Gruesome body of a saint on display!
The dismembered body of Saint John Southworth can be seen displayed in Westminster Cathedral in London – a victim of the Cromwellian persecution of Catholics
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Why I prefer Roundheads to Royalists
As BBC Four broadcasts a new series on King Charles I, Tony McMahon asks whether we should side with Roundheads or Royalists
Victorian movies from the 19th century!
The idea of Victorian movies may seem weird – people in the 19th century able to watch films – and yet it actually happened! We’ve grown up with TV and film so the idea of living in a world were there are no recorded motion pictures would seem bizarre – even more so with our…
Lies told about Women in History!
Powerful women in history have been subject to lies and myths like Lucrezia Borgia accused of being a serial poisoner with no evidence
Vintage rail disasters that defy belief
For two hundred years we’ve had rail transportation but from the very beginning, there were tragic accidents. These vintage rail disasters were captured on camera as photography became more prevalent in the late 19th century. Some of the images just defy belief. VINTAGE RAIL DISASTERS: Gare Montparnasse Let’s start with the Gare Montparnasse derailment of…
Neolithic statues that look like aliens
I was in the capital of Kosovo – the city of Pristina – last month and saw some incredible 7,000 year old statues from the Neolithic period that quite frankly, looked like aliens. At the Museum of Kosovo in Pristina, I browsed the strange Neolithic sculptures of alien like beings in glass cases. Oblong heads…
Corporate racism in the 1920s
A shocking example of vintage corporate racism with a 1923 Christmas card where African employees were treated as design accessories as Tony McMahon reports
Busting Popular Titanic Myths: What Really Happened?
Many myths surround the sinking of the Titanic such as it had been replaced by another ship or a cursed Egyptian mummy was on board
Maddest rulers in history
Tony McMahon investigates some of the maddest rulers in history from Charles VI who thought he was made of glass to George III who lost America.
Celebrating LGBT Muslim history
Muslim LGBT visibility has been increasing in recent years. Groups have been forming around the world to give voice to those within Islam keen to celebrate both the present day reality of their lives but also highlighting a rich history of gay, lesbian, and transgender contributions to art, culture, and politics in the Muslim world….