Mostly Unsung: A Comedy History Podcast

Welcome back to Mostly Unsung the weekly comedy history podcast hosted by women, where Annie and Andrea bring you two bite-sized biographies of the forgotten people, overlooked icons, and wonderfully odd characters history didn’t quite know what to do with.If you love funny history podcasts, women in history, literary history, and true stories that make you laugh and think, you’re in exactly the right place.This week, we’re diving into two unforgettable figures from the worlds of literature, feminism, and sheer confidence.First, Andrea introduces Nawal El Saadawi, the groundbreaking Egyptian writer, doctor, and feminist who spent her life challenging injustice. Through her work in women’s rights, medicine, and literature, she tackled issues like gender inequality, social oppression, and freedom of expression often at great personal risk. It’s a powerful story of feminism, activism, and one woman refusing to be silenced.Then Annie brings us the truly baffling tale of Robert Coates, better known as “Romeo” Coates, a man often described as one of the worst actors in British history… who somehow became wildly popular anyway. His dramatic readings, love of diamonds, and absolute belief in his own genius made him a theatrical sensation. It’s a hilarious and slightly chaotic look at confidence, creativity, and how not all success makes sense.Expect feminism, literature, social history, and plenty of laughs as we explore two lives that prove history is as strange as it is inspiring.If you enjoy history podcasts, forgotten women in history, literary history, feminist history, and unusual true stories, Mostly Unsung is your new favourite weekly listen.For this episode Andrea used these sources:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-55048245https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/22/nawal-el-saadawi-obituaryhttps://africasacountry.com/2021/04/the-many-lives-of-nawal-el-saadawihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nawal_El_SaadawiFor this episode Annie used these sources:https://www.folger.edu/blogs/collation/robert-romeo-coates/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Coates_(actor)Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back to Mostly Unsung the weekly comedy history podcast hosted by women, where Annie and Andrea bring you two bite-sized biographies of the forgotten people, overlooked pioneers, and surprising true stories history didn’t quite hang onto.If you enjoy funny history podcasts, women in history, social history, and fascinating stories from the past, you’re in exactly the right place.This week, we’re uncovering two brilliant and very different lives:First, Annie introduces Martina Bergman-Österberg, a trailblazer in women’s physical education and fitness. At a time when women were expected to sit still and look delicate she helped train generations of PE teachers and played a key role in the development of modern physical education and women’s sport. (And yes, she also had a hand in popularising the gym kit, groooan I guess you’re welcome.)Then Andrea brings us the story of Hercules Posey, an enslaved man who became one of the most skilled chefs in early American history. Cooking for George Washington, Hercules was known for his talent, style, and commanding presence in the kitchen until Washington's 65th birthday, when Hercules decided it was time to take a chance on freedom.Expect women’s history, food history, social change, and plenty of surprising moments as we dive into two lives that shaped culture in ways you might not expect.If you love history podcasts, forgotten women in history, African American history, fitness history, and true stories that are equal parts inspiring and eye-opening, Mostly Unsung is your new favourite listen.For this episode Andrea used these sources:https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/herculeshttps://www.bbc.co.uk/travel/article/20220201-hercules-posey-george-washingtons-unsung-enslaved-chefhttps://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/hercules-b-ca-1754/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hercules_PoseyFor this episode Annie used these sources:https://www.ournetballhistory.org.uk/content/topics/history-of-netball/martina-bergman-osterberghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martina_Bergman_%C3%96sterbergWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

It's that time of the week again! Mostly Unsung, the weekly comedy history podcast is back with two more bite size biographies, historical stories lost in the mist of time, forgotten heroes and long lost villains. This is the very last of our re-records of our earliest episodes so enjoy the new and improved sound!If you love funny history podcasts, women in history, global history, and stories packed with drama, resilience, and a bit of outrage, you’re in exactly the right place.This week, we’re travelling from feudal Japan to Victorian Britain, with two women who refused to stay quiet.First, Andrea introduces the incredible story of Nakano Takeko, a real-life female samurai warrior who fought during the Boshin War in 19th-century Japan. Trained in martial arts and leading a unit of women. It’s a gripping story of samurai history, Japanese history, and women in combat.Then Annie takes us to Victorian England with the scandalous and ultimately world-changing life of Caroline Norton. After a disastrous marriage and a very public legal battle, Norton found herself with no rights to her children or her own earnings. Instead of accepting it, she fought back and helped to change British law around marriage, custody, and women’s rights. It’s a powerful story of social reform, legal history, and one woman taking on the system.Expect samurai battles, Victorian scandal, legal drama, and plenty of sharp observations as we dive into two lives that made a lasting impact, even if they’re not always remembered.If you enjoy history podcasts, forgotten women in history, Japanese history, British history, and true stories of courage and change, Mostly Unsung is your new weekly listen.For Language Lessons with our friend Kenia:https://languageswithkenia.wixsite.com/my-site-1?fbclid=IwY2xjawRE3jtleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBhNTZ2aGVzd2o1bUxBREhwc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmHGbJc8UvHC7G3fGJMAiW2rU3Y5M4UcugjyEDx3oflAD9MQ5NTR17eJ53gh_aem_Eja0JtdZ_S1ytGmtW-wm1AWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back to Mostly Unsung the weekly comedy history podcast hosted by women, where Annie and Andrea share two bite-sized biographies of the forgotten women, overlooked pioneers, and extraordinary lives history didn’t give enough credit to.If you enjoy funny history podcasts, women in science, social history, and true stories that make you gasp and laugh, you’re in exactly the right place.First, Annie is in the UK exploring the life of Rosalind Franklin, the brilliant scientist whose work was crucial to the discovery of the structure of DNA. Working in a male-dominated field, Franklin’s research helped unlock one of the greatest scientific breakthroughs of the 20th century but she had to put up with a ton of male colleagues determined to make her life miserable and keep her from her lunch break.Then Andrea buckles up for some angry ranting over the story of Elizabeth Packard, a woman living in Victorian America who was wrongfully committed to an asylum by her own horrible husband.  What follows is a powerful story of mental health history, women’s rights, and one woman taking on the establishment.Expect science, scandal, social reform, and plenty of eye-opening moments as we uncover two lives that changed the world...even if history didn’t quite give them all the credit they deserved.If you love history podcasts, forgotten women in history, science history, women’s rights, and compelling true stories, Mostly Unsung is your new favourite listen.For this episode Andrea used these sources:https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/elizabeth-packardhttps://strongwomeninhistory.com/2024/12/02/elizabeth-ware-packard-silent-no-more/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Packardhttps://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/women-s-studies-and-feminism/elizabeth-parsons-ware-packardFor this episode Annie used these sources:https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rosalind-Franklinhttps://www.kcl.ac.uk/rosalind-franklin-in-life-in-legacy-in-operahttps://www.rfi.ac.uk/discover-learn/rosalind-franklins-life/Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Can you believe it's been a whole year since Mostly Unsung started? We are both so very grateful to each and every one of you for tuning in every single week to listen to our nonsense, and two mini bite size biographies of the people history lessons never mention!To celebrate, we're posting this chunk of stupid for your listening pleasure. Annie and I have known each other forever, and when we get chatting there isn't much stopping us, so we present to you our very first outtakes reel!Ever wondered which is the best vegetable? What do Andrea's eyebrows actually look like? Should you ever mention the washing up to Annie? All this and more!!We'll be back on Wednesday with your usual stories.Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back to Mostly Unsung the weekly comedy history podcast hosted by two women, where Annie and Andrea bring you two bite-sized biographies of the forgotten people, overlooked icons, and outrageous characters history didn’t quite know what to do with.If you love funny history podcasts, music history, women in history, and wild true stories, you’re in exactly the right place.This week, we’re heading to France for two lives that are anything but ordinary.First, Andrea tells the story of Adolphe Sax, the brilliant and slightly unlucky inventor. A child with a knack for surviving truly alarming accidents, Sax grew up to revolutionise music history with an instrument that would go on to define jazz, classical and popular music. But success doesn’t come easily, and lawsuits escalate into more drama than you’d expect from a man just trying to improve a wind instrument.Then Annie introduces the utterly unforgettable Julie d'Aubigny, also known as La Maupin, a 17th-century opera singer, duellist, and all-round chaos icon. She sang on the biggest stages in French opera, fought duels (often) and scandalised polite society. Honestly, if you’re looking for a badass woman in history, this might be your new favourite story.Expect music, mayhem, French history, and plenty of laughs as we dive into two lives that prove reality is far stranger, and far more entertaining, than fiction.Annie used these sources for this episode:https://www.lapl.org/collections-resources/blogs/lapl/julie-daubigny-la-maupin-and-early-french-operahttps://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/julie-daubigny-opera-singer-gay-lover/Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back to Mostly Unsung  the weekly comedy history podcast hosted by women, bringing you two bite-sized biographies of the forgotten people, overlooked pioneers, and extraordinary lives history didn’t quite know what to do with.If you enjoy funny history podcasts, women in history, science history, and unusual true stories, you’re in exactly the right place.This week, we’re diving into two fascinating figures who challenged the world around them in very different ways.First, Annie explores the life and work of Lynn Margulis, the ground breaking American evolutionary biologist who helped revolutionise our understanding of life on Earth, even if it took the scientific establishment a while to catch up.Then Andrea introduces the remarkable and mysterious figure known as Public Universal Friend.  