Here For The History

About Here For The History

Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson reveal the surprising moments in history behind the traditions, customs and objects all around us.

Publisher

BBC Sounds

Category

history

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

15 Jun 2026

Latest episode

17 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

11 of 16 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   17 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Who Invented the “Whodunit”?

   Host Alice and guest Professor Gill Plain explore the origins and enduring appeal of the "whodunit" murder mystery genre.

2. 

   10 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Where Do Manners Come From?

   Historians Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton explore how Renaissance conduct books shaped politeness and Victorian behavior, revealing the origins of modern manners.

3. 

   3 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Why Do Scots Wear Tartan?

   Host Alice Loxton and guest Professor Hugh Cheape explore how tartan became deeply intertwined with Scottish identity through tales of war, tradition, and romanticism.

4. 

   27 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Why Do We Love Pubs?

   Historians Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton explore the fascinating evolution of the British pub from medieval alehouses to Victorian icons in this interview.

5. 

   20 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Why Does the Union Jack Look Like That?

   Historian Alice Loxton and historian Ben Henderson explore the historical origins and design evolution of the Union Jack flag.

6. 

   13 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Why Do We Have ‘Ugly’ Buildings?

   Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton explore the contentious debate surrounding modern architecture's perceived ugliness and its societal impact.

7. 

   6 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Who Invented the Weekend?

   Historian Alice Loxton and historian Ben Henderson explore the fascinating origins of the weekend, tracing its evolution through medieval times and the Industrial Revolution.

8. 

   30 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Why Do We Wear Suits?

   Host Alice Loxton and guest Ben Henderson explore the suit's historical evolution and enduring impact on men's fashion.

9. 

   23 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Package Holiday: Why do Brits go to Benidorm?

   Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson explore the origins and enduring appeal of the British package holiday, tracing its evolution from Victorian Britain to Franco-era Spain.

10. 

    16 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

    Stiff Upper Lip - Do Brits have emotions?

    Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson explore the historical origins of the British "stiff upper lip" and its evolving relationship with emotional expression.

11. 

    9 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

    Why don’t women’s clothes have pockets?

    Historians Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson explore the surprising historical reasons behind the lack of pockets in women's clothing, revealing a fascinating journey through fashion and societal expectations.

12. 

    2 Jul 2026

    Why are Brits so obsessed with football?

    Host Alice Loxton and guest Ben Henderson explore the historical evolution of British football from a gentleman's hobby to a global cultural phenomenon.

13. 

    25 Jun 2026

    English Language: Why do we speak like that?

    Host Alice Loxton and guest Ben Henderson explore the fascinating historical events that shaped modern English pronunciation and spelling.

14. 

    18 Jun 2026

    Why does British food have such a bad reputation?

    Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton explore the historical reasons behind British food's negative reputation, from aristocratic French influence to wartime rationing.

15. 

    18 Jun 2026

    Why do British people love tea?

    Historian Alice Loxton and author Ben Henderson explore tea's journey to Britain, from royal courts to industrial revolutions, in this interview.

16. 

    15 Jun 2026

    Trailer

    History enthusiasts Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson explore the surprising origins of everyday traditions, beliefs, and societal norms in this interview.

Inside a recent episode

Who Invented the “Whodunit”?

Published 17 Sept 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] So one classic example is the Boscombe Valley mystery. And there, Holmes, he just kind of looks to the ground around this dead body and identifies the murderer just from some cigar ash and the gait of his walk using his footprints in the ground. Yeah, so he's got this super analytical brain. We know Conan Doyle was actually inspired by one of Conan Doyle's teachers, a surgeon named Joseph Bell. And this teacher was famous among his students for being able to deduce much about his patients just from observing them. And I think this must have been... Quite a terrifying prospect for the students of the time to have this teacher with this kind of X-ray gaze. […]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.7 / 5

51 ratings

Pitching Here For The History

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting pitches.

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