Dark Histories

Ben Cutmore
Dark Histories

Fortnightly narratives on the unsolved and the unexplained, mysteries, historical true crime, touches of the paranormal and cultural peculiarities.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    Occult Rituals & Space Rockets: The Strange Life of Jack Parsons

    Beneath the blazing Californian sun, in a world teetering on the edge of war and wonder, one man dared to ignite the stars. Jack Parsons, a visionary rocket scientist, fused the fiery realms of science and the esoteric, dreaming of propelling humanity into the cosmos. By day, he crafted engines that defied gravity; by night, he conjured rituals steeped in occult lore. A trailblazer, a heretic, and a dreamer, Parsons danced on the razor’s edge of genius and chaos, leaving behind a legacy as explosive as his creations. SOURCES Carter, John (1999) Sex & Rockets: The Occult World of Jack Parsons. Feral House, WA, USA. Crowley, Aleister (1976) Magick in Theory & Practice. Dover Publications. NY, USA. Parsons, John (1980) The Book of AntiChrist. Isis Research. CA, USA ------- For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9 Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 16m

  2. 5 JAN

    Introducing: Southern Gothic

    Whilst I'm finishing up my Winter holiday, i wanted to share with you all one of my favourite shows, from a good friend of mine, Southern Gothic! This episode is a really good example fo what they do over there, and I'm sure it's something you'd like if you're into Dark histories. If you'd like to subscribe, you can find his Podcast linked here: https://podfollow.com/southern-gothic Or just search Southern Gothic on your favourite podcast player. Here's a little blurb about the episode: According to an old Blues legend, Robert Johnson sold his soul down at the crossroads for the ability to play guitar like no other. This episode tells the tale of Robert Johnson’s life–his many heartbreaks and missteps– and seeks to understand the origin of that infamous piece of folklore. I hope you enjoy it, and I'll see you real soon with Season 9. Cheers! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    54 min

  3. 31/12/2024

    Christmas Campfire 2024 (Part 2)

    Here is Part 2 of this years Christmas Campfire, more of a New Years Campfire, really. I hope you enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 1m

  4. 24/12/2024

    Christmas Campfire 2024 (Part 1)

    Hey everyone! Merry Christmas (Eve)! Here is this years Christmas Campfire, or at least the first half of it. Thanks for everyone for taking part, I hope you enjoy some spooky stories and have a wonderful Christmas Day! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    59 min

  5. 17/12/2024

    The Life and Hauntings of Violet Tweedale

    The life of Violet Tweedale was one of some fantasy and interest. A Victorian woman, powerful and wealthy in a time when women were not often such, she spent her days writing, socialising and hobnobbing with the elite. Described in some gushing, and highly dated terms as “a woman of many parts. She can paint a landscape and cook a dinner, she can write a book and make a shirt, she can etch a sporting scene and embroider the finest designs, she is a brilliant pianist, and has the reputation of being one of the best political speakers of the present day. With her regular features, white hair, commanding presence, and strong personal magnetism, she is an undoubted power on the public platform.” But this was not all Violet Tweedale was. She was also a keen ghost hunter, and from an early age, had been scouring old estates in the hopes of uncovering the other side, with some degree of success. SOURCES Tweedale, Violet (1919) Ghosts I Have Seen: And Other Psychic Experiences. Herbert Jenkins, London, UK.  Chambers, William (1832) Chambers’ Edinburgh Journal. No. 1. Sat 4 Feb 1932. Edinburgh, Scotland. Western Mail (1915) Literature. Western mail, Fri 2 April 1915, p44. Perth, Australia. Prasil, Tim (2019) The Victorian Ghost Hunters Casebook. Brom Bones Books, UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 16m

  6. 02/12/2024

    The Murderous Life of Dr Thomas Neill Cream (Part 2)

