It Just So Happened - an alternative history show

This episode (no. 72) was recorded at The Gold Hill Museum in Shaftesbury on 18th July 2025, as part of The Shaftesbury Fringe Festival.

The panellists were Richie Rands, Elaine Barratt and Tim Biglowe, and the host was Richard Pulsford.

We presented the following On This Day topics before going into some of the history of Shaftesbury:
- The Fire of Rome, 18th July 64
- John Hatch made his last will and testament, with Aaron Upjohn as executor, 18th July 1782
- Cricketer W. G. Grace, born 18th July 1848
- Nelson Mandela, born 18th July 1918
- Nadia Comaneci scores a perfect 10 at the Olympics, 18th July 1976

This episode (no. 71) was recorded at The Shakespeare Gallery in Scarborough on 13th June 2025, as part of The Scarborough Fringe Festival.

The panellists were Denzil Ede, John Oxley and Bryan Ghosh, and the host was Richard Pulsford.

We presented the following On This Day topics before going into some of Scarborough's history:
- Pope Gregory's decretal against cats, 13th June 1233
- The Peasant's Revolt reaches London, 13th June 1381
- The siege of Scarborough Castle, 13th June 1645
- Ludwig II of Bavaria, died 13th June 1886
- Emile Levassor 'won' the first-ever motor race, 13th June 1895
- Philosopher Martin Buber, died 13th June 1965

This episode (no. 70) was recorded at Wygston's House in Leicester on 9th February 2025, as part of The Leicester Comedy Festival.

The panellists were Ben Ennis, Jo Mungovin and Kevin Hudson, and the host was Richard Pulsford.

We presented the following On This Day topics before going into some of Leicester's history (horse racing seemed to be a recurring theme):
- the first recorded horse race, Chester, 9th February 1539
- William Henry Harrison (US president), born 9th February 1773
- Write Vasily Andreyevich Zhukovsky, born 9th February 1783
- X-rays 'developed' to see broken bones, 9th February 1896
- Charles Darrow sold the rights to Monopoly to Parker Bros, 9th February 1935
- Shergar kidnapped, 9th February 1983

This episode (no. 69) was recorded at The Guildhall in Faversham on 20th October 2024, as part of The Faversham Fringe.

The panellists were Kate Smurthwaite, Jude Sach and Micky Gibbons, and the host was Richard Pulsford.

We presented the following On This Day topics:
- Thomas Bartholin, Danish physician, discoverer of the human lymphatic system, born 20th October 1616
- The Treaty of 1818, which settled the US-Canada border, 20th October 1818
- The Battle of Navorino (Greek War of Independence), 20th October 1827
- Oxford colleges grant women's colleges equal status, 20th October 1959
- Some thoughts from Snoop Dogg, born 20th October 1971
- Some thoughts from Liz Truss, who stepped down as UK PM, 20th October 2022

Certainly, the topic on the Treaty of 1818 suddenly seems much more relevant, as we discussed the then settling of the US-Canada border, when the US last gave up some of its territory, and when Canada last stopped being mindful of a possible US invasion.

This episode (no. 68) was recorded at The Keiller Centre in the Dundee Fringe on 15th September 2024.

The panellists were Luis Alcada, Julia Knight and Andy Bullick, and the host was Richard Pulsford.

We presented the following On This Day topics, some of which seem rather prescient in the light of recent world events:
- Urban VII became Pope, on 15th September 1590
- Writer Agatha Christie, born 15th September 1890
- Tanks first introduced into battle, 15th September 1916
- Graham Taylor, England football manager, born, 15th September 1944
- Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev visits the US, 15th September 1959
- Writer Ngozi Adichie, born 15th September 1977

Apologies for the reduced sound quality and the background noise from Festival activity going on around the venue.

This episode (no. 67) was recorded at The Hill Street Theatre in the Edinburgh Fringe on 10th August 2024.

The panellists were Chrissy Derbyshire, Bryan Ghosh and Julia Knight, and the host was Richard Pulsford.

We presented the following On This Day topics:
- Saint Lawrence died, on 10th August 258
- the opening of The Louvre, on 10th August 1793
- Abai Qunanbaiuly was born, on 10th August 1845
- Herbert Hoover was born, on 10th August 1874
- Sunset Boulevard premiered, on 10th August 1950
- an 'almost edible' fruitcake from Capt Scott's Terra Nova expedition was found, on 10th August 2017

This episode (no. 66) was recorded at The Hill Street Theatre in the Edinburgh Fringe on 9th August 2024.

The panellists were Eppie Brilliant, Luis Alcada and Andy Bullick, and the host was Richard Pulsford.

