Behind the Headlines of History

S4 - Ep. 8: A Jolly Weird Christmas Headline! (Holiday Finale)

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 11:00:00 -0000

In this special Holiday Finale of Behind the Headlines of History Season Four, join our cozy historians Brad Argent and Dr. Michala Hulme as they deck the halls and dive into the festive and fascinating headlines that stood out to them during this time of year. Discover the lengths that an eleven year old girl went through to get her Christmas wish—which may or may not have included breaking and entering! And peek into the origin of the iconic newspaper phenomenon, “Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus”, spurred by a particularly philosophical eight year old’s now-classic Letter to the Editor. Thank you for listening, enjoy our gift to you, and Happy Holidays!

Watch the video episode on Ancestry's YouTube channel.

Links to Articles:

Is there a Santa Claus? (1897)

Wanted Live Doll So Kidnapped Baby (1930)

Christmas marks his birth, death (1937)

Now there's Clint Ozmond (1894)

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.

You Might Also Like: Ancestry x After Dark – Myths, Misdeeds and the Paranormal

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:00:00 -0000

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming with a fun surprise: Listen now to Ancestry's collaboration with History Hit’s podcast After Dark, where hosts Maddy and Anthony dig into their own family history in collaboration with Ancestry’s very own genealogists and family historians Joe Buggy, Christina Copeland, and Jennifer Utley! After Dark takes you to the shadiest corners of the past, unpicking history’s spookiest, strangest, and most sinister stories.

If you haven’t yet, head to here to start your own family history journey today for free. The AncestryDNA kit makes an amazing stocking stuffer. Be sure to subscribe to the Ancestry YouTube Channel too!

Edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Freddy Chick, Peta Stamper and Charlotte Long.

Watch After Dark on YouTube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit

S4 - Ep. 7: Rogues, and Robbers, and Rattlesnake Dick?

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 11:00:00 -0000

Yes, you read that right. Dive into this episode of Behind the Headlines of History, where our brave hosts Brad and Michala trek through a treasure trove of stories laden with some of history's shadier characters, including a Peaky Blinders origin story. An Owl Gang? Rattlesnake Dick? Turkey-time thievery? No, this episode isn't animal themed (although we understand why you would think that), but brace yourself for some rough and rowdy stories. The coup de grâce? A shootout with infamous western highwayman, "Rattlesnake Dick"!

Watch the video episode on Ancestry's YouTube channel.

Links to Articles:

Three Years Penal Servitude (1924)

Encounter with Highwaymen: Death of the Notorious "Rattlesnake Dick" (1859)

Thanksgiving Robbery: Servant steals $20,000 (1903)

The Owl Gang (1929)

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.

S4 - Ep. 6: A Riverboat Rescue and a Record-Breaking Wife

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 11:35:00 -0000

Historians Brad Argent and Dr. Michala Hume present more staggering headlines from old newspapers that are just as bizarre today.

Watch the video episode on Ancestry's YouTube channel.

Links to Articles:

The Old Maid Miser (1870)

Has 11 Husbands (1896)

Extraordinary Affair (1846)

Letter Came too Late: Printer Praised for Brave Attempt to Save County Official from The Thames (London, 1928)

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.

S4 - Ep. 5: A Headline Hound, a Beastly Boy, and a Thanksgiving Game

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 11:00:00 -0000

Story-loving historians Brad Argent and Dr. Michala Hulme gather around the newspapers of yesteryear for stories involving a brave dog and a bizarre hoax.

Watch the video episode on Ancestry's YouTube channel.

Links to Articles:

The Moon Hoax (1871)

Big Dog Saves Boy Sinking in River (1911)

Queer Death of Thomas Foote, an animal impersonator (1895)

A Thanksgiving Game (1905)

Adam Locke family tree

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.

S4 - Ep. 4: An Old Man's NYC Fortune and a Beer Flood?

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 11:00:00 -0000

Story-loving historians Brad Argent and Dr. Michala Hulme gather around the newspapers of old to learn more about the $400,000,000 fortune that one man reportedly came into in 1906.

Watch the video episode on Ancestry's YouTube channel.

Links to articles:

Old Man Heir To $400 million (1906)

Opal's Diary is Refuted by Grandmother (1921)

Beer Flood Drowns Eight (1919)

Library Notes (Ohio, 1946)

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.

