an embodiment of his empire’s extraordinary wealth and power.
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly reveal the scale of the workforce brought in to construct this pioneering palace; consider whether Mumtaz truly was a ‘Queen of Hearts’; and assess the various Taj Mahal replicas across the world…
Further Reading:
• ‘The History and Love Story of the Taj Mahal’ (ThoughtCo, 2019): https://www.thoughtco.com/the-taj-mahal-1434536
• ’A husband's love built the Taj Mahal—but cost him an empire’ (National Geographic): https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/history-magazine/article/a-husbands-love-built-the-taj-mahal-but-cost-him-an-empire
• ‘Is this the most beautiful building in the world? - Stephanie Honchell Smith’ (TedEd, 2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v580zy82rcE
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Rerun: Circulated in some form since the 16th century, the âIndex of Forbidden Booksâ was quietly discontinued by Pope Paul VI on 14th June, 1966.In its 400-year+ history, the Index Librorum Prohibitorum had censored hundreds of authors including the German astrologer Keppler, the philosopher Kant, and Protestant theologians Martin Luther and John Calvin. But Darwin wasnât included - because all books about atheism were automatically considered heretical.In this episode, Rebecca, Arion and Olly explain the processes behind the scenes; revisit some choice exchanges between Catholic scholars; and reveal the books theyâd ban forever - if only they could...Further Reading:⢠âRoman Catholics: The Issue of Imprimaturâ (TIME, 1966): http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,836269,00.html⢠Wikipediaâs list of Authors and Works in the Index: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_authors_and_works_on_the_Index_Librorum_Prohibitorum⢠âVatican: Forbidden Worksâ from Journeyman Pictures:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_S81oSR2AAâWhy am I hearing a rerun?âEach Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday⌠⌠But đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Rerun: he Production Code Administration - which policed standards of decency on all US cinema releases for twenty years - was established on 13th June, 1934, following a patch of unconvincing Hollywood self-censorship.âExcessive or lustful kissingâ and âsex perversionâ were no longer allowed - but nor was âdepictions of safe-crackingâ, âchildbirth,â and âdynamitingâ.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider whether the strict rules enforced by the code actively inspired the classic âgolden eraâ movies that are still regarded with nostalgia today; reveal the anti-semitism behind the policy; and remind us of the pre-code movies, starring the likes of Jimmy Cagney and Mae West, that remain âraunchy - for nowâ... Further Reading:⢠âThe Quick 10: 9 Movies and Shows Affected by the Hays Codeâ (Mental Floss, 2010): https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/24341/quick-10-9-movies-and-shows-affected-hays-code⢠âFilm | The First Amendment Encyclopediaâ (mtsu.edu): https://mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1246/film⢠âHow the Catholic Church censored Hollywood's Golden Ageâ (Vox, 2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXZGKhpv8egâWhy am I hearing a rerun?âEach Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday⌠⌠But đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Before McDonalds, there was the Horn & Hardart Automat - a chain restaurant featuring coin-operated glass windows, which opened its first branch in Philadelphia on 12th June, 1902. The business would grow to serve 800,000 people per day.Customers exchanged nickels for dishes including meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and cherry pie. Beautifully designed with marble counters, stained glass, and chrome fixtures, the venues had an upscale ambiance, but catered mainly to working people, with a notable cult following among struggling artists.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how union pickets and fast food formats eventually caught up with the enterprise; consider the intense nostalgia still strongly felt by the chainâs former customers; and reveal how the whole concept was inspired by a visit to Berlin ZooâŚFurther Reading:⢠âMeet Me at the Automatâ (Smithsonian Magazine, 2001): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/meet-me-at-the-automat-47804151/⢠âThe Automat: Birth of a Fast Food Nationâ (HISTORY, 2012): https://www.history.com/news/the-automat-birth-of-a-fast-food-nation⢠âHitchcock's Monologue - The Problem With Automat Dinersâ (CBS, 1958): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE9euHvuhYULove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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King George VI first tasted a hot dog on June 11th, 1939.
The moment occurred during a picnic at the Hyde Park residence of US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. But behind the culinary first for the King, the famous American Royal Picnic would turn out to be an essential moment in the Special Relationship between the UK and the US.
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly discuss how the event warmed the American public up to the idea of supporting Britain in the Second World War; look into how sausages in buns became synonymous with US culture; and explain how hot dogs got their name (probably)...
