Podcast
The BackTracker History Show
Hosted by The Backtracker · EN
Based in the UK, this self confessed history geek takes you for a stroll down memory lane and shares stories and interesting nuggets of information that has been discovered along the way. From tales of tragedy and sadness to epic stories of human courage or creativity, there are many people in history who have made their mark, however small.
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Keep in touch via either Twitter or Facebook by using @BackTrackerUK
12episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Christina Keith: Frontline Teacher
4d ago00:31:31Tap to summarizeChristina Keith: Frontline TeacherSeason: 7 Episode: 19She crossed into a shattered world few dared to witness.In the final days of the First World War, Scottish academic and author Christina Keith travelled to France, not as a soldier, but as a lecturer sent to inspire weary troops standing in the shadow of history’s bloodiest conflict. But what she encountered would stay with her forever.As Europe struggled to emerge from the horror of war, Keith and a close companion became two of the first women to venture deep into the devastated battlefields left behind by the Armistice. They walked through ruined villages, scarred landscapes, and the silent aftermath of unimaginable destruction, scenes still haunted by the echoes of millions lost.Her extraordinary memoir captured a world suspended between relief and ruin, offering a rare and deeply human glimpse into the emotional wreckage left behind by the Great War.In this gripping episode, discover the remarkable story of Christina Keith, the fearless woman who stepped into the ruins of war and lived to tell the tale.CASTChristina Keith - Cerise ReedEdinburgh Evening News - Martin PalmerFriend - Sam RobertsThe Scotsman Newspaper 1 - Joe WilsonThe Scotsman Newspaper 2 - Simon CriddleTHIS PODCASTThis podcast has been specially edited from a Bradley Stoke Radio show in Bristol, England.If you liked it please leave a rating and maybe a comment and if you’d like to support the show with a donation, however small, you can go to Ko-Fi.comSome more great news for you, if you were interested in buying merchandise featuring the show’s logo, then pop over to Teepublic, you’ll find lots of things to choose from.So, thankyou for listening and until next time guys, take care and look after each other.CONTACT MEEmail: info@backtracker.co.ukFacebook: @BackTrackerUKInstagram: @backtrackerukBluesky: @BackTrackerUK-SOURCESFlora Johnston. (Stories from Scotland and beyond)Edinburgh Evening News - Thursday 05 April 1906The Scotsman - Wednesday 22 May 1963The Scotsman - Thursday 23 May 1963-Sound Effects by zapsplat.comIntro music by The Model FolkBack In The Day music by Freesoundmusic© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2026
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Capt. Bertram Dickson: Aviating Pioneer
2w ago00:26:42Tap to summarizeCapt. Bertram Dickson: Aviating PioneerSeason: 7 Episode: 18Captain Bertram Dickson FRGS, RHA, was one of the great daredevils of the early flying age, a pioneering Scottish aviator who became the first British serviceman to earn a pilot’s licence. At a time when flight was still dangerous and experimental, Dickson thrilled crowds with his fearless displays in fragile aircraft of wood and canvas. His dramatic aerial demonstrations, watched by Winston Churchill and Lord Kitchener, helped awaken Britain to the military potential of aviation and played an important role in the creation of the Royal Flying Corps.CASTCapt. Bertram Dickson - Joe WilsonMemorial Stone - Guy PassChelmsford Chronicle - Sam RobertsTHIS PODCASTThis podcast has been specially edited from a Bradley Stoke Radio show in Bristol, England.If you liked it please leave a rating and maybe a comment and if you’d like to support the show with a donation, however small, you can go to Ko-Fi.comSome more great news for you, if you were interested in buying merchandise featuring the show’s logo, then pop over to Teepublic, you’ll find lots of things to choose from.So, thankyou for listening and until next time guys, take care and look after each other.CONTACT MEEmail: info@backtracker.co.ukFacebook: @BackTrackerUKInstagram: @backtrackerukBluesky: @BackTrackerUK-SOURCESWells Journal - Thursday 16 December 1909Morning Post - Tuesday 11 October 1910Ross-shire JournalAberdeen Press and Journal - Thursday 22 September 1994-Sound Effects by zapsplat.comIntro music by The Model FolkBack In The Day music by Freesoundmusic© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2026
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Inverness
