The Nightly: Drowsy History Week — A Victorian Fairy Hoax

Date: January 19, 2026
Hosts: Matt (A), Jack (B)
Guest: Dana Schwartz (C), host of Noble Blood and Hoax podcasts

Episode Overview

The Nightly launches "Drowsy History Week" with an enchanting—and ultimately debunked—Victorian fairy hoax. Special guest Dana Schwartz narrates the extraordinary tale of the Cottingley Fairies, explores its place in popular imagination, and reveals how even famed detective creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was fooled. The episode blends cozy bedtime chat with historical intrigue and playful banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Getting Cozy with Dana Schwartz

• Dana shares her sleep routine (01:28–02:23):

  • Loves early bedtimes: “Ideally, I’m in bed at like 9:30. Sometimes earlier, which is a little embarrassing... but I am a very like, take my makeup off, brush my teeth, do my skincare, put my retainer in, get into bed, start reading my book at like 9:00. And if I can be lights out by 9:30, I’m thrilled.”
    — Dana Schwartz [01:41]

• The hosts joke about sounding smart with British accents and university names (02:39–03:27):

  • “You have a British accent, which you can just lie to people and have read everything. Because in America, that, to us implies that you’re incredibly erudite and well read and probably went to Oxford.”
    — Dana Schwartz [02:39]

Drowsy History: The Cottingley Fairy Photographs

• Setting the Scene (04:30–06:10):

  • In 1917 Cottingley, England, cousins Elsie (a teen) and Frances (age 9) claim to see fairies while playing near a stream. Caught with wet clothes, they tell Frances’ mother, “it’s not my fault, we were playing with the fairies.”

• The Fateful Photographs (06:10–08:09):

  • To “prove” the fairies were real and escape blame, Elsie borrows her father’s camera and snaps photos of Frances surrounded by small, storybook-like fairies. The photos look convincing to adults and are later rediscovered at a spiritualist meeting.

• Theosophical Excitement & Apparent Authentication (08:09–09:33):

  • Edward Gardner of the Theosophical Society examines the photos, consulting photographic experts who confirm there is no evidence of tampering or double exposure.
  • “He looks at the photos and says, these don’t look like double exposures. It doesn’t look like they were doctored after the fact, you know, like cutting out a picture of a fairy and sort of just pasting it on the photo.”
    — Dana Schwartz [07:45]

• Spiritualist Rationalizations (08:43–09:28):

  • Believers propose that perhaps the fairies resemble storybook images because “their appearance is linked to the imagination of these two girls,” or that “people just got fairies right.”

• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Gets Involved (09:34–12:45):

  • The author of Sherlock Holmes, a noted spiritualist, is captivated by the photos. He and Gardner ask expert opinion from Kodak, who find no evidence of fakery but won’t confirm fairies exist.
  • “Sir Arthur Conan Doyle writes an article in 1920 in The Strand magazine... laying his reputation on the line.”
    — Dana Schwartz [11:59]

• Doyle’s Reasoning and Public Backlash (12:45–14:25):

  • Conan Doyle suggests Elsie’s artistic limitations make sophisticated fakery unlikely.
  • The public, however, sees Doyle as gullible: “People call Arthur Conan Doyle crazy. They think he’s fooled. Even if no one can actually prove how these girls faked these photos, the general consensus in the media is that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was tricked.”
    — Dana Schwartz [13:36]

• The Girls Keep the Secret, the Myth Grows (14:45–16:13):

  • Elsie and Frances remain silent to avoid embarrassing Doyle as he doubles down, publishing a whole book supporting the fairy photos.

• The Hoax Finally Revealed (16:13–18:44):

  • In the 1980s, a photographic investigator proves the fairies were actually paper cut-outs from a children’s book, staged with hat pins. A further twist: the book included a story by Conan Doyle himself.
  • “The book that they cut those fairy photos out of... had a story by none other than Arthur Conan Doyle.”
    — Dana Schwartz [17:24]

• A Gentle Confession (18:44–19:43):

  • Elsie, in her eighties, writes a kind letter explaining: “It was just a practical joke that fell flat... It just got out of hand. And then we were so embarrassed on behalf of Arthur Conan Doyle that... they wouldn’t confess until after both Arthur Conan Doyle and Edward Gardner died.”
    — Dana Schwartz [18:44]

• Lingering Fairy Belief (19:01–19:38):

  • Frances, the younger girl, continues to claim she “did see fairies, but the photos were faked,” possibly believing her own invented memory over time.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you want to believe something is true, you can find an explanation.”
  — Dana Schwartz [09:24]

• “Turns out [Conan Doyle] was a terrible detective.”
  — Jack, Dana [19:43–19:47]

• “Don’t let the fairies bite.”
  — Dana Schwartz [21:45], bidding goodnight

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Bedtime Rituals & Banter: 01:28–04:17
• Story Introduction: 04:30
• Fairy Photos Taken: 06:10
• Theosophical Society Interest: 08:09
• Spiritualist Explanations & Conan Doyle Appears: 09:34–12:45
• Public Skepticism: 13:36–14:25
• Aftermath and Girls’ Silence: 14:45–16:13
• Hoax Unraveled: 16:13–18:44
• Elsie’s Letter & Confession: 18:44–19:43
• Final Goodnight: 21:25–21:45

Wrap-Up & Recommendations

• Matt and Jack thank Dana for the delightful storytelling and invite listeners to check out her podcasts, Noble Blood and Hoax, as well as her upcoming book, The Arcane Arts (20:34–21:08).
• Dana’s bedtime send-off to creative souls and fairy believers everywhere sets a whimsical close (21:25–21:45):
  • “Sleep well. Goodnight. Don’t let the fairies bite.”
    — Dana Schwartz [21:45]

For more cozy bedtime history, stay tuned to The Nightly.