We Are History
Angela Barnes and John O'Farrell
The less-than-serious history podcast with stand up comedian Angela Barnes (The News Quiz, Mock The Week and Live at The Apollo) and writer John O'Farrell (An Utterly Impartial History of Britain, Things Can Only Get Better, Spitting Image). In each podcast our two history nerds discuss, explain and laugh at interesting and quirky episodes from the olden days, such as East German Nudism, Spy Pigeons or Vlad the Impaler. Angela and John’s in-depth knowledge of world history has been described as ‘laughable’ - and now they read the history books so that you don't have to. The We Are History podcast - not as world-changing as the Black Death, but slightly funnier.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 8, 2021 • 1h 5min
The Winter of Discontent 1978-9
Multiple strikes, power-cuts and a sense of growing social crisis destroyed the reputation of a minority Labour government, which would be cast out of power for the following 18 years. (Not to be confused with the January sale at Millets or 'the winter of discount tents') Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 7, 2021 • 1h 1min
A History of Contraception
The last episode of the series looks at the embarrassing business of contraception down the ages. Can you avoid pregnancy by eating a bee? Would you use a sheep’s intestine as a condom? And what is the Latin for coitus interruptus? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 31, 2021 • 33min
The Thorpe Affair
How the 1970s Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe attempted to hide his longstanding gay affair by having his lover shot. But the British public felt he'd gone too far when a dog got shot instead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 24, 2021 • 1h 2min
The Bay of Pigs - Cuba 1961
When America was shocked to see their neighbour Cuba going socialist, they trained and armed a group of Cuban exiles to invade, confident in the knowledge that this would spark a popular uprising against all that free healthcare and universal education. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 17, 2021 • 44min
The Campaign Against Women's Suffrage
Meet the men and women who worked hard to try and stop women having the vote. Learn all about their fascinating arguments and deep concerns. And when the Women's National Anti-Suffrage League merged with the Men's League, find out which gender put themselves in charge of it all... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 10, 2021 • 1h 10min
The Agapemonites - the Victorian religious love cult
The Victorian English gentleman who announced he was the Son of God, and proceeded to have carnal relations with various attractive young ladies in his secretive religious cult. The 'Abode of Love' is an important chapter in British history, and not at all an excuse for John and Angela to giggle at a load of saucy Victorian hypocrites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 3, 2021 • 41min
The Scopes Monkey Trial
Tennessee in 1925, and a young school teacher is put on trial for teaching his students about evolution. The dramatic trial grips the whole of America and beyond; pitting science against religion and freedom of speech against the rule of law - while the locals are deeply offended at the suggestion that they are descended from monkeys. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 26, 2021 • 1h 1min
A History of Marriage
How did the institution of marriage evolve down the centuries in Britain? With Angela getting married this year, she thought she would make her fella feel really secure by reading lots of books about divorce law. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 19, 2021 • 54min
The fall of Thatcher - 1990
John and Angela examine the rapid chain of events that led to the shock resignation of Margaret Thatcher, in their most balanced and even-handed podcast to date. (Includes John playing The Red Flag on a kazoo). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 12, 2021 • 51min
Elizabethan child actors
In a time when women were not allowed to perform on the stage, children were sometimes kidnapped and forced to become actors against their will. (Warning; episode contains John re-enacting some of his worst childhood performances.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