S4 - Ep. 3: A War Hero Pigeon, and Other Noble Stories of Service

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 11:00:00 -0000

This week’s episode of Behind the Headlines of History finds our story-loving historians Brad Argent and Dr. Michala Hulme dive into two fascinating headlines from our service history archives. Plus– a war hero pigeon?

Watch the video episode on Ancestry's YouTube channel.

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.

S4 - Ep. 2: A Royal Scandal and a Sensational Shooting

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 11:00:00 -0000

Story-loving historians Brad Argent and Dr. Michala Hulme gather around the newspapers of two of the messier stories from history.

Watch the video episode on Ancestry's YouTube channel.

Links to articles:

The Mourdaunt Divorce Case (1870)

Sensational Shooting (1902)

An Extraordinary Affair - A Wedding Indefinitely Postponed (1872)

Neck tie parties are all the rage (1870)

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.

S4 - Ep. 1: Front Page Ghosts!? A Halloween Premiere

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Story-loving historians Brad Argent and Dr. Michala Hulme gather around the newspapers of old for their first two spooky stories from history.

Watch the video episode on Ancestry's YouTube channel.

Links to articles:

The Strange Case of Alice Nutter

Ghosts Upstairs and Down

The Rochester Knockings

Girl Flees Screaming into Street from 'Ghost'

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.

Trailer: Behind the Headlines of History Season 4!

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Your favorite story-loving historians Brad Argent and Dr. Michala Hulme are back! Join us as we gather 'round the newspapers of old and return for Season 4 of Behind the Headlines of History, this Thursday October 30th. The wait is over at long last!

Behind the Headlines of History is a podcast series from Ancestry and ⁠⁠⁠Newspapers.com⁠⁠⁠ that explores intriguing news stories from the past, hosted by historian and genealogist Michala Hulme and Ancestry’s Brad Argent.

S3 - Ep. 5: Mistaken Identities and Miracle Cures

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 08:35:00 -0000

This episode of "Behind the Headlines of History" untangles two historical tales where nothing is quite as it seems. First, a sea captain vanishes from his vessel in the middle of a storm in the unforgiving Alaskan waters. Was it a tragic accident, or did something more mysterious happen on board? The answer may lie in his incredibly unusual name. Then, journey to the front lines of the Boer War, where two inseparable best friends enlist side-by-side. When a telegram arrives announcing one has been killed in action, it devastates their families back home. But a shocking twist reveals a case of mistaken identity so profound, it forces one wife to deliver an impossible, life-altering message to her grieving neighbor.

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.

S3 - Ep. 4: Seduction, Balloons, and a Drunken Monkey

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 08:35:00 -0000

What happens when a promise to marry is broken? What if the lawsuit for "seduction" is filed against the man's estate after his death, and the woman bringing the suit has already found a new husband? This episode opens a scandalous 1850s court file filled with love poems and questionable motives. Then, we take to the skies for the baffling mystery of a Member of Parliament whose balloon adventure turns into a terrifying disappearance over the English Channel. And finally, discover exactly how much chaos one very intoxicated monkey can unleash on a New York bar when it's denied another cocktail.

S3 - Ep. 3: Ghosts, Genealogy, and a Gladiator's Ancestor

Tue, 26 May 2020 08:35:00 -0000

This episode of "Behind the Headlines of History" delves into two curious tales from the past. An 1840 newspaper report on a tragic construction accident seems straightforward enough, but it holds a shocking secret. Follow a genealogical trail that uncovers an unbelievable link between one of the injured workers and a modern-day Hollywood A-lister you would never expect. Then, step into the curious world of Victorian spiritualism, where a con-artist's séance goes disastrously wrong. When the "spectral visitor" makes its grand entrance, the results are more comical than cosmic. Finally, stick around for a jaw-dropping "news in brief" involving a baby, a coffin (just trust us), and a cry that defied all logic!

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.

S3 - Ep. 2: The Jeweler's Despair and the Smuggler's Disguise

Tue, 19 May 2020 08:34:00 -0000

This episode of "Behind the Headlines of History" delves into two intriguing historical crimes. First, Michala retraces the tragic story of Michael Joseph Goldsmith, a Birmingham jeweler who was robbed of a fortune in diamonds and gold in Manchester in 1892. His story ends with a shocking twist, rich with dramatic irony. Brad's story recounts the amusing 1896 case of John and Margaret Inchley, a fashionable Melbourne couple caught smuggling goods by wearing them through customs. See how lavishly they lived– and if they got away with it in the end.

