Dark Histories
Fortnightly narratives on the unsolved and the unexplained, mysteries, historical true crime, touches of the paranormal and cultural peculiarities.
Listen on:
Episodes
Monday Jun 26, 2023
Monday Jun 26, 2023
It's time for a mid-season summer break and to tide us over I've got a couple of tales for you from the genius of M.R. James. I've picked two of my favourites to read, I hope you enjoy them!
-------
This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, check out betterhelp.com/darkhistories to get 10% off your first month.This episode is also sponsored by Babbel, check out babbel.com/darkhistories to get 55% off your subscription.
-------For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
Monday Jun 12, 2023
Monday Jun 12, 2023
Deep in the Pacific Ocean, 350 miles off the coast of Central America sits a small, unimposing island, surrounded in natural beauty. One of the island's lesser known claims to fame is that its tropical climate and lost-world appearance were the original inspiration for Jurassic Park's fictional Isla Nublar. Better known, however, are the myths and legends that pertain to the hoards of pirate treasure, buried beneath the surface and lost for over two centuries. Hundreds, if not thousands, of expeditions have sailed to its isolated shores in the hope of uncovering the untold riches, with little to show for their efforts but the wild stories that have helped to continue the legend of the Lost Treasure of Lima for over two hundred years.SOURCES
Pim, Bedford & Seemann, Berthold (1869) Dottings on the Roadside in Panama, Nicaragua and Mosquito. Chapman & Hall, London, UK.
Montmorency, Hervey (1904) On the Track of a Treasure. Hurst & Blackett Ltd. London, UK.
Plumpton, James (1935) Treasure Cruise. Witherby Publishing, London, UK.
The Buffalo Commercial (1854) The Cocos Island Treasure. The Buffalo Commercial, 12 Dec 1854, p1. USA.
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (1854) The Cocos Island Treasures. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 12 Dec 1854, p2, USA.
Smith, David (1932) El Dorado. Blackwood's Magazine July-December 1932: Vol 232, The Leonard Scott Publication Co. NY, USA.
Cooper, Stephen (2017) Cocos Island & The Treasure of Lima. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
The New York Times (1855) News from the Cocos Expedition. The New York Times, 9 Feb 1855, USA.
Bangor Daily Whig & Courier (1855) The Buried Treasure at Cocos Islands. Bangor Daily Whig & Courier, 13 Jun 1855, p2. USA.-------
This episode is sponsored by Hello Fresh, check out hellofresh.com/darkhistories16 to get 16 free meals & free shipping.This episode is also sponsored by The Art of Crime Podcast, check it out anywhere you get your podcasts!
-------For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
Wednesday May 31, 2023
Wednesday May 31, 2023
When a young woman was found lying on her hearth rug, foaming at the mouth on New Years Day of 1845, few would have guessed that the winding path leading up to her death would result in a mystery that would become entwined with one of the key moments in the history of communication as well as one of the earliest cases of murder by Prussic Acid. In the long catalogue of Victorian poisonings, the case of Sarah Hart remains prominent not just because of its twists and turns, but equally because of its long reaching influences on the adoption of a device that would help to shape the modern world.
SOURCES
Carol, Baxter (2014) The peculiar case of the electric constable: a true tale of passion, poison & pursuit. Oneworld, London, UK.
South Eastern Gazette (1845) Alleged Murder At Slough. South Eastern Gazette, Tues 7 January 1845. UK
The Examiner (1845) Suspected Murder. The Examiner, Sat 4 January 1845. UK.
Bell's Weekly Messenger (1845) Apprehension Of A Quaker On A Charge Of Murder. Bell's Weekly Messenger, Mon 06 January 1845. UK.
Bell's Weekly Messenger (1845) The Murder At Salt Hill. Bell's Weekly Messenger, Sat 11 January 1845. UK.
Church & State Gazette (1845) The Supposed Murder At Slough. Church & State Gazette, Fri 10 January 1845. UK.
