The Darkest Scandal in Victorian Britain
After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal
History Hit
4.6 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 21 August 2025
⏱️ 43 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Today we step into the shadowy world of W.T. Stead—a Victorian journalist whose life was as controversial as it was groundbreaking.
Hear how he uncovered a sex scandal which shocked the nation, dabbled in the supernatural, and also… predicted the Titanic disaster (and ultimately, his own death).
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello everyone. It's us, your hosts Maddie Pelling and Anthony Delaney. |
| 0:04.2 | But before we begin the show, we want to ask for a few seconds of your time. |
| 0:08.2 | If you're enjoying After Dark, and we love you, if you are, we would love you just a little bit more. |
| 0:13.5 | If you could vote for us in the listeners choice category at the British Podcast Awards. |
| 0:18.0 | So go to the show notes now, click the link and just then search for After Dark. |
| 0:23.2 | Fill in your name and your email and don't forget to confirm. They will send you an email. |
| 0:27.2 | You need to confirm. The whole process probably takes about 30 seconds. |
| 0:30.6 | If you've already voted, we are so, so grateful. If you haven't, stop what you are doing right now. |
| 0:35.4 | Vote for us before you enjoy this show. |
| 0:38.2 | Hi there, it's Maddie. I'm just jumping in to let you know that this episode contains |
| 0:42.0 | some sensitive content. So if that's not for you, check out our back catalogue of amazing episodes. |
| 0:47.9 | And if you're sticking with us, enjoy. |
| 0:50.2 | Hello and welcome to After Dark. I'm Anthony. And I'm Maddie. |
| 0:53.7 | And today's episode, we are talking |
| 0:55.7 | about a scandal that shook Victorian England and the man who uncovered it. |
| 1:04.9 | 1885, Britain. Sitting in an armchair by a fire in a grand townhouse is a Victorian gentleman reading |
| 1:12.8 | his paper of choice, The Reliable Pal-Mal Gazette. |
| 1:17.5 | At least it was reliable until its new editor, W.T. Stead arrived. |
| 1:24.9 | Our gentleman furrows his brow as he reads a warning that Stead has added to today's |
| 1:30.5 | edition. It reads thus. We say quite frankly today that all those who are squeamish and all those |
| 1:39.3 | who are prudish and all those who prefer to live in a fool's paradise of imaginary innocence and purity, |
| 1:46.4 | selfishly oblivious to the horrible realities which torment those lives of which are past in a London inferno, |
... |
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