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.

S3 - Ep. 1: The Killer Brush-Maker and the Fancy Dress Ball Raid

Tue, 12 May 2020 08:34:00 -0000

In this episode of "Behind the Headlines of History," hosts Brad Argent and Mikaela Hume delve into two intriguing historical newspaper stories. The first story recounts the grim tale of a murderous brush-maker who, in 1875, murdered his mistress and got caught in the act. The second story, from 1880, details a police raid on a fancy dress ball in Manchester, where 47 men were arrested for "immoral" behavior, with 22 found dressed as women, offering a rare glimpse into 19th-century LGBTQ+ history.

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.

S2 - Ep. 9: The Naked Escape, and the Headless Lad

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 09:06:00 -0000

Of course! Here is a more tantalizing version of the summary designed to pique curiosity:

Prepare for a journey into the bizarre and the macabre as we uncover two astonishing tales from history. First, discover the peculiar story of a 19th-century criminal whose daring escape plan involved shedding every last piece of his clothing. What could possibly motivate a man to flee naked into the cold November night?

Then, delve into a truly chilling mystery that sent an entire city into a riot. When a grieving grandfather demands to see his young grandson one last time, the opening of the coffin reveals a horrifying and unnatural substitution that taps into the era's deepest fears of body snatchers.

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.

S2 - Ep. 8: The Detective Suffragette, a Cornish Witch, and Female Bus Conductors in WWI (International Women’s Day Special)

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 10:09:00 -0000

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 negotiations 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.

S2 - Ep. 7: Bradford Highwaymen turned Convicts and Robbery by a One-Armed Woman

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 09:20:00 -0000

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 disruptive 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.

S2 - Ep. 6: A Bit of a Stinker, Deadly Beer, and A Big Appetite

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 09:12:00 -0000

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 poisoned! (Story from the Guardian, 18th January, 1901).

To round the episode off, this week’s News In Briefs feature a big appetite, and a peculiar 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.

S2 - Ep. 5: A (Peaky?) Blinder of Gangster Story and a Fertile Centenarian

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 09:11:00 -0000

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 episodes’ News In Briefs – one featuring a lecture on…Scottish love songs (there’s our nod to Valentine’s Day) and another highlighting the ingenuity 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.

S2 - Ep. 4: Man Haunted by Dead Mother, and a Robbery With a Twist

Mon, 03 Feb 2020 09:10:00 -0000

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.

S2 - Ep. 3: WWII Special – First Civilian Casualty and ‘Mend and Make Do’ in the Air

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 09:07:00 -0000

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.

S2 - Ep. 2: Victimization of Winston Churchill’s Mother and a Prison Break!

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 10:07:00 -0000

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 tamin.

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.

S2 - Ep. 1: Murders Most Horrid and (Almost) Killer Lemonade

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 09:05:00 -0000

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.

Christmas Special: Mock Marriages & The Great Christmas Coat Robbery

Mon, 23 Dec 2019 08:56:00 -0000

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.

S1 - Ep. 10: The Only Female WWI Soldier and a ‘Crumby’ POW Kickabout

Tue, 05 Nov 2019 08:56:00 -0000

It’s the last episode of our inaugural season of Behind The Headlines of History, and this week we’re marking Remembrance Day with stories related to the lives of people during WWI. Michala starts the episode with the incredible tale of Sapper Dorothy Lawrence – the ambitious female war correspondent who dressed as a man to make it to the British front line (from The Observer, 21st September 1919) and Brad’s uncovered an intriguing story of an officer in a POW camp reprimanded for having a kickabout with a loaf of bread (reported in The Times, 20th May 1915).

And perhaps Brad and Michala were hungry when researching this week’s NiBs as both coincidentally both take a food-related theme (one more tragic than the other).

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.

S1 - Ep. 9: A Struggle For Life – Live from RootsTech London!

Tue, 29 Oct 2019 07:56:00 -0000

Live from Rootstech London!

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.

