Present History Podcast

In this episode of the Present History Podcast, Zachary Peatling sat down with Joanna Grochowicz, a polar historian and critically acclaimed author, to discuss Ernest Shackleton, the Endurance and the incredible stories of polar exploration!   

Check out Joanna Grochowicz: 

Website: https://www.joannagrochowicz.com

Twitter: @GrochowiczJ  

Shackleton's Endurance: An Antarctic Survival Story: https://www.waterstones.com/book/shackletons-endurance/joanna-grochowicz/9781911679158

Check out Zachary Peatling: 

Website: https://www.presenthistory.co.uk

Twitter: @zjpeatling

The First World War was one of the most catastrophic and impactful events in British history, and the soldiers’ experience of it has often been boiled down to mud, blood, poison gas and ‘going over the top’. But, there are aspects of life that were fundamental to a soldier’s experience that have been simply overlooked. For example, the ‘Trench Talk’; the way in which the soldiers communicated with one another, how they voiced their feelings and emotions, and even, how they interacted with the public back home. Slang and banter would be crucial parts in how the soldiers on the front experienced and dealt with the horrors of war.

Christianity is the most popular and widespread religion in the world, and it is no less prevalent here, having been the official state religion since the end of the Roman era. And yet, Christianity in Britain has a long, complicated and controversial history. And so, in this episode of the Present History Podcast, we will be examining this history from the Roman Era until now.

So, let’s delve into a history of being Christian and British.

The history of Jews in Britain is an often overlooked part of our history. And yet, it is longer, deeper and more violent than many would know. In this episode of the Present History Podcast, we’re going to look at the history of Judaism, antisemitism and Jewishness in Britain, from the Roman era until today.

So, let’s dive in to a brief history of being Jewish & British.

Thomas Carlyle in 1840 wrote that ‘world history is but the biography of great men’, and yet, British history is filled with powerful, influential and dynamic women, who actively changed the course of Britain forever.

In this episode of the Present History Podcast, we’re going to look at the history of women, women’s rights, sexism and feminism. Through the lives of a number of incredible women, we will get a brief overview of British women’s history from the Roman era to the present day.

So, let’s take a look into a history of being Female & British.

The history of race and Britain is a long, complicated and contentious one. In this episode of the Present History Podcast, we’re going to take a deep, but brief dive into this history and how it directly affects us today, taking a particular focus on the treatment of black people in this country.

In light of all that has happened recently in America, with the murder of George Floyd, and the overwhelming response to it, I know that I’ve found myself finding it very easy to talk about racism in America, the history of it, I can name the major figures, talk about the events, talk about MLK and Malcom X, the Civil Rights Act of 1968, and everything that happened with that. But I, personally, know that I have very little knowledge of the history of race, racism and race relations in Britain. So this whole episode has kind of come out of my own personal research, as I have tried to understand the history of this issue in our own country.

So let’s dive into a brief history of being Black & British.