A History of the World

Broadcaster and writer Stuart Maconie takes a wry look at the rivalry between the two great northern cities of Liverpool and Manchester through historical objects .They've both been at the heart of developments which have shaped the world, and their economies have been interdependent. Yet everyone knows Mancs and Scousers hate each other - but why? Stuart discovers that the roots of the rivalry are buried centuries back. The cities didn't lock horns when they were puny youngsters. They waited till they'd built themselves up into giants, then had a showdown which literally tore a divide across the North West, and left festering resentment which persists to this day. (BBC One North West)

As part of a season of programmes telling a history of the world through objects, Suggs discovers how Brighton set the scene for seaside resorts around the world. He looks at the bathing machine, the Lambretta and seaside architecture that became one of Britain's favourite exports - anyone fancy a Brighton Quickie? (BBC One South East)

Using everyday objects to tell the history of the world, Stuart Maconie goes in search of Britain's atomic past, revealing the story of Calder Hall in Cumbria, the world's first commercial nuclear power station. Back in the 1950s, this huge industrial site was seen as a shining beacon of the future during the dark days of the Cold War. (BBC One North East & Cumbria)

Professor Mark Horton celebrates the achievements of Edward Jenner, the Gloucestershire doctor who developed a vaccination for smallpox. His discovery saved billions of lives across the globe, leading to the eventual eradication of the disease 30 years ago. A monument is being unveiled in front of the World Health Organisation in Geneva to celebrate the milestone. Professor Horton is a trustee of the Jenner Museum in the Gloucestershire village of Berkeley. He argues a statue of Jenner that was erected in Trafalgar Square before being ousted by campaigners opposed to vaccinations should now be restored to its original position. (BBC One West)

How great was King Alfred? Lucy Worsley, the Royal Palaces curator, goes on the trail of a Wessex king who became famous for fighting Vikings and burning cakes, to discover the truth behind the legend. (BBC One South)

Garden designer Chris Beardshaw explores how East Anglia has helped feed the world. Five objects tell the story of a revolution in farming that gives the region a unique place in the history of the world. His journey takes him from north Norfolk, where 300 years ago Thomas Coke invented a new way of growing crops on the glorious Holkham Estate, to Suffolk where an accident in a foundry led to a self-sharpening blade that would be used in ploughs across the world. There was even one pulled by elephants! (BBC One East & Cambridgeshire)

It was the campaign that changed the lives of British women forever. Actress Sheila Hancock is given unprecedented access to the Museum of London's treasure trove of rare objects that tell the extraordinary story of the suffragettes and their battle for the vote. (BBC One London)

Adam Hart-Davis tells the remarkable story of Thomas Newcomen, the Devon man who invented the world's first working steam-powered engine. His engine was first used to pump water out of mines and ultimately powered the industrial revolution. (BBC One South West)

Adam Hart-Davis tells the story of the amazing 280-year-old wooden clock, made in Lincolnshire, that changed timekeeping for ever and helped solve the problem of how to navigate round the world. (BBC One Yorks & Lincs)

Frank Whittle turned our world into a global village with one spark of genius. The jet engine has transformed the way we travel, making journeys of thousands of miles not only possible but affordable for millions. And it all started in a dilapidated foundry in Lutterworth, Leicestershire. (BBC One East Midlands)

Horrible Histories author Terry Deary tells the story of the country's biggest and bloodiest ever battle in which 28,000 soldiers died in a single day of slaughter during the Wars of the Roses. Terry unearths objects that tell of the extreme brutality of the Battle of Towton, including bullets, arrowheads and even the skeletons of some of the men who died near Tadcaster in North Yorkshire 550 years ago. (BBC One Yorkshire)

Chris Tarrant discovers how one simple invention revolutionised the industrial heart of Britain. He travels by narrow boat to see how the Brindley Lock created a canal network that would transform the Midlands from rural backwater to industrial giant. (BBC One West Midlands)