Best BBC Essex Podcasts (2024)

1
Tim Charles - 18th April 2024 3:02:00

7d ago3:02:00

3:02:00

Tim Charles - 18th April 2024. Tim and his unique blend of sounds he calls, Magic Carpet Ride, with Eclectic mix of known and some not heard much tracks

1
12/04/2024 13:45

15d ago13:45

13:45

During his less than stellar acting career Michael Goldfarb spent a lot of time watching from the wings waiting to go on for his single scene. In this series, he talks about the plays he appeared in, their histories, and the lives of the actors who performed them. In this essay, he's understudying in K2: a play about two climbers trapped on an ice …

1
11/04/2024 13:49

15d ago13:49

13:49

Preparation for a performance on stage goes beyond just memorising lines, learning blocking and hoping it will be alright on the night. A diligent actor studies the history of the period of the play, learns about the intentions of the playwright, and absorbs from older colleagues knowledge of how the play has been done in the past. In his less than…

1
10/04/2024 13:50

15d ago13:50

13:50

Preparation for a performance on stage goes beyond just memorising lines, learning blocking and hoping it will be alright on the night. A diligent actor studies the history of the period of the play, learns about the intentions of the playwright, and absorbs from older colleagues knowledge of how the play has been done in the past. In his less than…

1
09/04/2024 13:52

15d ago13:52

13:52

Preparation for a performance on stage goes beyond just memorising lines, learning blocking and hoping it will be alright on the night. A diligent actor studies the history of the period of the play, learns about the intentions of the playwright, and absorbs from older colleagues knowledge of how the play has been done in the past. In his less than…

1
08/04/2024 13:44

15d ago13:44

13:44

Preparation for a performance on stage goes beyond just memorising lines, learning blocking and hoping it will be alright on the night. A diligent actor studies the history of the period of the play, learns about the intentions of the playwright, and absorbs from older colleagues knowledge of how the play has been done in the past. In his less than…

1
Sixty second sample - Lent Vigil for Climate Justice 1:07

20d ago1:07

1:07

Christians held a vigil outside Parliament for the first ten days of Lent to call for action about Climate Change. Starting on Ash Wednesday, people prayed at the entrance to Parliament for twenty-four hours a day, until Saturday the 24th of February. Some of the campaigners taking part explained why they were involved.....…

1
Tim Charles - 4th April 2024 2:59:12

21d ago2:59:12

2:59:12

Tim Charles - 4th April 2024. Tim and his unique blend of sounds he calls, Magic Carpet Ride, with Eclectic mix of known and some not heard much tracks

1
Unravelling plainness 14:32

28d ago14:32

14:32

Gold sequins, silk and vibrant colour threads might not be what you expect to find in a sampler stitched by a Quaker girl in the seventeenth century. New Generation Thinker Isabella Rosner has studied examples of embroidered nutmegs and decorated shell shadow boxes found in London and Philadelphia which present a more complicated picture of Quaker …

1
What does feminist art mean? 13:47

1M ago13:47

13:47

Who's Holding the Baby? was the title of an exhibition organised to highlight a lack of childcare provision in East London in the 1970s. Was this feminist art? Bobby Baker, Sonia Boyce, Rita Keegan and members of the photography collective Hackney Flashers are some of the artists who've been taking part in an oral history project with New Generatio…

1
Gas, oil and the Essex blues 13:43

1M ago13:43

13:43

Canvey Island: cradle of innovation for gas heating and home to music makers Dr Feelgood, who drew inspiration from the Mississippi Delta. New Generation Thinker Sam Johnson-Schlee is an author and geographer based at London South Bank University. His essay remembers the influence of Parker Morris standards on heating in the home, songs written by …

1
Tim Charles - 21st March 2024 3:00:33

1M ago3:00:33

3:00:33

Tim Charles - 21st March 2024. Tim and his unique blend of sounds he calls, Magic Carpet Ride, with Eclectic mix of known and some not heard much tracks

1
Rock, Paper, Saints and Sinners 13:09

1M ago13:09

13:09

A 1660s board game made by a Jesuit missionary sent to the Mohawk Valley in North America is the subject of New Generation Thinker Gemma Tidman's essay. This race game, a little like Snakes and Ladders, depicts the path of a Christian life and afterlife. Gemma explores what the game tells us about how powerful people have long turned to play, image…

