Lithium Jubilee

Victorian Horror Story (Delphine LaLaurie / Edward Mordrake)

In honor of the new season of American Horror Story, Lithium Jubilee is taking a deep dive into a few of the characters who have appeared in the series. Jon gives you the who’s who of Marie Delphine LaLaurie and Erin gives you the what’s what of Edward Mordrake. Wah-Whee-Wah!

A Late Summer's Jubilee (Live at the Paranormal Museum)

We've busted out the celery vase and dusted the haunted sofa for our very first live episode! Join us (vicariously) for an evening of punch and parlor games! 

46. A Late Summer's Jubilee (Live at the Paranormal Museum)

We've busted out the celery vase and dusted the haunted sofa for our very first live episode! Join us (vicariously) for an evening of punch and parlor games! 

Dressing the Part-y (Victorian Party Planning)

We're throwing a party! Well...we did. But we recorded this before that. Anyway, we get into all the trials and tribulations that go into throwing a proper 19th century shindig!

45. Dressing the Part-y

We're throwing a party! Well...we did. But we recorded this before that. Anyway, we get into all the trials and tribulations that go into throwing a proper 19th century shindig!

Power Bottoming Out (Arthur Joseph Munby / Leopold von Sacher-Masoch)

In an era so restrained it is not surprising a handful or two, or thousand, may choose to move their flesh toward the whip. Today’s episode of Lithium Jubilee takes a peek at two couples who helped define a kink that even your mom has probably tried: BDSM. Erin gets roped into the “romance” of Arthur Munby and Hannah Cullwick, like the Victorian version of the movie Secretary except not at all. Jon finds out what’s under those Furs as he explains the reason we say Sadomasochism and not “Thos...

44. Power Bottoming Out

In an era so restrained, it's not surprising a handful or two choose to move their flesh toward the whip. Erin gets roped into the romance of Arthur Munby and Hannah Cullwick, like the Victorian version of the movie Secretary only not. Jon finds out what’s under those furs and explains why we say Sadomasochism and not “Those whose humors are released upon receiving or initiating punitive measures...” If you willfully submit your ears, we will give them exactly what they deserve.

43. The Episode That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing

It's a brand new episode in which we dive headfirst into the thoroughly researched oeuvre of The Men That Will Not Be Blamed for Nothing! Whether it's in the coal mines or at the punk show, we'll see you in the pit!

The Episode That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing (Steph(v)enson / Baby Farmer)

It's a brand new episode in which we dive headfirst into the thoroughly researched oeuvre of The Men That Will Not Be Blamed for Nothing! Whether it's in the coal mines or at the punk show, we'll see you in the pit!

Local Lore (with special guest Kim Brittingham)

42. Local Lore (with special guest Kim Brittingham)

In this episode, we are joined by a very special guest! The delightful and knowledgeable Kim Brittingham stops by the Jubilee to tell us about some Victorian history that happened right in our own back yard!

In the Year 2000 (Victorian Predictions of the Future)

41. In the Year 2000

Let’s get retro-futuristic! Join us as we discuss what people in the past thought the future (that is now our past) would be like.

40. The Pride Cometh, and How!

It’s Lithium Jubilee’s 40th episode! We won’t be celebrating with rubies (as the anniversary suggests) but we will be celebrating with PRIDE! Jon regales us with tales of the Victorian Queen of Queer, Charlotte Cushman! Erin teaches you some new vocabulary and the secret history of the man who coined it, Károly Mária Kertbeny.

The Pride Cometh, and How! (Charlotte Cushman / Karoly Maria Kertbeny)

39. Animal Magnate-ism

Episode 39 finds Lithium Jubilee’s animal suite coming to a purring halt. Don’t worry, the Victorians proved motivation is NOT species specific. Training comes in all forms, whether it be from public shaming (even when wildly inappropriate) like the poor pig faced ladies, or appropriating the wild, like the work of Lord Walter Rothschild. Grab a couple carrots but keep the razors where they belong and enjoy!

Animal Magnate-ism (Pig Faced Ladies / Lord Walter Rothschild)

Episode 39 finds Lithium Jubilee’s animal suite coming to a purring halt. Don’t worry, the Victorians proved motivation is NOT species specific. Training comes in all forms, whether it be from public shaming (even when wildly inappropriate) like the poor pig faced ladies, or appropriating the wild, like the work of Lord Walter Rothschild. Grab a couple carrots but keep the razors where they belong and enjoy!

Manners Still Matter (Minisode 8)

It’s been stressful lately, whether the eustress of a wedding or the distress of watching your country’s leadership be replaced by a pit of hissing, venomous snakes. Lithium Jubilee knows it’s just as hard to maintain your demeanor as it is for your country to maintain democracy. Here’s more tips on being the best version of yourself you can be, because remember, self control is the only control you ever really have.

