Idiots Talk History

This is our last episode as we have now left our homes to go travelling for a while. For the last time, Lorna does a report. It's on Frida Kahlo, covering some little known facts about the Mexican artist and her relationship with Leon Trotsky.  We start by struggling to say the word preparatory in true Idiots style and it doesn't get much better from there. We just want to say a big thank you for listening to us ramble on for 80 episodes!! As we have discussed on the pod you are able to keep up with our adventures on our new podcast On The Move. The preview is now available on all podcast apps, and the episodes will follow soon. The Instagram is also @onthemovepod so keep an eye out for our adventure pictures!   Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

This week Matt tells the crazy story of Mark Hofmann, the forger who really had it out for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In the 1980's Hofmann made a fortune through his forgeries and counterfeiting. Then it all went wrong. Elsewhere we discuss how Jesus would invite disciples to the Last Supper and Lorna rants about teachers looking for deeper meanings in the colour blue. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

This week Matt reports on the film director that many regard as the greatest ever. Orson Welles led a fascinating life, working in radio, theatre and film. The work he never managed to complete is equally fascinating, from ambitious adaptations to passion projects. Also this week Lorna gets Shawshank Redemption, Green Mile and 8 Mile a little confused. None of which, you may have noticed, were directed by Welles. Make sure to look out for our new podcast On the Move, coming to a podcast app near you very soon. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

This week Lorna tells the origins of Paris Fashion, and the designers that have made it the capital of the fashion world. It’s a fascinating story and one of our longest episodes in quite a while! Matt gets side-tracked constantly by Rocha John Rocha and Twiggy. Make sure to look out for our new podcast On the Move, coming to a podcast app near you very soon. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

This week Matt is back with a report on French Queen Marie Antoinette. He tells the story of her role in the French Palaces entertainment, her unpopularity and her death. It's fascinating.  There are a few blunders this week, which we hope you will enjoy despite Matt suggesting they will be cut out. Lorna also gets confused between Marie and Maria multiple times and then gets distracted by dauphinoise potatoes. We're sure you're going to love this one! Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

This week Lorna struggles with her podcast report, but it's actually fascinating, all about the rise in popularity of mountaineering. There are a lot of peak names, but we brush over them, but you can find them on the Twitter so keep your eyes pealed. There are some interesting tales, including the creation of the Alpine Club and the women of the Golden Age.  Matt struggles with his guessing this week and he tells of our own recent walking experience on New Years Day, when we were very unprepared for a walk/climb with friends.  Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

Happy New Year! This week Dan returns to the podcast to do a report, and brings with him the longest introduction anyone has ever heard. After all the rambling he finally gets on with this week’s topic: The World Land Speed Record. Dan condenses a fascinating 100 year history into just half an hour. Elsewhere, Matt continues his streak of amazing guesses but because he’s so good there is a lot of uproar and controversy. Meanwhile, Lorna doesn’t quite understand what water speed means, getting all confused about cars driving across water. Oh, and there is a weird appendix where Dan talks about Danish words. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

Lorna reports on the origins of Boxing Day as well as a quite amazing set of Boxing Day Football Fixtures from 1963. We chat a lot of nonsense this week. Matt shows off his magnificent guessing skills, and we end up just bragging quite a bit about our sporting achievements. Thanks for listening in 2018! Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

This is our very special Christmas episode! Matt reports on the creepiest of Christmas traditions: Krampus. Meanwhile, Lorna just really wants to do a Christmas jigsaw. We get distracted a lot this week, and get lost on a number of tangents, just like your least favourite uncle after a few eggnogs. We try and name some famous duos and even treat you to our wonderful Christmas tunes. It’s also probably our longest outro ever, so apologies to your ears for that. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

This week Lorna tells us all about the incredible Beryl Burton. In the mid-20th century Burton blew away all competition establishing herself as the greatest racing cyclist of her generation. In this episode, we get side-tracked early discussing old names (Barry is dying out, and Myrtle should never return). We also realise very quickly how little we actually know about cycling.   Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

Over a couple of months late in 1888, Jack the Ripper terrorised Whitechapel in London, murdering 5 (or possibly 6) victims. This week Matt counts down the top suspects of the Ripper Case. Some could have done it, others definitely not, but we delve deep into the case, including looking at one suspect who said “I am Jack the…” before he died. We also struggle with some very basic math and argue the reality of shortening the name John to Jack. As always check out our social medias below. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

