Why Do We Have ‘Ugly’ Buildings?

More from Here for the History All episodes →

1. 

   17 Sep 2026 · 37 min

   Who Invented the “Whodunit”?

   It was the vicar that did it! In the billiards room! With a candlestick! To many fans of a murder mystery, this is perhaps a familiar sounding phrase from a classic “whodunit”. But just how did this endlessly popular genre come to be? Alice and Ben leaf back through the pages of history to uncover just where “whodunits” came from, who invented them, and how they’ve endured centuries of changing tastes. They will discuss multiple lines of inquiry; from our historical appetite for the gruesome and thrilling; to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; Agatha Christie; and even the impact of the World Wars. Key…

2. 

   10 Sep 2026 · 35 min

   Where Do Manners Come From?

   Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton explore how Renaissance books on courtly conduct inspired an era of civility. They untangle the 18th century age of politeness, and we’ll find out how the Victorians shaped the way we behave today. But are manners getting worse? Key Sources: Sorry! The English and Their Manners - Henry Hitchings. In Pursuit of Civility: Manners and Civilization in Early Modern England - Keith Thomas. Thomas Hoby’s translation of Castiglione’s Book of the Courtier - Mary Partridge, The Historical Journal. The Duel in Early Modern England - Markku Peltonen. In Our Time,…

3. 

   3 Sep 2026 · 36 min

   Why Do Scots Wear Tartan?

   Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson dig through the folds of time to understand how Tartan became so woven into Scottish history. Just how did the material become so intrinsically linked to the nation’s image? It’s a winding and dramatic story. There’s an exiled prince, a romantic writer, a pair of charismatic brothers and a young queen. It’s a tale of ancient tradition, war and fakery. Key Sources: Tartan: The Highland Habit - Professor Hugh Cheape. National Museums Scotland. West Highland Museum.

4. 

   27 Aug 2026 · 30 min

   Why Do We Love Pubs?

   How did the pub become so central to British culture? Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton reveal how women ran medieval alehouses, how the Reformation led to a golden age of boozers, and how competition from gin produced the iconic Victorian pub. Key Sources: Dr Paul Jennings - The Local: A History of the English Pub. Dr James Wright. Dr Peter Clark. Dr Mark Hailwood - Alehouses and Good Fellowship in Early Modern England.

5. 

   20 Aug 2026 · 34 min

   Why Does the Union Jack Look Like That?

   Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson delve into the history of the Union Jack - the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It’s one of the most recognisable British icons, but just why does it look the way it does? What’s the story behind the pattern? We’ll get into the saintly foundations, the Stuarts, and of course the age old question - where on the flag is Wales? Key Sources: The Union Jack: The Story of the British Flag - Professor Nick Groom

6. 

   6 Aug 2026 · 31 min

   Who Invented the Weekend?

   Have you ever wondered why we get Saturday and Sundays off each week? Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson try to figure out who invented the weekend. We got Sunday, then Saturday afternoon.. Then finally the full two days - but how? We’ll be taking a look at the Medieval period, we’ll introduce you to an important clerk from the Industrial Revolution, and finally a few familiar names will round out the story. Key Sources Professor Nicholas Orme Dr Ilaria Bultrighini Brad Beaven BBC Who Do You Think You Are?: Series 13: Sir Ian McKellen

7. 

   30 Jul 2026 · 33 min

   Why Do We Wear Suits?

   From royal coronations to criminal trials, the suit is men’s go-to uniform. But why? Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson reveal the suit’s origins in the court of Charles II, how the original dandy Beau Brummell shaped men’s style to this day, and how sporty Victorians forged the modern suit. But with the rise of working from home, are the suit’s days numbered? Key sources: The Suit: Form, Function and Style, Christopher Breward Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen’s Men of Fashion, BBC Radio 4 A Stitch in Time, BBC FOUR This 19th-century London dandy caused a style revolution, National Geographic, 2019…

8. 

   23 Jul 2026 · 37 min

   Package Holiday: Why do Brits go to Benidorm?

   For decades Brits have enjoyed package holidays in sunnier climes of Spain, in resort towns like Benidorm. But why is that? Where did the package holiday itself come from? Was it one person who invented it? Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson unpack the stories which have all contributed to the success of the package holiday. We’ll start our journey off in Victorian Britain, with a layover to visit a North London entrepreneur, before reaching our final destination of Franco-era Spain. Subscribe to the podcast on BBC Sounds and on Here For The History’s YouTube channel. Key Sources: Thomas Cook:…

9. 

   16 Jul 2026 · 34 min

   Stiff Upper Lip: Do Brits Have Emotions?

   There’s a well known stereotype that Brits don’t show their emotions. George Gershwin even composed a song about the famous ‘Stiff Upper Lip’. This week Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson delve into the history of emotions and ask where the British stiff upper lip came from. We’ll hear how the French Revolution turned Brits against emotion, how the Victorians made repression a virtue, and why everything changed after World War II. Key Sources Ian Hislop’s Stiff Upper Lip: An Emotional History of Britain, BBC Two Weeping Britannia: Portrait of a Nation in Tears, Prof Thomas Dixon History of…

10. 

    9 Jul 2026 · 37 min

    Why Don’t Women’s Clothes Have Pockets?

    To the frustration of many, a lot of women’s clothes don’t have pockets. But why on Earth is that the case? Especially when men’s clothing seems to be full of pockets. Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson track the tumultuous and muddy history of women’s pockets. From capacious beginnings, through many fashion changes, to suffragette campaigning and societal expectations. Alice and Ben unpick the surprising moments of pocket history that have contributed to the inconsistency of these sewn-in marvels today. KEY SOURCES: Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close by Hannah Carlson The…