We’re heading to the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard to explore centuries of naval history - from the Tudor-era Mary Rose to iconic ships like HMS Victory and HMS Warrior.

Join us as we take you through our visit - what stood out, what surprised us, and what it’s actually like to spend a day stepping aboard some of Britain’s most famous ships. ⚓

We all think we know the story of Jack the Ripper.

Five women. Victorian London. A faceless killer in the dark.

But what if one of the most repeated parts of that story isn’t true at all?

In this episode, we look beyond the headlines and into the real lives of the five women killed in Whitechapel in 1888. Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly.

Because they were more than victims, and far more than the labels history gave them.

We explore the reality of life in Victorian London, from overcrowded lodging houses and casual wards to the stigma surrounding homelessness, addiction and poverty.

We unpack how and why these women were so quickly defined as sex workers, and what the historical record actually tells us.

Drawing on research from The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold, this episode centres their stories, their circumstances and who they really were.

Their lives, not their deaths.

Sources:

The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold

She was crowned at six days old and executed at 44. In this episode, we tell the story of Mary, Queen of Scots. Three marriages, endless scandal, and a rivalry with Elizabeth I that did not end well.

We follow her from the French court to a divided Scotland, through betrayal, imprisonment, and the choices that shaped her fate. We also look at her newly decoded secret letters, which show a woman still plotting, thinking, and refusing to fade quietly.

Plus, a round of Rumour Has It where we separate the myths from the truth.

Sources:

• Horrible Histories: Mardy Mary Queen of Scots Special (BBC iPlayer)
• 10 Facts About Mary, Queen of Scots (History Hit)
• The Secret Letters of Mary, Queen of Scots (BBC iPlayer)

Join us as we celebrate International Women’s Day and shine a light on the brilliant and often forgotten women who helped change history.

We begin at Bletchley Park, Britain’s secret codebreaking headquarters during the Second World War. Most people know the name Alan Turing, but thousands of women were also working there behind the scenes. They intercepted messages, ran the machines and helped crack the codes that shaped the outcome of the war.

We share the stories of two remarkable women from Bletchley Park whose intelligence and determination played an important role in the Allied victory, even though their work remained secret for decades.

Later in the episode, we also introduces another fascinating woman from history. A fearless journalist whose daring investigation shocked America.

We also play a round of Rumour Has It, tackling a few common myths about women in history. From medieval work to suffragette protests, we separate fact from fiction.

Resources:

• The Bletchley Girls by Dr Tessa Dunlop
• Misread Signals: How History Overlooked Women by Dermot Turing
• Emily Anderson: The Forgotten Irish Woman of Bletchley Park, Irish History Podcast
• Research historians from the Bletchley Park Trust

In this episode, Ellen explores the life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, looking beyond the image to the woman behind one of the most famous names in history. From her early life and rise to becoming First Lady at just 31, to her cultural influence, private grief, and the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Ellen explains how Jackie shaped both a presidency and a legacy.

Sources:

• First Ladies: Jackie Kennedy (Amazon Prime)
• America’s Queen: The Life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis by Sarah Bradford
• Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Before dating apps and unread messages, there was courtship. A world of rules, rituals, longing, and very little privacy.

In this episode, we wander through the history of romance, from arranged marriages and dramatic courtly love to Regency ballrooms, secret fan signals, Victorian valentines, and love letters written during wartime.

We explore how people expressed affection when emotions had to be hidden in flowers, dances, and carefully chosen words.

From handwritten notes to modern dating confusion, this episode is a reminder that while the rituals have changed, the hope behind them has not.

Sources:

https://www.postalmuseum.org/blog/love-letters-from-the-second-world-war/

https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Vinegar-Valentines/

Billy the Kid is one of the most famous names in Wild West history. Outlaw. Gunslinger. Folk hero.

But how much of what we think we know about him is actually true?

In this episode of History Girls, Joanna and Ellen dig into the real life of Billy the Kid, born Henry McCarty, to separate fact from legend.

From his childhood shaped by poverty and loss, to his first arrest as a teenager, and the single violent moment that changed everything, we trace how Billy became an outlaw in a world defined by corruption, frontier justice, and survival.

Sources:

Michael Wallis, Billy the Kid: The Endless Ride
HistoryExtra: https://www.historyextra.com/period/victorian/billy-the-kid-outlaw-gunslinger/

PBS: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/billy-life-and-legend-billy-kid/

All Roads Lead to Rome

From underfloor heating and road systems to public baths, superstition and gladiator games, the Romans shaped far more of modern life than we often realise.

In this episode, we head straight to the heart of the Roman Empire to uncover what everyday life was really like beyond the togas and Hollywood myths.

We explore Roman homes and social hierarchy, daily routines from sunrise to sunset, childhood and education, marriage and gender roles, and the stark contrasts between rich and poor. Along the way, we bust common Roman myths, uncover bizarre and brilliant inventions, dive into food, hygiene and superstition, and take a closer look at the harsh realities of gladiator life inside the arena.

Expect surprising facts, lively discussion and myth-busting moments that reveal just how complex, clever and strange Roman society really was, because once you start looking at Rome, you realise how much of the modern world still traces back to it.

For Remembrance Day, we read real letters written during the First World War.

Real voices. Real words. Letters written in the middle of a war that still speak to us today.

References:

The National Archives – Letters from the First World War (1915): “Trenches: mostly ‘mere boys’”

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/letters-first-world-war-1915/trenches-mostly-mere-boys/

Imperial War Museums – Letter concerning the burning of a Zeppelin at Cuffley, Hertfordshire (September 1916)

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1030005513

National Army Museum – Rifleman William Eve: Winter on the Western Front (January 1915)

https://ww1.nam.ac.uk/stories/rifleman-william-eve/

Our Halloween Special is here! We talk about where Halloween really came from, how trick-or-treating and pumpkin carving started, and share ghost stories from listeners (plus a few famous hauntings like Anne Boleyn). Then we explore the history of witches and finish with a myth-busting game to separate real history from spooky folklore.