May 400:22:26Tap to summarizeInvernessSeason: 7 Episode: 17In this week's show, we’re heading to the Scottish Highlands, to the city of Inverness and its striking landmark, Inverness Castle. Overlooking the River Ness, this historic site has witnessed centuries of power struggles, royal intrigue, and legend. From medieval beginnings to its place in stories like that of Macbeth, Inverness and its castle hold a rich and dramatic past waiting to be explored.CASTMary Queen of Scots - Rose HalesGeorge Buchanan - Martin PalmerTHIS PODCASTThis podcast has been specially edited from a Bradley Stoke Radio show in Bristol, England.If you liked it please leave a rating and maybe a comment and if you’d like to support the show with a donation, however small, you can go to Ko-Fi.comSome more great news for you, if you were interested in buying merchandise featuring the show’s logo, then pop over to Teepublic, you’ll find lots of things to choose from.So, thankyou for listening and until next time guys, take care and look after each other.CONTACT MEEmail: info@backtracker.co.ukFacebook: @BackTrackerUKInstagram: @backtrackerukBluesky: @BackTrackerUK-SOURCESCoventry, Martin. Castles of the Clans: The Strongholds and Seats of 750 Scottish Families and Clans (2010) Historic Environment Scotland – Inverness Castle Official Site: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/inverness-castle/Gifford, John. Highland and Islands (The Buildings of Scotland series, 1992) – Architectural history of Inverness Castle and other Highland structures.Calendar State Papers Scotland. Vol. 1. p. 651. Bain, Joseph, ed. (1898)Tabraham, Chris. Scotland’s Castles (1997) MacGibbon, David and Ross, Thomas. The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland (1887–92) – Culloden Battlefield and Visitor CentrePrebble, John. Culloden (1961; revised editions 1991, 2002)Lenman, Bruce. The Jacobite Risings in Britain 1689–1746 (1980) Duffy, Christopher. The ‘45: Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Untold Story of the Jacobite Rising (2003) –Historic Environment Scotland – Culloden Battlefield Official Site: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/culloden/Mackillop, Andrew. More Fruitful Than the Soil: Army, Empire, and the Scottish Highlands, 1715–1815 (2000) BBC-Sound Effects by zapsplat.comIntro music by The Model FolkBack In The Day music by Freesoundmusic© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2026
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The Horfield Horror
Apr 2700:23:59Tap to summarizeThe Horfield HorrorSeason: 7 Episode: 16In 1841, Horfield was rocked by the violent murder of Martha Shedden, a crime that drew intense attention across the country. Suspicion fell on a young former servant, and the case quickly became tangled in conflicting witness accounts and uncertain evidence. As the investigation unfolded, it raised more questions than answers, leaving the truth of what happened that day deeply uncertain.CASTCharles Rudge - Guy PassAlexander Sheddon - Steve SheperdMrs Rudge - Kate KendellTHIS PODCASTThis podcast has been specially edited from a Bradley Stoke Radio show in Bristol, England.If you liked it please leave a rating and maybe a comment and if you’d like to support the show with a donation, however small, you can go to Ko-Fi.comSome more great news for you, if you were interested in buying merchandise featuring the show’s logo, then pop over to Teepublic, you’ll find lots of things to choose from.So, thankyou for listening and until next time guys, take care and look after each other.CONTACT MEEmail: info@backtracker.co.ukFacebook: @BackTrackerUKInstagram: @backtrackerukBluesky: @BackTrackerUK-SOURCESGloucestershire, England, Prison Records, 1728-1914 London Evening Standard - Thursday 28 January 1841London Courier and Evening Gazette - Friday 29 January 1841English Chronicle and Whitehall Evening Post - Tuesday 13 April 1841-Sound Effects by zapsplat.comIntro music by The Model FolkBack In The Day music by Freesoundmusic© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2026
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Titanic’s Bristolians (pt2)
Apr 2000:24:23Tap to summarizeTitanic’s Bristolians (pt2)Season: 7 Episode: 15In Part One of this tale, we covered the life and death of Rev. Robert Bateman. A man born in Bristol who emigrated to America and used his skills as a preacher and stonemason to help make a difference in the lives of many people.In this episode, we cover the tale of his Sister-in-Law, Ada Balls, who was encouraged to travel with him to America on a journey that would change her life.As a special extra for podcast listeners, there's also an extra tale about another survivour who lived in Bristol, Alice Louch.CASTRevd Robert James Bateman - Guy PassAda Balls - Sam RobertsMinister - Martin PalmerDr. W.A. Hobson - Steve SheperdBruce Bateman - Tony AllenTHIS PODCASTThis podcast has been specially edited from a Bradley Stoke Radio show in Bristol, England.If you liked it please leave a rating and maybe a comment and if you’d like to support the show with a donation, however small, you can go to Ko-Fi.comSome more great news for you, if you were interested in buying merchandise featuring the show’s logo, then pop over to Teepublic, you’ll find lots of things to choose from.So, thankyou for listening and until next time guys, take care and look after each other.CONTACT MEEmail: info@backtracker.co.ukFacebook: @BackTrackerUKInstagram: @backtrackerukBluesky: @BackTrackerUK-SOURCESFind-A-GraveEncyclopedia TitanicaAncestryFamily SearchTitanic Archive‘A Night to Remember’ by Walter Lord(1912) Record of Bodies and Effects (Passengers and Crew S.S. Titanic)-Sound Effects by zapsplat.comIntro music by The Model FolkBack In The Day music by Freesoundmusic© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2026
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Titanic's Bristolians
Apr 1100:20:09Tap to summarizeTitanic's BristoliansSeason: 7 Episode: 14Among the thousands who departed from Southampton, bound for a new life in America, was one man whose story embodies both the hope and the heartbreak of that journey, Red. Robert James Bateman. As the great liner pushed across the Atlantic, everything changed in a single, devastating moment, when an iceberg tore through her hull, sealing her fate, and the fate of so many on board.Today, we uncover his story.CASTRevd Robert James Bateman - Guy PassAda Balls - Sam RobertsTHIS PODCASTThis podcast has been specially edited from a Bradley Stoke Radio show in Bristol, England.If you liked it please leave a rating and maybe a comment and if you’d like to support the show with a donation, however small, you can go to Ko-Fi.comSome more great news for you, if you were interested in buying merchandise featuring the show’s logo, then pop over to Teepublic, you’ll find lots of things to choose from.So, thankyou for listening and until next time guys, take care and look after each other.CONTACT MEEmail: info@backtracker.co.ukFacebook: @BackTrackerUKInstagram: @backtrackerukBluesky: @BackTrackerUK-SOURCESFind-A-GraveEncyclopedia TitanicaAncestryFamily SearchTitanic Archive‘A Night to Remember’ by Walter Lord(1912) Record of Bodies and Effects (Passengers and Crew S.S. Titanic)-Sound Effects by zapsplat.comIntro music by The Model FolkBack In The Day music by Freesoundmusic© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2026
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Death in the Beaufort Arms
Apr 600:22:41Tap to summarizeDeath in the Beaufort ArmsSeason: 7 Episode: 13On Saturday 20 July 1878, an ordinary evening at the Beaufort Arms in Barton Hill, Bristol, turned deadly, when a gathering of local workers, including Alfred Theophilus Freeguard and Frank Ferris, erupted into violence.CASTEdwin Jones - Simon CriddleFrank Ferris - Jon LockeAlfred Freeguard - Guy PassWitness’s brother - Julian KendellJohn Southall - Steve SheperdTHIS PODCASTThis podcast has been specially edited from a Bradley Stoke Radio show in Bristol, England.If you liked it please leave a rating and maybe a comment and if you’d like to support the show with a donation, however small, you can go to Ko-Fi.comSome more great news for you, if you were interested in buying merchandise featuring the show’s logo, then pop over to Teepublic, you’ll find lots of things to choose from.So, thankyou for listening and until next time guys, take care and look after each other.CONTACT MEEmail: info@backtracker.co.ukFacebook: @BackTrackerUKInstagram: @backtrackerukBluesky: @BackTrackerUK-SOURCESYorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Tuesday 23 July 1878Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 25 July 1878Stroud Journal - Saturday 27 July 1878The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post, Western Countries and South Wales AdvertiserThu, Aug 08, 1878 ·Page 3Devon and Somerset News - Thursday 15 August 1878Western Daily Press - Saturday 21 September 1878UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for A. T. Frigard-Sound Effects by zapsplat.comIntro music by The Model FolkBack In The Day music by Freesoundmusic© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2026
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Two Social Reformers