An 18th-century preacher from early American history who, after a near-death experience, declared themselves no longer the person they once were, but a new, genderless being sent to deliver a message from Angels.Expect science, spirituality, social history, and plenty of surprising moments as we uncover two lives that pushed boundaries and challenged expectations.If you love history podcasts, forgotten women in science, early American history, gender history, and stories that make you think (and laugh), this episode of Mostly Unsung is the perfect place to start.For this episode Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Universal_Friendhttps://www.nypl.org/blog/2023/02/16/who-was-public-universal-friend-living-outside-gender-binary-revolutionary-timeshttps://nonbinary.wiki/wiki/Public_Universal_Friendhttps://blue-stocking.org.uk/2019/06/14/an-agender-american-evangelist-the-public-universal-friend/For this episode Annie used these sources:https://www.theguardian.com/science/2011/dec/11/lynn-margulis-obtiuaryhttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Lynn-MargulisWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back to Mostly Unsung the weekly comedy history podcast hosted by women, bringing you two bite-sized biographies of the forgotten people, overlooked lives, and surprising stories history didn’t quite hang onto.If you enjoy funny history podcasts, women’s history, Victorian travel, and fascinating true stories, you’re in exactly the right place.This week we are revisiting two earlier stories from our very first episode! Now no longer available due to the very dodgy sound recording.....we’re travelling from Imperial Russia to the far corners of the globe with two extraordinary women who lived lives that sound almost too dramatic to be true.First, Andrea introduces us to Maria Rasputin, daughter of the infamous Grigori Rasputin, yes, that Rasputin. After her father’s shocking murder during the final days of the Russian Empire, Maria’s life takes a series of unexpected turns. From aristocratic circles to exile, from cabaret to the shipyards of the Second World War. Her story is a fascinating glimpse into Russian history, revolution, and survival in a rapidly changing world.Then Annie brings us the incredible story of Isabella Bird, one of the most famous yet often overlooked Victorian explorers and travel writers. At a time when women were expected to stay firmly at home, Isabella set off alone across North America, Asia, and beyond, documenting her journeys in bestselling books. Fearless, curious, and determined to see the world on her own terms, she became a true pioneer of women’s travel writing and exploration history despite a physical disability.Expect adventure, reinvention, royal scandal, and a few laughs along the way as we dive into two lives that prove history is far stranger (and more entertaining) than fiction.If you love history podcasts, forgotten women in history, Russian history, Victorian exploration, and real-life stories of resilience and adventure, Mostly Unsung is your new favourite listen.Andrea used the following sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Rasputinhttps://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-many-lives-of-maria-rasputin-daughter-of-the-mad-monkhttps://allthatsinteresting.com/maria-rasputinAnnie used the following sources:https://www.victorianweb.org/history/explorers/bird.htmlhttps://www.rsgs.org/blog/isabella-bird-bishophttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/nov/23/isabella-bird-explorer-history-heroine-tv-ruby-waxhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-63735816Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back to Mostly Unsung, the comedy history podcast where hosts Annie and Andrea uncover the forgotten people, surprising stories, and historical characters that somehow never made it into the textbooks. Every Wednesday we bring you two bite-size historical biographies packed with fascinating facts, social history, and a healthy dose of humour.If you enjoy funny history podcasts, British history, Victorian history, and stories about remarkable people who changed the world, you’re absolutely in the right place.First up, Annie dives into the life of Francis Egerton, the man often credited with kick-starting Britain’s canal revolution. In the middle of the Industrial Revolution, this ambitious aristocrat helped transform transport, trade, and industry with the creation of the famous Bridgewater Canal. Coal, engineering innovation, and some seriously bold thinking helped reshape the economy. Think less peaceful narrowboat holiday and more industrial history drama.Then Andrea heads much further afield with the incredible story of Florence Baker, one of the most fascinating and often overlooked women in the history of Victorian exploration. Her life reads like an adventure novel beginning with a dramatic childhood, before travelling across continents and becoming the partner of famed explorer Samuel Baker on expeditions through Africa in search of the sources of the Nile. Courageous, resilient, and far more capable than society expected.Expect Victorian adventure, industrial innovation, British social history, and a few laughs along the way as we bring these two extraordinary lives back into the spotlight.If you love history podcasts, forgotten women in history, exploration stories, and the strange characters who shaped the modern world, join us every Wednesday for another episode of Mostly Unsung.For this episode Andrea used these sources:https://explorersweb.com/great-explorers-florence-baker/https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Florence-Lady-Baker/https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/may/31/florence-baker-polyglot-slave-girl-turned-explorerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_BakerFor this episode Annie used these sources:https://www.britannica.com/biography/Francis-Egerton-3rd-Duke-of-Bridgewaterhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Egerton,_3rd_Duke_of_BridgewaterWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Mary “Mother” Jones & Sarah “Madam Rachel” Russell: Forgotten Women of Irish, American & Victorian HistoryWelcome back to Mostly Unsung the light-hearted comedy history podcast hosted by women, where Annie and Andrea share the remarkable stories of the forgotten people history left behind. Every Wednesday we bring you two bite-sized historical biographies, packed with fascinating facts, social history, and plenty of laughs along the way.This week we’re uncovering the lives of two extraordinary women who refused to accept the limits placed on them.First, Andrea follows the remarkable journey of Mary “Mother” Jones, one of the most outspoken labour activists in American history. Born in Ireland during the Great Famine, her life takes her across the Atlantic to Canada and eventually Chicago. After devastating personal tragedy, she reinvents herself as a fierce campaigner for workers’ rights and child labour reform. Her most famous protest? Leading a march of hundreds of children to confront the President of the United States all with a dash of reinvention and character building!Then Annie heads to the filthy streets of Victorian London, where Sarah “Madam Rachel” Russell decides she’s had quite enough of scraping by on pennies. Instead, she launches one of the most audacious beauty and business schemes of the 19th century: a money-making venture that promised youth, glamour, and transformation to wealthy women. It’s part Victorian beauty empire, part scandal, and honestly the kind of hustle that would probably go viral on TikTok today.If you love funny history podcasts, forgotten women in history, Victorian London stories, and surprising tales of activism, entrepreneurship, and social history, this episode of Mostly Unsung is the perfect place to start.This week Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Joneshttps://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/mary-harris-joneshttps://blog.epicchq.com/herstory-irelands-epic-women-mother-joneshttps://www.iup.edu/library/departments/archives/coal/people-lives-stories/mary-harris-jones.htmlThis week Annie used these sources:https://helenrappaport.com/womens-history/the-true-story-of-madame-rachel/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Rachel_RussellWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back to Mostly Unsung, the comedy history podcast that every week brings you two bite-size biographies of obscure historical figures, the forgotten heroes, the overlooked geniuses, and the truly lost villains.This week, Annie tells the extraordinary story of Gladys West, the mathematician whose groundbreaking work laid the foundation for modern GPS. A gifted Black mathematician working during the era of segregation, West faced systemic racism, constant scrutiny, and repeated barriers to promotion. Yet her complex mathematical modeling of the Earth’s shape made satellite navigation possible, meaning your Google Maps and sat nav directions all trace back to her calculations. If you’ve ever found the nearest coffee shop using GPS, you’ve benefited from her brilliance.Then Andrea takes us inside the intrigue of the Forbidden City during the Ming Dynasty. Enter Wei Zhongxian, one of the most notorious and powerful figures in imperial Chinese history. Rising from obscurity to dominate court politics, Wei’s story is packed with