What We Did Before | A History of Everyday Life

Send us Fan Mail 💬 Were humans always conscious? And why did ancient people seem to constantly report encounters with the gods? One theory by Julian Jaynes - the Bicameral Mind hypothesis - suggests that, as recently as 3,000 years ago, the normal state for the human mind was very different to today - that for most of human history, consciousness as we know it today did not exist at all. ⚡ In this episode we hear from Brian J. McVeigh, anthropologist, cultural psychologist and psychoth...

Send us Fan Mail 💬 White paint was used everywhere in Victorian Britain. The trouble was, the pigment that made this paint so useful was deadly. For the people working in the white lead factories, this job was said to be deadlier than being a soldier. Early chemical jobs were notoriously hazardous, but white lead workers are said to have had it worst of all. We’ve known about white lead’s toxic and deadly qualities for thousands of years. Despite this people - like Queen Elizabeth I - wore it...

Send us Fan Mail 💬 What was life like before gas lighting? Just over 230 years ago, even the wealthiest homes were poorly lit by modern standards. But when a Scottish engineer began experimenting with gas, he sparked a revolution that would transform everyday life. ⚡ In this episode we hear from Russell Thomas, Technical Director at WSP and gas historian. We discover how William Murdoch earned a reputation as the “Wizard of Cornwall”, why Victorian gasworks were such dangerous and unpleasant ...

Send us Fan Mail 💬 The East End Matchwomen produced one of Victorian Britain’s most important everyday products - but the job could be deadly. In Victorian London, the East End was seen as the slums. High society looked down on the people who inhabited this part of the city - so the horrors that faced East End workers comes as no surprise. ⚡ In this episode we hear from Labour historian Dr Louise Raw, author of Striking a Light: The Bryant & May Matchwomen and Their Place in History.&nbsp...

Send us Fan Mail 💬 In the early 20th century, radium was hailed as a wonder substance. Young women landed well-paid jobs painting glow-in-the-dark watch dials with it, even putting their brushes between their lips to keep a fine point. Years later, their teeth began falling out, their bones started disintegrating and the horrifying truth about radium emerged. ⚡ In this episode we hear from Kate Moore, New York Times bestselling author of The Radium Girls. She tells the remarkable story of the...