1
Arteries of tomorrow 13:43

1M ago13:43

13:43

The A13 runs from the City of London past Tilbury Docks and the site of the Dagenham Ford factory to Benfleet and the Wat Tyler Country Park. As he travels along it, talking to residents about their ideas of community and change, New Generation Thinker Dan Taylor reflects on the history of the area and different versions of hopes for the future. Dr…

1
The legacy of the laundries 13:54

1M ago13:54

13:54

From 1922, between 10-30,000 women and girls are thought to have been incarcerated at the Magdalene laundries which operated in Ireland. New Generation Thinker Louise Brangan has been reading the testimonies of many of the girls who survived these institutions. As the Irish state tries to come to terms with this history, how should it be spoken abo…

1
From algorithms to oceans 13:45

1M ago13:45

13:45

Two years living at sea taught New Generation Thinker Kerry McInerney values which she wants to apply to the development of AI. Her Essay explores the "sustainable AI" movement and looks at visions of the future in novels including Waste Tide by Chen Qiufan and Larissa Lai’s Salt Fish Girl. Dr McInerney is a Research Associate at the Leverhulme Cen…

1
Call Me Mother 14:39

1M ago14:39

14:39

Why do babies say "daddy" earlier and what might it mean when a baby does call for "mum" or "anne"? Dr Rebecca Woods, from Newcastle University, calls upon her training in linguistics and observations from her own home to trace the way children’s experiences shape their first words and the names they use for their parents. Rebecca Woods is a New Ge…

1
Gas, oil and the Essex blues 13:41

1M ago13:41

13:41

Canvey Island: cradle of innovation for gas heating and home to music makers Dr Feelgood, who drew inspiration from the Mississippi Delta. New Generation Thinker Sam Johnson-Schlee is an author and geographer based at London South Bank University. His essay remembers the influence of Parker Morris standards on heating in the home, songs written by …

1
Weird Viking Bodies 13:37

1M ago13:37

13:37

Looking at the way human and animal bodies were treated in death and used in rituals prompts New Generation Thinker and archaeologist Marianne Hem Eriksen, from the University of Leicester, to ask questions about the way humans, animals and spirit worlds were understood. Her Essay shares stories from a research project called Body-Politics’: presen…

1
Germany’s Mary Wollstonecraft 13:41

1M ago13:41

13:41

Amalia Holst's defence of female education, published in 1802, was the first work by a woman in Germany to challenge the major philosophers of the age, including Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Immanuel Kant. Unlike Mary Wollstonecraft writing in England, Holst failed to make headway with her arguments. New Generation Thinker Andrew Cooper teaches in the…

1
Call Me Mother 13:52

1M ago13:52

13:52

Why do babies say "daddy" earlier and what might it mean when a baby does call for "mum" or "anne"? Dr Rebecca Woods, from Newcastle University, calls upon her training in linguistics and observations from her own home to trace the way children’s experiences shape their first words and the names they use for their parents. Rebecca Woods is a New Ge…

1
60 second sample - Street Pastors 1:06

2M ago1:06

1:06

This is a 'Sixty Second Sample' of the Street Pastors podcast. Street Pastors are members of local Churches who go out at night to help people who've had too much to drink, homeless people, and anyone else who may need a hand. 'Fantastic - everyone was really impressed' (Greenwich Street Pastors) 'Great podcast' (Essex Street Pastor)…

1
Demonstration for Ukraine 4:55

2M ago4:55

4:55

Thousands of people marched in London on the 24th of February to protest about the Russian invasion of Ukraine two years ago. They started at Hyde Park, and marched to Trafalgar Square. Bill Shaw spoke to some of those taking part:

1
Lent Vigil for Climate Justice 25:58

2M ago25:58

25:58

Christians are holding a vigil outside Parliament to call for action about Climate Change. The 'Lent Vigil for Climate Justice' has been organised by Churches, charities and campaign groups; people will be praying at the entrance to Parliament for twenty-four hours a day until Saturday the 24th of February. The vigil started with a service at St Jo…

1
How Did They Do That? Magic and Mesmerism 13:45

4M ago13:45

13:45

Traditional Variety has been a lifelong fascination for poet and playwright Amanda Dalton. She grew up in a family that included several amateur and professional entertainers and from an early age the world of Variety Theatre was ‘in her blood’... During WW2, her dad organised and performed in a night of entertainment at King Farouk’s palace in Cai…

