A history, & guide round the remains of the abbeys/priories/nunneries, of the various orders - Cistercian, Premonstratensian, etc. Architectural histories of various areas/towns - been done before (i.e. BBC "Travels with Pevsner") but there's so much material out there.... Landscape history/observation - again not truly new, but so much to see... An exploration of the pre-Norman kings of England - good violent stuff for the re-creators! And while we're at it, a general Norman tour of Europe - tracing the cultural legacy (mostly architectural, I suppose) in Britain, France, Sicily, etc... Flora Fraser's "Princesses" cries out for a docu-drama treatment. A chronicle of the Welsh Princes? especially tied in chronologically to the English crown - and a similar treatment for Ireland would be interesting. An exploration of the "Auld Alliance" - Scotland + France. That's for a start.....
I'd like to see a series charting the development of the submarine from the end of the second world war till the present day. Attention could be paid to the different concepts that western designers developed to those of the Soviet Union. We've had documentaries so why not time for submarines.
I would like to see a programme about the mutiney at Seletar in 1945, including if possible testimoney from the only person jailed for the mutiney
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We really have dinosaurs today, without any question. You just need the right weather conditions, as I see it, to get huge creatures. And in the ocean, of course, we have huge creatures....this is where the plesiosauruses seem to be today, and perhaps also this fire breathing dragon is still down there -- very rare, but occasionally there.
--Rev. Walter Lang Founder, Bible-Science Association
"How the Irish saved civisation" is a recent book that details how the Irish preserved the learning of the Old World during the "dark ages" and, by setting-up centres of learning throughout Europe, laid the foundations for the modern world.
That is a vital, unknown story, that should be told.
In a similar take to the previously mentioned 'How the Irish saved civilisation' by Cahill, it would be equally interesting to see how the Arabs did likewise to promote and preserve learning (especially mathematics) during the Dark Ages.
Funnily enough not many people know of this fact (as they are more or less blinded by what they perceive to be Christianity's superiority in regard to academia) go to the following site to see for yourself:
I was reading back on the replies and just want to correct my earlier comment. This should not be interpreted as a religious-orientated response (in regard to Christianity and Islam) though what this does bring to bare is Cahill's lack of academic foresight. If this belongs to another thread than forgive me, but I had heard of this book: 'How the Irish saved Civilisation' from a friend some time earlier and it hadn't occured to me at the time how inappropriate the title was. It transpires that Cahill's account of how the Irish saved all knowledge is an appreciation that fails to take into account extraneous cultural/religious/political factors (as can be found with the Arab/Islamic contribution to modern science which he probably wasn't even aware of), thus he has only constructed a history (a history apparent only within limited sphere of influence) of his own imagination. This is not an historical or even a theoretical account, it is blatant favouritism: a one dimensional approach to the topic in question.
People may well lament the fact that I have not yet read the book, but the title alone would appear to signify proceedings.....a disillusioned perspective of the Dark Ages but from his limited perspective of Irish culture. I'm sorry but until Cahill rectifies this glaringly obvious error (and wishes to pursue the omission of the Arabian contribution to western civilisation), he has no respect from me.
I would like a series relevant to the historical experience of the vast majority of people in this country.
And one which would inform Master Robert "Reparations" Becvkford that he does not have a monopoly on suffering and exploitation
It would be about popular struggle during and after the Napoleonic Wars and could feature
1) Fleet mutinies at Spithead and the Nore
2) Luddities and early working class industrial struggle.....there's the elusive Ned Ludd, and the role of gov't agent provocateurs is particularly interesting
3) Similarly for the countryside - Captain Swing, if I remember rightly there was a mini-pitched battle in Kent. Swing was all about the harsh oppression of the agricultural labourers and their semi-starved condition, they acted out of sheer desperation
4) The war in the countryside would make a great programme - gamekeepers vs poachers, with spring guns, gin traps...harsh laws and savage punishments - hanging and transportation
There you go, dan ed. Tony Robinson would be excellent on Luddites and Swing riots. And how many people have heard about the "battle of Bossendon Wood"
"Last Armed Rising on British Soil - The Battle of Bossenden Wood
Come 1838, and Dunkirk was the scene of the last armed rising on British soil. It was just the right place. Though close to Faversham and Canterbury, it was still a wild area. Its people were poor. So were many people in nearby parishes. The start of farm mechanisation had lost them their jobs, and they and their families were close to starvation. Parish ‘out-relief’, which allowed them to stay in their own homes while drawing benefit, had ceased, and many were in and out of the Workhouse.
