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This Week in History

This Week in History

BBC Radio 4 64 episodes Nov 9, 2026

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.

Episodes

November 9th to November 15th
November 9th to November 15th Nov 9, 2026 5:44 Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.11th November 1920 - An unknown soldier is buried in Westminster Abbey.15th November 1533 - Spanish forces led by Francisco Pizarro take the Inca capital of Cusco (modern day Peru)11th November 1992 - The Church of England votes for the ordination of female priests.
November 2nd to November 8th
November 2nd to November 8th Nov 2, 2026 5:41 Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.5th November 1605: A plot by Catholic conspirators to blow up the Houses of Parliament - in order to restore England to the Catholic faith - is foiled.4th November 1979: Iranian students demanding the extradition of the deposed Shah from the US storm the American embassy in Tehran, resulting in a hostage crisis which la
28/10/2026
28/10/2026 Oct 26, 2026 5:43 1st November 1908: Belgium annexes Congo, previously private property of King Leopold II.31st October 1922: Benito Mussolini becomes Italian Prime Minister.1st November 1755: An enormous earthquake shakes Lisbon and kills over 50,000 people.
October 19th to October 25th
October 19th to October 25th Oct 19, 2026 5:36 24 October 1945: The Charter of a new international organisation, the United Nations, comes into effect.23 October 1642: King Charles I beats English Parliamentarian forces at the Battle of Edgehill in Warwickshire.20 October 1960: Penguin Books fights for the right to publish DH Lawrence’s novel 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' in a landmark trial at the Old Bailey.
October 12th to October 18th
October 12th to October 18th Oct 12, 2026 5:20 Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.16th October 1793: Marie Antoinette is executed in Paris.17th October 1814: A flood of beer courses through the streets of London.13th October 1963: The Beatles perform on 'Sunday Night at the London Palladium', marking the beginning of Beatlemania.
October 5th - October 11th
October 5th - October 11th Oct 5, 2026 5:30 Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.5th October 1910 - The centuries-old Portuguese monarchy was overthrown in a coup d'état organized by the Portuguese Republican Party.  10th October 1881 - The Savoy Theatre - the first public building to be lit by electricity - opens with a performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience. 11th October 1440 - King Henry
September 28th to October 4th
September 28th to October 4th Sep 28, 2026 5:34 28th September 1985: The shooting of Cherry Groce in her own home during a mishandled police raid, leads to clashes between the police and the black community in Brixton.28th September 48 BC: Pompey the Great is assassinated on the order of King Ptolemy of Egypt. 28th September 1865: Elizabeth Garrett Anderson becomes the first woman to qualify as a doctor in Britain.
September 21st - September 27th
September 21st - September 27th Sep 21, 2026 6:07 Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.23rd September 1846: Through applying maths and physics, the planet Neptune is officially observed and identified by the German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle. 22nd September 1735: The man regarded as the first British Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole, moves into Number 10 Downing Street.26th September 1968: Theat
September 14th - September 20th
September 14th - September 20th Sep 14, 2026 5:26 Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.19th September 1991: Two tourists stumble onto the mummified body of a man who lived around 3;500 years ago - Ötzi the Iceman16th September 1400: Owain Glyndŵr begins a fierce but ultimately unsuccessful Welsh revolt against English rule.14th September 1752:  The British Empire adopts the Gregorian Calendar after skippi
September 7th - September 13th
September 7th - September 13th Sep 7, 2026 5:28 Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.7th Sept 1978: Georgi Markov is assassinated in London by a poison umbrella.13th Sept 1814: Francis Scott Key writes 'The Star Spangled Banner'.Sept 12th 1878: Cleopatra's needle is erected in London.
August 31st - September 6th
August 31st - September 6th Aug 31, 2026 5:27 Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.1st September 1939: Budding journalist Clare Hollingworth reports on the outbreak of World War Two in Europe.2nd September 1666: The Great Fire of London begins in Pudding Lane.4th September 1893: Beatrix Potter writes the story of Peter Rabbit.
August 24th - August 30th
August 24th - August 30th Aug 24, 2026 5:45 Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.29th August 1882: English cricketers lose to Australia at The Oval. A mock obituary is published, leading to the creation of The Ashes series.27th August 1939: The first test flight of a jet powered engine takes to the sky in Germany24th August 1516: Ottoman forces defeat the Mamluk Sultanate at the Battle of Marj Dabiq

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