Utterly interesting

Grace McDaniels, known as the “Mule-Faced Woman,” turned a life marked by Sturge–Weber syndrome into a career with Harry Lewiston’s Traveling Circus. She remained a devoted mother, respected performer, and a symbol of dignity amid the world of sideshows.

In 1978, Nancy Spungen was found dead at New York’s Chelsea Hotel. Her boyfriend, Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious, was charged with her murder but died of an overdose before trial. Decades later, theories about what really happened in Room 100 continue to haunt punk’s legacy.

In the 1930s, Bruce Mozert turned Silver Springs, Florida, into a stage beneath the waves. His underwater photos of cocktail-sipping models and newspaper-reading swimmers made everyday life look magical.

Meet Sultana Chand Bibi, the warrior queen who held her ground against Akbar’s Mughal empire. A musician, diplomat, and strategist, she led armies, ruled kingdoms, and fought for independence until her final breath.

We British don’t usually go in for political assassinations — it’s just not cricket. Yet in May 1812, Spencer Perceval became the only Prime Minister in British history to be murdered while in office. Shot in the Commons lobby by John Bellingham, a man obsessed with redress for his own misfortunes in Russia, Perceval’s sudden death stunned Parliament, delighted some among the suffering poor, and remains one of Westminster’s strangest, most tragic moments.

She was called “The Beautiful Spectre” — young, striking, and merciless. Jenny Barkmann volunteered as an SS guard at Stutthof in 1944, brutalised prisoners, and was executed in 1946. Her story exposes the disturbing role of women in the Nazi camp system.

What happens when John Lennon loses a bet to Elton John? One of rock’s greatest nights. In 1974, Lennon hit the stage at Madison Square Garden for his final live performance — a mix of friendship, music, and fate that no fan would ever forget.

On his 75th birthday, Henry Ford was awarded Nazi Germany’s highest honour — the Grand Cross of the German Eagle. Hitler called Ford his “inspiration”, and his antisemitic writings helped fuel Nazi propaganda. Discover the unsettling story behind America’s most famous industrialist.

In 1957, Adeline Watkins told the world she had nearly married the infamous Ed Gein. Days later, she retracted everything — and disappeared from public view. Explore the truth behind her brief and bizarre connection to America’s most notorious murderer.

He died one minute before peace. Henry Gunther, a 23-year-old from Baltimore, was the last soldier killed in World War I. The Armistice had already been signed, but orders to stop fighting came too late. His death marked the final shot of the Great War.

Discover the fascinating history of Plas Newydd on Anglesey, from its medieval roots to its 18th-century redesign, the heroism of the Marquess of Anglesey at Waterloo, and Rex Whistler’s breathtaking mural.

Uncover the secret history of Paris brothel tokens, or jetons de maison close. These erotic coins, echoing ancient Roman spintriae, reveal the discreet economies of Belle Époque pleasure houses.

Long before Title IX, Drexel’s women’s rifle team ranked among the top in the U.S. Their achievements and the way they were remembered tell us much about women in sport in the early 20th century.

On August 5 1962 Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her Los Angeles home. What followed has become Hollywood legend: therapists, fire-escape break-ins, missing letters, estate battles. This detailed article revisits the final hours, the estate drama, and the enduring myth of America’s movie star.