The Gallimaufry - A Hodgepodge History Podcast

Episode 15: The 1919 Race Riots

Episode 15: The 1919 Race Riots

World War One was a desperate time for Britain. Finding itself floundering against the advances of the Central Powers, Britain looked to its empire for support--and that's exactly what it got. Buoyed by aspirations of respect and independence, or just a genuine desire to fight alongside what they saw as

Episode 14: Alexander II: The Last Great Tsar

Episode 14: Alexander II: The Last Great Tsar

Where would Russian history be without tragedy? It would be like France without revolution, Spain without imperialism or Nick's flat without that strange smell that just won't go away. One of the most tragic figures you may not be aware of is Alexander II--otherwise known as the great emancipator. Alexander's

Episode 13: Ridiculous Reasons for War

Episode 13: Ridiculous Reasons for War

What's the connection between the following items: a camel, a stray dog, a pig and a bucket? If you answered 'things Will's girlfriend has tried to take home with her from holiday', you'd technically be correct--but luckily that's not the topic of this episode. In fact, all of these items

Episode 12: The Centre of the Universe

Episode 12: The Centre of the Universe

Thousands of years before the invention of the telescope, ancient humans looked up to the night sky and wondered just what it was they were gazing at. Then in typical human fashion, they decided that whatever it all was, they were definitely at the centre of it all. Ancient people

Episode 11: Operation Mincemeat

Episode 11: Operation Mincemeat

As we draw closer to Christmas, what better time to discuss the topic of mincemeat? This isn't the kind of mincemeat you'd want to find in your mince pie though – this stuff was far more gruesome. On the morning of 30 April 1943, a sardine fisherman happened across a corpse

Bonus Episode: Halloween

Bonus Episode: Halloween

It's that time of year again: get ready for tricks, treats, costumes and appropriately-timed bonus podcasts. Arising (temporarily) from their slumbers in the deepest depths of the carpet shop, your hair-raising hosts are here to guide you through the terrifying yet fascinating history of everyone's second-favourite over-commercialised holiday: halloween. > "By

Episode 10: The Printing Press

Episode 10: The Printing Press

The printed word may seem a bit like yesterday’s news when you’re living in the computer age, but in its day it was truly revolutionary. The history of printing can be observed as far back as the Ancient Sumerians in 3500 BCE, who would use cylinder seals to

Episode 9: The Great Stink

Episode 9: The Great Stink

It was the summer of 1858 and the sun was shining in London. That’s not the most surprising part of this story though. The city was actually in the midst of a freak heatwave, with temperatures averaging 36oC (up to 48oC in the sun). The British do not typically

Episode 8: The Berlin Airlift

Episode 8: The Berlin Airlift

The war had only been over for three years, and already things were going badly. The Soviets had reached Berlin first, and immediately set about exacting their revenge for Hitler’s ruthless 1941 invasion of Russia. Two months later, the Western Allies arrived, and the city was promptly divided into

Episode 7: The Discovery of Radio

Episode 7: The Discovery of Radio

This is the carpet shop calling! Radio may seem a bit archaic these days, but it’s actually a relatively recent development–and a huge one at that. The ability to communicate wirelessly is something we often take for granted, but it’s pretty amazing when you think about it.

Episode 6: The 1904 Olympics

Episode 6: The 1904 Olympics

1904 was an eventful year for the city of St. Louis, Missouri: the St. Louis Zoo opened its doors, the World’s Fair was held to celebrate the centenary of the Lousiana Purchase, and somehow the small city found itself being thrust onto the world stage, as the host of

Episode 5: The HMS Bounty

Episode 5: The HMS Bounty

When you think of the Bounty, your mind may turn to daring mutineers, island paradises or maybe the last chocolate left in a box of Celebrations. Despite the now infamous story of mutiny—going on to become the subject of various major Hollywood films—much of what we\’ve come

Episode 4: Coffee

Episode 4: Coffee

Coffee, Java, a cup of mud, the elixir of life....it has many names to many people. No matter where you are in the world, it’s something we all enjoy to get us through the day. If there’s one drink that can lay claim to being the worlds

Bonus Episode: A Quick Guide to the Weirdness of Christmas

Bonus Episode: A Quick Guide to the Weirdness of Christmas

Ah, Christmas—the lights, the carols, the traumatising goat men. It’s that time of year again so, in the spirit of giving, we have a special bonus episode of The Gallimaufry for you all. Join us as we discuss the origins of Christmas and discover how many of the

Episode 3: The Origin of the Zoo

Episode 3: The Origin of the Zoo

Did you know a polar bear used to call the tower of London home? Or that the Holy Roman Emperor loved a a good lion? From the playthings of the elite, sprung centres of learning and conservation that would come to be the modern zoos we know today...But hold

Episode 2: The Barbary Corsairs

Episode 2: The Barbary Corsairs

When we think of pirates, a few things spring to mind; Blackbeard, Treasure Island, a bedraggled Johnny Depp. For centuries in Europe though, the image of a pirate was far more terrifying, because it came in the form of a Barbary Corsair. Muslim sailors hailing from the tip of North

Episode 1: The NHS of Britain

Episode 1: The NHS of Britain

On July the 5th, 1948, thirteen year old Sylvia Diggory lay in the corner bed of ward five at Park Hospital in Manchester, unaware she was about to make history. On that day later a stern, grey haired Welshman strode in, introduced himself and asked her if she knew the