Stuff The British Stole

The Girl Called Pocahontas

How do you uncover the true life of a woman whose existence is wrapped in myth, propaganda and a famous animated children’s movie? This is the true story of Matoaka - a

The Fever Tree Hunt

Most heists target gold, jewels or cash. This one targeted illegal seeds. As the British established their sprawling empire across the subcontinent and beyond, they enco

Zero Marks The Spot

It’s round. It has a hole in it. It symbolises nothing and yet it is the possibility of something... meet zero. The zero we know and love today is the foundation of our

The Unfinished Prince

There's a body buried in the grounds of Windsor Castle whose real home is thousands of miles away. Since 2007, there have been calls for Prince Alamayu’s remains to be re

Bottles in the Basement

Deep in the cellars of one of England’s grandest country homes, covered in dirt and cobwebs, lay dozens of bottles of ancient rum. Their discovery set off a frenzy among

The Head in the Library

In an old country town high school library there is a glass case that displays something highly unusual and, for some, confronting. Inside that glass case is a mummified

INTRODUCING — Stuff The British Stole | Series 3

Throughout its reign, the British Empire stole a lot of stuff. Today the Empire's loot sits in museums, galleries, private collections and burial sites with polite plaque

Special Announcement

We’re working hard on bringing you more podcast episodes but in the meantime, we have a special announcement…

Strange Fowle

It’s become a symbol for extinction; the dodo is a semi-mythical creature which most of us know only through Alice in Wonderland. But one particular dodo was the victim

Not Your Venus

Sarah 'Saartjie' Baartman was taken to the UK by a British doctor. But did she know what she was signing up for? Stage-named 'The Hottentot Venus', Sarah was paraded aro

Cup Runneth

In County Cork, Ireland, there’s a tree that locals call the Chalice Tree. Local lore says it’s where British Redcoats disrupted a secret Catholic mass, killed two priest

Losing Your Marbles

They’ve seen wars, the bottom of the ocean and even - bizarrely - been part of a boxing match. The story of how the Parthenon Marbles actually ended up in London’s Briti

The Abductions

A war. A ransom. And a stunning recovery mission. Five elaborately carved panels were buried in a New Zealand swamp to protect it from a war. Then 150 years later, they

Season Two Coming Soon

Have you ever wandered around a museum and thought “How on Earth did all of this stuff get here?” You’re not alone. Throughout its reign, the British Empire stole a lot

Shots Fired

The Gweagal shield is just one of the things James Cook and his shipmates took from the local people when they landed in Botany Bay. Why has it become the most contentiou

The Headhunters

The arrival of Europeans in NZ kicked off a trade in Mokomokai — tattooed heads but these colonial souvenirs have their own complex history.

Best.Named.Dog.Ever

Don’t let their fluffy hair and judging eyes fool you, Pekingese dogs are hiding a secret. Their history encompasses torture, hubris, war, and some very long sleeves. Mos

Blood Art

What if your doorstop was evidence of brutal mass murder and wholesale theft? 

A Tiger and a Scream

How a toy tiger became the symbol of a struggle between India and its former British colonisers

INTRODUCING - Stuff The British Stole

Throughout its reign, the British Empire stole a lot of stuff. Today those objects are housed in genteel institutions across the UK and the world. They usually come with