Further Reading:
• ‘When Franklin Delano Roosevelt Served Hot Dogs to a King’ (Smithsonian Magazine, 2017): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-franklin-delano-roosevelt-served-hot-dogs-king-180963589/
• ‘The Royal 'Hot Dog' Picnic’ (The American, 2020): https://www.theamerican.co.uk/pr/ft-Special-Relationship-Hot-Dog-June-11-1939
• ‘How Hot Dogs Helped Endear This British King to his U.S. Hosts’ (Smithsonian, 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HiOM7XFMzc
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The renowned author of "War and Peace," Count Leo Tolstoy, set off on a pilgrimage to Optina Monastery on 10th June, 1881, disguised as a peasant.
Accompanied by his valet, Sergei Arbuzov, Tolstoy traipsed 130 miles from his vast estate; his feet bleeding from blisters thanks to his insistence that he be dressed in authentically threadbare sandals.
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly assess whether Tolstoy’s pilgrimage should be considered a spiritual journey, mid-life crisis, or poverty tourism; consider the impact his impulses had upon his poor wife, Sophia; and uncover the great author’s final moments, seeking ‘solitude’ at a railway station, as the world’s news cameras whirred away…
Further Reading:
• ‘Tolstoy disguises himself as a peasant and leaves on a pilgrimage’ (HISTORY, 2009): https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/tolstoy-disguises-himself-as-a-peasant-and-leaves-on-a-pilgrimage
• ‘A.N. Wilson on Tolstoy's life and work, 100 years on’ (Financial Times, 2010): https://slate.com/culture/2010/11/a-n-wilson-on-tolstoy-s-life-and-work-100-years-on.html
• ’1908-10: Footage of the life and death of Leo Tolstoy’ (Public Domain Archive, 2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQO9HQAWqu4
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Rerun: Edgy, gritty and sexy, the Broadway production of ‘Grease’ opened at the Broadhurst Theatre on 7th June, 1972, beginning what would become a record-breaking eight-year run.
Despite NOT featuring some of the most well-known hits from the movie - including ‘Grease Is The Word’, ‘You’re The One That I Want’ and ‘Hopelessly Devoted To You’ - the production attracted an unusually high proportion of blue-collar audiences, keen to see working-class and ethnic immigrant subculture portrayed in a musical.
In this episode, Olly, Arion and Rebecca reveal the origin of the word ‘greasers’, explain why ‘50s nostalgia played little part in the original success of the show, and consider whether the Grease Megamix is an appropriate choice for 10 year olds to sing at a Summer Ball…
Further Reading:
• The Playbill from the original production:
https://www.playbill.com/article/playbill-archives-grease-1972-com-143094
• ‘It’s The Longest-Running Show on Broadway’ - a 1970s TV commercial for the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phxb5K7jUUw
• The original dialogue from ‘Grease’ c/o New Line Theatre:
http://www.newlinetheatre.com/grease-dialogue.html
‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’
Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday…
… But đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸
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Rerun: George Williams, 22, created the Young Menâs Christian Association to provide somewhere for Londonâs young men to escape the vices and stress of rapid urbanization (translation: get yourself clean, hang out with all the boys). The groupâs first meeting was above a draperâs shop in St Paulâs on 6th June, 1844.The mission aligned perfectly with the burgeoning movement for âmuscular Christianityâ, and before long, multiple groups were sprouting all over Europe, and then the United States - where YMCA affiliates invented body-building, volleyball and basketball. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how the YMCA then became associated with cruising; reveal how the Village People got together; and consider what George Williams had in common with Milton S. Hershey⌠Further Reading:⢠â15 Things You Might Not Know About the YMCAâ (Mental Floss, 2018): https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/57095/facts-about-the-ymca⢠â#DidYaKnow? For 50+ Years the YMCA & Most Schools REQUIRED Males to Swim Naked!?â (World of Wonder, 2021): https://worldofwonder.net/didyaknow-for-50-years-the-ymca-most-schools-required-males-to-swim-naked/⢠âVillage People - YMCAâ (1978): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS9OO0S5w2kâWhy am I hearing a rerun?âEach Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday⌠⌠But đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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When Lord Byronâs 17 year-old daughter, Ada Lovelace, attended a soirĂŠe at the home of academic Charles Babbage on 5th June, 1833, the pair hit it off immediately. He invited her to see his âDifference Engineâ - an early mechanical calculator - kicking off a correspondence that lasted throughout her life.Their lively, intellectual correspondence, and Ada's deep understanding of mathematics and science, lead to her championing of Babbageâs âAnalytical Engineâ, a groundbreaking proto personal computer for which Ada even wrote an algorithm.