The Obscure

Daniel Darkens and Nina Bickerton
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History remembers the famous — but what about everyone else? The Obscure is a relaxed and often funny podcast that shines a light on historical figures whose contributions were vital, fascinating, or quietly revolutionary, yet largely unrecognised. Hosted by Daniel Darkens and Nina Bickerton, it’s a podcast for curious minds who enjoy learning, laughing, and looking at history sideways.  

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    Indian Peter Williamson

    Welcome to another episode of The Obscure. Daniel and Minna bring you the story of Indian Peter Williamson, which is a remarkable tale. Unfortunately, it may just be a tale, he has been accused of exaggerating some of his story and making some of it up completely, but it is such a good story it deserves telling anyway. The sources for the story were Indian Peter's own works, which are referred to throughout the podcast, and are not currently in print. Please leave a comment below - how much of Peter's tale in America was made up? If you like the story, let us know we'll be bringing out a new story every two weeks.

  2. Jul 25

    George Parker Bidder

    Daniel Darkens is accompanied for another episode of The Obscure by Minna Hayman. Join us as we take you through the life and achievements of The Calculating Boy - George Parker Bidder. George's story has two distinct aspects to it. Firstly as a child prodigy in the field of arithmetic, with an uncanny ability to perform mental calculation with no formal education and not even an ability to read or write. Secondly as a hugely important but largely forgotten engineer, with a crucial role in the development of British (and European and Asian) railways, docks, harbours and playing a significant part in the very early development of the use of the electric telegraph. How he is so little known is a mystery, and we would not have discovered him had it not been for the erection of a statue commemorating him and his achievements in his home town of Moretonhampstead in Devon. Thankfully, as well as the information plaque near his statue, there is also a comprehensive biography by his great-great-grandson, which was our principal source of information for this episode: GEORGE PARKER BIDDER The Calculating Boy by E. F. Clark (published 1983)   Join us for future episodes as each new episode will pluck another interesting character out of the obscure and take them into the limelight. If you like our content, you know what to do – like, subscribe, hype, comment and whatever else shows your appreciation of the show.

  3. Jul 11

    Mad Jack Mytton

    Join Daniel Darkens and, while Nina takes a short break, a very special guest Minna Hayman in the latest episode of The Obscure. Today's interesting character is Mad Jack Mytton, a larger than life character from the early part of the nineteenth century. Using the biography written by his friend Nimrod, fascinating details of this remarkable character come to light. This ultimately tragic tale includes anecdotes from throughout his life - his chequered education, his sporting interests, his enjoyment of the occasional tipple (he was rumoured to drink up to six bottles of port a day) and his fondness for a practical joke are all covered.

  4. Jun 27

    John Scott Haldane

    Join Daniel Darkens and Nina Bickerton for another episode of The Obscure as they take you through the life and achievements of John Scott Haldane. Each future episode will pluck another interesting character out of the obscure and take them into the limelight. JS Haldane's is a story of remarkable achievement in the area of safety and welfare, from coal miners to mountaineers, from deep sea divers to soldiers in the first world war trenches. We relied heavily on the excellent biography: Suffer and Survive by Martin Goodman (published 2007)

  5. Jun 12

    Maurice Wilson

    Join Daniel Darkens and Nina Bickerton as they take you through the life and adventures of Maurice Wilson in this first ever episode of The Obscure podcast. Every episode will pluck another interesting character out of the obscure and into the limelight. Maurice's is a tragic tale, but includes incredible bravery and ambition. Most of the information for the episode is taken from his two biographies: I'll Climb Mount Everest Alone by Dennis Roberts (published 1957) The Moth and the Mountatin by Ed Caesar (published 2020) both are highly recommended for an even deeper dive.

  • 5 Episodes

About

History remembers the famous — but what about everyone else? The Obscure is a relaxed and often funny podcast that shines a light on historical figures whose contributions were vital, fascinating, or quietly revolutionary, yet largely unrecognised. Hosted by Daniel Darkens and Nina Bickerton, it’s a podcast for curious minds who enjoy learning, laughing, and looking at history sideways.  

Information

  • Creator
    Daniel Darkens and Nina Bickerton
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Daniel Darkens and Nina Bickerton
  • Show Website
    The Obscure