Episode
EP 51: The Business of History (with Tom Levitt)
- Podcast
- The Library of Mistakes
- Published
- Feb 4, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2443
- Processing state
not_requested
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Summary
Tom Levitt was exploring a course on 19th century history during the pandemic crisis when he stumbled upon WH Beable’s 'Romance of Great Businesses', a 1926 book exploring 32 iconic British companies. He was intrigued by the realisation that many of them still exist today (although mostly as brand names rather than intact corporations). It inspired the former teacher, MP and business advisor to delve into their stories and write his own book – The Business of History: Tales and Lessons from Two Centuries of British Commerce. Listen in to Tom's entertaining discussion with Russell Napier about famous names such as WH Smith, Boots and Cadbury – and, as an interesting aside, the thriving innovation of commercial lending libraries, before the advent of free public reading resources. And if you're interested in Tom's guided history walks around London, find out more by searching for The Business Of History at www.londonwalks.com Produced by Fraser Allen. www.libraryofmistakes.com