

Dark Histories
Ben Cutmore
Fortnightly narratives on the unsolved and the unexplained, mysteries, historical true crime, touches of the paranormal and cultural peculiarities.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 6, 2018 • 51min
Matthew Hopkins: Witchfinder General
Delve into the life of Matthew Hopkins, the self-proclaimed Witchfinder General, who was behind a staggering number of witch trials in 17th century England. Discover the chaos of the civil wars that fueled his rise and the dark methods used to extract confessions from the accused. Explore the manipulative justifications in his own writings, showcasing the dangerous intersection of fanaticism and injustice. Reflect on how societal views on witchcraft shifted from fear to humor, culminating in Hopkins' eventual downfall.

Apr 22, 2018 • 36min
Tutankhamun: Pharaoh Curses & Fake News
In this weeks episode, Sally and I don our sceptic hats and delve into 1920s Egypt to dig up the story of Tutankhamun and the crazy publicity storm that followed Howard Carter after his uncovering of the tomb.For extended show notes, including maps, links and scripts, head over to darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistoriesConnect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcastOr find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.comOr join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/6f7e2ptMusic was recorded by me © 2017Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 8, 2018 • 25min
The Disappearance of Gary Mathias
An obscure one this week with the lesser-known case of Gary Mathias and his four friends from Yuba City, CA. Five guys who went to a basketball game and ended up disappearing on a mountain road, 70 miles away, with no explicable reason as to how they got there, nor what led to their eventual fate.
For extended show notes, including maps, links and scripts, head over to darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
Or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/6f7e2pt
Music was recorded by me © 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 2, 2018 • 3min
Introducing Moya - Trailer
Introducing "Moya", a brand new 12 part fiction podcast written and produced by me (Ben) from Dark Histories. Out now on all podcast platforms.
Connect on Facebook: facebook.com/moyapodcast
Or find me on Twitter: twitter.com/moyapodcast
& Instagram: instagram.com/moyapodcast
You can contact me directly via email at moyapodcast@gmail.com
Music in the trailer is used under CC license and is called "Russian Winter" By Tim from https://tabletopaudio.com/
Feel free yo get in touch via the usual Dark Histories channel too! Episode midweek for our Patreon subscribers and next Sunday for general release! Cheers for listening x
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 25, 2018 • 54min
We are one
The episode is a bit different this week. We hit our one year anniversary on the day of recording, so we switched it up and had the first annual Dark Histories awards, taking a little look back at some of the people we've covered in the last year and then, using listener questions, had a candid chat about behind the scenes things, taking a look back, a little look forward, talking about episodes coming up for the rest of the season as well as some of the decisions and obstacles involved with making a podcast mostly about grim subjects.
For extended show notes, including maps, links and scripts, head over to darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
Or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/6f7e2pt
Music was recorded by me © 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 11, 2018 • 27min
The Arthurs Seat Coffins
In this weeks episode, we tell the story of the Arthurs Seat Coffins, 17 tiny 4" coffins, each holding a wooden doll complete with handmade clothing, uncovered from the Arthurs Seat area of Edinburgh in 1836. To this day, no one has any explanations for what they were for, or who put them there.
For extended show notes, including maps, links and scripts, head over to darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
Or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/6f7e2pt
Music was recorded by me © 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 24, 2018 • 1h 2min
The Mysterious Deaths of the Jamison Family
This episode we take a look at the disappearance and eventual reappearance of the Jamison family. A mother, father and daughter trio who mysteriously went missing in the remote wilderness of Red Oak, Oklahoma only for the bodies to be found four years later.For extended show notes, including maps, links and scripts, head over to darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistoriesConnect with me on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcastOr find me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistoriesOr you can contact me directly via email at contact@darkhistories.comOr join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/6f7e2ptMusic was recorded by me © 2017Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 11, 2018 • 36min
The Exorcism of Anna Ecklund
This weeks episode goes a bit more out there as we take a look at a historic exorcism that, despite being a well-documented case for the time, tends to fly under the radar. This is the story of Anna Ecklund, who found herself cursed and possessed by five demons and suffered months of exorcisms lasting for 23 days, in Earling, Iowa, way back in 1928.
For extended show notes, including maps, links and scripts, head over to darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
Connect with me on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
Or you can contact me directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
Or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/6f7e2pt
Music was recorded by me © 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 28, 2018 • 33min
The Circleville Letters Mystery
This week is a tireless effort to unravel the most tightly wound bundle of gossip, hearsay and bizarre facts that make up the Circleville Letter Mystery. A series of thousands of letters, spanning almost three decades that lead to at least one strange death, a shifty court trial and incarceration and accusations of deep conspiracy. Oh and a booby trap.
For extended show notes, including maps, links and scripts, head over to darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
Connect with me on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
Or you can contact me directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
Or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/6f7e2pt
Music was recorded by me © 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 14, 2018 • 36min
Adam: The Body in the Thames
This week we take a look at Adam, the name given to a body fished out the River Thames in 2001 and winds down a dark path that leads straight into a voodoo cult in the heart of London, embroiled with child trafficking and sacrifice.
For extended show notes, including maps, links and scripts, head over to darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
Connect with me on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
Or you can contact me directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
Or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/6f7e2pt
Music was recorded by me © 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices