Mostly Unsung: A Comedy History Podcast

Mostly Unsung
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The weekly comedy history podcast that brings you bitesize biographies of the extraordinary, eccentric, outrageous and occasionally ordinary lives that until now have gone mostly unsung... mostly. Join your hosts Annie and Andrea as they bring you stories that your history teacher never taught you! If you like stuffy lectures then you're not going to be a fan, sorry! But if you are looking to hang out with two old friends who love story telling, a good laugh and forgotten figures from history then welcome! Covering everything from scientists to Grandmothers, survivors of wars to eccentric millionaires, all via ghost stories, anecdotes and terrible impressions of Hollywood legend Tim Curry. Come and hang out, have a giggle and join us every Friday.

  1. 10h ago

    #68 The Last Regency Theatre Dandy & A Lady Gunslinger of the American West (Sir Lumley St George Skeffington & Belle Starr)

    Welcome back to Mostly Unsung the weekly comedy history podcast where Annie and Andrea uncover the forgotten people, overlooked pioneers, and wonderfully eccentric characters who prove that history is often stranger, funnier, and far more surprising than fiction. If you love fascinating true stories, British history, Wild West legends, fashion history, and larger-than-life historical characters, you've found your new favourite podcast. Every Wednesday, we bring you two bite-sized biographies packed with humour, fascinating facts, and the people your history teacher somehow forgot to mention. This week Annie fights hay fever to introduce us to Sir Lumley St George Skeffington, the flamboyant British aristocrat who became one of the biggest names in beauty and high society. A celebrity figure of sartorial elegance, beauty expert, theatre lover, and writer, Skeffington rubbed shoulders with royalty and London's fashionable elite. But fashion always moves forward and what do you do if you're the last Dandy in London? Then Andrea saddles up to meet Belle Starr, the legendary 'Bandit Queen' of the American Wild West. Depending on who was telling the story, Belle was either a fearless outlaw, a victim of sensational journalism, or simply a woman determined to live life on her own terms. Surrounded by horse thieves, outlaws, lawmen, and larger-than-life legends, her story blurs the line between history and myth in the most entertaining way possible. If you enjoy history podcasts, forgotten historical figures, women's history, British social history, Wild West history, fascinating biographies, and extraordinary true stories, Mostly Unsung is your new favourite weekly listen. For this episode Andrea used these sources: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Belle-Starr https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=ST018 https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/belle-starr https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belle_Starr For this episode Annie used these sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumley_Skeffington https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/Skeffington,_Lumley_St._George https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG130503 Where you can find us: https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/ https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/ https://www.tiktok.com/@mostlyunsung mostlyunsungpodcast@gmail.com See you next Wednesday!

  2. Jul 29

    #67 A Terrible Korean King & A Regency Prankster (Yeonsangun of Joseon & Theodore Hook)

    Welcome back to Mostly Unsung the weekly comedy history podcast where Annie and Andrea uncover the forgotten people, overlooked oddballs, and extraordinary characters who prove that history is far stranger than fiction. If you love fascinating true stories, British history, world history, royal scandals, and a healthy dose of humour, you're in exactly the right place. Every Wednesday, we bring you two bite-sized biographies of people whose unbelievable lives deserve far more attention. On this week's episode Andrea heads to Korea to meet Yeonsangun of Joseon, one of the most infamous rulers in Korean history. His reign began with promise but soon descended into paranoia, revenge, and spectacular excess.  It's a gripping story of Korean history, royal scandal, and how absolute power can go spectacularly wrong. Then Annie introduces the irrepressible Theodore Hook, the Regency wit, novelist, and practical joker whose appetite for chaos knew no bounds. Best remembered for orchestrating one of history's greatest practical jokes the legendary Berners Street Hoax.  With literary success, celebrity friendships, mounting debts, and an uncanny talent for talking himself into and out of trouble, his life was every bit as entertaining as his jokes. Expect royal drama, outrageous pranks, political intrigue, eccentric nonsense and plenty of laughs as we uncover two lives that demonstrate history's enduring love affair with larger-than-life personalities. If you enjoy history podcasts, forgotten historical figures, British history, Korean history, royal biographies, unusual true stories, and fascinating characters from the past, Mostly Unsung is your new favourite weekly listen. For this episode Andrea used these sources: https://namu.wiki/w/%EC%97%B0%EC%82%B0%EA%B5%B0/%EC%83%9D%EC%95%A0#fn-81 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeonsangun_of_Joseon https://www.gqindia.com/content/bon-appetit-your-majesty-know-the-real-story-of-king-yeonsangun-netflix For this episode Annie used these sources: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Theodore-Edward-Hook https://www.open.ac.uk/library/digital-archive/person/per:SLP072 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berners_Street_hoax Where you can find us: https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/ https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/ https://www.tiktok.com/@mostlyunsung mostlyunsungpodcast@gmail.com See you next Wednesday!

  3. Jul 22

    #66 A Nose for Astronomy & A Hardworking Woman History Forgot (Tycho Brahe & Katharine Wright Haskell)

    Welcome back to Mostly Unsung the weekly comedy history podcast where Annie and Andrea uncover the forgotten people, overlooked pioneers, and wonderfully eccentric characters who prove that history is anything but boring. If you love fascinating true stories, science history, aviation, forgotten women, and a good laugh along the way, you're in exactly the right place. Every Wednesday, we bring you two bite-sized biographies of remarkable people whose stories deserve to be remembered. This week, we're looking to the stars... and then taking to the skies. First, Annie introduces the extraordinary Tycho Brahe, the Danish astronomer whose obsession with understanding the heavens changed the course of scientific history. From royal patronage and feuds to an infamous metal nose, it's a story packed with science, eccentricity, and one of history's greatest minds. Then Andrea is off to America and the dawn of aviation! She tells the story of Katharine Wright, the sister who helped keep the famous Wright brothers flying. Katharine was the organiser, diplomat, fundraiser, nurse, and tireless supporter whose contribution to the birth of powered flight has too often been overlooked.  Expect groundbreaking science, aviation history, eccentric geniuses, family drama, and plenty of laughs as we uncover two lives that helped humanity reach for the impossible. If you enjoy history podcasts, forgotten women in history, science history, astronomy, aviation history, inspiring biographies, and extraordinary true stories, Mostly Unsung is your new favourite weekly listen. This week Andrea used these sources: https://www.wright-brothers.org/Information_Desk/Just_the_Facts/Wright_Family/Katharine_Wright/Katharine_Wright.htm https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/katharine-wright-wright-sister https://www.grupooneair.com/katharine-wright/ https://www.history.com/articles/wright-brothers-sister-katharine-first-flight https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katharine_Wright_Haskell This week Annie used these sources: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tycho-Brahe-Danish-astronomer https://www.space.com/19623-tycho-brahe-biography.html https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001hnlf Where you can find us: https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/ https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/ https://www.tiktok.com/@mostlyunsung mostlyunsungpodcast@gmail.com See you next Wednesday!

  4. Jul 15

    #65 A Second World War Escape Artist & A Teacher Turned Daredevil (Charles Upham & Annie Edson Taylor)

    Welcome back to Mostly Unsung  the weekly comedy history podcast where Annie and Andrea uncover the forgotten people, overlooked heroes, and wonderfully eccentric characters that history somehow forgot to put on the syllabus. If you love fascinating true stories, social history, daring adventures, and a good laugh along the way, you're in exactly the right place. Every week, we bring you two bite-sized biographies of remarkable people whose lives were far stranger than fiction. First, Andrea introduces Charles Upham, the quiet New Zealander who became one of the most decorated soldiers of the Second World War. Renowned for his  repeated attempts to escape captivity, Upham earned a reputation as a war hero while remaining stubbornly uninterested in fame.  Then Annie heads to Niagara Falls to meet the unforgettable Annie Edson Taylor. Facing financial uncertainty and looking for a way to secure her future, Annie came up with a crazy plan: climbing into a barrel and going over one of the world's most famous waterfalls. Becoming the first person to survive the feat, she achieved international fame overnight but as history often proves, becoming famous and becoming rich are not necessarily the same thing. If you enjoy history podcasts, forgotten heroes, women's history, World War II history, adventure stories, unusual true stories, and fascinating historical biographies, Mostly Unsung is your new favourite weekly listen. This week Andrea used these sources: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/people/charles-upham https://www.victoriacross.org.uk/bbupham.htm https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/5u2/upham-charles-hazlitt https://www.hurunui.govt.nz/community/about-the-district/history/charles-upham-vc-and-bar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Upham This week Annie used these sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/01/obituaries/annie-edson-taylor-overlooked.html https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/october-24/first-barrel-ride-down-niagara-falls https://www.discoverniagara.org/annie-edson-taylor https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/annie-edson-taylors-1901-retirement-plan-go-over-niagara-falls-in-a-barrel Where you can find us: https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/ https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/ https://www.tiktok.com/@mostlyunsung mostlyunsungpodcast@gmail.com See you next Wednesday!

  5. Jul 8

    #64 A Ground Breaking Lady Surgeon & A Nomadic Man of Numbers (Gertrude Herzfeld & Paul Erdős)

    Welcome back to Mostly Unsung the weekly comedy history podcast where Annie and Andrea uncover the forgotten people, overlooked pioneers, and wonderfully unusual characters who deserve a place in the history books. If you love fascinating true stories, women's history, medical history, science, and a healthy dose of humour, you're in exactly the right place. Every week, we bring you two bite-sized biographies of remarkable people whose lives prove that history is far stranger than fiction. This week Annie introduces Gertrude Herzfeld, one of Britain's pioneering female surgeons. At a time when medicine was still very much a man's world, Gertrude fought her way into the operating theatre and built an extraordinary career.  Then Andrea brings us the delightfully eccentric Paul Erdős, the Hungarian mathematician whose life was almost as extraordinary as his intellect. Armed with a suitcase, an endless supply of mathematical problems, and very little interest in ordinary life, Erdős travelled the world collaborating with fellow mathematicians and producing an astonishing body of work.  If you enjoy history podcasts, forgotten women in history, medical history, science history, mathematics, inspiring biographies, and fascinating true stories, Mostly Unsung is your new favourite weekly listen. Andrea used these sources: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Paul-Erdos https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/first/h/hoffman-man.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Erd%C5%91s Annie used these sources: https://publishing.rcseng.ac.uk/doi/full/10.1308/rcsbull.2021.114?mobileUi=0. https://www.mddus.com/resources/publications/publications-library/insight/q3-2017/gertrude-herzfeld?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=google_seo https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36384938/ https://rcsed.shorthandstories.com/winter-24/keeping-up-with-the-times-women-and-rcsed-fellowship/index.html https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022346822007035 Where you can find us: https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/ https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/ https://www.tiktok.com/@mostlyunsung mostlyunsungpodcast@gmail.com See you next Wednesday!

  6. Jul 1

    #63 A Wee Tartan Army Piper & The German Amazonian Venus (Bessie Watson & Katie Sandowina)

    Welcome back to Mostly Unsung; the weekly comedy history podcast where Annie and Andrea uncover the forgotten people, overlooked pioneers, and wonderfully eccentric characters that history left behind. If you love fascinating true stories, women's history, social history, and a good laugh along the way, you're in the right place. Every week, we bring you two bite-sized biographies of people who deserve to be far better known. First, Annie heads to Edinburgh to meet Bessie Watson, the child suffragette who became an unlikely symbol of Scottish identity. Armed with her beloved bagpipes Bessie found herself performing for crowds, politicians, and even royalty.  Then Andrea introduces Katie Sandwina, the strongwoman who could outlift, outwrestle, and outshine most of the men around her. Touring Europe and America at the height of the circus and vaudeville era, Katie smashed records, challenged expectations, and became one of the most famous performers of her generation. Expect Victorian celebrities, circus legends, strongwomen, Scottish history, remarkable women, and heaps of the usual nonsense about hair cuts, driving in Cornwall and whether we could be surgeons! If you enjoy history podcasts, forgotten women in history, inspiring true stories, British history, social history, and extraordinary female pioneers, Mostly Unsung is your new favourite weekly listen. Andrea used these sources: https://www.juggle.org/katie-sandwina-tightrope-walker-and-strong-woman/ https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-great-sandwina https://physicalculturestudy.com/2017/09/07/katie-sandwina-the-strongest-woman-in-the-world/ https://strongmanproject.com/features/8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katie_Sandwina Annie used these sources: https://equality-diversity.ed.ac.uk/inclusion/inspiring-women/women-in-history/elizabeth-bessie-watson https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/the-incredible-story-of-bessie-watson-the-youngest-suffragette-606656 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessie_Watson Where you can find us: https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/ https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/ https://www.tiktok.com/@mostlyunsung mostlyunsungpodcast@gmail.com See you next Wednesday!

  7. Jun 24

    #62 An Authentic Monument to a London Child Genius & A Slovakian Folk Hero (Jeremy Bentham & Juraj Jánošík)

    Welcome back to Mostly Unsung; the weekly comedy history podcast where Annie and Andrea bring you two bite-sized biographies of the forgotten people, overlooked characters, and wonderfully weird true stories that prove history is far stranger than fiction. If you love funny history podcasts, social history, unusual historical figures, and fascinating true stories, you're in exactly the right place. This week Annie introduces the delightfully eccentric Jeremy Bentham, the philosopher, social reformer, and all-round champion of asking awkward questions. It's a story that starts with philosophy, architecture and political reform,  and ends with a very unusual idea for an everlasting tribute in his home city of London. Then Andrea heads to the mountains of Central Europe to meet Juraj Jánošík, the legendary outlaw often described as the Slovak Robin Hood. Depending on who you ask, Jánošík was either a dangerous criminal, a freedom fighter, or a folk hero who robbed the rich and helped the poor. His true crime story was far shorter and more complicated than the legends suggest, but his story became one of the most enduring tales in Slovak history and European folklore. If you enjoy history podcasts, British history, European history, folklore, political philosophy, and forgotten historical figures, Mostly Unsung is your new favourite weekly listen. Whether you're here for an eccentric philosopher who turned himself into a museum exhibit or an outlaw who became a national legend, there's something for everyone in this week's journey through the stranger corners of history. For this episode Andrea used these sources: https://folklorethursday.com/legends/juraj-janosik-an-outlaw-who-became-the-slovak-national-hero/ https://www.madamegilflurt.com/2014/03/notable-deaths-juraj-janosik.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juraj_J%C3%A1no%C5%A1%C3%ADk For this episode Annie used these sources: https://www.britannica.com/money/Jeremy-Bentham https://www.ucl.ac.uk/laws/research/research-projects/bentham-project/about-jeremy-bentham https://iep.utm.edu/jeremy-bentham/ Where you can find us: https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/ https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/ https://www.tiktok.com/@mostlyunsung mostlyunsungpodcast@gmail.com See you next Wednesday!

  8. Jun 17

    #61 An African American Actor Hits The West End & A Court Case That Changed America ( Ira Aldridge & Elizabeth Freeman)

    Welcome back to Mostly Unsung the weekly comedy history podcast hosted by women, where Annie and Andrea bring you two bite-sized biographies of the forgotten people, overlooked pioneers, and extraordinary true stories that deserve far more attention than they usually get. If you love funny history podcasts, Black history, social history, and fascinating historical biographies, you're in exactly the right place. After a rather stressed and shaky start Annie takes us to the world of 19th-century theatre with the incredible story of Ira Aldridge. Born in America at a time when opportunities for Black performers were desperately limited, Aldridge crossed the Atlantic and built an extraordinary career on the British and European stage. It's a fascinating tale of Black history, Shakespeare, acting, and perseverance against the odds. Then Andrea introduces Elizabeth Freeman, also known as Mum Bett, a woman born into slavery in colonial America who decided she had heard quite enough about liberty being for everyone except her. Using the language of freedom and equality that was sweeping through the newly independent United States, she launched a legal challenge that helped strike a major blow against slavery in Massachusetts. It's an inspiring story of American history, abolition, civil rights, and one woman determined to claim the freedom she was promised. Expect Shakespearean drama, courtroom battles, social change, and plenty of laughs as we explore two lives that helped reshape the world around them. If you enjoy history podcasts, forgotten heroes, Black history, women's history, abolitionist history, and inspiring true stories, Mostly Unsung is your new favourite weekly listen. Where you can find us: https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/ https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/ https://www.tiktok.com/@mostlyunsung mostlyunsungpodcast@gmail.com See you next Wednesday!

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The weekly comedy history podcast that brings you bitesize biographies of the extraordinary, eccentric, outrageous and occasionally ordinary lives that until now have gone mostly unsung... mostly. Join your hosts Annie and Andrea as they bring you stories that your history teacher never taught you! If you like stuffy lectures then you're not going to be a fan, sorry! But if you are looking to hang out with two old friends who love story telling, a good laugh and forgotten figures from history then welcome! Covering everything from scientists to Grandmothers, survivors of wars to eccentric millionaires, all via ghost stories, anecdotes and terrible impressions of Hollywood legend Tim Curry. Come and hang out, have a giggle and join us every Friday.

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