This week's episode is a crazy one, focusing on Ken Kesey and The Merry Pranksters. Matt reports on Ken and his group of friends who were experimenting with LSD and bought a bus in 1964 to travel across the USA. Inspired by the Beat Generation and prior to the psychedelic generation of the later 1960s this group were just trying to create a life and future for themselves. It's a fascinating story which has been documented in film and books, which we mention on the pod.  We also end up with new nicknames; Matt Magnificent and Lorna Barely Visible.  Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

This week Lorna talks us through the scramble for gold on America's west coast in the late 1840s. Thousands of Americans headed west to try their luck at striking gold. We discuss the main players, as well as the impact of immigration, the big winners of the rush, and even a new Californian delicacy. As always we are full of half remembered facts and anecdotes. Enjoy! Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

It has been 100 years since the end of the First World War, so this week Lorna reports on a little known aspect of life on the frontline. We speak about the role of carrier pigeons and other animals during the battles of WWI. It’s an unusual topic, with pigeons named President Wilson and Cher Ami, and even a pig on a ship. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

The report this week focuses on Elizabeth “Lizzie” Magie and a truly hidden story from history. We all know the world-famous board game Monopoly, but do we really know the story behind it? The official story is a rags to riches story: Charles Darrow, unemployed and out of money, dreamt up the unique game that went on to be a mega hit. In reality, a fascinating woman named Lizzie Magie had a major part to play in the story 30 years earlier. This is the story of Monopoly! Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

Happy Halloween! This week we have a real treat for you, with an episode focused on the origins of Halloween. Specifically Lorna discusses the ancient Celtic Samhain Festival which marked the end of Summer and the harvest, and marked the beginning of Winter. At the time boundaries between this world and the underworld became thin and therefore Celts would protect themselves from Demons and Fairies.  Later we learn some very interesting Halloween facts, and in particular Matt is shocked by the size of the world’s largest pumpkin. He also makes a very bold claim that he would be able to beat a world record, so listen out for that! We also promote Netflix multiple times, this is not intentional but the shows we mention are definitely worth a watch.   Keep an eye out on our social media for a lot of information from this weeks episode and also some pictures from our Halloween celebrations! Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com

We're back this week with another episode on a pioneering woman. This week it's Mary Anning, an avid fossil collector, who lived in the 19th century. She was a revolutionary woman in palaeontology, and was the first to discover three huge dinosaurs. Her findings are truly fascinating! Listen out for Matt's terrible jokes which are back this episode, and also Lorna getting all of her words mixed up.  To finish we also discuss some significant archaeological finds in history, very interesting stuff! Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

This week the focus is on pioneering women of early cinema. Many female visionaries have been overlooked in the history books, including the two at the centre of our podcast today. Matt reports on the incredible Mabel Normand, an early comedy genius. She is accredited with many firsts in the history of cinema, and was a major force in comedy in Hollywood at the start of the twentieth century. Lorna then reports on Alice Guy-Blaché, the first female director, who really paved the path for so many incredible talents after her. She created over 700 films, and like Normand, Guy-Blaché destroyed the barriers placed in front of her, leaving an incredible legacy. Mabel Normand will be featured in the BFI’s Comedy Genius season of events. More information can be found here: https://www.bfi.org.uk/comedy-genius A film about Guy-Blaché (Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché) is currently playing at the London Film Festival. See more information here: https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/Online/default.asp Twi

We turn our attention to two very different stories this week. Both however are linked via a common thread: humans’ interactions with animals. Lorna tells the tale of Old Tom, the orca who actually helped hunters catch whales in the port of Eden, Australia. Matt then reports on the so-called Wolfman of Sierra Morena. A young boy left in the wild to fend for himself, found himself befriended by wolves and snakes.   As always we spout a whole host of nonsense intermittently. A main task for this week was creating fitting nicknames. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com

Lorna reports on the fascinating tale of the 220 year search for a treasure buried deep beneath the dirt of Oak Island. The tiny peanut-shaped isle off the shore of Nova Scotia has become the home to one of the great unsolved mysteries of our time. It’s a story that includes an American President, a French Queen, the Holy Grail and even a Secret Society! And as usual, we think we’ve solved it! We Google a lot today which is always the sign of a professional episode! Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy