Simon Shaw
Invisible LivesEpisodes
Episodes of Invisible Lives
Mark All
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Since this series of podcasts began a year ago, one tale has continued to fascinate listeners more than any other; the extraordinary life of revolutionary artist Doris Hatt. Her story reads like something from a cold war spy novel, yet every de
Two learned Victorians forged a remarkable friendship when work began on the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary. Yet how was a convicted lunatic allowed inside such hallowed circles?
Long before the computer age two British writers dedicated their lives to creating extraordinary reference books. One was a work of awesome scholarship that is still in use today by ecclesiastical scholars. The other created a publishing empire
In such unprecedented times we all need a story of hope. So here's an account of the work of one man who held firm to his beliefs in the face of a global epidemic: Dr John Snow.
A small community tucked in a rural community in middle England scandalised Britain in the 19th century when they became the prototype of 20th century cult religions. Accusations of brainwashing, dramatic rescues of its inmates, and moral outra
At the turn of the 19th century one of Britain's most admired estates welcomed a new owner. The beautiful Piercefield Park in Wales which had been built by the owner of a sugar plantation worked by slaves became home to a black owner who'd hims
In 1926 a man called Frank Power captivated British readers by promising to reveal an awesome secret. The government was forced to act but the final revelations by a mysterious newspaper journalist caught everyone off guard.
How did an English schoolboy who dreamed of escaping to live on the frontier in North America's wilderness become one of the first modern ambassadors for protecting native wildlife? To do so an intense deception was required.
As a new Prime Minister takes up residence in 10 Downing Street we open the files to discover which spirits could haunt his home. And a priest, philanderer and pirate reveals himself as perhaps the most disreputable former resident.
Was he Britain's first investigative journalist? The man who inspired Charles Dickens; Henry Mayhew.
Victorian Britain hid an underworld of poverty, vice and squalid living. Until a brave writer called Henry Mayhew brought the scandal of inequality to light in a series of searing and inspirational publications. Who knew the secret world of the
Hundreds of years before our greatest concert venues were created a shed above a coal merchants in the back streets of London was converted in to the first venue where serious music was heard. Great composers like Handel even had their first Br
It's that time of year. From the dark files, three real life stories of grim events that can occur after death. The fear of being buried alive led one woman to plan an extraordinary death. A love struck Lord who kept his lover in a glass coffin
Oscar winning actress Margaret Rutherford won international praise for her many popular film roles, yet few knew the original Miss Marple hid a dark secret. A gruesome murder haunted her private life, eventually leading to enforced spells insid
When a British aristocrat fell in love with a hot blooded Spanish dancer little did either know the troubling times that lay ahead. This dalliance with an Andalusian spitfire came to scandalize society and gripped the nation at the start of the
Robert Cowell led life straight out of the pages of a "Boys Own" adventure story. He was an award winning motor racing driver and fighter pilot. Yet this outwardly machismo identity hid a person battling inwardly with an identity crisis. Today
When a last minute re-shuffle was made just before the Titanic set sail on its inaugural voyage in 1912 a fatal error occurred. Was this the most catastrophic lapse of memory in history? As the Titanic sank a man held a key to the lookout's bin
When a British bobby became sick from a small scratch, a chain of events triggered a discovery that would change medical history. Police Constable Albert Alexander acted as a human guinea-pig for the trial of the first antibiotic; Penicillin. Y
In late Victorian England an ugly war was waged upon the newly formed Salvation Army. Many towns and cities saw confrontations as drunken mobs attacked the men, women and children showing compassion to the poor. However, one leading member of t
Long before the world woke up to our global environmental crisis, a lone voice was calling for change. Yet English eccentric, Charles Waterton was often dismissed as a raving idiot. Despite a barrage of criticism he created the world's first na
As the battle to gain British women the vote grew, many women were imprisoned for their actions. They were often brutally treated, force fed and punished violently. But on their release many found succour and comfort inside a grand house on the
As an addition to the Doris Hatt episode, hear one of the research interviews conducted to acquire information for the segment. Adrian Webb is now 83 years old but clearly remembers his many colourful encounters with artist Doris. He talks cand
In one of England's gentle back waters a radical woman brought revolutionary ideas causing alarm back in the 1930's. Feminist, Communist and Modernist artist, Doris Hatt shook the establishment in the sleepy seaside town of Clevedon. But just w
A century before the dawn of the computer age, a young woman had a remarkable vision. Ada Lovelace is credited as the first computer programmer. So how did she achieve the insight which would become the core concept of the digital era? And why
How has such a pioneering figure in medical history been neglected in gaining recognition? Why does Dr Barry not merit an historic marker in England? This remarkable individual endured a life of secrecy, loneliness and harsh criticism in the qu
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