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly debate whether Ada deserves her 21st century acclaim as the godmother of computer programming; expose her extramarital affairs and gambling habit; and consider whether Babbage himself even fully understood the applications for what he had inventedâŚFurther Reading:⢠âCharles Babbageâs Difference Engines and the Science Museumâ (Science Museum, 2023): https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/charles-babbages-difference-engines-and-science-museum⢠âHow Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage Invented the Worldâs First Computer: An Illustrated Adventure in Footnotes and Friendshipâ (The Marginalian, 2015): https://www.themarginalian.org/2015/06/15/the-thrilling-adventures-of-lovelace-and-babbage-sydney-padua/⢠âAda Lovelace in âVictoriaâ (ITV, 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOoCOUDdoeALove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Edit producer: Ollie PeartTheme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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On June 4, 1411, Charles VI of France granted the people of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon a monopoly to ripen his favourite cheese.Noted for its sharp, tangy, salty flavor and its rich, creamy texture, Roquefort is still under designation protected by French law, and sometimes called âle fromage des rois et des papesâ (âthe cheese of kings and popesâ).In this episode, The Retrospectors reveal Casanovaâs weird kink for this blue-veined cheese in the bedroom; discover the folksy origin story that has perpetuated for centuries; and consider whether the death of the cheese plate is killing off this King of CheesesâŚFurther Reading:⢠âThe Oxford Companion to Cheeseâ (OUP, 2016): https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Oxford_Companion_to_Cheese/qRg1DQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=roquefort+1411&pg=PA130&printsec=frontcover⢠âHow Much Longer Will Roquefort Reign as the King of Cheese?â (Smithsonian Magazine, 2021): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/how-much-longer-roquefort-reign-king-cheese-180978999/⢠âRoquefort French Cheeseâ (Phil Vickery, 2012): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKKahpKQCSQThis episode first premiered in 2023, for members of đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´ - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks! We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Just 224 words long, Eric Carleâs classic childrenâs book, âThe Very Hungry Caterpillarâ, was first published on 3rd June, 1969. Initially conceived as a "bookworm" eating through the pages, Carle's editor suggested a caterpillar for the central character, leading to a timeless tome that has sold over 55 million copies in 70 languages. Carle's journey to becoming a renowned children's author began in his late 30s after a career in advertising. Despite a tumultuous early life, including being conscripted by the Nazis and later the US Army, Carle found solace in his unique artistic style, layering paint and tissue paper to create colourful, textured illustrations.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly ponder why Carleâs military history has not caused him reputational damage in the USA; trace his childhood memories and his father's love for nature in his writing; and reveal why George W. Bush misunderestimated our ability to decipher chronology âŚFurther Reading:⢠âThe Very Hungry Caterpillar: 50 years of magical reading for childrenâ (The Independent, 2019): https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/the-very-hungry-caterpillar-author-eric-carle-anniversary-50-a8937571.html⢠âThe Enduring Whimsy and Wonderment of Eric Carleâ (The New York Times, 2021): https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/25/books/review/eric-carle-tiny-seeds-very-hungry-caterpillar.html?searchResultPosition=1⢠âEric Carle Discusses 50 Years of The Very Hungry Caterpillarâ (Penguin Kids, 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYwE8qALm9M#Books #60s #Inventions #USLove the show? Support us! Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY⌠⌠Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Rerun. John Harvey Kellogg believed his corn flakes had a future as a sexual suppressant when he filed a patent for "Flaked Cereals and Process of Preparing Same" on 31st May, 1895.What the Seventh Day Adventist and eugenicist hadnât counted on was his brother Will - who combined his discovery with sugar; effectively creating the Kellogg company that still exists to this day. In this episode, Olly, Rebecca and Arion reveal the origins of the word âSanitariumâ, explain what Dr. Kellogg got up to on honeymoon; and revisit his alarming prescription for yoghurt...Content Warning: references to eugenics, masturbation, sexual contentFurther Reading:⢠âJohn Harvey Kellogg, MD: Health Reformer and Antismoking Crusaderâ at the U.S. National Library of Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1447485/⢠NPRâs Fresh Air on âHow The 'Battling' Kellogg Brothers Revolutionized American Breakfastâ (2017): https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/08/08/542145177/how-the-battling-kellogg-brothers-revolutionized-american-breakfast?t=1621942499296⢠Discoveryâs âHow Itâs Madeâ visits a cereal factory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPpMV_vcVEgâWhy am I hearing a rerun?