History Lesson

Episode 6- The History of Gremlins

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Gremlins, the deceptively modern fairytale creatures have their fascinating origins in the Second World War. Join Hunter and Shy as they learn about everything from Disney films, Roald Dahl to the Battle of Britain as they uncover the bizarre history of these strange mischevious critters from obscurity to hollywood blockbusters.

Find us on Instagram: @history_lesson_podcast

Cover Art by: @PippinTruman

Source List:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gremlin

https://www.jstor.org/stable/2262351?mag=ghosts-in-the-machine&seq=1

https://www.jstor.org/stable/453638?mag=ghosts-in-the-machine&seq=1

https://royalaviationmuseum.com/gremlims/

https://www.nytimes.com/1943/04/11/archives/the-gremlins-reform-an-raf-fable.html?sq=gremlin&scp=54&st=p

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-collection/explore-by-time-period/second-world-war/second-world-war-propaganda-posters/

https://www.raf.mod.uk/what-we-do/our-history/anniversaries/battle-of-britain/

https://www.rafbf.org/battle-of-britain/about-battle-britain/battle-timeline

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-disney-propaganda-shaped-life-on-the-home-front-during-wwii-180979057/

Conant, Jennet. The Irregulars: Roald Dahl and the British Spy Ring in Wartime Washington

https://www.nytimes.com/1943/04/11/archives/the-gremlins-reform-an-raf-fable.html

Episode 5- The Princess Alice Boat Disaster

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 17:00:00 +0100

Largely forgetten by history, but not us, The Princess Alice Disaster was the deadliest boat crash inland of the British Isles. Explore the dangerous lack of regulations in Victorian London that led to the death of over 600 people on the River Thames with Hunter and Shyanne.

Source List:

https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/collections/london-stories/what-were-londons-pleasure-gardens/

https://www.royalmintmuseum.org.uk/journal/history/pounds-shillings-and-pence/

https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/maritime-history/library-archive/drowning-sewage-sinking-princess-alice

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-44800309

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

Episode 4- The Summer of No Sun

Sun, 16 Feb 2025 17:00:00 +0000

The erruption of Mount Tambora in 1815 was the largest in recorded history and had massive effects on the global climate causing a summer of no sunshine. Learn from Hunter and Shy about the pandemics, famine and the dramatic effects on weather which inspired the classic horror novels of Frankenstein and Dracula and may have led to the invention of the bicycle.

Episode 3- Halley's Comet

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Throughout history we've looked to the stars to see when something awful will happen and every 70ish years it's Halley's Comet, star of Bethlehem, on the Bayeux tapestry, what can't she do?

Episode 2- The Great Stink

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 14:00:00 +0100

The year: 1858, the place: London. The population: over 3 million. The stink: great.

Episode 1- English Monarchs

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 16:00:00 +0100

Can't tell the difference between Henry VII and Henry VIII? Are you wondering what the hell a Plantaganet is? This is the podcast for you. To kick off the podcast, Hunter gives Shyanne the rundown of the English monarchs and their monarchic dynasties, from William the Conqueror to Charles III.