Morning Chronicle (1845) The Salt Hill Murder trial of John Tawell. Morning Chronicle, Thurs 13 March 1845. UK
Morning Chronicle (1845) The Salt Hill Murder trial of John Tawell. Morning Chronicle, Fri 14 March 1845. UK
Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper (1845) Execution of Tawell. Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper, Sunday 30 March, 1845. UK.-------
This episode is sponsored by Babbel, check out babbel.com/darkhistories to get 55% off a subscription.This episode is also sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/darkhistories and get on your way to being your best self.
-------For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
Wednesday May 17, 2023
Wednesday May 17, 2023
In 1812, in the Manchester settlement of Vermont, a local man named Russell Colvin mysteriously vanished, and despite extensive searches, no trace of him was found. Years later, rumours began to circulate that Russell had been murdered and buried in a cellar on a piece of local farmland. Ghosts were seen, arrests were made, confessions witnessed and convictions completed, before Colvin strolled back into town, dashing the whole thing against the rocks and creating a case that would go on to be remembered for well over a century as “The Manchester Mystery.”
SOURCES
McFarland, Gerald (1990) The Counterfeit Man. Pantheon Books, NY, USA.
Boorn, Jesse & Boorn, Stephen (1820) Trial of Stephen and Jesse Boorn, for the Murder of Russell Colvin. Fay & Burt, VT, USA.
Sergeant, Leonard (1873) The Trial, Confessions and Conviction of Jesse and Stephen Boorn, for the Murder of Russell Colvin. Journal Book & Job Office, VT, USA.
Manchester Historical Society (1930) Early History of Manchester. The Society, VT, USA.
-------
This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/darkhistories and get on your way to being your best self.
-------
For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
Monday May 08, 2023
Monday May 08, 2023
19th century London saw two of the most sensational public scares in its long history when the enigmatic Spring Heeled Jack stalked the alleyways of the capital city and in 1888, when Jack the Ripper enacted his reign of the streets, bringing about an autumn of terror that has since become infamous. One hundred years earlier, however, the streets were stalked by another threat, one that many consider a precursor to both Spring Heeled Jack and Jack The Ripper, and one that remains, to this day, one of the strangest, most bizarre cases in the entire criminal history of London. Sources
Ranger, H. (1793) Harris’s List of Covent Garden Ladies; or Men of Pleasure kalender for the year of 1793. H Ranger, London, UK.
Swift, Theophilus (1790) The Monster at Large: Or, the Innocence of Rhynwick Williams Vindicated. J. Ridgeway, London, UK.
Bondeson, Jan (2000) The London Monster: A Sanguinary Tale. Free Association Books, London, UK.
Bartholomew, Robert & Evans, Hilary (2009) Outbreak! The Encyclopaedia of Extraordinary Social Behaviour. Anomalist Books, TX, USA
Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette (1790) St James’s, Jan 19th. Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Tuesday 21 Jan 1790, p.3, Bath, UK.
The Public Advertiser (1790) A Reward. The Public Advertiser, Thursday 15 April 1790, p.1. London, UK.
The Public Advertiser (1790) The Monster. The Public Advertiser, Wednesday 16 June 1790, p.3. London, UK.
The Bath Chronicle (1790) The Monster Detected. The Bath Chronicle, Thursday 17 June 1790, p.3. Bath, UK.
Jackson’s Oxford Chronicle (1790) The Monster. Jackson’s Oxford Chronicle, Saturday 19 June 1790, p.1. Oxford, UK.
The Derby Mercury (1790) Trial Of The Monster. The Derby Mercury, Thursday 8 July 1790, p.2. Derby, UK
-------
This episode is sponsored by Babbel, check out babbel.com/darkhistories to get 55% off a subscription.