Into this scene of rural deprivation came a colourful character who called himself Sir William Courtenay. Just 38, he was tall, dark and handsome, with immense charm, and the gift of the gab. In earlier life he had attended meetings of the Spencean Society, a proto-socialist organisation, and he identified strongly with society’s underdogs. He stood for Parliament in East Kent, but not surprisingly failed to get elected - only the rich had votes in those days. Figuring that constitutional means would never solve the country’s ills, or rid it of its conservative Establishment, he decided that rebellion was the only answer.
In Dunkirk and other parishes around Faversham he raised a ragged army of jobless farm labourers. “I’m now going to strike the bloody blow! The streets that have heretofore flowed with water shall flow with blood for the rights of the poor.”
Rather late in the day, the authorities realised that he was a serious threat. The Army was called out, and there was a pitched battle in Bossenden Wood. Courtenay’s ill-equipped followers were no match for disciplined troops, and were soon defeated. He and seven of his men were killed. On the Government side just two men died. You can see a memorial to one of them, Lieut. Bennett, in the north aisle of Canterbury Cathedral.
Courtenay had claimed he was immortal, so his body was put on show in the stables of the Red Lion, so that people could see he was dead. They flocked to the site. The rebellion hit the national headlines, and an astute publisher brought out an ‘instant’, detailed account of it."
Is this tread just trying to 'pump' a bit of life into a quiet forum? or can 'Dan ed' alter the CH4 prog shed in a week? Can Ch4 make an non anglocentric British History series in a fortnight or one on the Battle of Grosmount??? bit pointless then isnt it Mr ed?
Quite, any programmes commissioned now wouldn't be ready for screening until well into next year. Perhaps they're hoping they can satisfy our requests either from their back catalogue (ie repeats) or by buying something off the shelf from the US or an independent producer.
I'd quite like to see a program about the internment of Germans and Italians just before WWII. Churchill declared "Collar the Lot" apparently and most of them were put into camps here and then a substantial number were sent to camps in Canada, Australia, South Africa and other Commonwealth countries. Many of them were Jewish refugees or anti-Nazi but were treated the same as fascists and nazi sympathisers. My father and uncle were refugees and dad went to Canada and my uncle to Australia. It's something that's not often featured on history programmes. My dad appeared in a Canadian documentary about the camp he was in called 'Both Sides of the Wire" which was shown on BBC2 a few years ago. I know that David Baddiel wrote a novel based on his grandfather's time in a camp on the Isle of Man and there have been a few books, most notably one called "Collar the Lot" by Peter and Leni Gillman but it's a subject that is rarely featured on tv. Many of the internees became well known in their fields such as 3 members of the Amadeus Quartet, Anton Diffring the actor, reknowned for playing Nazi officers, Fritz Spiegel, musician and humourist. In the light of current affairs regarding 'asylum seekers' it would be interesting to see how they were treated 65 or so years ago.
Well, this is more pre-history than history... But the historical subject that I think would make a really interesting documentary is the history of the expansion of Indo-European languages and the Proto-Indo-Europeans, as well as the discoveries that led to the formulation of the theory. For anyone whose not familiar with Indo-European studies, the wikipedia articles on "Indo-European" and "Proto-Indo-European" give pretty good explanations.
There just seems like there's so much fascinating history there - not just in the obvious amazing linguistic theories it puts forward, but the implications it has for our views of pre-history. The idea that there is a common ancestry between the old Pagan religions of Europe and Hinduism, for example, is something I find particularly fascinating. The impact the theory itself has had on modern history is also pretty significant when you consider that the idea of the "Aryan invasion" was used by colonial powers in India to justify exploitation and racism, and then later by German nationalists and the Nazis - hence their hijacking of the Indian word "Aryan" and the Hindu symbol of the swastika. It just seems like such an important discovery and part of our understanding of history, but I bet most people don't even know that North-Indian languages and European languages are even related... *shrugs* So yeh, that's what I'd like to see, so we can educate the masses.
I reckon the Amritsar massacre which took place after the first world war would make an hours interesting tele. Quite a few Indians were killed when a crusty old Colonel gave the order for his troops to open fire on a not that rowdy crowd. I don't know much more than that but know that it's a recent stain on the empire! It'd be quite interesting to get an Indian view too.