Minisode 8: Manners Still Matter

Minisode 8: It’s been stressful lately, whether the eustress of a wedding or the distress of watching your country’s leadership be replaced by a pit of hissing, venomous snakes. Lithium Jubilee knows it’s just as hard to maintain your demeanor as it is for your country to maintain democracy. Here’s more tips on being the best version of yourself you can be, because remember, self control is the only control you ever really have.

Minisode 7: Let's Get (Emlen) Physickal

Minisode 7: Hello Jubilants! We are making our triumphant return with a little catch-up minisode where we talk about what we’ve been up to and get giddy about Victorian homes.

Let's Get (Emlen) Physickal (Minisode 7)

Jokes On Us (Minisode 6)

Minisode 6: Jokes On Us

Minisode 6: Let's take a moment to all laugh together at some 19th century jokes in our new minisode!

Dog Days of May (Edward's Anecdotes / Railway Dogs)

38. Dog Days of May

We had so much fun talking about dogs last week that we decided to do it again! Stories of good boys and girls abound in our newest episode, no heckin' bamboozles here!

Oh! You Pretty Things (Victoria's Pets / Gibson Girls)

Episode 37 of Lithium Jubilee returns to form in a celebration of the best things in life: puppy dogs and pretty girls! Jon introduces you to Queen Victoria’s menagerie, including the dogs who heeled by her side through her entire reign. Erin gives a general overview of the Victorian’s answer to the pinup: the Gibson girl (oh and what a view it is!) Who’s a good Jubilant? You are!

37. Oh! You Pretty Things

Episode 37 of Lithium Jubilee returns to form in a celebration of the best things in life: puppy dogs and pretty girls! Jon introduces you to Queen Victoria’s menagerie, including the dogs who heeled by her side through her entire reign. Erin gives a general overview of the Victorian’s answer to the pinup: the Gibson girl (oh and what a view it is!) Who’s a good Jubilant? You are!

Wake Up Victorian People!

Despite all of the adversity so drunkenly faced, Wake Up Victorian People, Lithium Jubilee’s 36th episode was recorded and released (FOR NOW)!!! It’s the final week of April Imitations and boy howdy is it a ripper! Jon and Erin are joined by the hosts of Wake Up Sheep People podcast, Jason and Steve! You’ve heard of tin foil hats? These gents wear tin foil 3 piece suits! We’re talking about two of the lesser known Victorian sex cults: the Kingdom of Matthias and the Agapemone. If you feel an...

36. Wake Up Victorian People!

It’s the final week of April Imitations and boy howdy is it a ripper! Jon and Erin are joined by the hosts of Wake Up Sheep People, Jason and Steve! Forget tin foil hats, these gents wear tin foil 3 piece suits! We’re talking about two of the lesser known Victorian sex cults: the Kingdom of Matthias and the Agapemone. Remember this episode the next time a C-list actress tries to talk you into a bacchanalia after a self improvement seminar.

35. This Victorian Life

We're sitting far too close to the mic as we go full NPR in our latest episode. Hear stories of those in and around the mining industry, as well as Jon attempting to perfect his Terry Gross impression over and over again.

This Victorian Life

We're sitting far too close to the mic as we go full NPR in our latest episode. Hear stories of those in and around the mining industry, as well as Jon attempting to perfect his Terry Gross impression over and over again.

Minisode 5: Dispatches from a Pinkerton Prison

Minisode 5: To assure you we are alive and well inside this opera house turned prison the Pinkertons are holding us in, we smuggled out this minisode. We laugh at some jokes, tell some stories, but mostly just tell Bruce what a good boy he is.

Dispatches from a Pinkerton Prison (Minisode 5)

The Vollop (William Calcraft)

Welcome to the Vollop, a monoweekly Victorian history tribute podcast by Lithium Jubilee! Part 2/Episode 34 celebrates The Dollop, the very best history podcast a person or precocious dolphin could ask for! This week Lithium Jon, podcaster, cat-petter, rock and roll enthusiast, reads a story to his friend Erineth Jubilee who has no idea what the story is going to be about.

34. The Vollop

Welcome to the Vollop, a monoweekly Victorian history tribute podcast by Lithium Jubilee! Part 2/Episode 34 celebrates The Dollop, the very best history podcast a person or precocious dolphin could ask for! This week Lithium Jon, podcaster, cat-petter, rock and roll enthusiast, reads a story to his friend Erineth Jubilee who has no idea what the story is going to be about.