1
Girls! Girls! Girls! Women in Variety 13:50

4M ago13:50

13:50

Traditional Variety has been a lifelong fascination for poet and playwright Amanda Dalton. She grew up in a family that included several amateur and professional entertainers and from an early age the world of Variety Theatre was ‘in her blood’... During WW2, her dad organised and performed in a night of entertainment at King Farouk’s palace in Cai…

1
It's The Animal In Me: Animal Acts in Variety Theatre 13:54

4M ago13:54

13:54

Traditional Variety has been a lifelong fascination for poet and playwright Amanda Dalton. She grew up in a family that included several amateur and professional entertainers and from an early age the world of Variety Theatre was ‘in her blood’... During WW2, her dad organised and performed in a night of entertainment at King Farouk’s palace in Cai…

1
Gokkle o’ Geer: Ventriloquists and their Dummies 13:49

4M ago13:49

13:49

Traditional Variety has been a lifelong fascination for poet and playwright Amanda Dalton. She grew up in a family that included several amateur and professional entertainers and from an early age the world of Variety Theatre was ‘in her blood’... During WW2, her dad organised and performed in a night of entertainment at King Farouk’s palace in Cai…

1
Singing, Dancing and Having a Laugh: The Backbone of Variety 13:43

4M ago13:43

13:43

Traditional Variety has been a lifelong fascination for poet and playwright Amanda Dalton. She grew up in a family that included several amateur and professional entertainers and from an early age the world of Variety Theatre was ‘in her blood’... During WW2, her dad organised and performed in a night of entertainment at King Farouk’s palace in Cai…

1
Christmas Pudding 13:58

4M ago13:58

13:58

Essay 5: Christmas Pudding A new series of essays written and read by the very popular Fiona Stafford, Professor of Literature at Somerville College, Oxford, following her much praised series of essays The Meaning of Trees and Composers and their Dogs. Here Fiona explores some of the world’s favourite puddings, all of which have surprising stories …

1
Pavlova 13:45

4M ago13:45

13:45

Essay 4: Pavlova A new series of essays written and read by the very popular Fiona Stafford, Professor of Literature at Somerville College, Oxford, following her much praised series of essays The Meaning of Trees and Composers and their Dogs. Here Fiona explores some of the world’s favourite puddings, all of which have surprising stories and have b…

1
Crème Brûlée 13:49

4M ago13:49

13:49

Essay 3: Crème Brûlée A new series of essays written and read by the very popular Fiona Stafford, Professor of Literature at Somerville College, Oxford, following her much praised series of essays The Meaning of Trees and Composers and their Dogs. Here Fiona explores some of the world’s favourite puddings, all of which have surprising stories and h…

1
Summer Pudding 13:55

4M ago13:55

13:55

Essay 2: Summer Pudding A new series of essays written and read by the very popular Fiona Stafford, Professor of Literature at Somerville College, Oxford, following her much praised series of essays The Meaning of Trees and Composers and their Dogs. Here Fiona explores some of the world’s favourite puddings, all of which have surprising stories and…

1
Tapioca 13:58

4M ago13:58

13:58

Essay 1: Tapioca A new series of essays written and read by the very popular Fiona Stafford, Professor of Literature at Somerville College, Oxford, following her much praised series of essays The Meaning of Trees and Composers and their Dogs. Here Fiona explores some of the world’s favourite puddings, all of which have surprising stories and have b…

1
Khadijah Ibrahiim 13:50

4M ago13:50

13:50

Khadijah Ibrahiim’s essay, A Journey of Things Past and Present, looks at how Leeds’s built environment has changed and what that tells us about it as a society. Leeds is a rich north England city in a beautiful rural setting, but only the former is reflected in its physical development. The starting point is a much-loved mural that Khadijah contri…

1
Ian Duhig 13:51

4M ago13:51

13:51

In his essay, Paradoxopolis, Ian Duhig is inspired by a painting by 'Leeds’s Lost Modernist', the reclusive Joash Woodrow, and the former local synagogue, now the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, both sited on the road north out of Leeds, built by Blind Jack Metcalf, iconic Leeds roadmaker of the Victorian era. Ian says: "When I first moved h…

