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Have you ever thought about the fact that homelessness has a history? When did it start and where did it come from? Who were the people affected by homelessness in the past and what was life like for them? Across these four episodes, we’re going to journey through 600 years of British history and build up a picture of past and present homelessness: from the wandering vagrants of the 16th century to the London squatters of the 1970s, right up to today’s housing and homelessness crises. And all the while, we’ll be asking the question: could understanding this history change the way we think, feel and respond to homelessness now?
Episodes
Tuesday Aug 27, 2024
Tuesday Aug 27, 2024
Have you ever thought about the fact that homelessness has a history? When did it start and where did it come from? Who were the people affected by homelessness in the past and what was life like for them? Journeying across 600 years of British history, we’re going to uncover answers to these questions.
This episode introduces us to the history of ‘vagrancy’ as we speak to historians who are digging into the archives; hear accounts from some of the earliest investigative journalists; and listen to modern-day experts – community workers and people with lived experience of homelessness. All the while, we ask the question: does understanding this history change the way we think, feel and respond to homelessness now?
Want to get in touch? Please do! You can email the podcast at 600yearsofhomelessness@gmail.com.
Click here for a transcript and information about the historical sources used in this episode: https://cutt.ly/UemVuqNd.
Cast & Credits
Writer, producer and narrator: Adela Davis.
Guests: Dr David Hitchcock, Prof Jane Hamlett, Prof Nick Crowson, Alv Hirst, Russel.
Cast: Tom, Conner.
Cover art: Camilla Storvik.
Music & sound effects:
- Folk Round | Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.
- Laura Metcalf | J. S. Bach: Cello Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008 I. Prélude | courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.
Next Steps
Not sure what to do when you see someone sleeping rough? This article from The Big Issue has some helpful tips for how to start a conversation. And this article addresses the question of whether or not you should give money.
Use the StreetLink website (England and Wales) to connect the local council outreach team with someone who is sleeping rough. All you need is a location, time, and brief description of the person.
Want to find out about local services and volunteering in your area (England)? There is a great database here: https://homeless.org.uk/homeless-england/.
Donate to a charity (e.g. Caring in Bristol, Shelter or Crisis) or buy The Big Issue from a local vendor.
Sign a petition or write to your local MP.
Check out the work of the Museum of Homelessness.
Tuesday Aug 27, 2024
Tuesday Aug 27, 2024
Britain’s approaches to poverty and homelessness have always been complex, and debates over how best to help the poor stretch back centuries. How to fund this support? Who is most deserving of it?
In this episode, we delve into the history of these support systems – from the Poor Law and workhouses to the rise of philanthropy and the birth of the modern welfare state. And we’ll explore how this history still shapes the way we think about homelessness today.
Want to get in touch? Please do! You can email the podcast at 600yearsofhomelessness@gmail.com.
Click here for a transcript and information about the historical sources used in this episode: https://cutt.ly/YemViIfL.
Cast & Credits
Writer, producer and narrator: Adela Davis.
Guests: Prof Alannah Tomkins, Prof Jane Hamlett, Tia, Ross.
Cast: Tom, Nerys, Simon, Penny.
Cover art: Camilla Storvik.
Music & sound effects:
- "Suonatore di Liuto” | Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.
- Folk Round | Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.
- Laura Metcalf | J. S. Bach: Cello Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008 I. Prélude | courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.
- Gregor Quendel | Bach - Invention No. 13 in A Minor - BWV 784 (Arr. for Strings) | courtesy of https://www.gregorquendel.com/.
- “Footsteps on old cobblestones” by arnaud coutancier | courtesy of https://freesound.org/ | licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0.
- “Police whistle old London.wav” by klankbeeld | courtesy of https://freesound.org/ | licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Next Steps
Not sure what to do when you see someone sleeping rough? This article from The Big Issue has some helpful tips for how to start a conversation. And this article addresses the question of whether or not you should give money.
Use the StreetLink website (England and Wales) to connect the local council outreach team with someone who is sleeping rough. All you need is a location, time, and brief description of the person.
Want to find out about local services and volunteering in your area (England)? There is a great database here: https://homeless.org.uk/homeless-england/.
Donate to a charity (e.g. Caring in Bristol, Shelter or Crisis) or buy The Big Issue from a local vendor.
Sign a petition or write to your local MP.
Check out the work of the Museum of Homelessness.
Tuesday Aug 27, 2024
Tuesday Aug 27, 2024
What does it mean to be in a housing crisis and why are we in one? How can it be solved? And what does it all have to do with homelessness? Well, it turns out that history is a great tool for answering those questions!