Mar 3000:22:24Tap to summarizeTwo Social ReformersSeason: 7 Episode: 12Susanna Morgan and Jessie Stephen were two determined voices for change, social reformers who challenged injustice and fought to improve the lives of others, from campaigning for women’s rights to standing up for workers and the vulnerable, their efforts helped shape a fairer society and left a lasting mark on history.CASTStaffordshire Advertiser - Andrea ReidJessie Stephen - Lucy BrazierThe Daily Express - Cerise ReedTHIS PODCASTThis podcast has been specially edited from a Bradley Stoke Radio show in Bristol, England.If you liked it please leave a rating and maybe a comment and if you’d like to support the show with a donation, however small, you can go to Ko-Fi.comSome more great news for you, if you were interested in buying merchandise featuring the show’s logo, then pop over to Teepublic, you’ll find lots of things to choose from.So, thankyou for listening and until next time guys, take care and look after each other.CONTACT MEEmail: info@backtracker.co.ukFacebook: @BackTrackerUKInstagram: @backtrackerukBluesky: @BackTrackerUK-SOURCESbgas.org.ukcliftonhotwells.org.ukAvon Local History & ArchaeologyStaffordshire Advertiser - Saturday 16 February 1856BBCBristol Civic SocietyGlobe - Saturday 26 January 1856Working Class Movement LibraryBristol Evening Post - Saturday 11 June 1977Western Daily Press - Wednesday 13 June 1979Bristol Evening Post - Tuesday 02 October 1979Corston, J. (2018). Suffragette and activist Jessie Stephen: a life remembered.-Sound Effects by zapsplat.comIntro music by The Model FolkBack In The Day music by Freesoundmusic© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2026
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The Seven Stars Pub
Mar 2300:20:42Tap to summarizeThe Seven Stars PubSeason: 7 Episode: 11Hidden in Redcliffe, Bristol, the Seven Stars pub isn’t just a place for a pint—it’s a site of history. In the late eighteenth century, its landlord, William Thompson, quietly helped sailors returning from brutal Atlantic voyages and welcomed the abolitionist Thomas Clarkson as he gathered evidence against the slave trade. From this unassuming tavern, stories of suffering and courage spread, helping fuel the campaign that would eventually end Britain’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. Today, the Seven Stars stands as a reminder of the quiet heroes who helped change history, one conversation at a time.CASTThomas Clarkson - Steve SheperdSeven Stars - Sam RobertsTHIS PODCASTThis podcast has been specially edited from a Bradley Stoke Radio show in Bristol, England.If you liked it please leave a rating and maybe a comment and if you’d like to support the show with a donation, however small, you can go to Ko-Fi.comSome more great news for you, if you were interested in buying merchandise featuring the show’s logo, then pop over to Teepublic, you’ll find lots of things to choose from.So, thankyou for listening and until next time guys, take care and look after each other.CONTACT MEEmail: info@backtracker.co.ukFacebook: @BackTrackerUKInstagram: @backtrackerukBluesky: @BackTrackerUK-SOURCESBristol Radical History GroupSeven Stars BristolSlave Trade TrailWe Share the Same Moon-Sound Effects by zapsplat.comIntro music by The Model FolkBack In The Day music by Freesoundmusic© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2026
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Young Gentleman Harry
Mar 1600:22:58Tap to summarizeYoung Gentleman HarrySeason: 7 Episode: 10From petty theft to highway robbery, the life of Henry Simms was a whirlwind of crime, deception, and daring escapes. Schemes, robberies, and a fabricated tales kept him in the spotlight until his dramatic final moments at Tyburn. This article explores the chaotic life and notorious end of one of the eighteenth century’s most audacious criminals.CASTGentleman - Steve SheperdHenry Simms - Jon LockOrdinary’s Accounts - Guy PassTHIS PODCASTThis podcast has been specially edited from a Bradley Stoke Radio show in Bristol, England.If you liked it please leave a rating and maybe a comment and if you’d like to support the show with a donation, however small, you can go to Ko-Fi.comSome more great news for you, if you were interested in buying merchandise featuring the show’s logo, then pop over to Teepublic, you’ll find lots of things to choose from.So, thankyou for listening and until next time guys, take care and look after each other.CONTACT MEEmail: info@backtracker.co.ukFacebook: @BackTrackerUKInstagram: @backtrackerukBluesky: @BackTrackerUK-SOURCESThe Old BaileyCaledonian Mercury - Thursday 09 April 1747British ExecutionsEx Classics-Sound Effects by zapsplat.comIntro music by The Model FolkBack In The Day music by Freesoundmusic© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2026
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