Historical Blindness

For the first of our two Halloween episodes, I am joined by Diane Student of History Goes Bump in my investigation into the original Victorian bogeyman, the Leaping Terror of London: Spring-Heeled Jack! Find the blog post at historicalblindness.com for images and links to further reading, such as my main source, Mike Dash's wonderful research on the topic. 

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I explore the ambiguities and misrepresentations in the legend that has evolved around the so-called Great Discoverer. Joining me is Moxie LaBouche of the podcast Your Brain on Facts. Visit the blog at historicalblindness.com to read the blog post with images and links to further reading. 

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As a companion piece to the last episode on the Phantom Airships of 1896-7, I take a look at the work of an outsider artist that some say proves the existence of a secret society of airship builders at work in California in the 1850s. Visit the blog post at historicalblindness.com to find links to sources and further reading as well as examples of Dellschau's beautiful artwork.

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I return to our survey of historical UFO sightings to examine the flap of airship sightings in 1896-7. Were there powered, steerable aircraft flying all over the country years before the Wright Brothers flew at Kitty Hawk, or was it a mass hysteria or a hoax? Featuring Deana Marie of Twisted Philly and Marie Mayhew of Whatever Remains. Visit the website at historicalblindness.com to read the blog post, check out images from contemporary newspapers, and find links to further reading.

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In this episode, to cite precedent for my pet theory on the Campden Wonder case of the previous episode, I tell the tale of the most famous case of imposture in history. Enjoy this true crime tale from Reformation-era France, and visit the blog post at www.historicalblindness.com for images and links to further reading. 

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In this episode, we tell an astounding story of true crime from the Restoration period of English history. This tale has it all: a missing person, a dubious confession of murder, accusations of witchcraft, a public execution, and a twist involving highwaymen, slavers, and Turkish pirates! Check out the blog post at historicalblindness.com for images and links to further reading!

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As a companion piece to the Bastard Princes in the Bloody Tower, I look at the mystery surrounding the fate of Louis XVII: did he die in prison or escape and later assert his birthright? Visit the blog at historicalblindness.com to read a crafted version of this episode's script, complete with images and links to further reading!

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In this conclusion of our look at the mystery of the Princes in the Tower, we consider the possibility that the princes may have survived and made attempts to reclaim their birthright. And looking at evidence that they were indeed murdered, or at least that they died, we look at other possibilities for who was responsible. Visit the website at historicalblindness.com to read the blog post, view images and follow links to further reading. 

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This is part one of a 2-part series looking into the famous historical mystery of the Princes in the Tower. In this first installment, we give context by exploring the War of the Roses that led up to this particular family squabble, and we consider whether history has been fair to Richard III. Visit the blog at historicalblindness.com to read the script, view accompanying imagery, and find links to further reading. 

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This investigation into a nursery rhyme and whether it was inspired by a true crime or a folk legend was prompted by a digression in the last episode on the Green Children of Woolpit, and it turned out to be something of a rabbit hole on its own merit. Visit the blog post at historicalblindness.com to view imagery and click through to source reading. 

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