logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2024
38m 10s

Prison Hulks: Floating Hells for Convict...

History Hit
About this episode
tail spinning
Up next
Today
The Medieval Murder of Thomas Becket
Anthony is joined by the iconic Eleanor Janega from our sister podcast 'Gone Medieval' to tell the story of the most famous murder of the medieval world - Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Cantebury.How did a bromance between Thomas and his king turn into a deadly divide between churc ... Show More
56m 31s
Mar 2
Mysterious History of Tarot Cards
Maddy and Anthony get their Tarot cards read by Melissa Mercury! As well as reading their cards, Melissa tells us about the history of Tarot cards and who is responsible for their iconic design.Find out why Swords aren't always bad and why the Death card can be good news!This epi ... Show More
55m 40s
Feb 26
Origins of Victorian Murder Detectives
We have an image in our heads of Victorian Homicide Detectives, but what was the reality? Who were they? What murder cases shaped their history? What methods did they use? Were they anything at all like Sherlock Holmes?Anthony Delaney takes Maddy Pelling on this journey through t ... Show More
44m 6s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2024
Introducing Ear Hustle - Episode 1: That World
Ear Hustle is prison slang for eavesdropping, and that’s what listening to the show feels like: a raw, often funny, and always surprising peek into the reality of life inside prison. Hosts Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods co-created the show that launched in 2017 while Earlonne was ... Show More
45m 52s
Sep 2025
Inside The 18th Century Brothel Ship
Why did a British ship carry over 200 women to Australia in the late 18th century? In this episode, we are going inside the Lady Juliana, a convict transportation ship.What crimes were these women being punished for? What was life like on the ship? And why was it called a 'floati ... Show More
37m 33s
Nov 2024
36. Sophie Lyons - Crime Doesn't Pay
In this episode of Lady Swindlers, Lucy Worsley is exploring the life of Sophie Lyons, pickpocket, blackmailer and conwoman extraordinaire, known as the infamous Queen of the Underworld.Born in Germany in the late 1840s, aged 8 Sophie moves to New York, USA. She is taught from an ... Show More
28m 14s
Aug 2024
The Secret Life of Lifers | Part 1
tail spinning
58m 30s
Oct 2024
Why thousands of UK prisoners are being freed early
There is an overcrowding crisis in UK prisons. There are also problems with gang violence, drug abuse, self harm and a record number of weapons now being made in jails. To deal with the chronic overcrowding, the UK government has begun releasing thousands of prisoners early in En ... Show More
26m 28s
Dec 2020
The Artful Dodger
Gary Mansfield agreed to transport two holdalls across the UK for a criminal organisation. What he thought was a couple of bags full of fake designer clothes labels turned out to be over 4 million pounds worth of class A drugs. The judge sentenced him to 14 years in prison. Insid ... Show More
59m 42s
Sep 2020
Con Artists Bites: Prison Escapes
In addition to new episodes of Con Artists each week, you’ll now also hear Crime Bites every Friday. Each Crime Bites episode gives you a deeper, yet brief look into true-crime topics covered at Parcast. Today we’re discussing prison escapes. How common are prison escapes, and wh ... Show More
19m 20s
Oct 2025
What is criminology? | Live from the University of Greenwich | Shahid Amin and Dr Ruth Armstrong
Shahid Amin was serving a long sentence in HMP Grendon when he began studying criminology. This came after teenage years in which being engaged with the police and the criminal justice system overshadowed any early experiences with education. He has continued his further educatio ... Show More
40m 12s
Nov 2024
A History of Escaping from Alcatraz Prison
<p>Alcatraz was the jewel in the crown of America's prison system. The wind-swept island fortress was the final stop for the nation's most dangerous criminals, including the notorious gangsters Al Capone and George 'Machine Gun' Kelly. It was thought to be escape-proof - at least ... Show More
36m 48s
Dec 2024
40. By Hook or by Crook
Lucy Worsle digs into the lives of bold women who choose - by hook or by crook - to escape a life of poverty, misfortune and hardship. This episode highlights the fascinating tales of four invincible women. Sophie Lyons, a bank robber who, by the power of the American Dream, turn ... Show More
27m 58s