PODCAST · history
The English Eccentric
by E O Higgins
A comic podcast investigating historical characters with corkscrew minds, peculiar obsessions, and largely incomprehensible outlooks...Join writer E O Higgins on this journey of historical whimsy!
Episodes
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Bonus Episode – 'The Rake'
'Mad'' Jack Mytton, hailed from a long line of Shropshire squires stretching back more than 500 years. When his father died, at the age of two, he inherited his family estate, including Halston Hall and an annual income equivalent to over £1.7 million. Raised by his “amiably weak and indulgent”...
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Bonus Episode – ‘The Man That Ate Flies’
William Buckland was born in Axminster in 1784, only a few miles away from the fossil-rich coasts of Dorset and East Devon. Buckland was elected to the Royal Society in 1818, and the same year managed to convince the Prince Regent to endow an additional Readership upon him. This time, in what he...
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Bonus Episode – 'The Bad Service Man'
Donald Sinclair was the unwitting inspiration for Basil Fawlty – the irascible protagonist of the hugely-successful BBC comedy series Fawlty Towers. Before the Second World War rolled around, Sinclair was an officer in the Royal Naval Reserve. Consequently, in 1939, he was called up for military...
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Bonus Episode – 'The Militia Wing Of The National Trust'
In 1927, an enigmatic, anarchic group of well-heeled women – calling themselves ‘Ferguson’s Gang’ – got together in secret with the aim of protecting historic buildings in the UK from demolition and conserving landscapes and views of outstanding natural beauty. Though being a bit silly was also...
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S2E5 – ‘The Hellraiser’
Oliver Reed (1938 - 1999) was an English actor best known for his edgy screen performances, ‘hellraiser’ lifestyle, and ‘orange juice’-fuelled chat show inebriation. Towards the end of his life, the British Film Institute pronounced him the UK’s ‘thirstiest actor’. Reed’s breakthrough role came…
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S2E4 – 'Here Comes The Egg Man'
Goo goo ga-joob! Sir George Reresby Sitwell (1860 – 1943) was a Conservative politician, writer, inventor, and largely unsuccessful husband and father. Despite urging his – much more successful – children to abandon their literary ambitions on the grounds that writing is ruinous to the health…
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S2E3 – ‘The People’s Princess’
This human form, Where I was born, I now repent... Caraboo! On an April morning in 1817, a cobbler in Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, encountered an exotically attired – and apparently disoriented – woman, who spoke at him in a way that was both urgent and entirely incomprehensible. The woman was...
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S2E2 – 'The Perennial Candidate'
Lieutenant Commander Bill Boaks (1904 - 1986) was a bluff old seaman, decorated war hero, and frequent – though never successful – political campaigner. An officer in the British Royal Navy, he took part in the sinking of the German battleship, Bismarck; and was awarded the Distinguished Service...
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S2E1 – 'The Wickedest Man In The World'
In this special Halloween episode of The English Eccentric, we’re going into darkness… Introducing Aleister Crowley, (1875 – 1947), English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, painter, novelist, mountaineer, and occasional haggis hunter. After a university career spent writing wanky teenage...
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Bonus Episode – 'The Man With Tunnel Vision'
The first patron-inspired episode of The English Eccentric. This episode was requested by the excellent Claire Rowe. William John Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck (1800-1879), the 5th Duke of Portland, was born in London, the second son of William Bentinck – and known by his middle name ‘John’. In fact,...
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S1E7 – 'The Last Englishman'
Lieutenant Colonel A. D. Wintle (1897 - 1966) was a British military officer in the Royal Dragoons, who served in both World Wars. Never without his trademark monocle, service revolver, and trusty umbrella, Wintle wasn’t the master of disguise he thought he was – but he certainly wasn’t going to...
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S1E6 – 'The Woman That Invented Fanny'
Phyllis Pechey – better known as Fanny Cradock – was an English television chef and writer. Her popular BBC TV show, Kitchen Magic, saw her providing cookery demonstrations in company with (sometimes) husband Major Johnnie Cradock – who played the part of a dull-eyed, swaying, junior partner –...
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S1E5 – 'The Paper Priest'
The Reverend Frederick Densham was Rector of St. Bartholomew Church in Warleggan, Cornwall, from 1931 until his death in 1953. A cleric with unusual ideas in interior design. That thought – possibly correctly – that organ music was the work of the Devil. And who spent most of his time railing…
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S1E4 - 'The Man That Don't Give a F*ck'
The 1970s were the heyday of the ‘character footballers’ – the likes of Georgie Best and Charlie George. With popstar haircuts and dangerous playing styles, they were famed for their womanising and hard living. Yet, there’s a footballer that was head and shoulders above them all – and though…
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S1E3 – ‘The Woman Of The Apocalypse’
In 1792, Joanna Southcott joined the Wesleyan Church in Devon – and announced to the congregation that she was ‘The Woman of the Apocalypse’, as described in the Book of Revelation. When many of her baffling visions proved accurate, Southcott then decamped to London and picked up more than…
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S1E2 – ‘The Man Who Would Not Be King’
In 1931, a former police detective named Anthony William Hall sent a letter to King George V stating that he was claiming the throne – and demanding that the monarch immediately abdicate or face transportation. Hall went on to hold several rallies across the UK at which he claimed to be the...
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S1E1 – 'The Constant Conservative'
Colonel Charles Sibthorp (1783 –1855), MP for Lincoln between 1826 and 1855. Punch designated the notorious ultra-Tory: 'the MP against everything'. Sibthorp’s happy childhood, hunting unfortunate wildlife in rural Lincolnshire, informed his entire political outlook – and, consequently, he…
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The English Eccentric - Trailer
The trailer for the new comedy history podcast The English Eccentric by E O Higgins. Featuring historical characters with corkscrew minds, peculiar obsessions, and largely incomprehensible outlooks... Subscribe now – and join me on a journey of historical whimsy! @fogsbeefandbeer @eohiggins
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A comic podcast investigating historical characters with corkscrew minds, peculiar obsessions, and largely incomprehensible outlooks...Join writer E O Higgins on this journey of historical whimsy!
HOSTED BY
E O Higgins
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The English Eccentric have?
The English Eccentric currently has 18 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The English Eccentric about?
A comic podcast investigating historical characters with corkscrew minds, peculiar obsessions, and largely incomprehensible outlooks...Join writer E O Higgins on this journey of historical whimsy!
How often does The English Eccentric release new episodes?
The English Eccentric has 18 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The English Eccentric?
You can listen to The English Eccentric on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The English Eccentric?
The English Eccentric is created and hosted by E O Higgins.
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