1
Michelle Scally Clarke 13:50

4M ago13:50

13:50

In her essay, Both Arms, Michelle Scally Clarke writes about the statue of that name by William Kenneth Armitage CBE, a Leeds sculptor known for his semi-abstract bronzes.  It is a powerful public image of compassion, support and welcome, created as a monument to friendship. It resonates for Michelle about her own life journey as a mixed race care …

1
Jeremy Dyson 13:41

4M ago13:41

13:41

The world of magic and enchantment that Jeremy Dyson remembers from the Leeds of his childhood are epitomised by the three intricately carved clocks with life size human figures that still keep time in the Edwardian and Victorian shopping arcades in the city centre, now hemmed in by shopping malls and fast food outlets. From discussing the three cl…

1
Malika Booker 13:49

4M ago13:49

13:49

The city of Leeds seen through public art past, present and future. In this edition, Malika Booker considers an architectural sculptural frieze located on Abtech House, 18 Park Row, Leeds (formerly West Riding Union Buildings) created in 1900 by the stonemason and sculptor Joseph Thewlis. The sculpture depicts emblematic figures related to Leeds co…

1
Love Christmas 16:11

5M ago16:11

16:11

Christians across the country are preparing #Christmas gifts and treats to give away to people who may not otherwise get gifts at Christmas. This year is the fourth year of 'Love Christmas', run by the Church Revitalisation Trust. The project, known as 'Love Christmas', grew out of 'Love your Neighbour', when Churches supported people affected by t…

1
5. Return 14:30

5M ago14:30

14:30

"Each remembered moment is a keyhole. Time doesn't 'flow like a river', doesn't exist in Odesa at all; the numbers of years, 1986 or 1989 or 2006 are like signs hanging about the corner grocery shop, with names of owners, swaying. In these streets, everything is ever-present. There are places like this on the planet: you can stop in the middle of t…

1
4. Crossing 14:24

5M ago14:24

14:24

"Each remembered moment is a keyhole. Time doesn't 'flow like a river', doesn't exist in Odesa at all; the numbers of years, 1986 or 1989 or 2006 are like signs hanging about the corner grocery shop, with names of owners, swaying. In these streets, everything is ever-present. There are places like this on the planet: you can stop in the middle of t…

1
The Bison 13:24

5M ago13:24

13:24

Kenneth Steven considers the introduction of wild animals into the Highlands of Scotland and the impact on rural life, reflecting in poetry at the end of each Essay. Kenneth Steven recounts the story of American bison introduced in Victorian times to Scotland by William Stewart. ‘They were enclosed in a paddock with a circumference of five or six m…

1
The Beaver 13:30

5M ago13:30

13:30

Kenneth Steven considers the introduction of wild animals back into the Highlands of Scotland and the impact on rural life, reflecting in poetry at the end of each Essay. There’s plenty of evidence to suggest that at one time beavers were distributed widely throughout mainland Scotland. That would seem no great surprise, given the wealth of rivers …

1
The Wallabies 13:35

5M ago13:35

13:35

Kenneth Steven considers the introduction of wild animals into the Highlands of Scotland and the impact on rural life, reflecting in poetry at the end of each Essay. Kenneth Steven explores his visit to an island in the largest of freshwater lakes, Loch Lomond. There was nothing; possibly the soft murmur of birdsong, but precious little more than t…

1
The Sea Eagle 13:34

5M ago13:34

13:34

Kenneth Steven considers the introduction of wild animals back into the Highlands of Scotland and the impact on rural life, reflecting in poetry at the end of each Essay. At one time sea eagles are likely to have been revered in Scotland. The Tomb of the Eagles, a Neolithic burial site in Orkney, is testament to that, as are the carved Pictish ston…

1
The Reindeer 13:29

5M ago13:29

13:29

Kenneth Steven considers the introduction of wild animals into the Highlands of Scotland, reflecting in poetry at the end of each Essay. A consignment of eight reindeer landed at Clydebank near Glasgow on April 12th in 1952 thanks to a Swedish Sami Mikel Utsi who hailed from a long line of reindeer herders. There were eight reindeer and they were f…

1
The Flat-Pack Cello 13:40

5M ago13:40

13:40

Writer and musician Kate Kennedy takes a personal look at five lost cellos, and what they can tell us of those who played and loved them and how our identities are shaped by the physical, social and psychological impacts of performance What happens when you re-imagine what a cello can be? From pieces of derelict instruments, and offcuts of wood, al…

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