Talking History Archives - The MrT Podcast Studio

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Talking History Archives - The MrT Podcast Studio Podcast

The History group meets every couple of weeks from September to June each year. These podcasts will cover the talks given by those members who are happy to be recorded! All the opinions are those of the speaker.

  1. 25 AUG

    TH2023 Ep16 When newspapers were pressed

    Season 2023 - Talk 16 - When newspapers were pressed to be 'right minded' In 'When newspapers were pressed to be 'right minded'' Andrew Cole tells us about the state's efforts to control the press using taxes. A situation lasting for 140 years. We learn of the efforts to achieve today's press freedom. The issue: Andrew tells us that we take today's relatively free press in Britain today for granted. The authorities see the arrival of the printing press as a threat to those in authority. Their desire - control. This talk explores how this is achieved. In particular Andrew looks at the use of taxation to suppress unwanted publications and encourage, in the view of the establishment, a 'right minded press'. To many these taxes are taxes on knowledge. Many see this as a fight for freedom bringing liberty, due scrutiny, and enabling the political awakening of the masses. The story isn't as glossy as that and historians, as always, have quite differing interpretations. Taxes: The attempt to control newspapers and their narrative involves taxation. This situation runs from 1712 to 1861, 140 years. Andrew tells us about the introduction of the taxes and their working. Andrew then tells us about their repeal and the consequences. We learn of the taxes on the type of publication, on paper and on advertising. You need to listen carefully as some of the ways that the taxes operate and some of the wheezes to avoid them are complex. We also learn about the growth of the press following the repeal of the taxes. Listen to the podcast and hear the whole story from Andrew. About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group Group 2018 - 2024

    51 min

  2. 30 JULY

    TH2023 Ep14 Napoleon III and Eugenie

    Season 2023 - Talk 14- Napoleon III and Eugenie In 'Napoleon III and Eugenie' Jo Watson tells us about the man who was Emperor of France from 1852 until his defeat by the Prussians in 1870 and his wife Eugenie. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Napoleon III: Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte is born in Paris in the early hours of April the 20th, 1808. His father is Louis Bonaparte, the younger brother of the Emperor Napoleon. The union of his parents isn't overly successful as they not particularly compatible. They spend long times apart, but produce three sons, all called Napoleon something or other. Arriving a few weeks earlier than expected he's rather weak at birth so he's bathed in wine and wrapped in cotton wool. Was he just a premature child, or as the scandal mongers were later very fond of saying, fathered by someone else? He involves himself in political intrigue, failed putsches and becomes a feared ladies man. A few years elapse and he heads to London with his extensive inheritance. Louis sets up house in Mayfair with 17 servants and a monogrammed carriage and begins to mix with high society. He seduces eligible young ladies when their mothers aren't looking, notches up a couple of engagements and joins country house set. He attends shooting parties, reads voraciously in their libraries and hobnobs with eminent politicians all the time preparing for another shot at power. In 1853 he marries Eugenie Empress Eugenie: 26 year old Eugène Montejo, educated partly in Paris, is a regular visitor to the court. She is also one of the most beautiful women in Europe. She also impresses Napoleon with her horsemanship and conversation. She's a good Catholic girl and is determined not to be another notch on his bedpost. He definitely tries, but she never relents. 'What is the way to your heart', he asks. 'Through the church, sire', she replies. Jo Watson has written a book about Empress Eugenie and you can find more about it here. Listen to the podcast and hear the whole story from Jo. About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 - 2024

    1h 10m

  3. 14 JULY

    TH2023 Ep 13 The History Divide

    Season 2023 - Talk 13- The History Divide In 'The History Divide' Margaret Denyer, Alan Freeland, Andrew Cole, David Simpson and Richard Thomas give their views on the question ‘Whilst the Treaty of Versailles of 1919 ended the Allies war with Germany, did it lead to the outbreak of World War II in 1939?' The Paris Peace Conference: David Simpson opens by telling us about the Peace Conference and the key players. Just four men, British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, U. S. President Thomas Woodrow Wilson, French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau and Italian Premier Vittorio Orlando, known as the Big Four, control the discussions. So what are the goals of the Allies? France wants revenge by weakening Germany, Britain wants to punish Germany, but with restraint. The U. S. has the most idealistic position wanting an end to imperialism and the creation of the League of Nations. There is much conflict and much discussion, before they all agree. The main 5 provisions: The five main provisions are to: Establish the League of Nations. Reduce German armed forces. Germany to accept full and sole responsibility for the war, the so called War Guilt Clause. Germany to pay the Allies a sizeable sum in reparations. This figure will not be known until 1921. A reduction in German territories and colonies which has far reaching implications well beyond the borders of Europe. Our speakers discuss the financial implications of the treaty, the issues that the settlement has on many other nations and the League of Nations. At the end we leave it to you to decide whether it led to the Second World War or not. Listen to the podcast and hear the whole story from our speakers. About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 - 2024

    59 min

  4. 30 JUNE

    TH2023 Ep 12 The Earth Transformed

    Season 2023 - Talk 12- The Earth Transformed In 'The Earth Transformed' Alan Freeland reviews Peter Frankopan's book which changes our view of history by looking at the effect of climate on events. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. The Silk Roads: Alan tells us how the book 'The Silk Roads' changes his retirement plans. This is a book by Peter Frankopan that he rates very highly. This book is an important account of the forces that have shaped the global economy and politics over many centuries. It is a long read: The Earth Transformed runs to 736 pages (the paperback) and Alan tells us that he has to re-read many of the pages to understand things. He also says that the text doesn't flow well. This is no reflection on the material, rather one of style. The book: Peter Frankopan is one of the world's leading historians. He tells us that the natural environment is a crucial, if not the defining, factor in global history. Volcanic eruptions, solar activities, atmospheric, oceanic and other shifts have a fundamental effect on history. We learn about how the desire to centralise agricultural success results in the bureaucratic state. And how growing demands for harvests result in the shipment of enslaved people. These lessons of profound importance as we face a precarious future of rapid global warming. Listen to the podcast and hear the whole story from Alan. Unfortunately I have not been able to remove all the external noises. About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 - 2024

    40 min

  5. 4 JUNE

    TH2023 Ep 11.04 Going to the Pictures

    Season 2023 - Talk 11 04- Going to the Pictures In 'Going to the Pictures' Tim Davies tells us about the history of the projected image in the 'silent era'. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. The Magic Lantern: The talk starts in the age of the Magic Lantern. These project pictures such as paintings, prints and photographs. The slides are usually transparent glass plates. First appearing in the 17th century they are often used for entertainment by travelling showmen, conjurers and storytellers. In the 17th century the only artificial light is from candles and oil lamps giving very dim projected images. By the 1820s we start to see the much brighter Limelight and then in the 1860s the electric arc lamp, which removes the need for combustible gases and hazardous chemicals. The magic lantern can project moving images with movement achieved in a number of ways such as two glass slides projected together. One has the stationary part of the picture and the other the moving part, maybe a train passing through a landscape. What the Butler saw: The Mutoscope is an early motion picture device appearing in 1895. It is a coin-in-the-slot peep-show which only one person at a time can view. It operates like a flip book with black-and-white prints attached to a circular core. A reel typically holds about 850 pictures, giving a viewing time of about one minute The Birth of the Cinema in Britain: Leeds claims the world's first moving picture shot by Louis Le Prince in 1888. In 1889 and William Friese Greene makes the first celluloid film in Hyde Park. Listen to the podcast and hear the whole story from Tim. Unfortunately I have not been able to remove all the external noises. About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group . This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 - 2024

    16 min

  6. 7 MAY

    TH2023 Ep11 03 Sarah Bernhardt

    Season 2023 - Talk 11 03- Sarah Bernhardt In 'Sarah Bernhardt' Jo Watson tells us about the life of the legendary French actress. Please note: this talk was given in June 2023, the centenary year of Sarah Bernhardt's death. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Early years: Sarah Bernhardt is born as Henriette-Rosine Bernard in Paris on 22 October 1844. Her mother is a courtesan with a wealthy or upper-class clientele. For a long time there is no record of her father, however his family pay for her education, insist on a Catholic baptism, and arrange for a large sum money when she comes of age. Career: She becomes a stage actress and stars in some of the more popular French plays of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These include La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas fils, Ruy Blas by Victor Hugo, Fédora and La Tosca by Victorien Sardou. She also plays male roles, including Shakespeare's Hamlet. Rostand calls her "the queen of the pose and the princess of the gesture", and Victor Hugo praises her "golden voice". She makes several theatrical tours around the world, and she is one of the early famous actresses to make sound recordings and to act in films. Advertising: She is also linked with the success of artist Alphonse Mucha, she publicises his work and he creates posters of her. Mucha becomes a sought-after artist because of his Art Nouveau style. Listen to the podcast and hear the whole story from Jo. Unfortunately I have not been able to remove all the coughs and some external noises. About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group . It is frequently not possible to use all of the images presented in the original talk because of copyright reasons. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 - 2024