âEach Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday⌠⌠But đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma CorshamCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Rerun. Hersheypark was created as a recreation ground for the workers and families who staffed the Hershey chocolate factory in Pennsylvania when it opened on 30th May, 1906. But visitors from across the State soon came to marvel at its playgrounds, boating lake and band-stand⌠and, before long, the environs began to morph into the chocolate-themed amusement park it remains to this day.Its success exemplifies the âCompany Townâ phenomenon: at one point, 3% of the USAâs entire population lived in a town that was owned and run by the company that they worked for.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how caramel, not chocolate, first paved the way to Hersheyâs success; debate whether Hersheypark was a philanthropic gift to his employees, or a cynical bid to keep them from leaving; and explain to Americans why Brits would prefer an attraction with less butyric acid⌠Further Reading:⢠âMore Than 110 Years of Hersheypark Happyâ (Hershey, 2022): https://www.hersheypa.com/about-hershey/history/hersheypark-history.php⢠Milton Hershey, The Man Who Built A Chocolate Empire (All Thatâs Interesting, 2022): https://allthatsinteresting.com/milton-hershey⢠âFrom Sweet To Sweeter: The Legacy of Hersheyparkâ (Hersheypark Enthusiast, 2021):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIJlIYlPo38âWhy am I hearing a rerun?âEach Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday⌠⌠But đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Sophie King.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Bing Crosby recorded the biggest-selling single of all time, ‘White Christmas’, on 29th May, 1942. The session took just 18 minutes, and the song was not considered the standout from the album: everyone thought the Valentine’s-themed ballad ‘Be Careful, It's My Heart’ had a better chance of chart success.
The songwriter, Irving Berlin, was perhaps not an obvious person to pen the quintessential American Christmas song, given that he was a Russian-born Jew, who had never celebrated the holiday until his arrival in the United States. But the record’s airplay on US Army overseas radio stations during World War II struck a chord with homesick soldiers, and helped embed the tune deeply into the American psyche.
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly reveal why the version you’re almost certainly thinking of is NOT the version with which Bing initally topped the charts; unpick the confusing Russian Doll stack of genres into which the song has been repurposed; and explain why Berlin’s Oscar win became a pivotal moment in the Academy Awards ceremony…
Further Reading:
• ‘'White Christmas' at 75: A Snapshot of the Most Successful Song In Music History’ (Billboard, 2017): https://www.billboard.com/culture/lifestyle/white-christmas-bing-crosby-history-8071111/#!
• ‘Is White Christmas the Best Popular Song Ever Written?’ (Smithsonian Magazine, 2012): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/is-white-christmas-the-best-popular-song-ever-written-165989545/
• ‘Holiday Inn | Bing Crosby Sings "White Christmas"’ (Universal Pictures, 1942): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ36gbGlm8Y
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Join đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY…
… Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content.
Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸
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âMiracle babiesâ the Dionne Quintuplets - Yvonne, Annette, CĂŠcile, Ămilie, and Marie, the first known quintuplets to survive infancy - born on 28th May, 1934 in rural Canada.Fearing private exploitation, the Ontario government removed them from their parents and placed them in a specially built hospital under the care of Dr Allan Roy Dafoe, who had delivered them. Oliva Dionne fought a nine-year battle to regain them. In the interval, they became the countryâs biggest tourist attraction, as three million visitors flocked to âQuintlandâ to watch the babies at play behind a one-way screen.In this episode, The Retrospectors reveal how news of the quintsâ birth spread so very quickly; explain the tragic events of their eventual reunion with their parents; and ask whether a âchild zooâ could ever happen in our more enlightened ageâŚFurther Reading:âDionne Quintuplets: Inside The $500 Million "Freak Show" Of Mid-1900s Canadaâ (All Thatâs Interesting, 2016): https://allthatsinteresting.com/dionne-quintupletsâWhatever Happened to the Dionne Quintuplets? - Canada's First Quintupletsâ (Country Living, 2017): https://www.countryliving.com/life/kids-pets/a42542/dionne-quintuplets/âMiracle Babies - The Story of the Dionne Quintupletsâ (BBC, 1998): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GTAWlfjssY&t=2461sThis episode first premiered in 2023, for members of đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´ - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks! We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Rerun: Spectacle, camp and glamour were NOT on the agenda in Lugano, Switzerland on 24th May, 1956: the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest was broadcast mostly on the radio, and featured a whistling duo as its interval act. Who had to perform twice.
