Today In History with The Retrospectors

• The BBC's Halloween Hoax

  ‘Ghostwatch’, a Halloween drama in the style of a documentary, reached 11 million viewers on its first and only UK broadcast on BBC 1, on 31st October, 1992. It starred Sarah Greene, Craig Charles, Mike Smith, and - in a stroke of genius - trusted veteran broadcaster Michael Parkinson, who became possessed by the voice of ‘Pipes’ as the programme reached its terrifying climax.  The show caused outrage for its disturbing content and the way it blurred the line between fact and fiction. Most of the 30,000 complainants didn’t believe the events portrayed were real; they were simply distressed that the BBC would make a horror drama that borrowed the visual language of current affairs television. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why the entire cast and crew were holed up in a Chiswick sailing club during the transmission; consider how the show’s pioneering style influenced the likes of Derek Acorah and ‘Most Haunted’; and document the astonishing effect the show allegedly had on young viewers…  Further Reading: • ‘Ghostwatch is 30: "It got a reputation as something subversive"’ (Radio Times, 2022): https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/fantasy/ghostwatch-oral-history-rt-rewind/ • ‘30 years on, Ghostwatch is still as haunting as ever’ (Little White Lies, 2022): https://lwlies.com/articles/30-years-on-ghostwatch-is-still-a-haunting-watch/ • ‘Ghostwatch’ (BBC, 1992): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JkEbGMEXVs This show first aired in 2023 Love the show? Support us!  Join  🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY…  … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content.  Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• The Slave Rebellion

  Nat Turner, leader of the deadliest slave rebellion in U.S. history, was captured on 30th October, 1831. For over two months, he’d hidden out in the woods of Virginia, having led a violent uprising that terrified white Southerners and electrified the enslaved population. When finally caught, by farmer Benjamin Phipps, Turner was armed only with a sword and a few branches. Born into slavery in 1800, Turner was marked from birth - literally - with mysterious symbols on his chest that his family interpreted as a sign from God. A prodigious reader and deeply religious, he became known as a preacher, believing he was divinely chosen to free his people.  In the early hours of August 22, he and his accomplices started their killing spree by murdering Turner’s master, Joseph Travis, and his family. They then moved swiftly across Southampton County, recruiting others and attacking slaveholders. Their plan was to reach the county seat of Jerusalem, seize weapons, and spark a full-scale revolution. By the rebellion’s end, about 60 white people were dead, but so were over 120 Black people, many of them innocent victims of revenge killings by militias and vigilantes.  In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly uncover the manhunt for Turner and the brief trial before he was hanged; reveal how white lawmakers responded to events with ever-harsher laws prohibiting the movements of enslaved people; and consider Turner’s complex legacy…  CONTENT WARNING: descriptions of extreme violence, racist violence, racism, mutilation. Further Reading: • 'Nat Turner’s Insurrection’ (The Atlantic, 1861): https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/02/nat-turners-insurrection/308791/ • 'Black History | Nat Turner’ (African-American History Online): https://www.africanamericanhistoryonline.com/natturner.php • 'THE BIRTH OF A NATION’ (Searchlight Pictures, 2016): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm15udgj3zs #Black #Racism #US #Crime #Protest #Scandal #1800s  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• The M25 - Britain's Biggest Carpark

  Margaret Thatcher finally opened London’s first ring road - construction on which had begun in the 1970s - on 29th October, 1986, declaring: "I can't stand those who carp and criticise when they ought to be congratulating Britain on a magnificent achievement and beating the drum for Britain all over the world". A 58-page commemorative booklet was issued for enthusiasts, and coach trips were organised so that car-less punters could complete a circuit of the new motorway. But public enthusiasm for the project was short-lived when it lead to increased congestion and seemingly endless proposals for expansion. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly dig into the long history of plans for the capital’s ring roads; explain why the M25 managed to bring Epping's combine harvesters to Parliament Square; and consider how Britain’s most hated motorway remains an existential threat to London's ‘green belt’ countryside…… This episode first aired in 2021 This episode first premiered in 2024, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!   We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors   The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Jane Austen and the Profligate Prince

  George IV’s impressive Library included all the novels of Jane Austen, for whom he had a particular fondness. But what was not known (until a receipt was discovered in the Royal Archives in 2018) was that the Prince Regent had almost certainly been Austen’s very first customer - buying a copy of ‘Sense and Sensibility’ for 15 shillings on 28th October, 1811. His admiration for the anonymous 35 year-old author’s work lead to an awkward moment later in her career, when she felt obligated to dedicate ‘Emma’ to His Royal Highness - a task she clearly wished to avoid. In this episode, Arion, Olly and Rebecca explain why Austen detested her royal patron; reveal the dry first draft of her dedication to him; and consider how the famously promiscuous, indulgent monarch could have so badly misread Austen’s manifesto for moderation… Further Reading • ‘One of Jane Austen's earliest buyers revealed as Prince Regent – who she 'hated'’ (The Guardian, 2018): https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jul/25/jane-austen-buyer-hated-prince-regent-sense-and-sensibility • ‘Jane Austen’s First Buyer? Probably a Prince She Hated’ (The New York Times, 2018): https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/24/books/jane-austen-prince-regent.html • ‘JANE AUSTEN, PRINCE REGENT & SANDITON’ - excerpt from “Elegance and Decadence: The Age of the Regency” (BBC, 2011): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzrlpIjwKv0 This episode first aired in 2021 Love the show? Support us!  Join  🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY…  … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content.  Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Don't Ask, Don't Tell

  The brutal murder of Alan R. Schindler Jr. on 27th October 1992 revealed the harsh realities faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in the military. Schindler, a young Navy radioman, who suffered bullying and isolation due to his sexual orientation, had attempted to report the harassment, but faced obstacles due to the military’s exclusionary policies on gay personnel. Tragically, his life was cut short when two shipmates attacked him in a homophobic assault, sparking a wave of public outrage. Occurring shortly before Bill Clinton’s presidential election, the incident catalysed public debate on the military’s treatment of homosexuals. Clinton’s inclusive vision met strong resistance, and, as a compromise, he introduced the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy, which allowed LGBTQ+ service members to remain in the military - as long as they did not openly disclose their sexuality. In this episode Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how this seemingly progressive policy nonetheless forced LGBTQ+ personnel to continue to hide their identities; consider how the outlook changed after President Obama repealed DADT in 2011; and reveal the role General Colin Powell had in creating the policy… CONTENT WARNING: homophobic violence, description of murder Further Reading: • ’Homosexual Sailor Beaten to Death, Navy Confirms : Crime: Gay-bashing may be motive, activists and family members say. They charge cover-up by military’ (Los Angeles Times, 1993): https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-01-09-mn-1001-story.html • ‘Once Banned, Then Silenced: How Clinton's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Policy Affected LGBTQ Military’ (HISTORY, 2018): https://www.history.com/news/dont-ask-dont-tell-repeal-compromise • ’Mission Possible: The Story of Repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ (CAMP Rehoboth, 2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6evO4jn2SQE This episode first aired in 2024 Love the show? Support us!  Join  🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY…  … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content.  Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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