In this episode, we head back in time to hear about the history of housing in Britain over the last 150 years. We trace the rise and fall of council housing, take a look at squatting and housing activism in the 20th century, and ask – are there better ways to think about housing and homelessness in Britain today?
Want to get in touch? Please do! You can email the podcast at 600yearsofhomelessness@gmail.com.
Click here for a transcript and information about the historical sources used in this episode: https://cutt.ly/9emVi8m7.
Cast & Credits
Writer, producer and narrator: Adela Davis.
Guests: Dr John Boughton, Dr Sam Burgum, Dr Becca Searle, Ross, Helen.
Cast: Ken, Gareth, Alice, Penny, Simon.
Cover art: Camilla Storvik.
Music & sound effects:
- Laura Metcalf | J. S. Bach: Cello Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008 I. Prélude | courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.
- Chris Shards | The Ballroom Twist | courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.
- OTE | Lampshade Mustache | courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.
- Jerry Lacey | Should We Not | courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.
- “London Garden Atmosphere (no planes).wav” by loljames | courtesy of https://freesound.org | licensed under CC BY 3.0.
- “jingle news” by Jay_You | courtesy of https://freesound.org | licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Next Steps
Not sure what to do when you see someone sleeping rough? This article from The Big Issue has some helpful tips for how to start a conversation. And this article addresses the question of whether or not you should give money.
Use the StreetLink website (England and Wales) to connect the local council outreach team with someone who is sleeping rough. All you need is a location, time, and brief description of the person.
Want to find out about local services and volunteering in your area (England)? There is a great database here: https://homeless.org.uk/homeless-england/.
Donate to a charity (e.g. Caring in Bristol, Shelter or Crisis) or buy The Big Issue from a local vendor.
Sign a petition or write to your local MP.
Check out the work of the Museum of Homelessness.
Tuesday Aug 27, 2024
Tuesday Aug 27, 2024
Let’s talk about women and homelessness. While homeless women are the majority in some contexts, they are largely missing from our official statistics and personal perceptions of homelessness – and history can help us to understand why.
In this final episode of the series, we’ll meet an 18th century vagrant woman, peer into the work of 19th century investigative journalist Olive Christian Malvery, discover how a group of ordinary women in Glasgow shaped Britain’s housing history, and step inside the women’s squatting movement of 1970s London. Join me as we shine a light on women’s homelessness, past and present – and learn why it’s so important that we have a gender-informed approach to homelessness now.
Want to get in touch? Please do! You can email the podcast at 600yearsofhomelessness@gmail.com.
Click here for a transcript and information about the historical sources used in this episode: https://cutt.ly/gemVoX9c.
Cast & Credits
Writer, producer and narrator: Adela Davis.
Guests: Prof Alannah Tomkins, Prof Jane Hamlett, Dr Becca Searle, Madeline Routon, Amanda-Lee, Russel, Tia, Helen, Alv Hirst.
Cast: Penny, Serina.
Cover art: Camilla Storvik.
Archival audio courtesy of the London Community Video Archive:
Music & sound effects:
- Folk Round | Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.
- Conway Kuo, Blair McMillen | Mozart: Violin Sonata in E minor, K. 304 I. Allegro | courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.
- Conway Kuo, Blair McMillen | Mozart: Violin Sonata in E minor, K. 304 II. Tempo di minuetto | courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.
- Conway Kuo, Blair McMillen | Mozart: Violin Sonata in G major, K. 301 II. Allegro | courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.
- Sneaky Snitch | Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.
- Sunbreak | It Was Never Enough | courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.
- Elliot Holmes | Baby Driver | courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.
- Mandeville | Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.
- “Ringing a Hand Bell.wav” by Tewkesound | courtesy of https://freesound.org | licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Next Steps
Not sure what to do when you see someone sleeping rough? This article from The Big Issue has some helpful tips for how to start a conversation. And this article addresses the question of whether or not you should give money.
Use the StreetLink website (England and Wales) to connect the local council outreach team with someone who is sleeping rough. All you need is a location, time, and brief description of the person.
Want to find out about local services and volunteering in your area (England)? There is a great database here: https://homeless.org.uk/homeless-england/.
Donate to a charity (e.g. Caring in Bristol, Shelter or Crisis) or buy The Big Issue from a local vendor.
Sign a petition or write to your local MP.
Check out the work of the Museum of Homelessness.