History Extra podcast

British seaside holidays: everything you wanted to know

What did Victorians get up to on the beach? When did fish and chips first become popular? And what’s the dark story behind Punch and Judy? It’s time to grab your bucket and spade, because for our latest Everything You Wanted to Know episode we’re taking a jolly holiday back through the history of the British seaside with Dr Kathryn Ferry. Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, Kathryn answers listener questions on the 18th-century craze for drinking seawater, changing swimwear fashions and the popularity of the holiday camp.

(Ad) Kathryn Ferry’s books include Seaside 100: A history of the British Seaside in 100 Objects (Unicorn, 2020). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seaside-100-History-British-Objects/dp/1912690845/?tag=bbchistory045-21&amp;ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hist298

The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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The History Extra podcast brings you gripping stories from the past and fascinating historical conversations with the world's leading historical experts.  
 
Produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine, History Extra is a free history podcast, with episodes released six times a week. Subscribe now for the real stories behind your favourite films, TV shows and period dramas, as well as compelling insights into lesser-known aspects of the past. 
 
We delve into global history stories spanning the ancient world right up to the modern day. You’ll hear deep dives into the lives of famous historical figures like Cleopatra, Anne Boleyn and Winston Churchill, and explorations of intriguing events from the past, such as the Salem witch trials, the battle of Waterloo and D-Day. 
 
Expect fresh takes on history, helping you get to grips with the latest research, as we explore everything from ancient Roman archaeology and Viking mythology to Renaissance royals and Tudor kings and queens. 
 
Our episodes touch on a wide range of historical eras – from the Normans and Saxons to the Stuarts, Victorians and the Regency period. We cover the most popular historical subjects, from the medieval world to the Second World War, but you’ll also hear conversations on lesser-known parts of our past, including black history and women’s history. 
 
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Featuring interviews with notable historians including Mary Beard, Tracy Borman, James Holland and Dan Jones, we cover a range of social, political and military history, with the aim to start conversations about some of the most fascinating areas of the past. 
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