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Categories: Factual: History

  1. The School of Scottish Studies

    Documentary about Edinburgh University's School of Scottish Studies, created in 1951.

    BBC Two Scotland

  2. Band of Vagabonds - The Birth of the SAS

    On the 16th of November 1941 the SAS carried out its first secret operation.

    BBC News

  3. An African Asian Affair

    Vishva Samani explores the post-expulsion relationship between British Asians and Ugandans

    BBC Radio 4

  4. They Shoot Horses Don't They?

    Andy Davies tells the story of dance marathons and their influence on modern reality TV.

    BBC Radio 6 Music

  5. Blackpool Tram

    How the Blackpool tram has become an efficient solution to traffic and pollution problems.

    BBC Four

  6.

    The Blood Telegram

    The story of one of the most controversial documents in US diplomatic history.

    BBC Radio 4

  7.

    Boundaries of Blood

    How does the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971, which created Bangladesh, still resonate today?

    BBC Radio 4

  8. Warsaw Variations

    The story of two Polish composers, Andrzej Panufnik and Witold Lutoslawski.

    BBC Radio 4 Extra

  9. Still Ringing After All These Years: A Short History of Bells

    Richard Taylor unravels the history that has made bells such a key British sound.

    BBC Four

  10.

    Inside the Academie Francaise

    Agnes Poirier explores the role of the body which protects the French language.

    BBC Radio 4

  11. Wojtek: The Bear That Went to War

    The story of Wojtek the Bear, who fought in WWII alongside a band of Polish soldiers.

    BBC Two

  12. Cheers!

    John Sergeant invites his guests to a musical celebration of the ancient art of toasting.

    BBC Radio 4 Extra

  13. What the Donkey Saw: UA Fanthorpe's Christmas Poems

    Sheila Hancock reads the poems that UA Fanthorpe sent as Christmas greetings.

    BBC Radio 4

  14. In Search of Highland Mary

    Lorraine McIntosh unravels the mystery behind Robert Burns' doomed lover, Mary Campbell.

    BBC Radio Scotland

  15. The Hidden Graves of the Holocaust

    Jonathan Charles reports on attempts to locate graves at Treblinka's death camp.

    BBC Radio 4

  16.

    Domesday Reloaded: How Britain Has Changed

    Danny Dorling uses the Domesday Reloaded data to explore how Britain has changed.

    BBC Radio 4 Extra

  17. How the Humber Changed Our World

    How the Humber ports defined the lives of families on both sides of the river.

    BBC One

  18. Pugin: God's Own Architect

    Richard Taylor charts Victorian Gothic architect Pugin's extraordinary life story.

    BBC Four

  19. Phil Collins - King Of The Wild Frontier

    Presenter Patrick Humphries explores rock star Phil Collins' impressive Alamo collection

    BBC Radio 4 Extra

  20.

    The Secret Catacombs of Paris

    Jonathan Glancey investigates Paris's secret underground maze of tunnels.

    BBC Radio 4 Extra

  21. Saxon Hoard: A Golden Discovery

    Dan Snow travels unravels the secrets of the Staffordshire Hoard.

    BBC Two

  22. Castle Commando

    Documentary looking at the paramilitary academy based at Achnacarry from 1942 to 1945.

    BBC Two

  23. Smiley's People

    Yellow circle. Black eyes. Happy mouth. Alastair Sooke explores the smiley face.

    BBC Radio 4

  24.

    Famed For Its Knitting

    The life and changing times of Woman's Weekly as it celebrates its centenary

    BBC Radio 4 Extra

  25. Bomber Boys

    Colin and Ewan McGregor explore Bomber Command, a rarely told story from World War II.

    BBC One

  26. Bosnia - The Forgotten Victims

    Former British Colonel Bob Stewart returns to Bosnia and the killing ground of Srebrenica.

    BBC Radio 5 Live

  27. Dickens: The People's Man

    Robert Hall visits the places that shaped Charles Dickens.

    BBC News

  28. Smallpox in Wales: The Forgotten Killer

    Documentary about the smallpox outbreak in South Wales in 1962 that claimed 19 lives.

    BBC Two Wales

  29. Bach's Choir

    Stephen Evans traces the 800-year history of the boys' choir of St Thomas' Church, Leipzig

    BBC Radio 4 Extra

  30. The Brontes' Piano

    Catherine Bott explores the Bronte sisters' musical world through their restored piano

    BBC Radio 4 Extra

  31. The Topping Tooters of the Town

    William Lyons conjures the brash and brilliant music of the 500-year-old bands of waits

    BBC Radio 4 Extra

  32. The Real Upstairs Downstairs

    The real story of the Welsh servants who waited on the wealthier classes between the wars.

    BBC Radio Wales

  33. North of the Border - The Rise of Mexican Music

    Robin Denselow examines the growing influence of the Mexican drug ballad, or narcocorrido.

    BBC Radio 4

  34. The Story of Wales Debate

    Betsan Powys chairs an audience debate on the importance of understanding Welsh history.

    BBC One Wales

  35. Dickens in Parliament

    Carolyn Quinn discovers how Dickens was inspired by his time as a Westminster journalist.

    BBC Parliament

  36.

    The Man Who Discovered Egypt

    Documentary about Flinders Petrie, the pioneer who transformed field archaeology in Egypt.

    BBC Four

  37. Scotland's Titanic

    Susan Morrison uncovers the Titanic's fateful predecessor, the Norge disaster of 1904.

    BBC Radio Scotland

  38. Angelic Voices: The Choristers of Salisbury Cathedral

    The story of choristers at Salisbury Cathedral from 900 years ago to the present day.

    BBC Four

  39. Titanic

    Cyfle arall i edrych yn nôl ar un o drychinebau morwrol enwocaf hanes.

    BBC Radio Cymru

  40. The Falklands: Healing the Wounds

    Veterans of the Falklands conflict return to the islands to make peace with the past.

    BBC One Wales

  41. Titanic 100: The Myths and Legends

    Radio 2 investigates many of the stories that continue to haunt the famous ship.

    BBC Radio 2

  42. The Falklands Debate

    Historic debate in response to Argentina's invasion of the Falklands, from April 1982.

    BBC Parliament

  43.

    The Psychiatrist and the Deputy Fuhrer

    1941. A British psychiatrist is sent to a safe house in Surrey to examine POW Rudolf Hess.

    BBC Radio 4

  44. The Falklands Legacy with Max Hastings

    How the Falklands War became a model for subsequent conflicts in the late 20th century.

    BBC Two

  45. Who's Angry Now?

    John Harris investigates the current state of contemporary British protest music.

    BBC Radio 4

  46.

    Titanic Town

    Gerry Anderson considers Titanic's complex relationship with the city of her birth.

    BBC Radio 4

  47. Titanic - Southampton Remembers

    Bernard Hill discovers the impact the Titanic disaster had on Southampton's communities.

    BBC One

  48. Titanic Town

    Gerry Anderson explores how Belfast has reclaimed the unsinkable ship it tried to forget.

    BBC Radio Ulster

  49. Titanic - Minute By Minute

    Jeremy Vine, Dermot O'Leary and Penny Smith mark the moment the Titanic sank 100 years ago

    BBC Radio 2

  50. Titanic Hymn

    Cherrie McIllwaine on the Titanic band's swansong, the hymn Nearer My God to Thee.

    BBC Radio Ulster

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