corruption, manipulation, spies, power-grabbing… and yes, a rather extreme DIY career move required to gain entry into the palace system. It’s a tale of ambition, influence, and spectacular downfall.If you love hidden history, unsung heroes, political scandal, powerful women and men history tried to forget, and comedy podcasts with a dash of education this episode is for you.Subscribe to Mostly Unsung for weekly light-hearted deep dives into obscure history, forgotten figures, and the strange corners of the past you won’t hear about in school.In this episode Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wei_Zhongxianhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tianqi_Emperorhttp://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Ming/personsweizhongxian.htmlhttps://www.usrf.org/news/010308-hiddenpower.htmlIn this episode Annie used these sources:https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gladys-Westhttps://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/article/section/pioneers-and-innovators/gladys-west-a-global-legacy-built-on-precision/Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome to Mostly Unsung, the weekly, comedy history podcast that brings you not one but TWO bitesize biographies every week!Join Annie and Andrea, two old friend huddled in a blanket fort somewhere in England, as they unravel the stories your history teacher never taught you.This week on Mostly Unsung Andrea is in Australia.Tensions are running high between British settlers and the local Bunuba tribe, lands are getting destroyed, sacred places defiled and the police present an ever going threat. Until one young man named Jandamarra is forced to choose a side. A fascinating and bloody period of Australian history ensues.Then Annie is back with the English History books. Brighton in the Georgian Era was the place to see and be seen. Strolling Dandies walked the Steine and one young man went to new and eccentric lengths to express himself. Henry Cope gained the nickname The Green Man for his eccentric way of life. But rigorous study of the law combined with heartbreak led to a tragic end.For this episode Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jandamarrahttps://ia.anu.edu.au/biography/jandamarra-8822https://www.kimberleyaustralia.com/story-of-jandamarra.htmlhttps://bunuba.com/For this episode Annie used these sources:https://georgianera.wordpress.com/2017/01/10/the-green-man-of-brighton-henry-cope/https://www.joannemajor.com/post/the-green-man-of-brighton-or-the-bath-bugaboWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Margaret Pollard & Charles Berlitz The Cornish Bard & The Bermuda TriangleWelcome back to Mostly Unsung the weekly comedy history podcast hosted by women, bringing you two bite-sized biographies of the overlooked, the underestimated, and the wildly unexpected figures history left behind.Every Wednesday, Annie and Andrea dive into forgotten history, surprising lives, and true stories you probably didn’t learn at school, all with humour, curiosity, and a strong cup of tea.This week we’re covering two very different but equally fascinating characters. First, we meet Margaret Pollard, the Cornish Bard. A passionate advocate for Cornish culture, language, and identity. At a time when regional traditions were at risk of being lost, she devoted herself to celebrating Cornwall’s heritage through writing and cultural revival. Plus she did some pretty outrageous things to fund the National Trust and undertook, a quite frankly, epic craft project.Then we turn to Charles Berlitz, the language teacher turned global publishing phenomenon. Yes, that Berlitz, the name synonymous with language learning. But his story doesn’t stop with phrasebooks. He became one of the biggest popularisers of mysteries like the Bermuda Triangle, blending history, speculation, and storytelling into international bestsellers. Visionary marketer? Master of mystery? Bit of both? We’ll let you decide.If you love funny history podcasts, forgotten women in history, educational history, language learning history, and deep dives into cultural phenomena like the Bermuda Triangle, this episode of Mostly Unsung is for you.For this episode Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Berlitzhttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-jan-01-me-berlitz1-story.htmlhttps://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Charles-Berlitz-Bermuda-Triangle-author-2832395.phphttps://biblio.co.uk/authors/charles-berlitz/12526For this episode Annie used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Steuart_Pollardhttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-margaret-pollard-1313345.htmlWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Billy Waters & Marjorie Pollard: Forgotten Black British History & Women in SportWelcome to Mostly Unsung the weekly comedy history podcast serving up two bite-size biographies of the forgotten people and overlooked lives history quietly erased. Every Wednesday, Annie and Andrea uncover the stories your history teacher never had time for.This episode spans Black British history, American history, and women’s sports history, with two fascinating figures whose legacies deserve far more attention.First, Andrea begins in New York, where William "Billy" Waters, a young Black man born into slavery, finds an unexpected escape by enlisting in the Royal Navy. After a life-changing injury, Billy settles in London, reinventing himself as a talented street musician and performer. But fame comes at a price, and Billy’s public image is cruelly reshaped by others, turning a devoted family man into a caricature. It’s a powerful, eye-opening story about race, representation, and who gets to write history.Then Annie heads back to the dreaded school hockey pitch (cold, muddy, and deeply traumatic for some of us). But for Marjorie Pollard, sport was a lifelong passion. She dedicates her career to championing women in sport, breaking barriers and eventually becoming one of the first women to carve out a role in the male-dominated BBC sports department. It’s an inspiring story of persistence, visibility, and changing the game, literally.If you enjoy funny history podcasts, forgotten Black history, women in history, British social history, and true stories of people who challenged the system, this episode of Mostly Unsung is the perfect place to start.Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Waters_(busker)https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/mar/21/billy-waters-the-african-american-musician-who-captivated-1820s-londonhttps://stephenliddell.co.uk/2023/09/05/billy-waters-the-king-of-the-beggars/https://yalebooks.yale.edu/2024/06/25/black-in-new-york-city-the-story-of-billy-waters/Annie used these sources:https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marjorie-Pollardhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marjorie_PollardWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back to Mostly Unsung your weekly comedy history podcast serving up not one but two bite-size biographies of the forgotten figures, lost heroes, and notorious troublemakers history prefers not to mention. Every week, hosts Andrea and Annie uncover overlooked lives from the past, with humour, curiosity, and a healthy dose of side-eye.This episode takes us across 17th century England and Spain, with two unforgettable characters who refused to live quietly.First, Annie dives into the chaos of the English Civil War, the brutal conflict between Royalists and Parliamentarians, Cavaliers and Roundheads. taking to exile after her home is destroyed and her family gone, one extraordinary woman turns to writing. What follows is a remarkable output of poetry, plays, philosophy, scientific writing, and even some of the earliest examples of science fiction. Along the way, she designs her own outrageous outfits and scandalises the  Society largely by daring to be herself in their space. A story of intellect, rebellion, and unapologetic self-expression.Then Andrea heads to 17th century Spain, where a young novice decides convent life isn’t for her. With a change of clothes, a haircut, and a new name, Antonio is born, ready for travel, exploration, and adventure. But what begins as freedom quickly spirals into violence, chaos, and blood soaked rampages that shock even the Spanish Army. A tale of identity, rebellion, and a life that goes spectacularly off the rails.If you enjoy funny history podcasts, forgotten people in history, early science fiction, English Civil War history, and wild true stories from the past, this episode of Mostly Unsung is perfect for curious minds who like their history entertaining.In this episode Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_de_Erausohttps://queergoldfields.au/international-collection/f/sp-antonio-de-erauso-spains-soldier-nun?blogcategory=International+Collectionhttps://www.monstrousregimentofwomen.com/2018/03/catalina-de-erauso-lieutenant-nun.htmlIn this episode Annie used these sources:https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/histories/women-in-history/margaret-cavendish/https://colchester.cimuseums.org.uk/collections/cavendish/Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back to Mostly Unsung the weekly comedy history podcast hosted by women, sharing the forgotten stories, overlooked lives, and surprising characters history quietly brushed aside. Every week, we bring you two bite-sized historical biographies, perfect for curious minds, history lovers, and anyone who enjoys their learning with a laugh.This episode takes us across the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia, with two remarkable people who refused to let circumstance decide their story.First, Andrea heads to Yorkshire with the extraordinary true story of Blind Jack Metcalf, one of the most unlikely adventurers in British history. Struck blind as a child after illness, Jack refuses to stay put. He learns his way around his street, then his town, then the surrounding countryside, before going on to live a life packed with daring journeys, ingenious money-making schemes, and a healthy disregard for what society thought someone with a disability should or shouldn’t do. It’s a warm, funny, and quietly inspiring story about independence and resilience.Then Annie takes us to Australia (via the United States) with the fascinating life of Violet Hopson. Raised on her mother’s philosophy that reinvention is always an option, Violet simply changes her name, rewrites her story, and starts again. The result? A career as a silent film actress, followed by an influential role as a studio executive behind the scenes. Along the way, we uncover the mysterious delights of something called a “Turf Drama.”If you love funny history podcasts, forgotten women in history, British history, film history, and stories of people who made life work on their own terms, this episode of Mostly Unsung is for you.Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back to Mostly Unsung the comedy history podcast uncovering the lesser known people, overlooked figures, and forgotten stories your history lessons never covered. Join us every Wednesday for two bite-sized historical biographies, told with humour, curiosity, and plenty of side quests.This week, we’re diving into English history, with two wildly different characters who knew exactly how to play the system.First, Annie takes us into the chaos of the Wars of the Roses, the brutal medieval struggle for the English throne between the Houses of York and Lancaster. Amidst the bloodshed, shifting alliances, and ruthless politics, one ambitious man repeatedly lands on his feet. It’s a story of power, propaganda, dangerous self-promotion, and refusing to ever go quietly.Then Andrea jumps forward to interwar London, where fashion is booming and one bold young man is determined to conquer it. A brief interruption by the Second World War doesn’t stop his rise. Armed with sharp business instincts, impeccable style, and an even sharper tongue, he helps shape modern British fashion- leaving behind capri pants, Teddy Boys, and quotable one-liners that wouldn’t feel out of place on Drag Race.If you love funny history podcasts, British history, fashion history, and forgotten historical figures, Mostly Unsung is the podcast for you.For this episode Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunny_Rogerhttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-bunny-roger-5569824.htmlhttps://therake.com/default/stories/a-dandy-lifehttps://strangeflowers.wordpress.com/2011/06/09/birthday-bunny/For this episode Annie used these sources:https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Warwick-The-Kingmaker/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Neville-16th-earl-of-WarwickWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back to the Wednesday edition of Mostly Unsung, the comedy history podcast uncovering the forgotten people and overlooked stories your history teacher definitely didn’t have time for. Every week, we bring you unsung heroes, surprising biographies, and funny history stories from around the world.This episode features two remarkable women from very different worlds whose stories almost disappeared from history.First, Andrea heads to Mongolia with the tragic and little known story of Queen Genepil of Mongolia, an ordinary woman thrust into extraordinary circumstances. When a Mongolian ruler’s wife dies, his advisers insist he must remarry-immediately. What follows is a nationwide search for a new bride, royal experience optional. Already married? Inconvenient, but not a dealbreaker. Genepil’s story is a haunting example of power, politics, and fate, and what happens when you’re simply in the wrong place, at the wrong time… with the wrong name.Then Annie brings us back to Victorian England and the inspiring life of Octavia Hill, social reformer and co-founder of the National Trust. Outraged by the slum conditions of London’s working class, Hill takes out a loan and becomes a landlord herself- determined to prove housing can be clean, fair, and humane. Her vision expands beyond housing to green spaces, fresh air, and eventually the preservation of Britain’s most beautiful historic buildings. The result? A revolutionary idea that helped create the National Trust, protecting history for generations to come.If you love women’s history, forgotten historical figures, British history, world history, and history with humour, this episode of Mostly Unsung is for you.For this episode, Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genepilhttps://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/one-minute-story/last-queen-of-mongoliahttps://jetsettimes.com/inspiration/women-empowerment/how-queen-genepil-of-mongolia-became-an-inspiration-for-queen-amidala-in-star-wars/For this episode, Annie used these sources:https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/history/people/octavia-hill-her-life-and-legacyhttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Octavia-HillWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back to Mostly Unsung, the comedy history podcast uncovering the incredible true stories history forgot. Same two women of a certain age, same lesser-known historical biographies you’ve definitely never heard of… but with a brand-new release day! New episodes every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts.This week, we’re sharing two inspiring, surprising stories about working-class women who rewrote their futures, even when the odds were stacked firmly against them.First, Annie takes us across the pond to America, where a working-class African American family is just trying to get by. Urged to choose a “sensible” career, a lonely, bullied young girl instead finds her voice through imagination, writing about the world she knows, shaped by the science fiction stories she loves. It’s a powerful, eye-opening tale of creativity, resilience, and an amazing figure in literary history.Then Andrea heads to London, where opportunities for working class girls are just as limited. Kate reinvents herself as Kitty, becoming a hugely popular stage performer known worldwide as an “eccentric Englishwoman.” Beloved by audiences and celebrated in her time, she quietly retires as film and television take over, her remarkable career fading from memory… until a chance museum visit by a friend brings her story back into the spotlight.If you love funny history podcasts, mostly forgotten people in history, and stories of people who refused to stay in their lane, Mostly Unsung is the podcast for you.Andrea used these sources:https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/collections/london-stories/kitty-lord-eccentric-dancer-who-travelled-the-world/https://intothelimelight.org/2015/04/04/154/https://jvc.oup.com/2021/04/01/kitty-lords-padded-symmetricals/Annie used these sources:https://www.britannica.com/biography/Octavia-E-Butlerhttps://dyslexia.yale.edu/story/octavia-butler/https://www.huntington.org/exhibition/octavia-e-butler-telling-my-storiesWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Mostly Unsung Presents: The Mostlies- Our 2025 Comedy History Awards Welcome back to Mostly Unsung, the weekly comedy history podcast where two best friend hosts tell hilarious, bite-size biographies of history’s most overlooked characters. This special New Year’s bonus episode is our very own awards ceremony: The Mostlies!In this episode, we look back at our favourite comedy history stories of 2025, handing out awards to the wildest heroes, notorious villains, trailblazing pioneers, and legendary hell-raisers we’ve covered this year. Expect laughs, chaos, behind the scenes reflections, and plenty of the usual nonsense as we celebrate the most outrageous and unforgettable episodes from the Mostly Unsung archives.Whether you’re a long-time listener or discovering us for the first time, this episode is the perfect introduction to our funny history podcast, packed with true stories, friendship, and feminist friendly comedy.New episodes return every Wednesday in 2026 with brand-new mini biographies from history you’ve (probably) never heard of. Happy New Year, and thank you for listening! Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

🎄 Happy Holidays from Mostly Unsung! 🎄 Welcome to a new episode of Mostly Unsung, the light-hearted history podcast uncovering the wild, overlooked, and often ridiculous stories that your history teacher never mentioned.Each week, our we bring you two mini biographies packed with humour, curiosity, and surprising historical facts- from forgotten pioneers to misunderstood heroes.This week’s unsung women of history: Margaret “Molly” Brown Andrea tells a classic rags-to-riches biography with a Titanic-sized twist. Margaret Brown began life working in a tobacco factory and ended up sailing the world in luxury - including aboard the RMS Titanic. After surviving the disaster, she became famous for helping other passengers. Barred from testifying at the official inquiries because she was a woman, Margaret took matters into her own hands and told her story directly to the press.The Viking Warrior Woman of Birka (Grave Bj 581) Annie introduces one of the most fascinating discoveries in Norse history. Buried with weapons, horses, and military honours, this warrior was confidently labelled male by Victorian archaeologists. Over a century later, DNA evidence revealed the truth: the warrior was a woman. What followed was an awkward, long-running debate over gender, archaeology, and who gets to be remembered as a warrior.If you enjoy funny history podcasts, short historical biographies, women’s history, Viking archaeology, and stories that challenge traditional historical narratives, this episode is for you.🎧 New episodes every week. Andrea used these sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Brownhttps://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-survivor/molly-brown.htmlhttps://www.cogreatwomen.org/project/margaret-molly-tobin-brown/Annie used these sources:https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/viking-warrior-women-reassessing-birka-chamber-grave-bj581/7CC691F69FAE51DDE905D27E049FADCDhttps://commons.princeton.edu/makingvikings/female-narratives/female-warriors-birka-grave-bj-581/https://historycurator.com/viking-shield-maidens-historically-accurate/Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Mostly Unsung – Gertrude Bell & Marina Raskova: Forgotten Women Who Changed the WorldWelcome back to Mostly Unsung, the weekly comedy history podcast where two women share the stories of forgotten figures from history, with laughs along the way.In this episode, Annie introduces the extraordinary Gertrude Bell, a British archaeologist, mountaineer, traveller, photographer and diplomat who played a crucial role in shaping the modern Middle East. A contemporary of T.E. Lawrence, Bell advised governments, challenged empire-building, and argued that nations should govern themselves, ideas that were far too radical for the men running the British Empire at the time. Why has one of the most influential women in early 20th-century history been largely forgotten?Then Andrea takes us to World War II and the Soviet Union, where aviator Marina Raskova fought bureaucracy and misogyny to create the world’s first all-female air force regiments. Her pilots, later known as the Night Witches (Nacht Hexen), flew dangerous bombing missions under cover of darkness, terrifying Nazi forces and becoming legends of wartime aviation. This is a story of bravery, adaptation, and women refusing to be sidelined during WWII.Plus, all the usual nonsense — including Andrea laughing so hard she cries, Annie’s worst night in the theatre, and a very serious debate about who had the coolest fashion in the 1980s (it was Annie. Definitely Annie).If you enjoy funny history podcasts, women’s history, or stories about unsung heroes, this one’s for you.Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marina_Raskovahttps://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/marina-mikailovna-raskova/https://www.russianlife.com/the-russia-file/soviet-terror-of-the-skies-marina-raskova-and-the-night-witches/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_WitchesAnnie used these sources:https://gertrudebell.ncl.ac.uk/https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Gertrude-Bell/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gertrude-BellWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