    16 min

  7. 12 APR

    TH2023 Ep11 02 Max Miller

    Season 2023 - Talk 11.02 - Max Miller In 'Max Miller' Adrian Martin tells us the life story of the music hall comedian billed as the 'Cheeky Chappie'. You'll appreciate from that billing that his humour is not always politically correct. Indeed it could be described as 'nudge, nudge, wink, wink... you know what I mean' humour. There are a couple of examples in this talk. Early Life? He is born born as Thomas Henry Sargent in November 1894 in Kemptown, a part of  Brighton.  His father is a labourer and his mother a flower seller. There are six children including Thomas and his parents are poor. Often unable to pay rent they move frequently and he attends a number of schools. He leaves school at the age of 12. He tries his hand at labouring, delivering milk, selling fish and chips, caddying at the Brighton and Hove Golf Course, and trains to be a motor mechanic. World War 1 On the outbreak of war in 1914 he volunteers for the army and joins the Royal Sussex Regiment . He serves in France, India and  Mesopotamia, where he suffers temporary blindness for three days. This experience stays with him all his life. Demob: When he leaves the army work is short supply, and his mother has died in the 1918 flu pandemic. He gets a booking at the Shoreditch Hall in 1919 but only lasts a week because of his inexperience. Miller returns to Brighton and sees an advertisement for artists to join Jack Sheppard's concert party in an alfresco theatre on Brighton beach. He joins as a light comedian for the 1919 summer season. His future wife, Frances Kathleen Marsh, is a contralto in the group. Kathleen is from a middle-class family and her elder brother serves as a Brighton alderman for 43 years, becoming mayor  from 1949 to 1950. It is Kathleen, an astute businesswoman, who suggests  that he should change his name to Max Miller. Listen to Adrian tell the full story. This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group . Sadly in a few places there is slight distortion on the recording. It is not possible to use the images presented in the original talk because of copyright reasons. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 - 2024

    15 min

  8. 20 MAR

    TH2023 Ep11 01 Dame Margaret Rutherford

    Season 2023 - Talk 11.01 - Dame Margaret Rutherford In 'Dame Margaret Rutherford' Wendy Senior tells the story of the life of this famous British actress. Early Life? There is tragedy in her early life involving both of her parents. Her father is the journalist and poet William Rutherford Benn who marries Florence Nicholson on 16 December 1882 in Wandsworth, South London. He suffers a nervous breakdown shortly after the marriage, and is admitted to Bethnal House Lunatic Asylum. They release him so that he can travel under his family's supervision. He then murders his father, the Reverend Julius Benn, by bludgeoning him to death with a chamber pot, before slashing his own throat with a pocket knife. Following the inquest, William Benn is certified insane and is sent to Broadmoor. He is discharged seven years later, in July 1890, and reunites with his wife. Margaret is the only child of William and Florence and is born in 1892 in Balham.  The family plan a new life far from the scene of their recent troubles. They emigrate to Madras (now Chennai). The three year old Margaret returns to Britain to live with her aunt Bessie Nicholson in Wimbledon, after her pregnant mother hangs herself from a tree. The family tell Margaret that her father dies of a broken heart. However, when she is 12 she learns that her father has been in Broadmoor since 1903. He stays there until he dies on 4 August 1921. She fears, for the rest of her life, that she might succumb to similar illnesses. In later years she suffers from intermittent depression and anxiety. Education: She first goes to Wimbledon High School (now a theatre space, the Rutherford Centre). When she is 13 she starts to board at Raven's Croft School in Seaford. She develops an interest in the theatre and performs in amateur dramatics, however the teachers at the school suggest that she should teach the piano. Acting: Her aunt, in her will, leaves a legacy that allows Margaret to enter the Old Vic School to train as an actress. In her autobiography she writes that Aunt Bessie has been her "adoptive mother and one of the saints of the world". She establishes a name in comedy and appears in many successful British plays and films. "I never intended to play for laughs. I am always surprised that the audience thinks me funny at all", she writes in her autobiography. Her first appearance in London's West End is in 1933. It takes six years for her to become well known when she plays Miss Prism in John Gielgud's production of The Importance of Being Earnest at the Globe Theatre in 1939. Rave reviews follow in 1941 when she plays Madame Arcati in Noël Coward's Blithe Spirit. Listen to the full story in Wendy's talk. This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group . Sadly in a few places there is slight distortion on the recording. It is not possible to use the images presented in the original talk because of copyright reasons. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 - 2024

    18 min
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The History group meets every couple of weeks from September to June each year. These podcasts will cover the talks given by those members who are happy to be recorded! All the opinions are those of the speaker.

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