Secret History

Matthew Blackman

Historians Matthew Blackman and Nick Dall investigate fascinating, forgotten, and misunderstood histories from the margins. With a focus on Africa, they explore the intriguing personalties and events that shaped our history — stories that have been either omitted or suppressed from the mainstream historical record.

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Top 10 Secret History Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Secret History episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Secret History for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Secret History episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

The Corrupt Cape Dutch

Secret History

02/21/24 • 38 min

In 1706 the corrupt and dictatorial Governor Willem Adriaan van der Stel used company funds, manpower and raw materials to build Nkandla 1.0 aka Vergelegen. Several men, including Adam Tas (of Tassenberg fame), decided to do something about it. It would set off one of the greatest fights against corruption in South African history. Get bonus content on Patreon

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Wrecking Cape Town

Secret History

02/13/24 • 35 min

The wrecking of Cape Town: Meet the 1647 castaways who were the real founding fathers of colonial South Africa and learn about their unusual interactions with the indigenous inhabitants. Get bonus content on Patreon

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Bonus on Pickled Fish, Brutalism and a Dog

Secret History

04/18/24 • 30 min

In this week's episode Nick and Matthew chat about three fascinating - but entirely unrelated - topics. You'll find out why Cape Christians and Muslims all eat pickled fish over Easter. How a brutalist masterpiece came to be in Durban's port - and why it's on the verge of being torn down. And finally, you'll learn about the life and times of Just Nuisance, the first dog ever to be enlisted in the Royal Navy. Get bonus content on Patreon

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Rhodes, Populism and the Election that Changed the World

Secret History

04/25/24 • 46 min

The multi-racial 1898 election in the Cape Colony was the most factional in its history. What was more, it was an election that found the mining magnate and self-professed racist, Cecil John Rhodes, prostrating himself before an entirely black audience. But just why he ended up at this meeting near Kimberley, accusing the black newspaper editor John Tengo Jabavu of ‘Krugerism’, is a highly complex colonial story. Get bonus content on Patreon

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Yonge and Corrupt at Heart

Secret History

04/11/24 • 44 min

Sir George Yonge - aka The Lofty Twaddler - was so flagrantly (and hopelessly) corrupt, that he lasted little more than a year as Governor of the Cape Colony. But while there is much comedy in his actions (he was surprised when the Dutch objected to him doubling the tax on brandy, for example) Yonge also had a dark side: he was fired because of his involvement in a slave smuggling ring. Get bonus content on Patreon

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The History of an Image of a Hanging

Secret History

03/21/24 • 38 min

This is a podcast of the history of an image of a hanging that took place in Rhodesia in 1896 at the time of the First Chimurenga (or Matabele Uprising). The image appeared in a book by Olive Schreiner, 'Trooper Peter Halket of Mashonaland', and in a court case against Cecil Rhodes. It comprises interviews with Prof Paul Walters and Brian Willan. Get bonus content on Patreon

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Robert Grendon's Dream

Secret History

03/07/24 • 38 min

We interview the incredible researcher and historian, Dr Grant Christison about Robert Grendon. Poet, scholar, botanist, auxiliary soldier, journalist, politician, talented sportsman, and grandson of a famous Herero leader, Robert Grendon is one of the most extraordinary people in South African history. What is incredible is that he has been almost entirely forgotten.

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The Burghers' Revenge

Secret History

02/29/24 • 31 min

How the corrupt Dutch governor at the Cape met his match. Get bonus content on Patreon

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Robert Grendon's Nightmare

Secret History

03/14/24 • 27 min

Part 2 of the interview with Dr Grant Christison on the turn in Robert Grendon's life under colonialism. Get bonus content on Patreon

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FAQ

How many episodes does Secret History have?

Secret History currently has 9 episodes available.

What topics does Secret History cover?

The podcast is about History, Podcasts, Black History, Arts and Africa.

What is the most popular episode on Secret History?

The episode title 'Rhodes, Populism and the Election that Changed the World' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Secret History?

The average episode length on Secret History is 37 minutes.

How often are episodes of Secret History released?

Episodes of Secret History are typically released every 7 days, 8 hours.

When was the first episode of Secret History?

The first episode of Secret History was released on Feb 13, 2024.

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Secret History

Matthew Blackman

Top 10 Secret History Episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does Secret History have?

What topics does Secret History cover?

What is the most popular episode on Secret History?

What is the average episode length on Secret History?

How often are episodes of Secret History released?

When was the first episode of Secret History?

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