

An obscenity trial that shocked Victorian Britain
In 1877, Annie Besant took the stand. She was on trial for selling an "obscene publication" – a pamphlet designed to educate the masses on birth control. Author Michael Meyer tells Ellie Cawthorne about how this sensational legal case lit a fire under Victorian society, and why the woman at the centre of it decided to…
We score an episode from what we can actually measure — its reach and engagement, what listeners say about it, and what it covers. We don't have those signals for this one yet, so it doesn't get a number.
Buzzmeter says it's buzzing across platforms — the Hive Vote says whether the people who actually listened liked it.
Rate this episode
Add your vote to the Hive — listeners rate every episode after they finish.
- No reviews yet — be the first.
More from HistoryExtra podcast
See all episodes →Similar episodes from other shows
More like HistoryExtra podcast →
The Victorian Sex Scandal of Fanny & Stella

The Murder That Shook Edwardian Britain

The WW2 Witch Trial of Hellish Nell

Arsenic and Lace: The Trial of the Yorkshire Witch - with Maddy Pelling
One great episode in your inbox, daily — free.
One email a day, unsubscribe anytime. No spam, ever.