Trapped History podcast | Listen online for free

76 episodes

Hall of Fame: The Master of Memorials
2026-03-05 | 4 mins.
Sculptor Ian Wolter accompanied us on a cold and windy day to the mesmerising Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice. The insights of a practising artist were priceless and so his choice for the Trapped History Hall of Fame is equally insightful.
Charles Jagger was a prize-winning young sculptor on the up when the First World War broke out. He quickly signed up and served in the trenches and at Gallipoli. He was awarded the Military Cross and was wounded three times.
On his return to civilian life, Charles was a changed man. And a changed artist too. Because while he would create many sculptures and statues which were not war-related, it is for his war memorials which he is remembered. They can be found in Belgium, France, Egypt and Australia but perhaps his most famous and heart-breaking one is London's Royal Artillery Memorial.
Ian is the perfect guide to the work and the emotions behind it. So when you've listened to this, head over to the main episode to hear Remembering the Ordinary: The Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice.

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
Hall of Fame: The First Black Fighter Pilot
2026-03-04 | 3 mins.
The RAF pilot Trevor Edwards joined us to marvel at the life and times of Johnny Smythe. But here, he goes back to the very beginning and nominates Robbie Clarke, the very first Black RAF pilot.
Robbie's was a charmed life – a mechanic who would be one of the first Jamaicans to drive a car, he crossed the Atlantic to sign up in 1915. Joining the Royal Flying Corps, he gained his wings in April 1917, making him the first Allied Black wartime pilot.
It's an inspiring story so when you're done with this, head over to the main episode to hear about The Four Heroic Lives of Johnny Smythe.

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
Hall of Fame: The Singer's Singer
2026-03-03 | 5 mins.
Join us as Stephen Bourne unveils his Hall of fame nominee. You may remember, Stephen was our guest on our episode about the forgotten singer who was Adelaide Hall, and he doesn't stray far from the path here!
Mabel was born in Burton-upon-Trent, but she made her name in Paris and New York, where Cole Porter, Gertrude Stein and even Ol' Blue Eyes himself fell under her spell. Her story is eye-opening and a real counterpoint to Adelaide's.
When you've finished with this, turn to the main episode: Adelaide Hall – The Greatest Singer you've Never Heard Of.

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
Hall of Fame: The Tenacious Traveller
2026-03-02 | 4 mins.
At last, Trapped History's inaugural Hall of Fame nomination is here: Rosemary Brown's nominee from our very first episode.
You may remember that Rosemary joined us to find out all about the marvellous Nellie Bly, adventurer, entrepreneur, war reporter and one of the very first investigative journalists in history. And perhaps Nellie's greatest exploit was to play Jules Verne at his own game and travel around the world in (under) 80 days.
But Nellie wasn't the only person to do that. There was another woman travelling around the world . . . So tune in to hear the story of that other great tenacious traveller, Elizabeth Bisland.

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
The Road to Vinh Linh: The Vietnam War and the Saving Rice Jar
2026-02-23 | 59 mins.
Picture a woman of the French Resistance, printing underground papers in her cellar, making bombs at her kitchen table, cycling across her country with codes hidden in her knitting. And then spin the globe 6,000 miles and find yourself in Vietnam.
Because this is what Madame Xuan Phuong did. As a teenager, Phuong fought in the jungles and mountains of Vietnam for her country’s independence against the Japanese. And then the French. And finally the Americans.
We are delighted and honoured to be joined by a very special guest to tell Xuan’s story – Madame Phuong herself. A legend in her homeland, named on the BBC’s 100 Women 2024 list and a recipient of the Legion d’Honneur, her fascinating story helps us see the Vietnam War through Vietnamese eyes.

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

More Education podcasts

Trending Education podcasts

About Trapped History

Trapped History is a history reboot for everyone. It tells the stories of the forgotten – of the hidden heroes ignored by the history we were taught in school. We take our name from something the writer James Baldwin said: “People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them.” We want to break people free from those stories. Whether it is women's history, Black history, military history, cultural history – all of this, hidden or forgotten, is also trapped history. And so we give you a history podcast for the curious, with inspiring tales of unsung heroes, people who broke the mould with their courage and defiance. Co-hosts Oswin and Carla are joined by special guests who help bring those stories to life. People like Mishal Husain, Jeremy Corbyn, Michaela Strachan, Sathnam Sanghera – even Zippo the Clown and Jet from Gladiators! Anyone with a new and different perspective on history. Rebooting history one story at a time. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to the award-winning history podcast at our website for bonus episodes and more: www.instagram.com/trappedhistory www.facebook.com/trappedhistory www.trappedhistory.com This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Podcast website

Education History Society & Culture