This week on Mostly Unsung, your favourite comedy history podcast, we’re back with two brand new tales about the weird, wonderful, and wildly overlooked people your school history lessons definitely skipped. If you love funny history stories, unsung historical figures, and the kind of trivia that makes you shout “WAIT...WHAT?”, you’re in the right place.First up, Andrea dives into the world of European knights, but not the shiny, maiden rescuing, honour obsessed ones you’re picturing. No, this knight of the Holy Roman Empire preferred feuds to fairy tales. He loved a fight, thrived on legal disputes, picked battles like hobbies, and still somehow found time to write the occasional poem. Truly a medieval multitasker.Then Annie brings us the tale of a man whose life mission was collecting everything. Well… books and manuscripts, specifically. Enough to build a legendary library that scholars travelled across continents to see. But what happens to a priceless collection when the collector dies? Cue  a chaotic family feud, a will that’s basically a historical booby trap, and decades of drama at the auction house.Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6tz_von_Berlichingenhttps://www.burg-hornberg.de/geschichtswelt/goetz-von-berlichingen/https://www.zeilenabstand.net/auf-den-spuren-von-goetz-von-berlichingen/Annie used these sources:https://ies.sas.ac.uk/news-events/blogs/sir-thomas-phillipps-1792-1872-manuscript-collector-his-legacyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_PhillippsWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back to Mostly Unsung, your weekly history podcast! Looking for a light hearted commute listen or interested in the history they don't teach in schools? You're in the right place! Join best friends Annie and Andrea as they delve into the people in history that until now have been Mostly Unsung....mostly!This week come along with Annie as she joins a new religious movement in Victorian Britain. The 'Jumpers' may not be around today, but in their day a small but dedicated following headed out to the New Forest to start a new society. A society focused solely on one woman. Be ready for prophecies, stigmata and a lot of...jumping!Then Andrea is in Yorkshire... AGAIN. On a lonely wind-swept hillside, one woman is struggling to keep her tiny farm alive. With no electricity, no running water, no money coming in, you'd be forgiven for thinking we were two hundred years ago, but this was in the mid seventies! Life was pretty bleak, until a word of her life spread all the way to a TV company.Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Hauxwellhttps://www.yorkshire.com/inspiration/features/hannah-hauxwell/?srsltid=AfmBOorwJm56OUpVLM1StIacv8gDAQNoYeZMYjEwzGz0QHKt4gSlN4muhttps://www.countryfile.com/people/historical-figures/wild-people-dales-farmer-hannah-hauxwellhttp://www.fordefables.co.uk/a-day-with-hannah-hauxwell.htmlAnnie used these sources:https://www.bbc.co.uk/hampshire/content/articles/2005/03/22/newforestshakers_feature.shtmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_GirlingWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back to Mostly Unsung, your new weekly history podcast that resurrects those long forgotten heroes and villains from the vaults of the past! Join Annie and Andrea, two old friends, as they bring to light the people your history teacher never told you about. Be prepared for mayhem, nonsense, a lot of barely suppressed anger and a debate about whether the 90s really were that awful.This week, for the first time, Andrea is in Australia where a young aboriginal woman is enjoying well deserved recognition as both gifted teacher and a talented musician. Until she gets caught up in a whirlwind of religion, misogyny, a cheating husband and some real top class racists who happen to run the country. The only thing she has left is learn how to fight the system they have built.Then Annie is in Wiltshire in the UK, it's Victorian Britain and  archaeology is all the rage. A husband and wife team up to rescue the land around a world recognised land mark. Ensuring that the developers won't be able to bulldoze some of the most important discoveries of the century. Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessie_Flowerhttps://www.historicalbany.com.au/bessy-flower-menanghttps://www.noongarculture.org.au/bessy-flower/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-15/menang-woman-bessy-flowers-life-story-reclaimed-by-her-family/102214652Annie used these sources:https://arnosvale.org.uk/edith-maud-cunnington/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maud_Cunningtonhttps://trowelblazers.com/2016/04/14/maud-cunnington/Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Discover the Remarkable Stories History Forgot. New Episode Out Now!Welcome back to Mostly Unsung, the light-hearted weekly history podcast that shines a spotlight on the extraordinary people and moments your school textbooks left out. Join us every Friday for two captivating mini-biographies that bring the past to life in fresh, surprising and entertaining ways.This week’s episode takes you on an unforgettable journey: A Volcano Scientist Racing Against Time Annie transports us to the USA, where a brilliant young volcanologist is redefining the science of eruption prediction. As he works tirelessly to protect communities and guide emergency services, his research leads to one of the most dramatic natural-disaster warnings in American history. But when Mount St. Helens erupts with unimaginable force, we uncover the human story behind a tragedy no one could outrun. Britain’s First Black Pilot & the Birth of the RAF Andrea marks Armistice Day with a remarkable, and long overdue, tribute. Dive into the inspiring life of Britain’s first Black military pilot, a man whose courage, skill and determination helped shape aviation history before the Royal Air Force even officially existed. Discover the hidden origins of the RAF and the forgotten heroes who paved the way.If you love gripping true stories, overlooked heroes, and history told with warmth and humour, this is the perfect episode to jump in.New episodes every Friday. Follow Mostly Unsung on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss a story.Andrea used these sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Robinson_Clarkehttps://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/online-exhibitions/pilots-of-the-caribbean/heroes-and-sheroes/pioneer-sergeant-william-robinson-clarke/https://collections.rafmuseum.org.uk/story/robbie-clarke-britains-first-black-pilot/Annie used these sources:https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/cascades-volcano-observatory/legacy-david-johnstonhttps://eos.org/features/honoring-volcanologist-david-johnston-as-a-hero-and-a-humanWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

🎧 Welcome back to Mostly Unsung — the comedy history podcast that digs up the funniest, weirdest, and most jaw-dropping stories you definitely didn’t hear in school! Every Friday, Annie and Andrea shine a light on the forgotten heroes, hopeless villains, eccentric geniuses, and absolute jerks who shaped history (usually by accident).💂‍♂️ This week, Andrea introduces the ultimate historical jerk. He’s rich, well-educated, speaks half a dozen languages, and calls himself an Army man (sort of). A picture-perfect Victorian gentleman, if you overlook the monkeys, the ridiculous disguises, the massive cultural insensitivity, and, yes, the scandalous Victorian smut that’s now worth a fortune.⚔️ Meanwhile, Annie heads to Napoleonic Russia, where the fight against Napoleon needs a hero and one dashing young cavalry officer answers the call. Brave, bold, and beloved by the troops… except for one tiny detail that might surprise you. But hey, if Tsar Alexander I isn’t complaining, who are we to judge?🤣 Expect outrageous true tales, historical nonsense, and a side of chaos as Mostly Unsung unearths the brilliant, the bizarre, and the downright bonkers characters who make history hilarious.🎙️ Subscribe now for your weekly dose of comedy, curiosity, and characters too strange to stay forgotten.Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Francis_Burtonhttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/may/03/richard-francis-burton-explorer-mecca-horn-africa-nile-victorianhttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Burton-British-scholar-and-explorerAnnie used these sources:https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/biography/nadezhda-andreevna-durovahttps://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/durova-nadezhda-1783-1866Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

