Dark Histories

By: Ben Cutmore
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  • Summary

  • Fortnightly narratives on the unsolved and the unexplained, mysteries, historical true crime, touches of the paranormal and cultural peculiarities.
    Copyright © Ben Cutmore . All rights reserved.
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Episodes
  • The Ghost Hunts of George Albert Smith: Mesmerist & Film Maker

    The Ghost Hunts of George Albert Smith: Mesmerist & Film Maker
    Sep 22 2024

    The life and times of George Albert Smith are not particularly well known. Despite working for several years as a stage hypnotist and psychic, the owner of a popular pleasure park and then eventually a pioneering inventor and filmmaker, there are few who could reel off a biography based on nothing more than a name. Perhaps even more obscure, however, was his time spent as a ghost hunter for the Society for Psychical Research, which, whilst a relatively short career in comparison, was no less groundbreaking, when he took tenancy of a haunted house for more than a whole year in order to investigate the reported phenomena.

    SOURCES

    Gray, Frank (2019) The Brighton School & The Birth of British Film. Palgrave Macmillan, London, UK.

    Gray, Frank (1998) Smith the showman: The early years of George Albert Smith. Film History, Vol. 10, No. 1, Cinema Pioneers (1998), pp. 8-20. John Libby & Co., Sydney, Australia.

    Hall, Trevor (1964) The Strange Case of Edmund Gurney. Gerald Duckworth & Co Ltd, London, UK.

    Blackburn, Douglas (1883) Thought Reading Extraordinary. Light, No 86, Vol II. London, UK.

    Smith, George Albert (1884) Report on a Haunted House at Norwich. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, Vol I, 1884-5. London, UK.

    Podmore, Frank (1890) Phantasms of the Dead from Another Point of View. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, Vol VI, 1889-90. London, UK.

    Gauld, Alan & Cornell, Tony (1979) Poltergeists. White Crow Books, London, UK.

    Sussex Advertiser (1879) Suicide By Hanging. Sussex Advertiser, Sat 5 April 1879, p2. Brighton, UK.

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    This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, check out betterhelp.com/darkhistories to get 10% off your first month. -------

    For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at 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.patreon.com/darkhistories

    The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories

    Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9

    Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast

    Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories

    & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/

    Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com

    or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf

    The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye

    Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017

    Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
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    59 mins
  • Sorcery, Witchcraft & Murder: The Affair of the Poisons

    Sorcery, Witchcraft & Murder: The Affair of the Poisons
    Sep 9 2024
    In France during the 17th Century, a string of unexpected deaths lead to a murder inquiry that uncovered the dark practices of a serial poisoner, who had plied her trade in the streets of Paris, using the popular alchemy and astrology social circles for cover. The eventual arrests shocked the nation, when it was discovered that far from common rabble, the poisoners had hailed from a more well bred class of citizen. Unfortunately, for the Royal Court, the case was only the start of what would turn out to be an unravelling scandal, fueled by a moral panic and the wild imaginations of those accused, that saw witchcraft, occultism, poison and assassination infest the entirety of French society, from the bottom, all the way to the very top.

    SOURCES

    Somerset, Anne (2004) The Affair Of The Poisons: Murder, Infanticide, And Satanism At The Court Of Louis XIV. St Martin’s Press, NY, USA.

    Duramy, Benedetta Faedi (2012) Women & Poisons in 20th Century France. Golden Gate University School of Law, CA, USA.

    Zacharias, Gerhard (1964) Der dunkle Gott: Satanskult und Schwarze Messe. Wiesbaden, Germany.

    Duc de Louis de Rouvroy Saint-Simon (2016) Memoirs of Louis XIV and His Court and of the Regency — Complete. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. -------

    For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at 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.patreon.com/darkhistories

    The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories

    Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9

    Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast

    Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories

    & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/

    Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com

    or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf

    The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye

    Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017

    Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Summer Holiday 2024 - Algernon Blackwood

    Summer Holiday 2024 - Algernon Blackwood
    Aug 26 2024

    This week I'm off on my Summer holiday for a trip in the woods, so what better episode to do than read a few stories from Algernon Blackwood, all about weird woods. What was I thinking...

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    For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at 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.patreon.com/darkhistories

    The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories

    Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9

    Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast

    Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories

    & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/

    Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com

    or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf

    The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye

    Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017

    Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
    Show More Show Less
    54 mins

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Profile Image for Kerry Howes

Love it!!

Really love this podcast. Ben is really engaging and all the stories are well researched. Great listening!

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Profile Image for Gemma

love this podcast

Great podcast, been listening for more than a year. Fascinating, creepy tales all told so well

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Profile Image for Vikki

Wonderfully researched

Ben is a first class researcher, always passionate and excited about the subjects he's covering. the detail in building the story and setting the scene is always very done and whilst some people might not appreciate this, I love that he provides context and background to the stories. To some that find the narration a little flat, I would say give it time. When the podcast started out the narration did seem a little unnatural to me but as with everything, you learn as you progress and Ben's narration grows with him as the years have progressed. A five star listen, with some weird and wonderful tales, some familiar to me, others brand new and very intriguing.

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Profile Image for Chris Ryan

Really Enjoy this one.

Excellent podcast. Well written and researched. Interesting and creepy topics chosen each week most of which I have not heard of before and if the ones that I have heard of are presented in a fresh way. Really like the skeptic stance Ben takes so ot never falls into sully speculation.

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Profile Image for E Watson

I adore this podcast

I love these well-researched stories. Narrator clearly loves what he's doing and it shows.

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Profile Image for gregor

Love your work Ben.

I really like the way you spin the tale, and it shows that you've done your homework.
Me and the missus really appreciate your hard work mate.
All the best for your future episodes.

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Profile Image for karen voncripps

Wow, how have I never heard of this?

This is the best thing I've heard on audible. well researched, well delivered, I lost time listening to this story. A sleazy murder, illegal abortions, the press and cops in competition, and the police losing, under resourced and under funded. the press ruled and the headlines dominated as readership wars lost truth, but discovered clues.
if you can find a better pod cast, I'll be surprised.

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Profile Image for Mizzle

Hooked!

A while ago I'd bookmarked a few history podcasts for a rainy day, and I'm glad I did!
Ben is a very passionate and personable storyteller, who meticulously researches all of his subjects. I enjoy all the dark, twisted and spooky stories and also the calmness of his voice. Keep up the great work, Ben!

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Profile Image for steph

awesome

Absolutely love listening to the stories. Been looking for ages for a good dark history podcast.. with all mysteries supernatural and not. Thank you Ben!

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Profile Image for Anonymous User

Ugh

I struggled to understand this stutterring fella so much I quit after 2min.one big oof

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