Dirty Sexy History

Happy Halloween! This week, we welcome special guest Violet Fenn, author of The History of the Vampire in Popular Culture: Love at First Bite. We cover everything from the earliest myths to the Victorians, and even make it to 1950s Glasgow and a (not so) surprising connection to the Monmouth Vampire in 1980s Wales. Release the bats!

This week on DSH, we look at the life of 18th century prizefighter Daniel Mendoza, who paved the way for acceptance of the Jewish community in Georgian London and changed boxing forever.

Decor can be ugly, but what about when it’s deadly? Continuing with our Halloween series this week, we’re talking about Scheele’s Green, the arsenic-based pigment that filled homes in Britain throughout the nineteenth century, and its surprising connection to William Morris, one of the most influential figures of the Arts & Crafts Movement. Millions of miles of arsenic green wallpaper filled the homes of Victorian Britain, causing illness and death with toxic dust. You’ll never look at green walls quite the same way again…

This week, we look at 40 Elephants, an infamous all-female gang active in London from about 1870 - 1950. Then Jess talks to New York Times Bestselling Author and host of Fated Mates, Sarah MacLean, about the gang and how it helped to inspire her latest Historical Romance, Bombshell. From organized crime and chloroform to Victorian fast food and IUDs, we cover it all today on Dirty Sexy History

In Episode 3 of our Halloween series, Jess talks about the history of Paris’s catacombs from the dangerous graveyards that led to their opening to the surprising things they are still used for today

The podcast discusses the Malleus Maleficarum, a 15th century German handbook for identifying witches. They explore the evolution of witchcraft in medieval Europe and the consequences of accusations. The chapter also covers methods of protection against witchcraft and the sexual nature of accusations and confessions. The association between witches and the devil is also discussed, highlighting the concept of witchcraft as directed by God.

Exploring 11th century witchcraft in penitential literature, including women's vices and pagan rituals. Also discusses a Spanish Bishop's scandalous romantic relationship and historical practices for increasing love and fertility.

How did people manage their symptoms during the last pandemic? Heroin! Once and over-the-counter cough aid, it was sold to women, children, and soldiers with chronic pain as a “non-addictive” alternative to morphine. In this episode, John looks at the early history of heroin as well as other common treatments for the Spanish Flu.

In this overview, Jess traces the development of pornography in Britain from its working-class political origins with Fanny Hill to later Victorian attempts to crack down on its sale

This week, Jess talks about the spiritual side of historical kink with a look at the death of Czech composer Frantisek Kotzwara in 1791 from erotic asphyxiation, and the murder trial that followed. Then, we jump to Imperial Russia for a look at Rasputin’s views on love and sex to answer the eternal question—was Rasputin really Russia’s greatest love machine?