Ruth Ellis made history in 1955 when she was the last woman hanged in Britain.

She shot and killed her abusive lover, the racing driver David Blakely, at point blank range on a spring evening outside a pub.

What events led up to this seemingly cold-blooded moment? And is it right that Ellis was recently granted a pardon for this murder?

Trigger warning: this episode contains themes of abuse which some may find upsetting.

This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick.

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All music from Epidemic Sounds.

Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa

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Look closely at the Bayeux Tapestry and you will see a medieval spy.

But far from the world of James Bond gadgetry, what was medieval spycraft like? Why were they referred to as 'little birds'? And why were women often used in medieval espionage?

Joining Anthony and Maddy today is Professor of Medieval History at Cardiff University and expert in all things medieval spycraft, Jenny Benham.

This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick.

Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa

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All music from Epidemic Sounds.

Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa

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The world of Viking death rituals and their beliefs surrounding the afterlife is truly fascinating... What happened when a Viking died? What ceremonies and practices did they partake in? And what awaited the spirits of the dead when they departed the world of the living? 

Today we welcome our returning guest and go-to expert on all things Viking Eleanor Baraclough! Eleanor is a historian and author of books including Embers of the Hands: Hidden Histories of the Viking Age.

This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick.

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All music from Epidemic Sounds.

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When a whaling ship sank in 1820, her crew were cast adrift thousands of miles from land, and faced starvation, madness, and death. Their ordeal would become one of the most extraordinary survival stories in maritime history… and would become immortalised by Herman Melville's novel, Moby-Dick.

This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick.

Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX74ZgzrlyH29

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All music from Epidemic Sounds.

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The captain of the HMS Hermione was a sadist even by the not-very-high standards of the British Royal Navy in the 1700's. He was a prolific flogger, subjecting his crew to the cat-of-nine-tails. It was hardly a surprise when his crew rose up and mutinied. Even if the British Navy couldn't for one second let them get away unpunished.

This is the brutal and bloody story of Britain's most horrific mutiny, told by the one and only Dan Snow!

This episode was edited by Anna Brant. The producer was Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick.

Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX74ZgzrlyH29

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All music from Epidemic Sounds.

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In Medici Florence there were two ways of maintaining power - one was money and the other was murder. Isabella de’ Medici was the believed daughter of the Medici patriarch, a patron of the arts and a sparkling wit. But that meant nothing to her own husband, who murdered her, or her own brother, who turned a blind eye.

Maddy and Anthony are joined by Estelle Paranque author of numerous books, including most recently Thorns, Lust and Glory: the Betrayal of Anne Boleyn.

This episode was edited by Amy Haddow. The producer was Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick.

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All music from Epidemic Sounds.

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It's hard to wrap your head around all the disasters that befell Captain Anson's Royal Navy voyage around the world in the 1740s. Rampant scurvy, horrendous storms, marooning and mutiny to name but a few. 90% of the original crew never returned. Those who made it back to Britain were hailed as heroes for surviving!

The one and only Dan Snow joins Anthony Delaney and Maddy Pelling for this unbelievable tale of naval adventure and endurance.

This episode was edited by Anna Brant. The producer was Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick.

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All music from Epidemic Sounds.

Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa

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"It's like the Titanic, except you've never heard of it. And in a way, it's even weirder."

So says today's guest, Cautionary Tales' host, Tim Harford, about the disastrous story he's taking Anthony and Maddy through.

Airships were the ocean liners of the skies, and in the 1920s, Britain had ambitions to connect the Empire in this way. Until it all went tragically wrong.

Listen to more of Tim's Cautionary Tales here: https://timharford.com/etc/more-or-less/

Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click here to place your vote for After Dark! Thank you! https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting

Edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer was Freddy Chick.

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All music from Epidemic Sounds.

Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa

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Sound the trumpets! The day has finally arrived: Maddy Pelling is back on After Dark!

To welcome her back into the coven, we're playing a game of historical 'Would You Rather?'. Listen on to hear Anthony and Maddy decide between the many awful scenarios in history they would rather find themselves in.

If you've also asked yourself, 'Would you rather be a 17th century plague doctor or an 19th century body snatcher?', then you've come to the right place.

This episode was edited by Anna Brant. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick.

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  

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All music from Epidemic Sounds.

Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa

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Born John Cooper, "Princess Seraphina" was one of the first English Drag Queens. Princess Seraphina was an 18th-century gentleman’s servant who openly embraced her feminine drag persona. But in May 1732, a man named Thomas Gordon robbed her of her clothes and money. The court case that followed was astounding.

Today Anthony Delaney takes Kate Lister back to the riotous streets of 18th century London.

Anthony's book Queer Georgians is out now in paperback.

Edited by Tim Arstall. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick.

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  

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All music from Epidemic Sounds.

Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards. Click to place your vote on the Spotify mobile app: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.