Past Matters

In this final episode of season 3, podcast host Ploy Radford and zooarchaeologists Dr Rob Symmons and Professor Naomi Sykes discuss the importance of animal bones to unveiling the past, and how the ones discovered at Fishbourne Roman Palace suggest there was once an exotic zoo there. 

Stonehenge is without doubt one of the most iconic historic monuments in Britain. It turns out though it wasn't just people in prehistoric Britain building stone circles of cultural significance though - it was also happening on the other side of the world in prehistoric Japan. To delve into this phenomenon more, English Heritage has put on an exhibition ‘Circles of Stone: Stonehenge and Prehistoric Japan’ in the exhibition centre at Stonehenge. Podcast host Ploy Radford speaks to Interpretation Manager Melanie Coussens about a few of the underrated objects in the collection that have stories worth your attention.

Find out more about the founder of the Arts and Crafts movement in England, William Morris, from the story of a sword and helmet he had made for one of his first artistic projects. On display at the William Morris Gallery, these items reveal lots about Morris' early life, his influences and are even linked to his love story with his wife.

This is an episode for arms and armour enthusiasts, Ricardians, and those interested in the magic of movie-making. Host Ploy Radford interviews Dr Toby Capwell from the Wallace Collection about their temporary exhibition linked to 'The Lost King' movie about Richard III. Learn about the art of creating armour for film, what would Richard III have actually worn to that fateful battle and what modern archaeology tells us about whether he was betrayed or not... 

This podcast is about celebrating the underrated, so in this episode, host Ploy Radford talks to art historian and miniatures expert Emma Rutherford about an utterly remarkable artist whose work is being exhibited for the first time in 100 years at the Philip Mould & Company Gallery in London. The artist in question is Sarah Biffin, who lived from 1784 – 1850, and created beautiful works of art, particularly miniatures, that would be considered wonderful even if you weren’t aware that she painted them without hands. Biffin was born with phocomelia, so without arms and legs, and overcame this enormous challenge to become a celebrated artist who painted for the royal family. In this episode, you will find out more about the extraordinary life she lived, her artwork, and how she was perceived during her life.

Past Matters podcast host Ploy Radford interviews Hannah Dennett, Curator of the 'Tiny Traces: African & Asian Children at London's Foundling Hospital', about the stories of these children, uncovered for the first time for this vital and interesting exhibition at the Foundling Museum. Listen to learn more about the lives of foundlings and the complex views on race in 18th century Britain. You can view images of the discussed objects on Past Matters' social media channels and www.ployradford.com. 

Season 2 of Past Matters ends on a gruesome note with Ben Paites, Collections and Learning Curator at Colchester & Ipswich Museums, discussing the history of the prisons at Colchester Castle. Not for the squeamish this episode covers prison conditions, witch burnings and the over zealous pursuit of justice.  As ever you can see a picture of the objects discussed on the podcast on PloyRadford.com or Past Matters' social media channels. 

In this episode, host Ploy Radford talks to Jo Hatton, Keeper of the Natural History Collection at the Horniman Museum & Gardens in South London. She picked a pair of taxidermied huia birds from the collection as her underrated objects. What makes these sadly now extinct birds particularly remarkable is that they represent the most pronounced example of sexual dimorphism in bill shape of any bird species in the world.  So keep listening to learn more about these fascinating creatures from Jo, as well as what they tell us about emerging interest in natural history in Victorian England.

For this episode, host Ploy Radford revisits a museum featured in season 1 – Ipswich Museum. This time, Tim Rousham from the visitor services team at the museum discusses two pattern-welded swords from the 9th century AD. Tune in to this episode to learn more about designing beautiful and effective swords and how their shape changed over time and why.  You can see an image of swords on www.ployradford.com or by following Past Matters on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. 

Vanessa Meade, Curator of Exhibitions and Interpretations at the Museum of the Home, talks to Ploy Radford about a humble yet special 1960s clock for this episode of Past Matters.  You can view a picture of the clock on www.ployradford.com or by following Past Matters on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. 

