Dark Histories

Ben Cutmore

Fortnightly narratives on the unsolved and the unexplained, mysteries, historical true crime, touches of the paranormal and cultural peculiarities.

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255 episodes
Updated July 14

Episodes255

Newest first

Mar 3, 2019 · 1 hr 21 min
The Disappearance of Lord Lucan
Lord Lucan, a name of considerable infamy, not as a member of the aristocracy, but for the murder of his children's nanny in a house in the elitist district of Belgravia, London in 1973 and his subsequent disappearance. It was a story that the press went to town on, a classic us vs them tale of Class superiority and those that would seek to protect the hierarchy at all costs, but how much of it was based on truth and how much just a convenient narrative for the journalists that covered the case?
Feb 17, 2019 · 1 hr 51 min
Bridget Cleary: Away with the Fairies
Faeries, changelings and herbalist doctors might seem like characters in a winding tale of medieval folklore today, but in 1895, Ireland bore witness to a case that saw these facets of folk tradition flare up in a very real way when Michael Cleary, a skilled tradesman of County Tipperary set fire to his wife, burning her to death.
Feb 3, 2019 · 53 min
Everyday Sensationalism in Victorian Britain: The Illustrated Police News
We take a deep look at the Victorian press and in particular, hone in on the wonder that was The Illustrated Police News. Most famous today for its coverage of Jack the Ripper, the paper covered all manner of Victorian crime, punishment, murder, suicide and cultural oddities. Aimed at the masses, it was sensationalist, scandalous and wildly popular, much to the chagrin of the established press.
Jan 27, 2019 · 25 min
Bonus Episode? January Patreon AMA
Bit of a massive cock-up this week, all is explained, but instead of skipping a week, I'm putting out this episode instead. Apologies, back to usual programming from next week!
Jan 13, 2019 · 1 hr 38 min
Bella Wright & The Green Bicycle Mystery
It was the summer of 1919, in a leafy rural region of Leicestershire that we turn our focus towards today and a woman named Bella Wright, who was found lying dead by the roadside one quiet, Saturday evening. At first, police assumed her death to have been an accident, but things escalated quickly, when a gunshot wound was later discovered and the last man seen with Bella alive appeared to have disappeared completely.
Dec 24, 2018 · 52 min
BONUS: Christmas Campfire 2018
We're back for 2018 with more listener stories sent in specially for this Christmas Bonus. Thank you so much to all the contributors and to everyone for listening this year. Merry Christmas.
Dec 16, 2018 · 59 min
The Rise & Fall of Spring Heeled Jack
Victorian England, an age of great industry, enlightenment, of learning and of advancement. Equally, it was the age of spiritualism, parapsychology, and restrictive social practices. In the chaotic streets of the suburbs of London, the first Victorian Urban Legend was waiting to be born, beating out Sweeney Todd by a full 9 years, Spring Heeled Jack brewed in the fears of an uncertain populace and burst onto the scene, metal claw and all, stirring a sensation that was far too ripe for anyone to
Dec 2, 2018 · 1 hr 27 min
The Euston Square Mystery
The Lodging houses of Victorian London held no shortage of scandal and intrigue for the more imaginative Londoners in the 19th Century. The Maids and their masters, the comings and goings of a transient household and the very concept of strangers living together under one roof in an age when such situations were not seen as natural. Still, even the most imaginative of passers by could not have expected the stories that would soon come flooding out from one particular household, when in 1879, the
Nov 18, 2018 · 55 min
Room 1046
The tale of room 1046 of the President Hotel in Kansas City is a strange one. A murder mystery with almost no clues and no evidence at the crime scene, but a victim with three names, left beaten, possibly tortured and a trail of several peculiar phone calls.
Nov 4, 2018 · 1 hr 5 min
Demons & Witches: Ann Glover & The Goodwin Children
This week, we have a tale of Devilry and witchcraft, demonic possessions and a good dose of Persecution on all fronts! Pre-dating Salem by 3 years, Ann Glover was an Irish immigrant living in Boston in 1688, hung for witchcraft, an event which laid the groundwork for what would happen up the road a few years later.
Oct 30, 2018 · 45 min
Halloween Bonus: Five Folk Horrors
Happy Halloween! As a special bonus episode to celebrate the good Hallows Eve, I decided to dig up and re-write five old folk horror tales from around the world. The stories span the last 500 years and range show that no matter what time you lived in or which language you spoke, we all have a fascination with telling a good scary tale. Usual schedule will commence with a new episode this coming Sunday. Cheers and have a good one! Stories included: Mae Nak (Thailand) Sawney bean (England) Bot