🎙️ Welcome back to Mostly Unsung — the comedy history podcast that uncovers the extraordinary stories your teachers definitely skipped! Every week, Annie and Andrea dig up the weird, wonderful, and wildly underrated people who shaped the world in surprising ways.🌍 This week’s episode travels from Kenya to Montana — two incredible stories of courage, creativity, and change:🇰🇪 Annie heads to Africa, where a brilliant young woman from the foothills of Mount Kenya grows up to change the fate of her homeland. From studying in the U.S. to replanting and rewilding Kenya’s forests, she takes on climate devastation with unstoppable determination and a little bit of dirt under her fingernails.🪶 Andrea journeys to Montana to meet a young man of the Crow Tribe — born into a family of warriors and storytellers. Called to serve in World War II, he fights wearing sacred body paint and an eagle feather beneath his helmet. Returning home “without a scratch,” he earns a new title and dedicates his life to preserving and sharing his people’s history with the world.🔥 Expect laughs, gasps, and a few “wait, how did I not know this?!” moments as Mostly Unsung brings you the bold, the brave, and the beautifully bizarre from history’s sidelines.🎧 Listen now for comedy, chaos, and forgotten legends who deserve the spotlight.Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Medicine_Crowhttps://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-war/joseph-medicine-crowhttps://www.nps.gov/bica/learn/historyculture/joseph-medicine-crow.htmhttps://www.military.com/army-birthday/badass-of-the-week-joe-medicine-crow.htmlAnnie used these sources:https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2004/maathai/biographical/https://wangarimaathai.org/wangaris-story/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Wangari-MaathaiWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

It's spooky season listeners! Every week we bring you two Unsung (Mostly) names from history, those stories you were never taught in school. Let's skip off on a historical journey together and learn something new; have a giggle and get the torches out ready to up light our faces for a Halloween special!This week Andrea is diving into entertainment history with a dynasty of everyone's favourite performers that aren't at all terrifying...CLOWNS! A story of whimsy, the big top, spooky dream visitation and eventually true crime.Then Annie is in Yorkshire once more, where one young lady has found herself shunned and mocked. Was it magical powers that gained her revenge on her mean neighbours? It could be hard living in the woods as a lone woman who works as a herbalist, especially if powerful men start banging on the door threatening fires and stakes. But fear not...a peaceful ending awaits!Plus the usual nonsense, ghost stories, wearing all black and whether or not Annie's house has a ghost.Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmett_Kellyhttps://www.factinate.com/people/facts-emmett-kelly-original-tramp-clownhttps://theskeletonkeychronicles.com/2019/12/09/sad-clown-the-tragic-legacy-of-weary-willy/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmett_Kelly_Jr.https://thesilentfilms.wordpress.com/2012/03/14/weary-willie-and-the-three-kellys/https://aadl.org/aa_news_19800820-minister_killing_admittedAnnie used these sources:https://www.mothershipton.co.uk/the-story/https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Mother-Shipton-Prophesies/Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Happy Podcast day listeners! It's Friday and that means we are back with your weekly dose of history and laughs. Enjoy the commute just a little bit more with our series of binge worthy biographies. All the stories your history teacher never told you. This week's stories lost to time are:Annie tells the story of an exiled Sikh Princess with no kingdom, no parents and not much to fill her time but social functions and parties. All that changes when she discovers the Suffragettes and joins the campaign to gain the vote.Then Andrea delves into the history of Philadelphia, a local  librarian is interested in change and her links to Communism come under the gaze of her employers and then the FBI. She looks forward to a quiet retirement, until the day she treats herself to a few of the latest gadgets, a Betamax Video Recorder and an Apple Mackintosh computer. The purchase leads to a thirty year project that would consume her and her whole family for three decades.Check out the Internet Archive link to her astonishing project HERE: https://archive.org/details/marionstokesvideoAndrea used these sources for this episode:https://allthatsinteresting.com/marion-stokeshttps://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/marion-stokes-television-news-archivehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_StokesAnnie used these sources for this episode:https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/history-and-stories/sophia-duleep-singh/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-collection/stories/sophia-duleep-singh/Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Happy Friday listeners! Ready for two new historical biographies? The weekly podcast that brings you stories that your history teacher never taught you is back with more giggles, drama and some raging about the patriarchy....so much raging.This week Andrea is delving into French history as we join the escapades of one Marie-Antionette...but not THAT Marie-Antionette. Trained as a Governess this 19th Century woman ran away to war, not once, but twice. The first time in disguise but the second time surprisingly as herself. A tale of European Wars and swordsmanship with a huge dollop of patriotism and an aside about not getting your car stolen and English Village Schools.The come along with Annie as she joins an exceedingly capable woman who the men in charge just will not leave alone. The patriarchy klaxon is blasting for all to hear as she loses job after job to men less qualified. Until the American Civil War breaks out and she finds a new calling, first nursing the soldiers, then forming an entirely new office, to find and return the remains of thousands of missing veterans to their families. For this episode Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie-Antoinette_Lixhttps://www.tumblr.com/city-of-ladies/635745335663280128/marie-antoinette-lix-in-uniform-marie-antoinettehttp://etienne.biellmann.free.fr/colmar/en/lixa.htmFor this episode Annie used these sources:https://www.redcross.org/about-us/who-we-are/history/clara-barton.html?srsltid=AfmBOoo6aMHH453Ut8PQtjt2p72eQ8S3-FmbbREJVusFmqVn2ulTUb05https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/clara-bartonWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Happy Friday Listeners! Mostly Unsung is here with two fascinating and twisting tales from History. Every week we tell two stories that the history books ignored, those lesser known people and forgotten fables that never came up in history lessons from eccentrics, to pirates, writers to criminals.This week Annie is striding the streets of Post War London with an upstanding member of the bar. A judge who gained a reputation for harsh sentences and a theatrical style that some admired and others hated. Connected to such famous British crimes as The Kray Twins and the trial of Ruth Ellis, we can only thank the Gods we have an appeal system in the UK Courts!Then Andrea introduces our earliest story ever! A young woman in the very epicentre of the intrigues of Medieval Europe. Wars are being fought, marriages secure alliances and betrayal is round every corner. Outraged at the betrayal of her own King, what's a woman to do? Cash in her French Estate and take to the High Seas, of course! A story of piracy, revenge and ensuring everyone who crossed you lives to regret it.Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_de_Clissonhttps://www.qaronline.org/blog/2021-01-20/pirate-profile-jeanne-de-clissonhttps://theroyalwomen.com/2021/12/20/jeanne-de-clisson/Annie used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melford_Stevensonhttps://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/5333417Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back to your new favourite comedy history weekly podcast! Every Friday join two old friends as they share a forgotten story from world history. All the things you never learnt about in school, with a big helping of warmth and laughter, the perfect commute pod!This week Andrea tells the story of a Kent man who led a very ordinary and sensible life indeed. Until he retired and discovered the joys of sea swimming. All year swimming might be fashionable now but for a retired MP in the late 1700s it was a very unusual sight!Then come along with Annie as she tells the story of one of the inter-war period bright young things. A multi talented artist himself, he was surrounded by the stars of the day from authors, to painters to musicians. Throw in a penchant for silly jokes, an LGBTQ polycule room mate and the invitation to join a horse for afternoon tea and you have one of the UKs most interesting eccentrics.For this episode Andrea used these sources:https://kids.kiddle.co/Matthew_Robinson,_2nd_Baron_Rokebyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Robinson,_2nd_Baron_Rokeby#:~:text=Matthew%20Robinson%2C%202nd%20Baron%20Rokeby%20(Baptised%2C%20York%2012%20April,stipple%20engraving%2C%20with%20tricorn%20hat.https://medium.com/@DigitalTiger/great-british-eccentrics-1-2c3d275768edFor this episode Annie used these sources:https://www.faringdon.org/berners-more-information.htmlhttps://www.classical-music.com/features/composers/lord-berners-2Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back everyone! Looking for a (usually!) light listen full of laughter for the commute? A story telling team? Searching for podcast friends to welcome you weekly?Welcome to Mostly Unsung, the history podcast that brings you two stories every single week. Those names lost to the past, the people your history teacher never told you about, all told with laughter and a big helping of the ridiculous!This week Annie brings a poignant story of hope amongst the ravages of Second World War Poland. A young man survives and shares with the world his story of courage, friendship and huge amounts of luck.Then Andrea is going local with a story that starts in Essex and ends in Pennsylvania. A dedicated Quaker travels the world and does not approve of what he finds. First he tries to lecture his church, then his neighbours, then finally abandons the world to live in a cave in the woods. A very, VERY early self sufficiency, plant based hero!For this episode Andrea used these sources:https://www.quakersintheworld.org/quakers-in-action/61/Benjamin-Layhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Layhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-42640782For this episode Annie used these sources:https://hmd.org.uk/resource/zigi-shipper-hmd-2017/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jan/27/holocaust-memorial-day-zigi-shipperAnd her own memories of one of his talks!Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Hey hey, it's Friday, and what does your day need, but a friendly story telling session with a cup of tea and a few laughs! It's that time again, two new historical biographies of people you never learned about in history class, celebrated right here in podcast land!This week Andrea follows a woman who married once for her parents, once for the money, once for a title and was determined that the fourth time could only be for love. Sadly, the husband was an absolute garbage person, thank goodness it all had a happy ending and there is even a ghost story just for good measure!Then Annie is delving, literally, into the stories of a forgotten class of people in Old London Town. Mudlarks might be collectors and antique hunters now, but back in the day they were a hard working people, the poorest of the poor. One woman, so unsung we aren't even sure of her name, became a symbol for the working classes of London and inspired charity and regulations in equal measure.This episode Andrea used these sources:https://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/yourplaceandmine/fermanagh/lady_cathcart.shtmlhttps://www.jstor.org/stable/20513061https://www.shortstories101.com/story/the-amazing-life-of-lady-cathcart/This episode Annie used these sources:https://www.wickedwilliam.com/an-account-of-peggy-jones-the-london-mudlark/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/04/04/treasure-hunting-in-the-thames/Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Happy Friday, listeners! Looking for something funny for the boring commute home today? Join two podcast besties for the usual mix of obscure history facts and occasional laughter! Each week we tell two stories from history you've probably never heard before, come and join us!This week, Annie is in the Midlands to tell the story of a Tudor Lady in Waiting. It's great to be besties with Elizabeth I, surely? Well until she asks for a big favour, probably not very wise to say no, even if it will cost a fortune, and maybe your marriage.Then Andrea is over in Mainland Europe. A newlywed woman is enjoying the beauty of the Paris art scene. The music, the theatre, the artists. Until tragedy strikes her small family, and she decides it's time to step up and take control of the family legacy. This unsung heroine is the sole reason anyone knows of the ONE artist absolutely everyone has heard of.Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johanna_van_Gogh-Bongerhttps://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/about/knowledge-and-research/completed-research-projects/research-project-biography-of-jo-van-gogh-bongerhttps://herhalfofhistory.com/2025/03/20/14-11-jo-van-gogh-bonger-vincents-sister-in-law-part-1/Annie used these sources:https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/histories/women-in-history/bess-of-hardwick/https://historiamag.com/the-many-marriages-of-bess-of-hardwick/Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back listeners! Come and join the podcasting friends Annie and Andrea as they get stuck in to more historical stories and long lost tales! As usual, it's all served up with laughs and tangents on everything from the uniform of art teachers to a tangent about a previous tangent!Join Andrea as she follows a young, black woman in early 20th Century America. most Universities won't even accept her application, but with sheer determination she makes great strides in Chemistry; Until a University President likes the look of her groundbreaking work with leprosy just a little too much...Then Annie is diving into Italian history with a student who decides just one thesis won't prove her ability, or even two...or ten....The patriarchy klaxon is sounding loud and clear, but luckily she knows a few important people, and when even the Pope recognises your genius, you know you're destined for great things!For this episode Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Ballhttps://scientificwomen.net/women/ball-alice-121https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/08/obituaries/alice-ball-overlooked.htmlFor this episode Annie used these sources:https://www.britannica.com/biography/Laura-Bassihttps://www.europeana.eu/en/stories/laura-bassi-one-of-the-first-women-in-scienceWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Happy Friday! Happy Mostly Unsung Day!! Welcome back to another hilarious episode of historical biography madness. Join your podcast friends for more stories you've never heard before.This week Annie is in beautiful Yorkshire with a true English Eccentric. Causing a bit of a stir with his eccentric attire, outlandish mode of transport and his unusual pets. People may have laughed but he absolutely managed the last laugh with possibly the finest sounding funeral ever planned.Then Andrea is off to explore Kentucky in the United States where an equally eccentric man is looking for a new calling after leaving the armed forces. His inspiration coming from an unlikely combination of Saturn's rings and the migration patterns of animals.For this episode Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cleves_Symmes_Jr.https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1873/04/the-symmes-theory-of-the-earth/631214/https://eu.cincinnati.com/story/news/2023/01/08/hollow-earth-theory-connection-hamilton-ohio-captain-john-cleves-symmes/69778206007/For this episode Annie used these sources:https://gizmodo.com/the-weirdest-animal-expert-who-ever-lived-5767995https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jemmy_HirstWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

It's time for more bite size historical biographies with the usual dash of nonsense and laughter!This week Andrea is heading out to the forests and rolling hills of one of America's most beautiful hiking trails, the Appalachian Trail. Don't we all look forward to retirement and the opportunity to spend eight hour days clearing brush and bramble thickets? An inspiring story for those looking forward to their third age.Then Annie is delving into the untold stories of World War II, where a hard working woman is trying to both escape the bloodshed and help the Allied soldiers and their families, with sabotage, reconnaissance and answers about missing loved ones.For this episode, Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandma_Gatewoodhttps://www.outdoors.org/resources/amc-outdoors/history/grandma-gatewood-the-first-woman-to-solo-hike-the-entire-appalachian-trail/https://www.shakaguide.com/article/shenandoah/grandma-gatewoodFor this episode, Annie used these sources: https://kulturapress.com/2025/01/13/how-celebrated-spymistress-vera-atkins-helped-protect-chelsea-during-the-blitz/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vera_AtkinsWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Happy Friday, friends in podcast land! It's time for a brand new episode of the comedy history podcast that answers such burning questions as what is the best alternative to saying ''yes? How can you get out of cross country running? And the classic: how do you take your tea?Join Annie for an American sports history story over in Tennessee. One little African American girl is overcoming the hurdles of a terrible medical record to smash some records at the Olympics.Then Andrea is over in India, where the British are fighting wars and smashing rebellions. We Brits have one local man to thank for our knowledge and love of Assam tea, unfortunately, the British East India Company aren't too keen on his entrepreneurial spirit.Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maniram_Dewanhttps://www.assam.org/node/2368https://www.sandpaper.guru/blog/post/maniram-dewan-assams-first-tea-planterAnnie used these sources:https://www.biography.com/athletes/wilma-rudolphhttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Wilma-RudolphWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back for more stories from history you weren't taught in school! It's another mad one! Have you ever seen the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders? Andrea has, and she has opinions; while Annie wishes they'd change their main theme song. This week, in your favourite comedy history podcast, Andrea takes us all the way to 18th Century China to tell the story of one woman is rewriting everything from maths to medicine to poetry. But first, she takes a moment to laugh over her own inability to do any kind of impression of theatre treasure and cinema icon, Tim Curry.Then, join Annie as she tells the brave story of a prisoner of the Second World War and all round Naval hero. He travelled the world; only to return to Scotland and join the hunt for this podcast's favourite cryptid, the Loch Ness Monster! Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wang_Zhenyi_(astronomer)https://kids.kiddle.co/Wang_Zhenyi_(astronomer)https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/wang-zhenyiAnnie used these sources:https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/David_James_(British_MP)https://www.bigredbook.info/david_james.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_James_(British_MP)Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Strap in for another fun filled and hilarious episode of your favourite history Podcast! History stories you never learnt in school alongside the usual nonsense about transport in the eighties, how not to accidentally work in mental health and what EXACTLY is a burglar?On this fitness fuelled episode, you can jog onto the soccer pitch and join our sports phobic friends as Annie tells us about a woman who played for a team so great, did the Football Association change the rules to stop their wave of success? Andrea gets very upset and shouts about the patriarchy, but what's new?!Then Andrea is off on a nice walk... A very long walk that lasts about fifteen years, but don't worry there are always roadside inns if you need a break, and the monotony of hiking can be broken with an added dash of true crime! If you think running a con artist game is new  think again, 18th Century Europe has met it's match!Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Ernihttps://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/who-was-barbara-erni-grifterhttps://www.executedtoday.com/2015/02/26/1785-barbara-erni-the-golden-boos/Annie used these sources:https://nationalfootballmuseum.com/halloffame/lily-parr/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55884099Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Hey there listeners, ready for some new historical biographies? This week was an accidental LGBT celebration with two feel good stories from history to start your weekend with a smile!Join Andrea as she tells us all about the creepers she used to Salsa with, then heads to gay Paris! Heavy emphasis on the gay, as we join The Countess, an author recording her heat warming coming out story in the trans community of 19th Century France. Expect Champagne, frilled robes, and a sing-a-long or two.Then Annie takes us home to England. Ever heard of the Coutts Banking Dynasty? A young woman becomes exceedingly wealthy and teaches the billionaires of today a thing or two about charity. She doesn't have to do it alone though, she has a room mate to offer her support! Generosity, a kind world view and a stack of cheques help leave the world a better place.Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Countess_(courtesan)https://trans-express.lgbt/post/615635917396459520/great-thread-by-cn-lester-over-at-twitter-notehttps://outhistory.org/items/show/1323https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/17/monograph/chapter/560217Annie used these sources:https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Angela-Burdett-Coutts/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Angela-Georgina-Burdett-Coutts-Baroness-Burdett-CouttsWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back to Mostly Unsung! Be warned this episode is a very weird one and you enter at your own risk! It's time for two more historical biographies with your podcast besties.Join Annie as we get to talk all about our favourite dinosaurs (Triceratops and Diplodocus if you were wondering) and show a complete and total lack of scientific knowledge of electricity. We're meeting a lady searching the Dorset cliffs for fossils and changing the understanding of prehistory.Then come along with Andrea who is travelling the country with a very talented woman getting overlooked because of her physical differences. Everything changes when she turns 30 and a wealthy patron helps her out of the sideshow and into the drawing rooms of royalty where she proves that disability doesn't mean you can't live your dreams.Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Biffinhttps://blogs.bl.uk/untoldlives/2022/04/the-early-life-of-painter-sarah-biffen-.htmlhttps://philipmould.com/exhibitions/31-without-hands-the-art-of-sarah-biffin/https://artuk.org/discover/stories/sarah-biffin-the-celebrated-nineteenth-century-artist-born-without-arms-or-legsAnnie used these sources:https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/mary-anning-unsung-hero.htmlhttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-Anninghttps://www.geolsoc.org.uk/the-library/online-exhibitions/women-and-geology/mary-anning/Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Welcome back, lovely listeners! It's Friday, it's nearly the weekend, and it's time for another couple of historical japes!Content Warning: Andrea's story does talk about a man with an addiction to alcohol, if that's something you'd rather not listen to, please do skip to the second story which is much sweeter.Both stories this week tell the tale of what can happen if very young people suddenly inherit an awful lot of money. Join Andrea this week on a Grand Tour, followed by a little glass of port, or maybe 200 bottles of the stuff? Cue a big debate on just how many hats counts as TOO MANY HATS and a quick digression to the correct etiquette when a fellow podcaster dies. Then Annie tells the tale of a man who made the most of his enormous fortune, from pink poodles to theatrical extravaganza. Both of our hosts really wish they could have been in Wales to hang out and go for trips in the perfume car.Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Myttonhttps://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Mad-Jack-Mytton/https://bob-lynn.medium.com/the-wild-ride-of-mad-jack-mytton-shropshire-s-legendary-eccentric-squire-54ff049ddfafAnnie used these sources:https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/plas-newydd-house-and-garden/people-and-history-at-plas-newyddhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-51651894https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Paget,_5th_Marquess_of_AngleseyWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

It's Fourth of July! As a British Podcast hosted by two English best friends it has absolutely nothing to do with us. So we dedicated an entire episode to American History you might not of heard of! Cue the marching band, organise a pot luck (whatever the heck one of those is) and crack open some overly sugared beverages!Join Annie as she tells the story of a scientist who, with the help of his children's playground bugs, upsets some people with his swearing, and eradicates some horrible diseases.Then Andrea is in California, where the mid Century skies are positively teaming with UFOs, and an 8 foot tall, psychic alien has travelled a very long way to tell one young man it's time for a change of career and thoughts of elections and then the presidency.Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_Green_(ufologist)https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/gabriel-green-presidential-candidate-ufo-tickethttps://hatch.kookscience.com/wiki/Gabriel_GreenAnnie used these sources:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC557162/https://hillemanfilm.com/dr-hillemanhttps://historyofvaccines.org/history/maurice-hilleman-phd/overviewWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

It's Friday! You know what that means, your friends Andrea and Annie are back with another two stories from history you might not have heard, and this time the stories come with SINGING. Don't say we don't treat our listeners like royalty.Andrea is taking us off to South Africa where one young man is writing some new songs; will he get what's due to him? It's mid Century South Africa, and he's a young black man. I think we can probably guess. But we do get to wander off topic to talk about ghost stories and find out teen Andrea had the musical taste of a white, middle class, fifty year old Dad.Annie takes flight all over the dang world with a record breaking woman who wasn't concerned with keeping her feet firmly on the ground. She also manages to squeeze in a song and it turns out if you've been on a school trip to the Science Museum in London, you've seen one of the stars of the story!Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon_Lindahttps://sahistory.org.za/dated-event/solomon-popoli-linda-singer-and-composer-dieshttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-55333535https://www.okayafrica.com/solomon-linda-original-creator-of-the-lion-sleeps-tonight-credited-in-black-is-king-/Annie used these sources:http://amyjohnsonartstrust.co.uk/her-life/https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/amy-johnson/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/07/amy-johnson-missing-feared-drowned-thames-estuary-1941https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-68088984Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

What's Friday without a good laugh before the start of the weekend? Welcome to Mostly Unsung a comedy history podcast packed full of interesting stories and a lot of big questions, such as, who is the Greg and who is the Alex in this relationship? and do we both exist? Come journey with Annie to old London Town where one man has a very cunning plan or three, to make himself a lot of money and hob nob with the government, all while keeping his side hustles quiet.Then Andrea will err.....STAY in Old London Town but a few hundred years later, where an orphan is making a name for himself, both for his charity works and his very eye catching outfit. An outfit still seen in London today.Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Croft_(pearly)https://www.londonremembers.com/subjects/henry-crofthttps://spitalfieldslife.com/2023/01/28/henry-croft-road-sweeper-o/https://www.pearlies.org.uk/the-original-pearlies-historyAnnie used these sources:https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jonathan-Wildhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_WildWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

The weekend is nearly upon us and that can mean only one thing, more Mostly Unsung!!! Join us for two new stories from history you might not have heard of and the usual helping of light-hearted nonsense!This week Andrea is in the slums of Chicago, where you can change your name, rewrite your history and demand a guillotine! Remember, if you find yourself disappointed by the overall lack of dynamite belching in the episode, you have only the capitalist media to blame.Stroll with Annie through the beautiful countryside of Nottinghamshire, if you stroll at night, and wear a disguise maybe no one will see you. "Someone might still spot me" you think? This weeks eccentric gentleman has the perfect solution....tunnels!Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_Parsonshttps://wams.nyhistory.org/industry-and-empire/labor-and-industry/lucy-parsons/https://www.aaihs.org/searching-for-lucy-parsons-a-racial-riddle-2/Annie used these sources:https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/manuscriptsandspecialcollections/collectionsindepth/family/portland/biographies/biographyofwilliamjohncavendish-bentinck-scott,5thdukeofportland(1800-1879).aspxhttps://whynow.co.uk/read/5th-duke-of-portlandhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bentinck,_5th_Duke_of_PortlandWhere you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!

Happy Unsung Friday everyone! We're back for another episode of the podcast that brings you two bitesize biographies every single week! Join old friends Annie and Andrea as they try their best to stay on topic while also working out if Bambi or Watership Down is more  traumatic for children.This week join Annie as she dips into to American History to learn how to count deer, upset your 'dead' wife and cause mayhem by turning up to your own funeral.Next Andrea will accidentally start the podcast's first on-air argument by asking Annie to look at an urinal and admit that it's an important work of art; and take us to the occupied Netherlands of WWII where an openly gay man decided it was time to take matters into his own hands. Andrea used these sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willem_Arondeushttps://www.queerportraits.com/bio/arondeushttps://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/id-card/willem-arondeushttps://hcofpgh.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/prideposters-4.pdfAnnie used these sources:https://www.britannica.com/biography/Timothy-Dexterhttps://priceonomics.com/the-strange-life-of-lord-timothy-dexter/Where you can find us:https://www.instagram.com/mostlyunsung/https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4vuMy1h/https://www.tiktok.com/@[email protected] you next Wednesday!