Compton Verney in Warwickshire has one of the finest collections of folk art in the UK. In this episode Director Julie Finch tells Ploy Radford why 'Schooner approaching the harbour' by Alfred Wallis, which is painted on a tea tray, is a piece of folk art that particularly resonates with her during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic lockdown.  You can view an image of the painting on www.ployradford.com. 

When you're asked to imagine an iconic item of clothing the humble smock probably doesn't come to mind. However, in this episode, Dr Ollie Douglas, Curator at The Museum of English Rural Life (MERL), convinces podcast host Ploy Radford as to the importance of the smock to English identity. Design, how we align stories with historical objects and ferrets all feature too.  As ever you can find pictures of the objects discussed on this podcast on PloyRadford.com. 

In this episode, Zofia Matyjaszkiewicz, who is the Collections Assistant at the Roman Baths in Bath, tells Ploy Radford why a patera - a shallow libation bowl - is her underrated object at this world-famous site. This one object sets off a whole discussion about Roman lives and passions, how design can let us date an object, and the concept of pilgrimage.  You can view a picture of the patera on the website PloyRadford.com. 

While the previous episode reminded listeners to look down when visiting historic houses, in a pleasing symmetry, this episode reminds them to look up. Podcast host Ploy Radford talks to Clare Gough, Director at Pitzhanger Museum & Gallery, about three beautiful ceilings in the building, touching on subjects of family fallouts, the use of light in architecture and clever restoration tricks along the way.  You can view pictures of the ceilings on PloyRadford.com. 

This episode of Past Matters should encourage visitors to England's finest stately homes to look down as well as up for future visits, as Assistant Curator and Archivist at Harewood House, Beckie Burton, describes the significance of a grand Axminster carpet for social standing.  You can find a picture of the carpet on Ployradford.com. 

To kick off season 2 of Past Matters, podcast host Ploy Radford talks to Dr Steven Parissien, CEO of Palace House, Newmarket, about a painting by Lucy Kemp-Welch - 'Colt hunting in the New Forest'. Kemp-Welch was a highly successful artist and illustrator - which was rare achievement for women in the late Victorian/Edwardian era - download this episode to hear more about this feminist trailblazer.  For copyright reasons, a photo of the painting cannot be shared via PloyRadford.com as usual, however you can view it here: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/kemp-welch-colt-hunting-in-the-new-forest-n01649

It’s not all about the mammoth! Visitors to Ipswich Museum should also take note of three frightening looking taxidermied gorillas in the corner of the Victorian Natural History Gallery there. This group were the first gorillas the British public would have ever seen and the story of their expressions and poses provides a crucial insight into Victorian thinking and involve a swashbuckling fraudster desperate to be accepted by moralistic Victorian society. You can view a picture of the gorillas on Ployradford.com. 

Art, dogs, and a famous royal mistress... what more could you want from a podcast episode? To round off Season 1 of Past Matters, journalist Ploy Radford talks to Dr Mia Jackson, Curator of Decorative Arts at Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire, about a beautiful snuffbox depicting the beloved dogs and birds of Madame de Pompadour, the mistress of Louis XV of France. Listen in to learn more about France's most famous mistress, the complicated art of porcelain making, and Mia's thoughts on the identity of the pampered pooches depicted.  You can view a picture of the object on Ployradford.com. 

This episode of Past Matters if for fans of the Tudors, Anne Boleyn and anyone who has ever wanted to learn more about tapestries, royal signifiers of power and historical fashion. Or those who enjoy looking for the comic scenes hidden in art.  Download to hear Alison Palmer, Conservation and Engagement Assistant, at Hever Castle talk about three very beautiful and entertaining tapestries that are currently hanging at the former seat of the Boleyn family.  You can view pictures of the tapestries on PloyRadford.com or via Past Matters' social media channels. 

This episode takes us to the Holburne Museum in Bath, which runs an excellent programme called Pathways to Wellbeing whereby they offer art classes focusing on the objects in the museum to people with mental health issues referred by the local NHS trust.  Listen on to hear Louise Campion, Education and Outreach Officer at the Holburne, discuss the history of an object that was used in a Pathways to Wellbeing art class and why it was a helpful talking point for the session participants.  You can find a picture of the object in question on Ployradford.com.