The Greatest Tea Race of the Victorian Age
14 July - 37 mins2/4. With towering masts and billowing sails, the Cutty Sark and the Thermopylae raced neck and neck through relentless waves to be the first to arrive in London with their tea shipment from Shanghai. The first ship back could claim the highest price for its cargo.
Dan is joined by Senior Archivist at Lloyd's Register Foundation Max Wilson for a dramatic blow-by-blow account of this high-stakes race that gripped Victorians in the late summer of 1872, where fortunes were made and lost by the hour.
This is episode 2 of our mini-series 'Ships that Made the British Empire' that tells four stories of ships that have shaped Britain and its maritime history, from the trade that kickstarted th...
2. Wars of the Roses: Rise of the Tudors
In the second episode of our Wars of the Roses series, Edward IV secures the English throne after his victory at the bloody Battle of Towton. But his betrayal by Warwick the 'Kingmaker' throws the house of York into disarray once again. The civil war reignites, and only after immense bloodshed will a new dynasty will arise - that of the Tudors. England's political landscape would be changed forever. Once again we're joined by Matt Lewis, historian, author and host of our sister podcast, Gone Medieval. Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore. Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW’. We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com. You can take part in our listener survey here.
39 mins
28 October Finished
1. Wars of the Roses: England Divided
This is the first episode in a two-part series on the brutal, three-decade-long civil war that tore England in two. Today, we explore the complex allegiances, rivalries, and personalities that made it all happen before hearing about the first bloody battles between the houses of York and Lancaster. For this, we're joined by Matt Lewis, historian, author and host of our sister podcast, Gone Medieval. Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore. Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW’. We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com. You can take part in our listener survey here.
49 mins
24 October Finished
The Origins of Halloween
Pumpkins, trick or treating and ghost stories are what we associate with Halloween, but what about turnips, fairies and a fortune-telling cake? Dan and hosts of History Hit’s After Dark podcast Anthony Delaney and Maddy Pelling go in search of the origins of Halloween, rooted on the island of Ireland in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when the harvest ends and winter looms. The trio try Barmbrack cake, a fruit loaf filled with charms that foretell the fate of the consumer, and Dan speaks to food historian Dr Regina Sexton about the traditional Samhain practices that inform our present Halloween customs. Meanwhile, Maddy and Anthony discover the historic Irish folklore of the ‘three worlds’, and the ghouls and fairies that occupy them, with Dr Kelly Fitzgerald. You can discover more at Ireland.com/homeofhalloween Produced by Charlotte Long, Mariana Des Forges, Freddy Chick, edited by Tom Delargy, Dougal Patmore and the production coordinators were Beth Donaldson and Peta Stamper.
37 mins
22 October Finished
The Great Napoleonic Escape
Lieutenant Charles Hare was a young British naval officer who made an extraordinarily elaborate escape from a French prisoner-of-war camp during the Napoleonic Wars... with the help of his English Terrier dog. Captured at just 14, Hare spent years in captivity before devising an audacious plan to flee dressed in the uniform of a French customs officer. He took a convoluted 'trains, planes and automobiles' style journey up the Rhine, through Germany, to the Netherlands and finally back home to England, deceiving both locals and officials of his true identity. This tale of ingenuity and bravery was recently uncovered thanks to Hare's descendants, who recently handed over his disguise and firsthand account to the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. Curator Dr Katherine Gazzard regales Dan with the story in a world-exclusive story when he visited the museum to see the uniform for himself. You can see Hare's disguise and discover more about his story at a new exhibition at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, and see it in our new History Hit documentary. Sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW’ to watch it. Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore Other episodes mentioned in this episode: Thomas Cochrane: The Real Master and Commander We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com. You can take part in our listener survey here.
35 mins
20 October Finished
The Hunt for the Endurance Shipwreck
In 2022 Dan was part of the international expedition that went in search of Shackleton's lost shipwreck Endurance in the Weddell Sea in Antarctica; what they discovered on the sea floor was more extraordinary than anything they could have imagined. It was no easy task, the Weddell Sea is one of the most remote and inhospitable places on earth and the crew found themselves facing the same dangers as Shackleton and his men. Dan tells the behind-the-scenes story of the Endurance22 expedition- the perilous storms and sea ice, the agonising close calls, the penguins, and the international incident Dan nearly caused... Written by Dan Snow, produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore. This is the third episode in our Endurance season running through October & November to celebrate the release of the Endurance feature documentary on Disney+, Hulu and Nat Geo. For more Shackleton and Endurance content from History Hit, as well as AD-FREE content, sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW’. We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com. You can take part in our listener survey here. You can watch the behind the scenes story of the expedition on History Hit.
38 mins
17 October Finished
Tom Crean: The Unsung Irish Hero of the Antarctic
He was one of the last men to see Antarctic Explorer Robert Scott alive and was Shackleton's right-hand man on the Endurance expedition. So why don't more people know the name Tom Crean? He was a steadfast and courageous Irishman whose legendary feats in Antarctica shaped the course of exploration history. Born in 1877, Crean joined the Royal Navy at 16 and his adventures took him to the perilous glaciers of the South Pole as he became an integral member of both Scott’s and Shackleton’s iconic Antarctic expeditions. Crean’s resilience shone in moments of crisis, from daring solo rescues in lethal blizzards to enduring sledge journeys that tested the limits of human endurance. Yet, despite his astonishing achievements, Crean remained grounded, returning to a quiet life in Ireland. Join Dan as he uncovers the incredible story of this unsung hero. Written by Dan Snow, produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore. You can discover more about the life and accomplishments of Tom Crean in Tim Foley's book 'Crean: The Extraordinary Life of an Irish Hero'. This is the second episode in our Endurance season running through October & November to celebrate the release of the Endurance feature documentary on Disney+, Hulu and Nat Geo. Other episodes mentioned in this show: Was Scott's Antarctic Expedition Sabotaged? For more Shackleton and Endurance content from History Hit, as well as AD-FREE content, sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW’. We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com. You can take part in our listener survey here.
51 mins
15 October Finished