Here For The History
Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson reveal the surprising moments in history behind the traditions, customs and objects all around us.
Episodes
Why Does the Union Jack Look Like That?
Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson delve into the history of the Union Jack - the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.It’s one of the most recognisable British icons, but just why does it look the way it does? What’s the story behind the pattern?We’ll get into the saintly foundations, the Stuarts, and of course the age old question - where on the flag is Wales?Key Sources:
Why Do We Have ‘Ugly’ Buildings?
Modern buildings are ugly - that’s what opinion polls suggest - but if it’s true, what’s the story behind it?Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton see how a Swiss architect turned the British establishment against traditional architecture, and how his followers rebuilt British cities in the hope of improving society.For some, modern architecture is a crime against the public realm. For others, it’s iconi
Who Invented the Weekend?
Have you ever wondered why we get Saturday and Sundays off each week?
Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson try to figure out who invented the weekend.
We got Sunday, then Saturday afternoon.. Then finally the full two days - but how?
We’ll be taking a look at the Medieval period, we’ll introduce you to an important clerk from the Industrial Revolution, and finally a few familiar names will round o
Why Do We Wear Suits?
From royal coronations to criminal trials, the suit is men’s go-to uniform. But why?Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson reveal the suit’s origins in the court of Charles II, how the original dandy Beau Brummell shaped men’s style to this day, and how sporty Victorians forged the modern suit.But with the rise of working from home, are the suit’s days numbered?Key sources:
The Suit: Form, Function and St
Package Holiday: Why do Brits go to Benidorm?
For decades Brits have enjoyed package holidays in sunnier climes of Spain, in resort towns like Benidorm. But why is that? Where did the package holiday itself come from? Was it one person who invented it?Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson unpack the stories which have all contributed to the success of the package holiday.We’ll start our journey off in Victorian Britain, with a layover to visit a Nor
Stiff Upper Lip: Do Brits Have Emotions?
There’s a well known stereotype that Brits don’t show their emotions. George Gershwin even composed a song about the famous ‘Stiff Upper Lip’.This week Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson delve into the history of emotions and ask where the British stiff upper lip came from.We’ll hear how the French Revolution turned Brits against emotion, how the Victorians made repression a virtue, and why everything
Why Don’t Women’s Clothes Have Pockets?
To the frustration of many, a lot of women’s clothes don’t have pockets. But why on Earth is that the case? Especially when men’s clothing seems to be full of pockets.Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson track the tumultuous and muddy history of women’s pockets. From capacious beginnings, through many fashion changes, to suffragette campaigning and societal expectations.Alice and Ben unpick the surprisi
Why are Brits so obsessed with football?
Why are Brits so obsessed with football?Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson explore the origins of football, how the game transformed from a gentleman’s hobby to the people’s game, and then how it became the most popular cultural phenomenon in the world.Key sources:
The Ball is Round: A Global History of Football - David Goldblatt
The Association Game: A History of British Football - Matthew Taylor
English Language: Why do we speak like that?
Why do our spellings not match our pronunciations? Why are so many words just really weird?Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson take us on a whistle stop tour of some of the key moments that forged the English Language as we know it today.We’ll be looking at Germanic and French invasions, the impact of a period of history called the Great Vowel Shift and Caxton’s first printing press, our ever-increasin
Why does British food have such a bad reputation?
Is British cooking a crime against food? Or is this a foreign plot to do down Britain?
Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton investigate the history behind Britain’s culinary reputation. They explore how British aristocrats turned towards French food from the 1600s, while Britain’s peasant cuisine was crushed by the industrial revolution and land enclosures. Finally, they examine the enduring legacy o
Why do British people love tea?
How and when did tea arrive in the UK? Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson take a look at the mythological origins, the role of a Portuguese princess and even going to war for a cuppa.
We’ll start our journey with the first appearance of tea in England in the 1600s and its popularisation in the English royal court thanks to the Portuguese princess, Catherine of Braganza who married King Charles II.
Trailer
Do you ever stop to think where the stereotypes, social norms, traditions, and beliefs that fill our everyday life come from?History lovers Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson uncover the origin stories behind all sorts of things - why we dress the way we do, why football is our national sport, why our cities look the way they do.Where does the idea of Britain’s stiff upper lip come from? And why does
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