Tony Robinson's History of Britain

Tony takes us back nearly 2000 years to a time when Britain was under the Roman Empire. He tells the story of an African Roman soldier who gets posted to its most northerly outpost at Hadrian’s Wall. The young recruit spends most of his time building roads, including some that we still use today. Unfortunately, our Roman soldier eventually comes unstuck, not in a battle, but due to a chance meeting with the Roman Emperor, when he tries to play a practical joke on him.

Tony takes us back to the beginning of last century. It’s a time of elegance, innovation, class division and social progress: The Edwardian Period. Tony begins with two people who travelled on the Titanic. One is ship’s fireman, Arthur Priest, who tends the ship’s furnaces. The other is Lady’s Maid, Nellie Barber who follows her boss, American Mrs Cavendish, everywhere, prepping and mending her many dresses.

Tony takes us back to the 1950s. Fondly remembered today as an optimistic period of social and economic regeneration. A period that was tough but rewarding for many. Tony begins with the story of Irish woman, Mary Powell, who joins the NHS, following her childhood dream of becoming a nurse, despite militaristic matrons, curmudgeonly consultants and patients with distressing conditions. Mary manages to escape her nursing accommodation for nights out and even marries her boyfriend against her parents’ wishes.

Tony takes us back to the Middle Ages, a time of knights in shining armour, big-shot kings, and fabulous clothes, if you could afford them. His first encounter is with someone you wouldn’t want to meet on a dark night, or any time, really. Richard Rakiere has the vital role of a ‘Gong Farmer’, or Nightman, and spends his hours of darkness emptying cesspits. We know about Richard because in 1326, his bizarre death was recorded, when he fell into his own cesspit and drowned.