We presented On This Day topics from across a wide historical timespan:
- the Battle of Adrianople, on 9th August 378
- the Leaning Tower of Pisa was founded, on 9th August 1173
- the patent for the world's first washing machine was issued, on 9th August 1910
- singer Cliff Richard signed with EMI records, on 9th August 1958
- novelist Herman Hesse died, on 9th August 1962
- Britain's first nudist beach opened, on 9th August 1979

This episode (no. 65) was recorded at The Hill Street Theatre in the Edinburgh Fringe on 8th August 2024.

The panellists were C.J. Hooper (from the U.K.), Kaytlin Bailey (from the U.S.) and Aleksandr Popov (from Estonia), and the host was Richard Pulsford.

We presented On This Day topics from across a very wide timespan:
- Destruction of the Antonia Tower on 8th August 70
- Sweden defeated by Estonian tribes on 8th August 1220
- Europe's first hot air balloon flight on 8th August 1709
- The Beatles pose for the Abbey Road album cover on 8th August 1969
- U.S. President Richard Nixon steps down on 8th August 1974
Kaytlin also shared a piece on Edinburgh's "madam" Dora Noyce.

This latest episode (Episode 64) was recorded at The Hill Street Theatre in the Edinburgh Fringe on 7th August 2024.

The panellists were Vladimir McTavish, Paul Connolly and Alex Leam, and the host was Richard Pulsford.

We mainly covered On This Day topics from the twentieth century but also went as far back as the early 17th Century for one topic:
- The first performance of Macbeth, 7th August 1606
- Napoleon writes about reintroducing slavery in Cayenne, 7th August 1802
- Fanny Blankers became the first woman to win 4 gold medals, at The Olympic Games, August 1948
- The 'Miracle Mile', 7th August 1954
- Oliver Hardy, died 7th August 1957
- Bruce Dickinson, born 7th August 1958

Thanks go to Paul, who kindly stepped in as a last minute replacement for Jane Walker who was unfortunately ill on the day.

We're back with our fortnightly episodes after a well-earned Christmas break! This latest episode (Episode 63) was recorded at The Hill Street Theatre in the Edinburgh Fringe on 6th August 2024.

The panellists were Luis Alcada, Caitriona Dowden and Paul Connolly, and the host was Richard Pulsford.

We covered a few On This Day topics from the twentieth century but also went as far back as the 15th Century, including when:
- Pope Calixtus III died, on 6th August 1458
- Ben Jonson died, on 6th August 1637
- Alfred, Lord Tennyson was born, on 6th August 1809
- Barbara Windsor was born, on 6th August 1937
- Gherman Titov became the second man in space, on 6th August 1961
- Tim Berners-Lee released documents describing the World Wide Web, on 6th August 1991

This latest episode (Episode 62) was recorded at The Hill Street Theatre in the Edinburgh Fringe on 5th August 2024.

The panellists were Micky Alexander, Dylan Dodds and Karismaa, and the host was Richard Pulsford.

On This Day topics covered included when:
- Henry I was crowned King of England, on 5th August 1100
- The Speedwell left Southampton, on 5th August 1620
- Artist Louis Wain was born, on 5th August 1860
- The UK's first cinema opened, on 5th August 1901
- 'People's Poet' Edgar Guest died, on 5th August 1959

This latest episode (Episode 61) was recorded at The Hill Street Theatre in the Edinburgh Fringe on 4th August 2024.

The panellists were Charles Dundas, Louise Leigh and David Cruickshanks, and the host was Richard Pulsford.

We covered a variety of On This Day topics, including when:
- Douglas attacked the King's tent, on 4th August 1327
- Champagne was invented, on 4th August 1693
- Gibraltar surrendered to the British, on 4th August 1704
- Louis Armstrong was born, on 4th August 1901
- Marilyn Munroe died, on 4th August 1962

This latest episode (Episode 60) was recorded at The Hill Street Theatre in the Edinburgh Fringe on 3rd August 2024.

The panellists were Jane Walker, Aaron Twitchen and Nikita Kha, and the host was Richard Pulsford.

We covered a varied list of On This Day topics, including:
- Joseph Paxton was born on 3rd August 1803
- Jesse Owens won the 100m Dash at the Olympic Games on 3rd August 1936
- Lithuania was 'accepted' into the USSR on 3rd August 1940
- The Beatles played at The Cavern Club for the final time on 3rd August 1963
- Comedian Lenny Bruce died on 3rd August 1966
- Ivan Massow defected from the Conservative Party to Labour on 3rd August 2000

Episode 59 was recorded at The Hill Street Theatre in the Edinburgh Fringe on 2nd August 2024.