    Dr. Thomas Neill Cream, a physician with a respectable facade, became one of the most notorious figures in Victorian London’s dark history. Under the guise of providing medical care, he secretly dispensed deadly doses of strychnine, preying on vulnerable women, using his sinister charm and cunning to both administer poison and run from the effects. For years Cream operated in the shadows, his victims spanning across countries, borders and seas, until his insatiable thirst for power and cruelty ultimately revealed the monster behind the doctor’s mask. PART 2 SOURCES Jobb, Dean (2021) The Case of the Murderous Dr Cream. Algonquin Books, NC, USA. Hodge, James H. (1994) Famous Trials v.5: Thomas Neill Cream, Neville Heath, John Watson Laurie, Dr.George Lamson, Rattenbury and Stoner. Penguin Crime, London, UK. Loudon, Irvine (1992) Death in Childbirth: An International Study of Maternal Care and Maternal Mortality 1800-1950. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Gloucester Citizen (1891) Painful Story. Gloucester Citizen, Fri 16 Oct 1891, p3. UK. North Devon Journal (1892) Further Charges Of Blackmailing. North Devon Journal, Thurs 23 June 1892, p6. UK. Reynolds’s Newspaper (1892) Strange Cases Of Poisoning. Reynolds’s Newspaper, Sun 17 April 1892, p5, London, UK. Illustrated Police News (1892) The Execution Of Cream. Illustrated Police News, Saturday 19 Nov 1892, p1. London, UK. ------- For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9 Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 24m

  7. 20/11/2024

    The Murderous Life of Dr Thomas Neill Cream (Part 1)

    Dr. Thomas Neill Cream, a physician with a respectable facade, became one of the most notorious figures in Victorian London’s dark history. Under the guise of providing medical care, he secretly dispensed deadly doses of strychnine, preying on vulnerable women, using his sinister charm and cunning to both administer poison and run from the effects. For years Cream operated in the shadows, his victims spanning across countries, borders and seas, until his insatiable thirst for power and cruelty ultimately revealed the monster behind the doctor’s mask. PART 1 SOURCES Jobb, Dean (2021) The Case of the Murderous Dr Cream. Algonquin Books, NC, USA. Hodge, James H. (1994) Famous Trials v.5: Thomas Neill Cream, Neville Heath, John Watson Laurie, Dr.George Lamson, Rattenbury and Stoner. Penguin Crime, London, UK. Loudon, Irvine (1992) Death in Childbirth: An International Study of Maternal Care and Maternal Mortality 1800-1950. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. The Hamilton Spectator (1879) London. The Hamilton Spectator, Thurs 8 May 1879, p1. Ontario, Canada. Illustrated Police News (1892) The Lambeth Poisoning Case: Neill’s Career. Illustrated Police News, October 29, 1892, p1. London, UK. The Worthington Advance (1891) Record of Crime. The Worthington Advance, Thurs 4 Aug 1891, p1. MN, USA. ------- For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9 Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 7m

  8. 04/11/2024

    The Porthole Mystery: James Camb & The Death of Gay Gibson

    On a misty night in October 1947, the luxury liner Durban Castle sailed smoothly across the dark waves of the Atlantic. Aboard was Gay Gibson, a young actress with dreams of stardom, and James Camb, a steward with a chequered past. When Gibson mysteriously vanished, and her lifeless body was allegedly pushed through the ship’s porthole, a dark tale of desire, deceit, and death unfolded in a mystery that would captivate the world. SOURCES Herbstein, Dennis (1991) The Porthole Murder Case. Hodder & Stoughton, London, UK. The Sunday Pictorial (1947) The Girl in Cabin 126. The Sunday Pictorial, Sunday 26 October 1947, p1. London, UK. Yorkshire Evening Post (1948) Gay Gibson Jury Sees Liner Cabin Porthole. Yorkshire Evening Post, Thursday 18 March 1948, p1. Yorkshire, UK. Yorkshire Evening Post (1947) Gay Gibson Disappeared In Shark Infested Seas. Yorkshire Evening Post, Monday 24 November 1947, p5. Yorkshire, UK. ------- This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, check out betterhelp.com/darkhistories to get 10% off your first month.   ------- For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9 Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 37m
See All (205)

4.9
out of 5
34 Ratings

About

Fortnightly narratives on the unsolved and the unexplained, mysteries, historical true crime, touches of the paranormal and cultural peculiarities.

Information

  • Creator
    Ben Cutmore
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2025
  • Episodes
    205
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    Copyright © Ben Cutmore . All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Dark Histories

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada