We've a real mixed bag for you this week - from the theft of a banknote that saw the perpetrator scarper in the buff (reported in Jackson's Oxford Journal, 24 Nov 1855) to a more sobering and tragic story that looks at the impact of cholera on a young life and the subsequent attack on the cholera hospital (as reported in the Manchester Times and Manchester and Salford Advertiser and Chronicle, 8 Sep 1832). Please note that this second story features a historic news report that includes details of a child's death.

Then this week's News In Briefs are bound by the thread of creature (dis)comforts; Brad has a report of a feathered attack from the sky and Michala's brief tale features a rather 'disagreeable bedfellow'.

ll newspaper articles referenced in this episode were sourced on Newspapers.com, with additional research conducted by Brad and Michala using Ancestry and other resources. To see the articles, visit: newspapers.com/topics/bhhpodcast/S2Ep9

Email: [email protected]

Tweet us: @Brad_Argent @UnearthThePast @AncestryUK @_Newspapers

Ahead of International Women's Day, in this episode our stories explore different experiences and achievements of women throughout history - from the incredible story of a no-nonsense suffragist who travelled from the USA to London to investigate her two-timing husband (as reported in The Chicago Tribune, 24 August 1911) and her moment of activism recorded in the 1911 census, to the death of a Cornish 'witch' (The Courier and Argus, 27 January 1880).

And listen to the end of the episode for some fitting NiBs - one highlighting a woman's achievements in longevity, and the other dipping into the pay negoitations for female bus conductors during WWI.

All newspaper articles referenced in this episode were sourced on Newspapers.com, with additional research conducted by Brad and Michala using Ancestry and other resources. To see the articles, visit: newspapers.com/topics/bhhpodcast/S2Ep8

Email: [email protected]

Tweet us: @Brad_Argent @UnearthThePast @AncestryUK @_Newspapers

There's a little Antipodean flavour to some of this week's stories - Michala takes us from a highway robbery in Bradford, England (reported in the Leeds Mercury, 30th December 1843) across the seas to Australia, tracing the fate of two men called Abraham. Not to be outdone, Brad takes the robbery theme and runs with it - all the way to New Jersey, where he picks up the story of a one armed bandit (of sorts) - from the The Courier-News, 6th February 1899.

Then for this episode's News In Briefs, Michala brings to the table an extraordinary tale of a disprutive theatre-goer and Brad's unearthed an amusing Letter To Editor on the evolution of the Australian accent.

All newspaper articles referenced in this episode were sourced on Newspapers.com, with additional research conducted by Brad and Michala using Ancestry and other resources.

Email: [email protected]

Tweet us: @Brad_Argent @UnearthThePast @AncestryUK @_Newspapers

Sensitive ears (and noses!) beware - Brad's opening story in this episode is a bit of a stinker, involving a dispute over pig manure in Ireland (reported in the Nationalist and Leinster Times, 2nd January, 1886). Thankfully Michala is on hand to cleanse your auditory palettes with a tale about beer in Manchester...but before you take a sip, watch out, it's poisioned! (Story from the Guardian, 18th January, 1901).

To round the episode off, this week's News In Briefs feature a big appetite, and a perculiar theft on someone's front doorstep.

All newspaper articles referenced in this episode were sourced on Newspapers.com, with additional research conducted by Brad and Michala using Ancestry and other resources.

Email: [email protected]

Tweet us: @Brad_Argent @UnearthThePast @AncestryUK @_Newspapers

Michala transports us back to the world of 1920s Birmingham gangland this week, and if you're a Peaky Blinders fan, some of the names in her newspaper article (from The Times, 28 April 1921) may be familiar...Then, not to be outdone, Brad unpicks the eye-opening headline 'Man Aged 130 has son 4 And a Wife in Her Twenties' (from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 27 July 1919).

Then kick back and indulge in this epsiodes' News In Briefs - one featuring a lecture on...Scottish love songs (there's our nod to Valetine's Day) and another highlighting the inginuity of a 19th century Texan animal lover.

All newspaper articles referenced in this episode were sourced on Newspapers.com, with additional research conducted by Brad and Michala using Ancestry and other resources.

Email: [email protected]

Tweet us: @Brad_Argent @UnearthThePast @AncestryUK @_Newspapers

We're hopping across the Atlantic for this week’s episode - that's right, all our stories this week are sourced from newspapers in the USA. And there are some corkers hidden in that American newsprint.

Whilst Brad doesn't believe in ghosts, the subject of his story - Mr Frank Swulius - certainly did; the spooky actions of his cursed dead mother are reported in The Chicago Tribune on 14 Dec 1902. And Michala's found a robbery with a twist; why did ten men cause pandemonium at the house of one Mrs Olive Whedon (as reported in The New York Times on 24 Oct 1885)? Listen to find out!

And our News in Briefs involve a toothbrush fire, and a rather peculiar discovery in someone's pocket...

All newspaper articles referenced in this episode were sourced on Newspapers.com, with additional research conducted by Brad and Michala using Ancestry and other resources.

Email: [email protected]

Tweet us: @Brad_Argent @UnearthThePast @AncestryUK @_Newspapers

This year marks a number of notable World War II (WWII) anniversaries, most significantly, the 75th anniversary of VE Day - when combat ended in Europe. With this in mind, all our stories in this episode are WWII themed - giving insight into the lives of not just those that served but also the impact of war for the people at home in Britain, and how this was reported in the press at the time.

Michala starts the episode with the sadly tragic story of the first civilian casualty of WWII, James Isbister (as reported in The Guardian on 18 March 1940), and Brad's headline 'Missing Reporter Safe: Plane's Crash Landing' pulls us into a tale of 'aerial mend and make do', and what happened to the plane - and one of the men involved (The Guardian, 23rd September, 1944).

Rounding off the episode as always with our News In Briefs, Michala has a little nugget of dental advice for children during the war and Brad unearths a picture story of war-weary graffiti on a Norwegian street.

Note - At around 16 mins 40 seconds into this episode, Brad mentions how living veterans of the 'First World War' are a good source of data. He did of course mean 'Second World War'.

All newspaper articles referenced in this episode were sourced on Newspapers.com, with additional research conducted by Brad and Michala using Ancestry and other resources.

Email: [email protected]

Tweet us: @Brad_Argent @UnearthThePast @AncestryUK @_Newspapers

Our hosts have served up a couple of Victorian chancers for your listening pleasure in today’s episode. Brad’s headline ‘Alleged Frauds on Ladies’ (from the Daily News, 5th October 1897) takes us into the world of fraudster who scammed Winston Churchill’s mother and Michala’s story (reported in Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper, 6th January 1850) follows the exploits of a prison breaker.

Then we have some audacious and dramatic News In Briefs, one involving a hair-raising street crime and another demonstrating the occupational hazards of lion taming…

All newspaper articles referenced in this episode were sourced on Newspapers.com, with additional research conducted by Brad and Michala using Ancestry and other resources.

View this episode's newspaper articles here:

newspapers.com/topics/bhhpodcast/S2Ep2

Email: [email protected]

Tweet us: @Brad_Argent @UnearthThePast @AncestryUK @_Newspapers

Behind The Headlines of History is back for another season - and we couldn’t be more delighted to be sharing more weird and wonderful tales from the newstands of history with you!

Michala is kicking off season two with a grisly story of the first private hanging (from the Liverpool Mercury, 15th August 1858) but it’s the executioner, Mr Calcraft, that she’s interrogating with her genealogy prowess. Then speaking of grisly (and things that go bump in the night) Brad brings to the table a tale of a murder revealed by...a ghost (from the Preston Chronicle and Lancashire Advertiser, 19 January 1861).

And do you want to hear about a floury incident at a wedding, or a narrow escape from a bottle of lemonade? Then stick around until the end of the episode where as usual, we’ll be sharing our News In Briefs!

All newspaper articles referenced in this episode were sourced on Newspapers.com, with additional research conducted by Brad and Michala using Ancestry and other resources.

View this episode's newspaper articles here:

newspapers.com/topics/bhhpodcast/S2Ep1

Email: [email protected]

Tweet us: @Brad_Argent @UnearthThePast @AncestryUK @_Newspapers

We’re back in your ears for a Christmas special of Behind The Headlines of History! All our stories in this episode have a seasonal slant, although perhaps not in the way you’d expect... Take a listen to discover the festive resonance of Brad’s headline: ‘Alleged Mock Marriage’ (from the Western Mail on December 24th, 1890) and to learn about Michala’s tale of ‘A Christmas Day Robbery’ - featuring a rather magnificent coat. (from the Yorkshire Herald and York Herald - 31st December 1887).

For our festive News In Briefs, Brad shares a child’s letter to Santa requesting - amongst other things - a rag monkey and a cinematograph (from The Observer, 26th December 1909), followed by Michala painting a picture of Christmas Day in the workhouse with her article (from the Lancaster Gazette, 29th December, 1888).

All newspaper articles referenced in this episode were sourced on Newspapers.com, with additional research conducted by Brad and Michala using Ancestry and other resources.

View this episode's newspaper articles here: newspapers.com/topics/bhhpodcast/Christmas

Email: [email protected]

Tweet us: @Brad_Argent @UnearthThePast @AncestryUK @_Newspapers