History Extra Plus: Victorians History Extra

Stephen Tuffnell answers listener questions on the series of gold rushes that captivated the imaginations of hordes of prospectors in the 19th century. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, he explores what drew people to remote gold fields, what life was like in mining camps, and how gold rushes transformed economic, ecological and social landscapes.

On 16 September 1890, inventor Louis Le Prince boarded a train to Paris and vanished without a trace. In his book The Man Who Invented Motion Pictures, Paul Fischer explores his life and disappearance. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, he delves into the many theories about what may have happened Le Prince – from an accident or mugging, to murder by his rival Thomas Edison in order to steal his latest invention.

Oskar Jensen introduces the characters roaming the streets of Georgian and Victorian London, from beggars to ballad singers. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, he explores what it would have been like to live and work on the streets of the capital, sharing stories of entrepreneurial street sweepers, impatient milkmaids, kidnapped children and timid hot-cross bun sellers.

Marking the 125th anniversary of the publication of Dracula, Roger Luckhurst tells Ellie Cawthorne why Bram Stoker’s vampire thriller has had such an enduring appeal. They discuss how the book exposed the anxieties of the late Victorian age, how contemporary readers reacted, and some of the most intriguing adaptations.

Deborah Cadbury shows how Queen Victoria sought to influence the future of Europe through the marriages of her descendants

Historians Richard J Aldrich and Rory Cormac speak to Emma Slattery Williams about their book The Secret Royals, which explores the connections between espionage and the British monarchy, revealing how Queen Victoria utilised a large covert network of international spies.