46. The Black Hole of Calcutta - The History Behind The Phrase

Send me a message"It's like the Black Hole of Calcutta" is a phrase regularly used to describe an overcrowded or stuffy room.But where does it come from?Well, it is actually based upon a real historic event.In 1756,  a large number of British prisoners were crowded into a tiny cell in Calcutta, India.Measuring just 14 x 18 feet, they spent a night in this jail in tropical temperatures with no water.Less than a third survived.This is the story of that event, plus the events that led up to it and the aftermath.Join my free weekly newsletterSupport the show