33. My Victorian Murder

Because we love a theme that can give some structure to our lives for a whole month, we're spending April paying homage to some of our favorite podcasts! Up first is the amazing My Favorite Murder. Join as we revel in the world of Victorian true crime.

My Victorian Murder (James Wainwright / The Bermondsey Horror)

32. Que Sara, Sarah

Wrapping up our intersectional appreciation suite, we’ve got two Sara(h)s to see you on your way! First, Jon introduces us to the brilliant Sara Forbes Bonetta, a “princess” and goddaughter of our dear Queen V. Erin ends the episode with Sarah Parker Remond, an abolitionist who toured the world steadily from age 16-40 to further emancipation in the US. It’s typically Lithium Jubilee’s goal to embrace weirdness, repulsiveness, and bawdiness; we’re happy we got to share a little inspiration too!

Que Sara, Sarah (Sara Forbes Bonetta / Sarah Parker Remond)

Wrapping up our intersectional appreciation suite, we’ve got two Sara(h)s to see you on your way! First, Jon introduces us to the brilliant Sara Forbes Bonetta, a “princess” and goddaughter of our dear Queen V. Erin ends the episode with Sarah Parker Remond, an abolitionist who toured the world steadily from age 16-40 to further emancipation in the US. We hope you enjoyed getting to know the incredible ladies we covered this past month. It’s Lithium Jubilee’s goal to embrace the weirdness, r...

Took a Licking & Kept on Kicking (Ass) (Elizabeth Keckley / Cathay Williams)

31. Took a Licking & Kept on Kicking (Ass)

In our Black Women's History Month series, Volume III, we're telling the stories of Elizabeth Keckley and Cathay Williams. They were both born into slavery, took very different paths in life, but both ended up making a mark on history.

30. Queens of Stage & Sovereignty

In Volume II of Lithium Jubilee’s Celebratory Suite of Black Women, we hail to some queens of the Non-Victoria variety. Jon bends the knee to the last Queen of Madagascar, Ranavalona III! Erin kisses the ring of the Hyer Sisters, two exceptionally talented singers who in modern currency would have a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Listen today and enjoy because as Ranavalona so eloquently stated, "Who is certain of tomorrow? Only yesterday I was a queen; today I am simply an unhappy, broken-...

Queens of Stage & Sovereignty (Ranavalona III / Hyers Sisters)

In Volume II of Lithium Jubilee’s Celebratory Suite of Black Women, we hail to some queens of the Non-Victoria variety. Jon bends the knee to the last Queen of Madagascar, Ranavalona III! Her noble fight to stop the plague of colonialism, while unsuccessful, did spawn “The Red Shawl Rebellion” against the French. Erin kisses the ring of the Hyer Sisters, two exceptionally talented singers who in modern currency would have a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. They were the first black non-minstr...

Fine, I'll Just Do It Myself (Emily Grey & Eliza Winston / Mary Seacole)

29. Fine, I'll Just Do It Myself

This is the first episode of Lithium Jubilee’s month long celebration of black women’s Victorian history. What can we say, we love a Venn Diagram!

A Short Appreciation of Victorian History Performed by Living Humans (Minisode 4)

If Grant's Tomb Were in Ocean Grove: A short appreciation of Victorian history performed by living humans; Jon and Erin recap their recent excursions into Victoriana.

Minisode 4: A Short Appreciation of Victorian History Performed by Living Humans

Minisode 4 (If Grant's Tomb Were in Ocean Grove): Jon and Erin recap their recent excursions into Victoriana.

28. Hot Drunk Presidents

Lithium Jubilee’s 28th episode deliberates on the aesthetic attributes of our past commanders in chief. Erin’s pick is handsome sad sack Franklin Pierce, who will only be remembered (if at all) for his looks, tragic personal life and turning the simmer of racial divide into a civil war. Jon reflects on Ulysses S. Grant’s hearty constitution, steely eyes and well maintained facial hair. Bring us your handsome, your drunk, your presidential, we won’t kick them out of our Oval Office.

Hot Drunk Presidents (Ulysses S. Grant / Franklin Pierce)

American presidents have had it easy in one department: their looks. While a particularly sweaty Nixon or a surprisingly endowed Johnson may give the people pause, our gaze typically falls on the politics of a president, not their physical prowess. Lithium Jubilee’s 28th episode deliberates on the aesthetic attributes of our past commanders in chief. Erin’s pick is the handsome sad sack Franklin Pierce, our 14th president who will only be remembered (if at all) for his looks, tragic persona...

A Scraping by St. Valentine (Vinegar Valentines / Napoleon IV)

Happy Valentine's Day jubilants! Join our celebration with a brand new episode all about love! Namely the love of anonymous, passive aggressive bullying and a love forever unrequited, because the object of your host's affection has been dead for 138 years.