In this episode, which is the 22nd in Danny Hurst´s entertaining London Monopoly board history series, he takes you up West to visit Regent Street. As you will hear, this street is far more than just one of London´s most popular shopping streets. Danny explains why the street is curved and where the 1st X-rated film in the UK was shown.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The first moving picture in Britain was shown on the street, in 1896.
• Pablo Picasso appeared in the 1st X-rated film that was shown in the UK.
• Regent Street was one of the 1st of London´s streets to be planned out in advance.
• The entire street was re-developed between 1895 and 1927.
• The statue of Prospero and Ariel is regularly defaced, Danny explains why.
• All buildings on the street have to be 5 stories or less, yet Hamley´s toy store is spread over 6 floors. Danny explains how.
• Despite being one of the busiest streets in the world, every year, it is shut to traffic so a local festival can be hosted there.

BEST MOMENTS

‘It was a friendly wave from childhood every time I found myself in one of the locations on the board. ´

‘Even today, tall buildings are not allowed.’

‘It appeals to children of all ages.’

EPISODE RESOURCES

Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E

HOST BIO

Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can.

CONTACT AND SOCIALS

https://instagram.com/dannyjhurst
facebook.com/danny.hurst.9638

https://twitter.com/dannyhurst 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720

Podcast Description

"History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce.

That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story.

We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. 

If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…