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Crimes Against Fashion: The Murder Of Maurizio Gucci
In a tragedy not befitting one synonymous with sartorial splendour, the demise of Maurizio Gucci bore the unmistakable stamp of ignominy....
When Percy Shelley Got Kicked Out Of Oxford University
Percy Bysshe Shelley, born in 1792, emerged into the world as the eldest son of Sir Timothy Shelley, a prominent Member of Parliament,...
MugShots From The 1800s And The Criminal Stories That Accompany Them
Starting in the mid-1800s, police began capturing the faces of known criminals. Dubbed "mug shots" (derived from the British slang "mug" meaning "face"), these images replaced sketches and descriptions on wanted posters. Scientists even analysed mug shots to explore whether physical characteristics could forecast criminal behaviour. Once convicted, men underwent another round of photography after their hair and beards were shaved to prevent lice spread, while women’s hair rem
The Tragic And Ridiculous Story of the Berberovs, a Soviet Family Who Raised Pet Lions at Home
In 1970s Baku, the Berberov family became Soviet celebrities for raising lions in their apartment. What began as love for animals ended in heartbreak and disaster. Discover the unbelievable true story of the family who lived with lions
Unveiling the Reality of Victorian London: John Thomson and Adolphe Smith's 'Street Life in London', 1873-1877
John Thomson’s 1870s photographs capture the grit and grace of Victorian London — from costermongers to street sweepers. A rare look at life beneath the city’s polished veneer.
The My Lai Massacre: One Of America's Darkest Days
The My Lai massacre will always be a disturbing memory in the American conscience and will often resurface in any discussion or...
Maj. Tommy Macpherson, The ‘Kilted Killer’ That Forced A Surrender While Outnumbered 23,000 To One
When reflecting on the true heroes of the Second World War, few names evoke as much admiration and awe as that of Sir Tommy Macpherson....
The Tragic Tale of Eben Byers, The Man That Drank Radium Until His Jaw Disintegrated
Throughout history few stories are as harrowing and cautionary as that of Eben Byers, a wealthy industrialist whose life was forever...
That Time Charlie Chaplin’s Body Was Stolen and Held for Ransom
Charlie Chaplin, the eternal Little Tramp, had audiences rolling in the aisles for decades. His physical comedy crossed borders, class...
The 'Baronet' From Wagga Wagga, Arthur Orton, or Tom Castro, Or Roger Tichborne
Roger Tichborne (left) The man claiming to be him (right) The Tichborne Claimant case has everything you’d want from a Victorian...
Cary Grant and the Acid Cure: Hollywood’s Most Unlikely LSD Advocate
Roberta Haynes and Cary Grant both attended Dr. Mortimer Hartman’s LSD therapy sessions. When we think of the ever-poised Cary Grant,...
Meet Roland the Farter: Medieval England’s Celebrity Flatulist
In the age of chivalry, monasteries and monarchs, land was rarely handed out lightly. Yet in 12th-century England, one rather singular individual managed to secure a manor and 30 acres (12 hectares) of prime Suffolk countryside not through valour in battle or ecclesiastical service, but by passing wind on command. Roland le Petour, better known to posterity as Roulandus le Fartere , was no ordinary court entertainer. Likely serving as a jester in the royal household of King H
Belgium’s King Leopold II: The Man Responsible For The Death Of 15 Million People In The Congo
Leopold II reigned as King of the Belgians from 1865 to 1909 and established the Congo Free State in order to seize vast quantities of...
Sarah Goodridge And One Of The Earliest Examples Of 'Sending Nudes'
A painting like this is bound to draw anyone in, and also arouse some questions in regard to it's back story. What makes it even more...
A Gentleman's Guide To Self-Defense Maneuvers, 1895
Behold a curious relic from the 1890s: a photo album without a title but brimming with an unexpected treasure trove of self-defence...
The Macabre Journey Of Eva Perón’s Corpse
Eva Perón, affectionately known as Evita, remains one of Argentina’s most iconic and controversial figures. As the First Lady of...
The Strange Life Of Timothy Dexter, Accidental Millionaire and Disappointed With His Own Funeral.
Meet Timothy Dexter — the poor tanner who became an accidental millionaire, sold coal to Newcastle, and faked his own funeral just to see who cared. America’s most eccentric businessman turned luck, ego, and chaos into legend.
When Frank Sinatra Jr Was Kidnapped And Held For Ransom
In the aftermath of President John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963, another American icon faced a tragic incident, albeit with a...
When Bob Marley Survived Getting Shot During A Home Invasion
It is almost impossible to listen to a Bob Marley song and picture the man ducking bullets in his own home. Yet that’s precisely what...
The Murder Of Mary Pradd (Often Known As Old Mary Pradd, Sometimes Mary Pratt)
London Nomades, by John Thomson, in Victorian London Street Life (1877). Mary Pratt is sat on the steps of the caravan. Police Constable...
The Man Who Fell to Earth: D.B. Cooper and the Hijacking That Vanished Into Legend
The FBI sketch of D.B. Cooper It all started on a grey Wednesday afternoon—24 November 1971—when a man walked into the Portland...
Unit 731, Japan’s Horrific Human Experiments Program During World War II
A bacteriological experiment being conducted on a test subject in Nong’an County of northeast China’s Jilin Province by Unit 731 personnel. November 1940. Officially known as the Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department of the Kwantung Army, Unit 731 was a covert biological and chemical warfare research and development unit of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Located in the Pingfang district of Harbin, in the puppet state of Manchukuo (now Northeas
Yuri Knorozov, The Man Who Deciphered The Mayan Script In The 1950s And Named His Cat As Co-Author
Yuri with Asya When the Russian linguist Yuri Knorozov finally visited Mexico in the early 1990s, he was received with the reverence...
The Perverse Power of Tiberius Caesar — Rome’s Reclusive Emperor and the Scandal of Capri
Explore the notorious life of Tiberius Caesar, Rome’s second emperor, whose reclusive reign on Capri gave rise to enduring tales of sexual depravity, political paranoia and scandalous excess. Uncover the truth behind the myths with this deep dive into one of Rome’s most controversial rulers.
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