AGE OF VICTORIA PODCAST

Darwin, and his Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection; in this podcast we’ve covered the creation of the new settler Empire and the transition to the new energy form of coal & steam, then the railways, but Darwin had a bigger impact on civilisation than even those. This episode is the start of a series of episodes on Darwin and Evolution. It covers;

• Intro, thank you’s and reviews.
• The philosophy of mind & matter
• Darwin’s dangerous idea
• The young student
• A trip to Wales
• HMS Beagle; how to get a bad ship ready for adventure
• Captain FitzRoy, a troubled man
• Geology, physics and the age of the Earth
• The journey begins.

Darwin’s great voyage of discovery continues. The ancient past was a vast mystery, with many claiming that God alone was the explanation for all things. As Darwin travelled and jotted his observations in his little notebooks, he began to lift the veil on the ancient past. New species, now long vanished, were discovered. Darwin began to build the foundations for our understanding of the world. This episode covers;

• Intro, thank you’s and reviews.
• The problem with fossils
• Time in Brazil
• The horror of slavery
• Flying spiders
• Uncovering giants in Argentina
• The problems with Taxonomy
• The problems with Richard Owens, genius and git
• Toxodon platensis and other megafauna
• The Clovis extinction debate
• The problem of intermediate forms
• Let’s talk about giant sloths, small sloths, and the importance of sloths
• “I saw sea shells, no where near the sea shore”
• Terraces, and continental uplift
• Until next time.

Why yes, we will be asking what Victoria did with Albert. We will be asking about the how’s and why’s of Victorian sex & sexualities. There’s a lot to say, so we are getting started with just how reserved were they really, and did the have a lot of sex?

The death of Queen Elizabeth II is a momentous event in modern British history. This special episode contains some facts about her life, reflections on events, thoughts about King Charles III, the Royal Finances, the constitution, national decline, the Commonwealth, and possibilities for the future.

This episode covers;

• Intro
• Birth, coronation & television
• WW2 & the ATS
• Post war austerity, the Elizabethan rebirth, more television
• The start of the Commonwealth & retreat from Empire
• Famous friends, anecdotes and gin
• Internationalism
• Royal finances
• Constitutional problems
• Colonialism, anti colonialism, reparations and artefacts
• The Koh-i-Noor
• Troubled waters ahead.
• A last note of hope?

This much requested episode deals with the important but fun topic of women’s clothes and fashions in the 1840s. If you want to understand how a Victorian woman dressed and why, this is the episode for you.

• This episode covers.
• Intro & reviews.
• The importance of dressing well.
• We don’t do business casual.
• Victoria, a Goth.
• Starting the day, the chemise
• Bloomers, and worries about the French.
• Stockings, colours and fun.
• The corset – Patriarchy not included.
• The corset – exploding the myths
• The corset – tight lacing, narrow waists, health hazards and missing ribs.
• Corsets – a big hit with the men.
• Dresses, daywear and sewing.
• Don’t forget your hat, I mean bonnet.
• Some shoes, and dressing for the weather.
• Riding outfits.
• Evening dresses, and gowns fit for an Empress.
• What you wear is not a political statement yet.

This anniversary is a memorable event and naturally deserves to be photographed by the paparazzi. But what was the story of the invention of the photograph, and how did it become a Victorian icon? A story filled with invention, persistence, a lot of daring do, and possibly holding back some manly tears. Not to mention artistic nudes, pioneering thinking from governments, lots of chemicals and real dedication.

This episode covers.

• Intro & reviews.
• Some all time great photographs.
• The veil of history.
• Early steps towards photography.
• No invention is a vacuum.
• The Daguerreotype and patents
• Henry Fox Talbot & the Calotype.
• The Collodion process
• Photography spreads out around the world.
• What was photography for?
• Photography in India.
• The unflappable Samuel Bourne.
• Yes, but it it art?
• The female nude.
• It’s not just naked women; other uses for photographs.
• The artist creates the truth by destroying it; making fake photos for art.
• What is art, truth and how did all this matter?
• A plea for support
• Thank you’s.
• The Daguerreotype and patents

This episode deals with the real and harrow position for women during with contraception, pregnancy, and abortion in the Victorian era. Campaigners like Annie Besant attacked the patriarchy, and fought for the right to be heard. Women risked their lives getting dangerous abortions, in constant fear of the law, whilst the great scandal of the Victorian era, infanticide, loomed in the background. From the courts to the back alleys, join me in experiencing the reality of life before the pill.

This episode covers.

Intro & reviews.

Musings on the direction of the podcast

The basics of periods

What the doctor though – 1840s style.

Women’s underwear and period pain.

Menstrual leave, a feminist issue.

Ovulation and fertility.

Birth control.

Annie Besant goes on the warpath.

Mortality and unstable families.

Victorian Birth Control

Abortion and the criminal law

Religion and gender.

Abortion in practice.

Abortion – a personal account by Mary Wolfe

Murder charges

When things went wrong.

Illegitimacy as a motivation.

Infanticide, the great scandal.

The crime of concealment of birth.

Criminals preying on the vulnerable.

A tough lot.

What could be more of a traditional Victorian Christmas than carols by candlelight with an orchestra, piano and harp? Quite a bit actually. Victorian piano’s were a late addition and the carols were a really new thing. Find out how carols and piano’s go together like new age German synth and wannabe edgy 20 somethings.

This episode covers.

• Intro & reviews.
• The Victorian carols hitlist.
• Good King thingy and the famous Reverend Doctor Neale.
• Queen Victoria’s rather gaudy piano.
• The Victorian piano market.
• A quick note about the class system.
• Industrialisation & piano’s.
• So what should I use for a Victorian Carol Concert?
• A nice little story.

January is here, and we are all feeling poor after Christmas. Time to talk about money. This is the first in a series of minisodes on Victorian money. To get things started we are looking at Victorian Coins. The age of gold, silver, sound money, and not having two farthings to rub together

• Intro, thank you’s and reviews.
• Choosing a topic
• Its pre-decimal so I’m going slightly mad
• Remember this long list of coins
• This is not a very difficult question – time for some maths
• Some problems with the coins
• A matter of design; florins, shillings, and silver six pence
• A stunning Gothic Silver Crown
• What’s money worth in tough times?
• Looting the Summer Palace
• Is imperial loot really priceless?
• Victorian coins in practice
• Victorian coins have some drawbacks
• Liquidity, mental maths, and not enough change.