S1 - Ep. 8: Halloween Husband-Snaring and Barnsley Body Snatchers

Mon, 21 Oct 2019 07:56:00 -0000

Halloween is just around the corner, so in this week’s episode, Brad and Michala’s stories take a *spooky* turn. ‘Headline-less’ Brad kicks off proceedings with an article from the Observer on 31st October 1880 on old Halloween rituals and traditions – including a bizarre husband-snaring tactic involving a wet shirt, salting keyholes and the origins of apple bobbing. Then Michala takes us on a macabre journey, with the headline ‘Body Stealing At Barnsley” (From the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent, 7th Feb 1829).

The episode rounds off, as always, with ‘News In Brief’, featuring things that go bump in the night and a windfall under a haunted tree…

Warning: Episode features weird creepy laughter and ghoulish sounds from your hosts. Mwah ha ha…!

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.

S1 - Ep. 7: Looking for Loved Ones and The Del Boy Of The History World

Mon, 14 Oct 2019 07:55:00 -0000

Brad’s tasked himself with the challenge of trying to answer someone’s plea to help them find living family members (from Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper, 9th Sep, 1900) and Michala’s story this week focuses on the surprising tale of Sir Gregory Lewin, a barrister gone bad: ‘”The Del Boy of History”! (Sparked by a news report in The Bradford Observer, 12 March 1840).

Then, News In Brief evolved into a pub quiz – take a listen at the end of the episode to see what we mean…

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.

Bonus Content: Newspaper Research Tips

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 07:55:00 -0000

Behind the Headlines of History is a podcast series from Ancestry and ⁠⁠Newspapers.com⁠⁠ that explores intriguing news stories from the past, hosted by historian and genealogist Michala Hulme and Ancestry’s Brad Argent.

S1 - Ep. 6: The Dudley Femme Fatale and Cattle Pilfering

Mon, 07 Oct 2019 07:55:00 -0000

This week, Michala introduces us to Fanny Oliver, a Victorian femme fatale who murdered her husband by arsenic poisoning (as reported in Berrow’s Worcester Journal, 24 July 1869) and Brad digs into a family rift triggered by the stealing of cattle (covered by the Yorkshire Herald, 24 October 1881).

And listen to ‘News In Brief’ at the end of the episode for a tongue in cheek report on what Victorian men looked for in a woman and a more sobering tale of a young girl literally on fire (don’t worry, she survived).

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.

S1 - Ep. 5: The Flowerpot Trailblazer and You Know Something, John Snow

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 09:08:00 -0000

If anyone can link a man being attacked on the street to a woman shopping for flower pots (covered in The Illustrated Police News, 6 September, 1879), Brad can! Stick with it, it’s a good’un! And Michala seamlessly takes us from ‘Snow’ to water, uncovering one of her history heroes (reported in the Yorkshire Herald, 26 June, 1858)

Rounding off the episode In ‘News In Brief’, Brad spends a penny, and Michala’s livid over adulterated milk.

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.

S1 - Ep. 4: A Flying Pony and The Victorian Bigamist

Mon, 23 Sep 2019 07:43:00 -0000

This week, Brad takes us up, up and away with a dramatic, theatrical and ultimately tragic tale of aeronaut Lieutenant George Gale and his flying pony (covered by the London Examiner on 14 September 1850), and Michala’s story of a Victorian bigamist (reported in the Newcastle Weekly Courant, 20 August, 1858) rivals the plot of any TV period drama!

Then to round things off, a menagerie of creatures from sheep to birds feature in this episode’s News In Brief section!

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.

S1 - Ep. 3: The Tragic Impact of Industry and An Enormous Rat

Mon, 16 Sep 2019 07:43:00 -0000

There’s a somewhat sombre tone to episode three, with Brad and Michala each sharing a story and research stemming from the tragic year of 1862 – from a boiler explosion in Leicestershire (reported in the Bury and Norwich Post, 25 Jan. 1862) to the Hartley Colliery disaster (covered by the Newcastle Weekly Courant, 24 Jan. 1862).

And if you’re not a fan of rodents or horse manure, prepare yourself for this week’s News In Brief stories…

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.