Voting controversy, however, was enshrined in the institution right from the outset - as Judges were permitted to award points to their own nations, and vote in absentia.
In this episode, Rebecca, Olly and Arion reveal which countries have most consistently scored the famous ‘nul points’; consider why the future of the contest seems to lie Eastwards, and revisit Israel’s entry from 1999, ‘Happy Birthday’...
Further Reading:
• Lys Assia wins the first Eurovision for Switzerland:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyqIPvOkiRk
• Facts and Figures from the 1956 contest at the official Eurovision website:
https://eurovision.tv/event/lugano-1956
• Full list of 1956 voting and points from Eurovisionworld:
https://eurovisionworld.com/eurovision/1956
‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’
Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday…
… But đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸
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Rerun: Throwing people out of windows might seem a peculiar way to protest, but itâs happened so often in history, itâs got a special name: defenestration. And perhaps the most significant of all - because it brought about the Thirty Years War - was the assault on three Habsburg officials by Bohemian malcontents in Prague on 23rd May, 1618.The dispute had kicked off when Ferdinand II refused permission for some Protestants to build a new place of worship on a piece of land - and then granted it to Catholics instead. Dick move.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider whether âa bloodthirsty mob of Christiansâ is a contradiction in terms; explain why 1618 was a bad year to take a secretarial job; and how, despite triggering the bloodiest war yet seen in Europe, Ferdinand II still managed to insert humour into proceedings⌠Further Reading:⢠âDefenestration: The Bloody History Of Throwing People Out Of A Windowâ (All Thatâs Interesting, 2022): https://allthatsinteresting.com/defenestration⢠âWhat Happened At The 1618 Defenestration of Prague?â (History Extra, 2020): https://www.historyextra.com/period/stuart/1618-defenestration-prague-facts-history-explained-what-happened-why-castle-protestant-catholic/⢠âThe 30 Years' War (1618-48) and the Second Defenestration of Prague - Professor Peter Wilsonâ (Gresham College, 2018):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7vxXfy09EA&t=134sâWhy am I hearing a rerun?âEach Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday⌠⌠But đ´CLUB RETROSPECTORSđ´members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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When Jerry Lee Lewis landed at Heathrow Airport for his first UK tour on 22nd May, 1958, he was met with a flurry of journalists eager for a scoop. Yet just one question brought everything to a halt: "Who are you?".
A wide-eyed girl in Lewis's entourage answered: Myra Gale Brown, his wife. But she was only 13 years old. As if this wasn’t scandal enough… she was also his cousin, and their marriage was bigamous. The press exploded with these revelations, turning what was meant to be a triumphant tour into a public relations disaster.
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly pore over the disturbing details of Lewis’s tumultuous private life; consider whether he was on the path to equalling Elvis’s stardom in the UK, had this matter not come to light; and fruitlessly search the singer’s interviews for a later sense of contrition…
Further Reading:
• ‘Myra Williams talks about marriage at age 13 to Jerry Lee Lewis’ (Los Angeles Times, 2022): https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2022-10-29/jerry-lee-lewis-myra-brown-williams-marriage-13-cousin
• ‘Inside The Disturbing Marriage Of Jerry Lee Lewis To His 13-Year-Old Cousin’ (All That’s Interesting, 2022): https://allthatsinteresting.com/myra-gale-brown-jerry-lee-lewis
• ’Jerry Lee Lewis Interview with 13 year old wife’ (1958): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwbty1kRCG0
CONTENT WARNING: domestic abuse, violence, child sexual abuse.
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Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show â¤ď¸
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