About us

HistoryWorld’s aim is to make world history more easily accessible through interactive narratives and timelines. Written by Bamber Gascoigne, it consists of about 300 narratives ( the alphabetical list runs from Aegean Civilization to Zoroastrianism ) and some 10,000 events on searchable timelines.


Website by: diditon
Conceived and written by: Bamber Gascoigne


Bamber Gascoigne

Bamber Gascoigne (1935-2022) was best known for his television role as chairman of University Challenge for twenty-five years (1962-1987). He has also been the author and presenter of many documentary history series, including The Christians, Victorian Values, Man and Music and The Great Moghuls, and he is the author of some twenty books. His key genre was history, but he has also published novels, children's books and academic works on prints and printmaking. From 1994 until his death Bamber worked on an encyclopedic general history which forms the uniquely interactive core of historyworld.net. Bamber was a Trustee of the National Gallery, Trustee of the Tate Gallery, member of the Council of the National Trust, and member of the board of directors of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.


Peter Donebauer

Peter Donebauer co-founded and was Executive Chairman of Diverse Production Ltd, one of the UK's leading independent television producers. Peter unusually combines a science degree in Psychology with an MA from the Royal College of Art. He spent many years before Diverse as a practising fine artist specialising in video, and was the first artist to have an abstract work commissioned for national broadcast on British television (see www.donebauer.net). He is now working again as an artist, with an emphasis on moving image work.


Ian Henghes

Ian Henghes is a graduate in Film and Television. In 1984 he founded Image Creative, a video editing company based in Soho, London. In the early 90's Ian developed a multimedia catalogue platform 'Imagebase'. He then joined Diverse Production, one of the UK's leading independent production houses to lead a move into new media. Here Ian combined his experience in TV and IT as Head of Interactive, working with computer Programmers, Designers and TV Producers for major publishers, broadcasters and heritage organizations. In 2001 Ian joined HistoryWorld Ltd. building on his particular enthusiasm for 'connected content'; highly interactive online content. As Development Director of Historyworld Ian is responsible for various additions and changes over the years, most recently a new iteration of Historyworld and Timelines accessible via an API. Ian founded diditon.com to provide internet development support and services. He works on a range of projects particularly those in the arts and education. 


Steve Jelley

Steve Jelley is the founder and chief executive of VideoJuicer, a company that makes online sports, news and entertainment formats and communities for TV and media companies. He is also a director of consulting company TAKEL, which provides business, marketing, and strategic advice to a number of technology and media companies including Apple. Prior to TAKEL he gained extensive experience as a Producer, Agent, and Executive in the TV, film, games, mobile, web, and IT sectors, for clients such as Electronic Arts and for several start-ups. For 5 years, Steve was a media agent packaging projects for broadcasters and games companies on behalf of writers, producers and companies. He has also produced and financed a number of major multimedia projects: He was Project Director of the multi-agency partnership that created www.makingthemodernworld.co.uk, a £1.5m website based on Science Museum's major gallery, for educational and general audiences. He is Commercial Director of Historyworld Ltd. His interests include music, climbing, skiing, & cooking.