60 Second Histories
WW1 Munitions worker - part 2
A description of life in a munitions factory; the danger, the accidents, the camaraderie and of course, the gossip. Part 2 in a 4 part series
60 Second Histories
The Black Death - mass burials
This video explores how the dead were disposed of during the Black Death
60 Second Histories
WW1 weapons - the rifle
A WW1 soldier describes the Lee Enfield rifle, its workings and effectiveness; so rapid was the fire that the Germans actually thought it was a machine gun
60 Second Histories
Edward Jenner - Smallpox
Edward Jenner explains what smallpox is, why people feared it so much and how inoculations were sometimes used to protect people.
60 Second Histories
Shot at dawn
A sad tale of a firing squad and a young seventeen year old who, although probably suffering from shell shock, was shot for desertion
60 Second Histories
Andreas Vesalius dared to say Galen was wrong
Vesalius explains why he questioned Galen's accuracy and what he discovered when he was dissecting a human jaw.
60 Second Histories
British soldier's equipment 1914-15
A British WW1 soldier describes the equipment a he was expected to carry during 1914-15 which could all weigh up to thirty five kilos.
60 Second Histories
The Black Death, Public Reaction
A look at people's reaction to the plague and how they dealt with it.
60 Second Histories
WW1 Munitions worker - part 4
A munitionette recites a lighthearted poem of the time about rationing and the introduction of a ticket system to go to the loo. The last in a 4 part series
60 Second Histories
Siege of Lichfield
A brief account of the sieges of Lichfield during the English Civil War
60 Second Histories
WW1 weapons - bayonet & pistol
A description of one of the oldest weapons still in use, the bayonet and how it was used in close quarter combat and also the Webley revolver
Curated Video
Sislin Fay Allen: the First Black Policewoman in the United Kingdom
Although not much is known about her early life, in her 20s, Faye Allen worked at the Queen's Hospital, Croydon as a state registered nurse. During one of her lunch breaks, Allen saw a recruitment advertisement for male and female police...
60 Second Histories
Life in the trenches - Part 6
This video explains how soldiers made raids on enemy trenches. Part 6 of a 7 part series
Curated Video
Eleanor of Aquitaine part 10: King John
John again challenges the rule of his brother Richard I but is quickly defeated by his mother's forces. Richard is captured on his way back through Europe but Eleanor secures his release. Eventually, Eleanor is able to convince her two...
60 Second Histories
Life in the trenches - Part 4
This film talks about troop rotation and how it ensured soldiers weren't always on the frontline. Part 4 of a 7 part series
60 Second Histories
Cromwell
A Parliamentarian soldier describes Oliver Cromwell, his character and his achievement in developing the New Model Army
Curated Video
Eleanor of Aquitaine part 9: Eleanor Calms Tensions Between John and Richard I
Richard I appoints Eleanor to rule in his stead while he quells a revolt in Normandy. Unlike the tentative authority Eleanor had as Queen of France and England, this time she is given the same power to rule as Richard has. Eleanor...
Curated Video
Lady Jane Grey part 1: Early Life
When Lady Jane Grey became Queen, it was the first time in 400 years that a woman had been on the thrown. Jane was born into a family of wealth and royal privilege. Her mother was the sister of King Henry VIII and her father's family had...
Curated Video
Royal Ghosts part 5: George III
King George III of England was a popular ruler, known for not taking mistresses and a deep love of his country. He ruled the country through numerous wars, including the loss of the American colonies, and reigned during the time when...
Curated Video
Eleanor of Aquitaine part 6: Who Will Inherit Angevin?
Despite the annimosity between Eleanor and her ex-husband, Louis VII, the daughters of Eleanor and Louis VII are betrothed to the elder sons of Eleanor and Henry II. Their eldest surviving son is raised with his father in England while...
Curated Video
Aethelflaed part 2: Teen Years and Education of an Anglo-Saxon Noblewoman
Aethelflaed's early teen years were spent in Wessex during a time of relative peace. She had the time and luxury of continuing her studies. What was education like for young Anglo-Saxon nobels? Learn what royal women and girls were...
Curated Video
Lady Jane Grey part 12: To Forgive or Condemn the Grey Family?
Frances, Jane's mother was cousins with Princess Mary and they had always been close. Hoping this relationship would work in her favor, Frances pleads for Mary to forgive the Greys, claiming the Duke of Northumberland had poisoned them...
Curated Video
Lady Jane Grey part 2: Ward of Thomas Seymour
At the age of ten, Jane went to live as a ward in Thomas Seymour's home. Not long after her arrival, Thomas' wife and the former Queen, Katherine Parr died. Thomas began plotting to marry Princess Elizabeth and secure a position for...
Curated Video
Christmas Games and the Role of Children
Victorian Christmas part 6 During the Victorian era, people began to view children as innocent creatures, rather than small workers. This resulted in changes to family life and celebrations, but a few parlour games that might not be...