S1 - Ep. 2: Old Jane Cakebread, A Near Miss, and 19th Century Dentistry

Mon, 09 Sep 2019 07:42:00 -0000

In episode two, Michala tells the story of the colourful life and times of Old Jane Cakebread, who was making her 271st appearance before the North London Magistrates’ Court (as reported in the Huddersfield Chronicle and West Yorkshire Advertiser, Nov 1894) and Brad makes an impressive segue from a near drowning (covered by the Preston Chronicle and Lancashire Advertiser, 24 May 1851) to dentistry in the 19th century.

Then, this week’s ‘News In Brief’ articles cover a South London spectre and vandalism of a grassy nature!

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.

S1 - Ep. 1: The Great Bullion Robbery (A Love Story) and Hazelnut Theft

Mon, 02 Sep 2019 07:41:00 -0000

In the first episode of Season 1, Michala shares the love story behind The Great Bullion Robbery that was reported in the press in 1855, and Brad’s research reveals how the perpetrator of a hazelnut theft, covered by The Hampshire Advertiser in 1877, is linked to Downton Abbey!

To round the episode off, this week’s ‘News In Brief’ stories have a bit of a love and marriage theme…

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.

Behind the Headlines of History

S4 - Ep. 8: A Jolly Weird Christmas Headline! (Holiday Finale)

You Might Also Like: Ancestry x After Dark – Myths, Misdeeds and the Paranormal

S4 - Ep. 7: Rogues, and Robbers, and Rattlesnake Dick?

S4 - Ep. 6: A Riverboat Rescue and a Record-Breaking Wife

S4 - Ep. 5: A Headline Hound, a Beastly Boy, and a Thanksgiving Game

S4 - Ep. 4: An Old Man's NYC Fortune and a Beer Flood?

S4 - Ep. 3: A War Hero Pigeon, and Other Noble Stories of Service

S4 - Ep. 2: A Royal Scandal and a Sensational Shooting

S4 - Ep. 1: Front Page Ghosts!? A Halloween Premiere

Trailer: Behind the Headlines of History Season 4!

S3 - Ep. 5: Mistaken Identities and Miracle Cures

S3 - Ep. 4: Seduction, Balloons, and a Drunken Monkey

S3 - Ep. 3: Ghosts, Genealogy, and a Gladiator's Ancestor

S3 - Ep. 2: The Jeweler's Despair and the Smuggler's Disguise

S3 - Ep. 1: The Killer Brush-Maker and the Fancy Dress Ball Raid

S2 - Ep. 9: The Naked Escape, and the Headless Lad

S2 - Ep. 8: The Detective Suffragette, a Cornish Witch, and Female Bus Conductors in WWI (International Women’s Day Special)

S2 - Ep. 7: Bradford Highwaymen turned Convicts and Robbery by a One-Armed Woman

S2 - Ep. 6: A Bit of a Stinker, Deadly Beer, and A Big Appetite

S2 - Ep. 5: A (Peaky?) Blinder of Gangster Story and a Fertile Centenarian

S2 - Ep. 4: Man Haunted by Dead Mother, and a Robbery With a Twist

S2 - Ep. 3: WWII Special – First Civilian Casualty and ‘Mend and Make Do’ in the Air

S2 - Ep. 2: Victimization of Winston Churchill’s Mother and a Prison Break!

S2 - Ep. 1: Murders Most Horrid and (Almost) Killer Lemonade

Christmas Special: Mock Marriages & The Great Christmas Coat Robbery

S1 - Ep. 10: The Only Female WWI Soldier and a ‘Crumby’ POW Kickabout

S1 - Ep. 9: A Struggle For Life – Live from RootsTech London!

S1 - Ep. 8: Halloween Husband-Snaring and Barnsley Body Snatchers

S1 - Ep. 7: Looking for Loved Ones and The Del Boy Of The History World

Bonus Content: Newspaper Research Tips

S1 - Ep. 6: The Dudley Femme Fatale and Cattle Pilfering

S1 - Ep. 5: The Flowerpot Trailblazer and You Know *Something*, John Snow

S1 - Ep. 4: A Flying Pony and The Victorian Bigamist

S1 - Ep. 3: The Tragic Impact of Industry and An Enormous Rat

S1 - Ep. 2: Old Jane Cakebread, A Near Miss, and 19th Century Dentistry

S1 - Ep. 1: The Great Bullion Robbery (A Love Story) and Hazelnut Theft

S1 - Ep. 5: The Flowerpot Trailblazer and You Know Something, John Snow