-------For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
During the First World War, the Ottoman Empire established a wide network of camps to house prisoners of war from the allied powers. Like most, the conditions were often poor, the treatment often harsh and the complexes often established in some of the most remote, rural and desolate landscapes. Yozgat was one such camp, comprising a small collection of buildings in a rural town commandeered by the Ottoman Army to house British officers. Whilst its conditions were not the harshest, nor its prisoners the most dangerous, it became the scene for one of the most bizarre tales of escape that the first world war and just about any incarceration, anywhere in the world, would ever see, involving buried treasure, a Ouija board and an audacious pair of pranksters with a strong desire to get home.
Sources
Jones, Elias Henry (1919) The Road to En-Dor. Anchor Press LTD, Essex, UK.
Hill, Cedric Waters (1975) The Spook and the Commandant. William Kimber, London, UK.
Fox, Margalit (2021) The Confidence Men. Profile Books LTD, London, UK.
Ritchie, John (1996) Australian Dictionary of Biography: Vol 14, 1940-1980. Melbourne University Press, Australia.
-------
This episode is sponsored by Hello Fresh, check out hellofresh.com/darkhistories50 and use the code darkhistories50 to get 50% off your first order.
-------For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
Tuesday Apr 04, 2023
Tuesday Apr 04, 2023
Almost thirty years before the opening of the tomb of Tutankhamun and the fabled “curse of the pharaohs” was unleashed upon an excitable population, rumours and stories of another curse, attached to an ancient object, had been weaving its way into myth and legend as a complicated tangle of truth and fabrication. The “Anger of the Priestess of Amen-Ra” has links to several high profile deaths and even the sinking of the Titanic. It was potentially responsible for thousands of deaths in the few decades since its discovery, far overshadowing the famous curse of the boy king in scope, even if it would never quite match it in fame. SOURCES
Luckhurst, Roger (2012) The Mummy’s Curse: The True History of a Dark Fantasy. Oxford University Press, UK.
Breckin, Edmun (2020) The Unlucky Mummy: A Concise History of the Legend. Independently Published.
Alcott, Louisa May (2019) Curse of the Mummy: Victorian Tales of Ancient Egyptian Terror. Fox Editing Classics, UK.
Bulfin, Ailise (2011) The Fiction of Gothic Egypt and British Imperial Paranoia: The Curse of the Suez Canal. Trinity College Dublin.
Barbados Agricultural Reporter (1904) A priestess of Death. Barbados Agricultural Reporter, 11 July 1904, p4.
Shaw, I & Nicholson, P (1995) British Museum Dictionary of Ancient Egypt. BMP, London.
Summers, Montague (1946) Witchcraft & Black Magic. Dover Publications, NY, USA.
Goodrich-Freer, Ada (1913) The Priestess of Amen-Ra. The Occult Review, Vol. 17, Jan 1913, p.11. London, UK.
O’Donnell, Elliott (1911) Haunted Houses of London. London, UK.
Stead, William (1909) Ghost of Egyptian Mummy Haunts British Museum. San Francisco Examiner, 15 Aug 1909, p.1. San Francisco, USA.
Cheiro (1928) True Ghost Stories. The London Publishing Company, London, UK.
-------
This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/darkhistories and get on your way to being your best self.
-------
Click the link to hit up Vessi Footwear and use my code, DARKHISTORIES at checkout for 15% off your entire order! Free shipping to CA, US, AU,JP, TW, KR, SGP
-------For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
Wednesday Mar 22, 2023
Wednesday Mar 22, 2023
In 1866 a gruesome murder on a rural farm in the centre of Scotland shocked the local community. With little clues to go on outside of a bloody axe, a boiled egg and a missing door key, the police would eventually be left having to rely heavily on a string of unreliable testimony to do their job, a factor that would go some way in creating what would wind up as Scotland’s longest running cold case. SOURCES National Records of Scotland (1861) Perth Census. https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/files//research/census-records/street-indexes/1861/1861-perth.pdf
Paton, Chris (2012) The Mount Stewart Murder. The History Press, UK.