Oct 21, 2018 · 52 min
The Spider Man of Denver: Theodore Edward Coneys
In 1941, a man named Phillip Peters was found murdered in his home in Denver, Colorado. The doors and windows to the house showed no signs of forced entry and were locked when neighbours discovered the body. Strange stories of odd sightings flew around the neighbourhood, with the attack becoming known in the papers as “The Denver ghost house slayings”. The truth however, was to be something far stranger and probably for most, far more terrifying.
Oct 8, 2018 · 58 min
Phantom: The Texarkana Moonlight Murders (Part 2)
In 1946, The American twin city of Texarkana was plunged into the depths of panic and fear. The population of the postwar suburb was subjected to a series of murders that shook the dual cities to their core, prompting curfews, rumours and unease to spread through the area like the rail tracks that crept from it’s central hub. Nights of midnight movies, drive-in cafes, the songs of Duke Ellington and big band orchestras were perforated with tales of a man with a white sheet over his head, holes c
Oct 8, 2018 · 47 min
Phantom: The Texarkana Moonlight Murders (Part 1)
In 1946, The American twin city of Texarkana was plunged into the depths of panic and fear. The population of the postwar suburb was subjected to a series of murders that shook the dual cities to their core, prompting curfews, rumours and unease to spread through the area like the rail tracks that crept from it’s central hub. Nights of midnight movies, drive-in cafes, the songs of Duke Ellington and big band orchestras were perforated with tales of a man with a white sheet over his head, holes c
Sep 23, 2018 · 54 min
Russian Dolls: Anatoly Moskvin
In 2011, Russia bore witness to one the most bizarre cases in the countries criminal history. A story of Black magic, the Occult and one man's unusual hobby.
Sep 9, 2018 · 1 hr 9 min
Americas First Documented Ghost: The Nelly Butler Haunting
Half a century before the Fox Sisters showed up on the scene to propel mainstream spiritualism onto the populace of America, there was a much lesser known haunting taking place in the cellar of a small frontier settlement, named Sullivan in Maine. Though it was extensively documented at the time, the many eye-witness testimonies fell to the back pages of history. Despite its relatively unknown status, it remains as one of, if not the very first documented cases of a haunting in North America and
Aug 26, 2018 · 1 hr 8 min
A Topper & A Beaver: Thomas Briggs & Franz Muller
All aboard, we're going back to the Victorian era to shed some light on the first ever murder on a train in Britain at a time when people were already terrified on this crazy new technology. It's not all high speed steam trains though, we've even got a super slow-mo police chase across the Atlantic!
Aug 12, 2018 · 1 hr 16 min
The Murder of Julia Wallace
We're crashing back to earth this week with the lesser known story of William Herbert Wallace and his wife Julia. This is a case named over and over again as the quintessential murder mystery, despite its relatively unknown status. For extended show notes, including maps, links and scripts, head over to darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.pat
Jul 29, 2018 · 1 hr 14 min
Transmissions from nowhere: Numbers Stations
Starting off in 1890, we take a look back at the history of secret radio transmissions, leading up until today and unravel some of the mystery, whilst uncovering some new oddities, of what are known as 'Numbers Stations'.
Jul 15, 2018 · 1 hr 15 min
Zigmund Adamski & Alan Godfrey: A Tale of Two Halves
We head to the Yorkshire moors to take a look at one story of a mysterious death and then through bizarre coincidence, a second story of lights in the sky and little men with lamp like heads.

Dark Histories

The Disappearance of Lord Lucan

Bridget Cleary: Away with the Fairies

Everyday Sensationalism in Victorian Britain: The Illustrated Police News

Bonus Episode? January Patreon AMA

Bella Wright & The Green Bicycle Mystery

BONUS: Christmas Campfire 2018

The Rise & Fall of Spring Heeled Jack

The Euston Square Mystery

Room 1046

Demons & Witches: Ann Glover & The Goodwin Children

Halloween Bonus: Five Folk Horrors

The Spider Man of Denver: Theodore Edward Coneys

Phantom: The Texarkana Moonlight Murders (Part 2)

Phantom: The Texarkana Moonlight Murders (Part 1)

Russian Dolls: Anatoly Moskvin

Americas First Documented Ghost: The Nelly Butler Haunting

A Topper & A Beaver: Thomas Briggs &amp; Franz Muller

The Murder of Julia Wallace

Transmissions from nowhere: Numbers Stations

Zigmund Adamski & Alan Godfrey: A Tale of Two Halves

A Topper & A Beaver: Thomas Briggs & Franz Muller