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What We Did Before | A History of Everyday Life

OG Podcasts - Exploring Human History
Neanderthals
Migration
Refrigeration
Guernsey
Cleopatra
Agriculture
Smartphones
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Guernsey Deportees
Bronze Age Mortuary Practices
Channel Islands
London
Music
Terracotta Army
Loch Ness Monster
Bleach Packer
Chemical Industry
Leblanc Process
Chocolate History
Jaynesian Consciousness

Before modern inventions and conveniences, humans had ingenious ways of solving problems. So how exactly did humans survive before fridges, without clothes or before surnames were invented? Find out the answers to these questions and more, right here. Hosted by Ollie Guillou.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes47Foundeda year ago
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HistoryDocumentarySociety & Culture

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Latest Episodes

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šŸ’¬ Firefighting hasn’t always meant red engines and professional crews. For centuries, fighting fires was much more chaotic. Even by the outbreak of the Second World War, Britain still had more than a thousand separate local authori... more

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šŸ’¬ Before World of Warcraft, RuneScape or even the internet as we know it, there was MUD - the world’s first multiplayer virtual world. Created in 1978 by Richard Bartle and Roy Trubshaw, it would help lay the foundations for an ent... more

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šŸ’¬ Visit the site of a brutal moment in Guernsey history. At Tower Hill Steps three women faced religious persecution - and were burned alive at the stake.

One of the women, Perotine Massey, was pregnant and gave birth in the flame... more

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šŸ’¬ At this ancient monolithic burial chamber, witches were said to convene with the devil to conduct The Black Mass. This imposing Dolmen came up time and time again in the brutal witch trials of the 16th and 17th centuries.

⚔ This... more

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šŸ’¬ Long before radar, armies relied on people with enormous metal trumpets strapped to their heads to listen for approaching aircraft. Aircraft listeners had the bizarre but vital job of detecting the sound of enemy planes, working ... more

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šŸ’¬ Herm island might just be home to the world’s smallest prison. And yet it’s not the world record holder - that title belongs to a very close neighbour. So why doesn’t Herm prison hold the record - and what was such a tiny jail us... more

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šŸ’¬ Toshers had one of the most disgusting jobs of Victorian Britain. Searching the sewers of 19th century London, people would sieve through human sewage looking for discarded treasures. It’s a job that made them a lot of money - bu... more

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šŸ’¬ This is the deafening noise that powered Britain's Industrial Revolution. At its peak, thousands of men and women spent their days surrounded by the relentless clatter of weaving looms - a workplace so loud that many workers grad... more

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Recent Guests

Korinne Le Page
Gold accredited Guernsey tour guide
Guernsey tour guide
Episode: Before Prisons: Local Justice & the World's Smallest Prison
Ian McKay
One of the people who runs Bancroft Mill Museum
Bancroft Mill Engine Museum
Episode: Before Cotton Left Britain: Inside Bancroft Mill Where The Weaving Looms Still Run
Steven Sashen
Founder of barefoot shoe company Xero
Xero Shoes
Episode: Before Cushioned Shoes: The 1970s Style That Changed Footwear Forever
Dr. Annemieke Milks
Paleolithic Archaeologist
Episode: Before Weapons: Unearthing Ancient Wooden Tools and Spears | Dr Annemieke Milks
Jason Monaghan
An archaeologist who has studied Guernsey's history in great detail and written books on the subject
Independent researcher / Author
Episode: Before Tax Havens: How Islands Have Reinvented Themselves For Millenia | Jason Monaghan
Alicia Sanz-Royo
Lead researcher on the project discussed in the episode
Research team on Neanderthal tools
Episode: Before Tools: How Neanderthals Used Rhino Teeth, Vulture Bones and Deer Antlers
Natasha Solomons
Author of Cleopatra
Author
Episode: Before Social Media: How Cleopatra Turned Herself Into a Living God | Natasha Solomons
Mike Marshall
Guest expert on ancient human species
Author/Researcher on ancient humans
Episode: Before We Were The Last Human Species: When We Lived With Neanderthals
Judith Wilde
Heritage Manager at Catalyst Museum
Catalyst Museum
Episode: Before Chemicals: 'Bleach Packers' and the Birth of the Chemical Industry

Hosts

Ollie Guillou
Host of What We Did Before | A History of Everyday Life
Matt
Co-host of the show

Top History Podcasts

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Before Prisons: Local Justice & the World's Smallest Prison
Q: Why is Sark Prison considered the smallest functioning prison, and how does Herm Prison fit into that distinction?
Sark Prison is officially recognized as a functioning prison, which is why it holds the record, while Herm Prison wasn't used regularly as a jail and mostly served as a holding space during the quarrying era.
Before Chocolate: From Ritual Drink to Global Obsession | Spencer Hyman
Q: How did ancient people first consume cacao, and how did it evolve into modern chocolate?
Ancient people initially consumed cacao as a fermented pulp to make a light beer, then used the seeds to create drinks and later, with the discovery of grinding, conching, and the addition of ingredients like milk, chocolate transformed into the smooth, melt-in-your-mouth bars we know today.
The Bleach Packer: Your Questions Answered
Q: Why didn't they complain or push for better conditions?
Although well-paid for the time, the social and economic structure made it risky to complain; housing, employment, and community norms tied workers to their jobs, with some discussion of shared resentment among peers rather than formal opposition.
The Bleach Packer: Your Questions Answered
Q: How did workers protect themselves, and was PPE effective?
Protection was primitive—rag or fabric coverings, improvised goggles, and damp muzzles—designed more to reduce immediate exposure than to prevent long-term harm, indicating limited effectiveness by modern standards.
The Bleach Packer: Your Questions Answered
Q: What exactly was the toxic powder they were handling, and why was it so dangerous?
The powder came from the LeBlanc process to produce soda ash; it formed as a dust that could burn skin and eyes, necessitating improvised protection like damp fabric muzzles, goggles made from tins, and later, attempts at shielding the respiratory tract, all revealing the chronic exposure risk.

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Frequently Asked Questions About What We Did Before

What is What We Did Before about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on pre-modern life, exploring how people solved everyday problems before modern conveniences. Recent episodes span industrial history, archaeology, warfare, and cultural phenomena—ranging from tiny prisons and Victorian work dangers to ancient tools, barefoot running, and the origins of chemistry. Guests tend to be historians, archaeologists, museum professionals, authors, and researchers who illuminate hidden or overlooked aspects of everyday life, making complex history approachable through storytelling and on-site context. A notable strength is blending technical detail with accessible narrative, often using on-site tours or expert interviews to ground historical periods in tangible activities and places.

A standout tra... more

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1. History Daily
2. Biography
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What We Did Before launched a year ago and published 47 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on What We Did Before?

Recent guests on What We Did Before include:

1. Korinne Le Page
2. Ian McKay
3. Steven Sashen
4. Dr. Annemieke Milks
5. Jason Monaghan
6. Alicia Sanz-Royo
7. Natasha Solomons
8. Mike Marshall

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