The panellists were Kate Smurthwaite, Paul Connolly and Daniel Crewe. The host was Richard Pulsford.

As usual we had a varied list of On This Day topics:

Iceland's national anthem was played publicly for the first time in 1874.

The UK Parliament officially adopted Greenwich Mean Time in 1880.

Edwin Harris Dunning became the first pilot to land a plane on a ship in 1917.

American writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin was born in 1924, and Nigerian musician and political activist Fela Kuti died in 1997.

With the second half of the show dedicated to some of Edinburgh's history, topics included The Royal Mile, Sanctuary and The Nastiness Act of 1749.

Episode 58 was recorded at The Green Man Art Gallery in the Buxton Fringe on 20th July 2024.

The panellists were Kevin Hudson and Scott Allsop. The host was Richard Pulsford.

As usual we had a varied list of On This Day topics.

It was 55 years since Apollo 11 landed on the moon (20/07/1969).

It was the birth date of Cornelia Zangheri Bandi, born (20/07/1664), who died of apparent spontaneous human combustion, and Dickens used this as a case study for one of his famous novels.

It was also the anniversary of the day when milk was gathered to make The Cheshire Mammoth Cheese (20/07/1801) in the US. This resulted in a novel use for the word 'mammoth'.

20th July was also International Chess Day. The International Chess Federation was founded 100 years previously (20/07/1924), the last day of the first unofficial Chess Olympiad.

The first Ford Motor Company car was shipped on this date (20/07/1903) so we had  to have some quotes from Mr Ford.

Some of the Buxton topics included Poole's Cavern, Dove Holes and a Buxton Brewery beer quiz.

Episode 57 was recorded at The Rotunda Theatre in the Tunbridge Wells Fringe Festival on 30th June 2024.

The panellists were Richie Rands, Chris Neville-Smith and Ross Ericson. The host was Richard Pulsford.

The On This Day topics covered were:
- The Tunguska event (30/06/1908)
- Mary Surratt sentenced to death (30/06/1865)
- The first emergency telephone number (30/06/1937)
- Blondin crosses Niagara on a tightrope (30/06/1859)
- I'm walking backwards for Christmas enters the charts (30/06/1956)
- Nancy Mitford, died (30/06/1973)

Episode 56 was recorded at The Guildhall in the Chichester Fringe on 6th June 2024.

The panellists were Richie Rands, Gerard Harris and Julia Knight. The host was Richard Pulsford.

The On This Day topics covered were:
- Alix of Hesse, born (06/06/1872)
- The Normandy Landings (06/06/1944)
- Dutch swimmer Ada Kok, born (06/06/1947)
- The YMCA founded (06/06/1844)
- 'Sex and The City' first aired (06/06/1998)
- Anne Bancroft, died (06/06/2005)

Please be aware that, unfortunately, the sound quality on this recording isn't as good as it could have been.

Episode 55 was recorded at The Toy and Model Museum in the Brighton Fringe on 2nd June 2024.

The panellists were Chrissy Derbyshire, Julia Knight, and Micky Gibbons. The host was Richard Pulsford.

The On This Day topics covered were:
- The Marquis de Sade, born (02/06/1740)
- The Vandals sack Rome (02/06/455)
- Queen Elizabeth II's coronation (02/06/1953)
- Surveyor 1 lands successfully on the moon (02/06/1966)
- The Battle of Santiago (02/06/1962)
- Peter Sallis, died (02/06/2017)

Episode 54 was recorded at The Borough in the Lancaster Comedy Festival on 28th April 2024.

The panellists were Sallyann Fellowes and Angela Bra. The host was Richard Pulsford.

The On This Day topics covered were:
- Pirate Mary Read, died (28/04/1721)
- US President James Monroe born (28/04/1758)
- Marie Harel, born (28/04/1761)
- The world's first motor car race (28/04/1867)

- Terry Pratchett born (28/04/1948)

Episode 53 was recorded at Whistler on the Green in the Glasgow Comedy Festival on 24th March 2024.

The panellists were Julia Knight, Bryan Ghosh and Richie Rands. The host was Richard Pulsford.

The On This Day topics covered were:
- Joseph Barbera born (24/03/1911)
- Richard I wounded by a crossbow bolt (24/03/1199)
- Joseph Smith tarred and feathered (24/03/1832)
- James VI of Scotland becomes James I of England and Ireland (24/03/1603)
- Harry Houdini born (24/03/1874)
- William Morris born (24/03/1834)

Apologies for the sound quality on this episode, battling as we were with the noise bleed from inside the venue.