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
17episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
BTP724. SS Stella (Part Two)
2w ago00:27:13Tap to summarizeBTP724. SS Stella (Part Two)Season: 7 Episode: 24Often called the "Titanic of the Channel Islands", the SS Stella met a tragic end when it struck the Casquets reef in thick fog on Easter Thursday 1899. In Part Two, we move beyond the disaster itself to explore the remarkable personal stories of those who lived through it, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. From the courage of stewardess Mary Ann Rogers, who gave her life helping others, to the extraordinary accounts of survivors whose lives were changed forever, these are the human stories behind one of Britain's greatest maritime tragedies.CASTCharacter - ActorWilliam McGonagall - Martin PalmerThe Times - Cerise ReedThe Spectator - Joe WilsonGreta Williams - Sam RobertsW.P. Harwood - 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-SOURCESWestern Mail - Saturday 01 April 1899Western Daily Mercury - Tuesday 04 April 1899The Sketch - Wednesday 12 April 1899Manchester Evening News - Friday 14 April 1899Jersey Independent and Daily Telegraph - Saturday 03 June 1899Jersey Express and Channel Islands Advertiser - Friday 14 July 1899Southampton Tourists Guide AssociationSouthampton MuseumGuernsey Museum-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 Sinking of the S.S Stella
3w ago00:20:14Tap to summarizeThe Sinking of the S.S StellaSeason: 7 Episode: 23On Easter Thursday 1899, the SS Stella set sail from Southampton bound for Guernsey. Just hours later, in thick fog, the luxury passenger steamer struck the notorious Casquets reef and sank within minutes, claiming more than 100 lives in one of Britain's worst Victorian maritime disasters.CASTMr James Parton - Steve SheperdMan in Dinghy - 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-SOURCESWestern Mail - Saturday 01 April 1899Western Daily Mercury - Tuesday 04 April 1899Jersey Independent and Daily Telegraph - Saturday 03 June 1899Southampton Tourists Guide AssociationSouthampton MuseumGuernsey Museum-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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Postman's Park
4w ago00:22:48Tap to summarizePostman's ParkSeason: 7 Episode: 22Postman’s Park is a peaceful green oasis in the heart of the City of London, free for everyone to enjoy. Tucked away from the surrounding busy streets, it is best known for its moving Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice, which honours ordinary people who lost their lives while saving others.CASTGeorge Watts - Steve SheperdAlice's Memorial - Sam RobertsMandell Creighton - 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-SOURCESHoly Sepulchre LondonWindsor Local History GroupKentish Mercury - Friday 01 May 1885South London Observer - Saturday 09 May 1885Faringdon Advertiser and Vale of the White Horse Gazette - Saturday 09 May 1885-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 Tragic Murder of Alice Hole
Jun 1500:29:24Tap to summarizeThe Tragic Murder of Alice HoleSeason: 7 Episode: 21The murder of Alice Hole sent shockwaves through Bristol, becoming one of the city's most talked-about crimes of the Victorian era. As news of the killing spread through the narrow streets of Temple, horror quickly turned to fascination. By morning, crowds had gathered, rumours were rife, and newspapers carried lurid accounts of the tragedy. Behind the headlines lay a story of heartbreak, decline, and a brutal act that left an entire city stunned.CASTWilliam Hole - Guy PassAlice Hole - Kate KendellHome Secretary - 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-SOURCESSouth Staffordshire Examiner - Saturday 05 September 1874AncestryExecuted TodayMonmouthshire Beacon - Saturday 10 April 1875Western Daily Press - Monday 26 April 1875Morning Advertiser - Tuesday 27 April 1875-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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Victorian Street Sweepers
Jun 800:24:08Tap to summarizeVictorian Street SweepersSeason: 7 Episode: 20Before modern roads and pavements, crossing a busy city street could be filthy, dangerous, and sometimes impossible without help. In the crowded towns and cities of the 19th century, horse-drawn traffic left roads thick with mud, waste, and grime, creating an opportunity for one of Victorian Britain’s most overlooked jobs, the crossing sweeper.CASTRichard Rowe - Steve SheperdParson - Joe WilsonHenry Mayhew - Guy PassSam Scrape - 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-SOURCESMayhew, Henry (2009). "London Labour and the London Poor, Vol. IIThe Dictionary of Victorian London.London Labour and the London Poor, p. 259Cheltenham Chronicle - Thursday 25 January 1844-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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Christina Keith: Frontline Teacher
Jun 100:31:31Tap 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
May 2500:26:42Tap 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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