Erikson, Arvel B. (1961) The Cattle Plague in England, 1865-1867. Agricultural History, Vol. 35, No. 2 (Apr., 1961), pp. 94-103. UK.
Dundee Courier (1866) The Murder At Mount Stewart Near Perth. Dundee Courier, Mon 2 Apr 1866, p.2. Dundee, Scotland.
Dundee Advertiser (1866) A Murder of a Most Atrocious... Dundee Advertiser, Mon 2 Apr 1866, p.2. Dundee, Scotland.
Dundee Courier (1866) The Murder At Mount Stewart Near Perth. Dundee Courier, Thurs 5 Apr 1866, p.2. Dundee, Scotland.
Perthshire Constitutional & Journal (1866) Proclamation. Reward of £100. Perthshire Constitutional & Journal. Thurs 12 April 1866, p.1. Perth, Scotland.
Perthshire Advertiser (1866) The Mount Stewart Murder. Perthshire Advertiser, Thurs 26 July 1866, p.2. Perthshire, Scotland.
Perthshire Advertiser (1867) Murder Near Bridge of Earn. Perthshire Advertiser, Thurs 11 Apr 1867, p.2. Perthshire, Scotland.
-------
Click the link to hit up Vessi Footwear and use my code, DARKHISTORIES at checkout for 15% off your entire order! Free shipping to CA, US, AU,JP, TW, KR, SGP
-------For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
Tuesday Mar 14, 2023
Tuesday Mar 14, 2023
Cover Up is a series of investigative stories that take us on a journey into a world of subterfuge and secrecy - a world where the truth is concealed under a blanket of lies. From corrupt individuals to clandestine institutions, Cover Up exposes deceit, deception and the abuse of power.Season one uncovers the story of The Ministry of Secrets, one of the great unsolved mysteries of the Cold War. At its heart is a missing person — a wartime hero and international celebrity. But that’s just the starting point. It involves the royal family, MI6, the CIA and the KGB. There’s conspiracies. And lies. This story is so sensitive, so secret - that the truth is being withheld for 100 years, until 2057. Presenter Giles Milton and producer Sarah Peters are on a quest to find out why…Want the full story? Unlock all episodes of Cover Up: Ministry of Secrets, ad-free right now by subscribing to The Binge — All Episodes. All at Once. Plus, you’ll unlock brand new stories, dropping on the first of every month — that’s all episodes, all at once, all ad-free.Just click ‘Subscribe’ on the top of the Cover Up show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you listen.A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.
Wednesday Mar 08, 2023
Wednesday Mar 08, 2023
Forty years before the infamous witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts, Hugh Parsons stepped out of his dirty, disease ridden prison cell in Boston and was carted off towards the courthouse in order to stand trial as a witch. He’d come from a small settlement named Springfield over a hundred miles away and spent the last year cooped up in a concrete prison with his life in the balance. The previous few years had seen the fear of witches spread like a disease throughout New England, with cases springing up like boils on a plague victim. Accused, tried and sent to prison to await a verdict, Parsons had survived the cold winter drinking filthy water and eating gruel in the overcrowded gaol and finally, he was to find out if he was to be lanced. SOURCES Pynchon, William (1651) Testimony Against Hugh Parsons Charged With Witchcraft. The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1650 - 1651. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/3ca63410-c627-0139-9efd-0242ac110004
Gaskill, Malcolm (2021) The Ruin Of All Witches: Life And Death In The New World. Allen Lane, UK.
Handlin, Lilian (1985) Dissent In A Small Community. The New England Quarterly, Vol. 58, No. 2 (Jun., 1985), pp. 193-220 (28 pages). New England, USA.
Evans, Hillary & Bartholomew, Robert (2015) Outbreak: The Encyclopedia of Extraordinary Social Behavior. Anomalist Books, UK.
-------
This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/darkhistories and get on your way to being your best self.
-------For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.