Social history

Periodic outbreaks of smog would continue for several years – this image shows a London street in late 1953. (Image by Getty Images)

The Great Smog of London: what caused the 1952 crisis?

Sæberht of Essex, who oversaw the building of London’s original church of St Paul’s (Photo by The Picture Art Collection / Alamy Stock Photo)

How to survive the Dark Ages in Britain: 6 crucial tips

A medieval illustration showing a doctor bleeding a patient

General History

A history of medicine 14 surprising facts

A colourised photomontage depicts a young woman on her deathbed in 1858. The “fasting girls” phenomenon of the
19th century resulted in similar scenes being played out in British and American homes. (Photo by Gado/Getty Images)

Hidden lives Victorian fasting girls

Baptism of Christ c1567, by Juan Fernandez de Navarrete

The “silent study of art”: the deaf artists of the Renaissance

David Dimbleby commands the studio during the May 1997 general election

BBC at 100 Into the digital age

Grave of a fallen soldier in World War I

First World War

“Their name liveth for evermore”: the difficult task of locating, identifying and honouring the dead of WW1

Queen Elizabeth II sends her first Tweet during a visit to the 'Information Age' Exhibition at the Science Museum on October 24, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

How did the world change during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign?

Britain’s harsh winter of 1880–81 depicted as the start of a new ice age, by contemporary cartoonist George du Maurier (Photo by Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty Images)

Out of the cold: the slow beginnings of climate change science

Theban mural showing people plucking geese. (Photo by DEA / G Dagli Orti/De Agostini/Getty Images)

Life in Ancient Egypt: what was it like?

The queen – dressed in dark clothing – stands up from a table to deliver a speech

Annus Horribilis What happened in the Queen’s horrible year?

Guy Fawkes, caught in the act of preparing the Gunpowder Plot, 1605 (c1900). Fawkes (1570-1606) was an English conspirator who attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament on November 5th 1605 during the State Opening of Parliament by James I. The plot was foiled after a tip-off and Fawkes was arrested by guards after a search of the cellars. Fawkes and the other conspirators were executed for treason in 1606. From Peeps into the Past, published c1900. (Photo by Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

The letter that betrayed the gunpowder plotters

A propaganda photograph showing a typical German family eating the Eintopf, a cost-saving stew promoted by the Third Reich

Second World War

The stomach for the fight: the food policies used by the Nazis to maintain control in the Third Reich

An engraving of a prison hulk at Deptford, from a c1826 painting. (Photo by: Photo 12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Floating hell: the brutal history of prison hulks

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General History

A family history of the world . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.