Ian Breckon
Historian and author of Mad Tom's Rising, who specializes in the life of John Nicholls Tom (Sir William Courtney) and the social history of 19th-century England.
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Apr 3, 2026 • 44min
The Mad Mystic and the Last Battle on English Soil - with Ian Breckon
Ian Breckon, historian and author of Mad Tom's Rising, explores John Nicholls Tom, the theatrical impostor Sir William Courtney. He traces Kent’s 1830s unrest, Tom’s messianic performances, the deadly clash in Bosendon Wood, and how belief and desperation fueled a rural revolt. The conversation links Victorian turmoil to modern charismatic populism.
8 snips
Feb 18, 2026 • 33min
"The streets will run with blood!": the uprising that shook Victorian Britain
In 1838, a 6ft Cornishman going by the name of Sir William Courtenay led an insurrection in rural Kent. Courtenay claimed he was Jesus Christ – and a lot of people believed him. And when those supporters clashed with troops at Bossenden Wood, the result was carnage. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Ian Breckon describes the last battle fought on English soil and considers what it tells us about Victorian Britain.
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Don't miss the new HistoryExtra podcast series History's Greatest Battles, back for a new run exploring the Wars of the Roses. For more details, click here: https://play.megaphone.fm/nl_id4hhr2s5izmxcjam3g Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
