The BackTracker History Show

Francis Eaton's Adventure Season:  6 Episode: 39 Francis Eaton was born ca. 1596 in Bristol, England, and died in the autumn of 1633 in Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay Colony. He, with his wife and son, were passengers on the historic 1620 voyage of the Mayflower. His signature appears on the Mayflower Compact Francis Eaton’s story begins long before the Mayflower set sail, and when woven togethe...

The Mystery In The Village Season:  6 Episode: 38 Unearth the astonishing tale of how the tiny North Dorset village of Gussage St Michael, home to only a few hundred souls, suddenly found itself splashed across front pages around the world in 1913. From Britain to Australia and New Zealand, its story raced across continents, turning a quiet rural corner into an international sensation. Step i...

Filton's War Heroes Season:  6 Episode: 37 Nestled in the quiet churchyard of St Peter’s in Filton, Bristol, stands a solemn granite memorial, its rough-hewn Latin cross reaching skywards as a tribute to local men who gave their lives in the First World War. Later additions commemorate those lost in the Second World War and subsequent conflicts, a poignant reminder of the sacrifices woven int...

Bristol's Code Breaker: Gordon Welchman Season:  6 Episode: 36 Dive into the extraordinary mind behind the unseen machinery of Allied codebreaking. In this episode, we explore how Gordon Welchman’s quiet brilliance reshaped the war effort, the birth of traffic analysis, and why his ideas still echo through modern intelligence work. If you’ve ever wondered how the hidden architecture of Bletch...

The Captain With Two Victoria Crosses! Season:  6 Episode: 35 As part of our Lest We Forget November series of show, we visit the story of Captain Noel Godfrey Chavasse, a doctor, a soldier, and one of only three people in history to be awarded the Victoria Cross twice. His compassion on the battlefield and his courage under fire remind us what true heroism looks like, not just in grand gestu...

Remembrance Day 2025 Season:  6 Episode: 34 Each November, as the nation falls silent, we remember them, the men and women who gave everything in the service of others. Their names are carved in stone, whispered in churches, and carried in the hearts of families across generations. But behind every name lies a story of bravery, sacrifice, and humanity in the darkest of times. As we honour all...

Joe Rogers and the Royal Charter Season:  6 Episode: 33 It was the night of 25 October 1859, when the wind began to howl across the Irish Sea. By midnight it had grown into a monstrous storm, one so fierce it would later be remembered as the worst of the nineteenth century. Waves rose like dark mountains, tearing at the coast of Anglesey and battering ships caught in its fury. Out there, stru...

Halloween Special 2025 Season:  6 Episode: 32 Welcome to the Halloween edition of The Backtracker History Show, where we uncover the true origins of this haunting night. Long before costumes and sweets, Halloween was a sacred bridge between the living and the dead, when ancient Celts lit fires to keep spirits at bay. Join us as we journey through centuries of folklore, from Samhain to All Hal...

The Locked Bank Mystery Season:  6 Episode: 31 The curious case of the Welshman murdered inside a locked bank. He was found shot dead, a bullet hole in the window, and a haul of cash and silver missing. This wasn’t a detective show plot — it was a real crime scene uncovered by detectives just over 100 years ago. CAST Abraham “Jack” Goldenberg - Joe Wilson ' M' Letter - Sam Roberts South Wales...

The Robber's Stone Season:  6 Episode: 30 Discover the story behind The Robbers’ Stone , a Grade II listed memorial in West Lavington, Wiltshire. It marks a dramatic 1839 highway robbery and the capture of the culprits—a real-life tale of law triumphing over highwaymen. Tune in to hear how Mr. Dean of Imber was robbed, the pursuit that followed, and the legacy left in stone. CAST John Baish -...

The Looting of SS Ettrick Season:  6 Episode: 29 In 1924, the SS Ettrick met a dramatic fate on the River Avon — she ran aground and refused to budge. As the tide turned and the crew gave up hope, the ship capsized overnight, belly-up in the murky waters. By morning, the riverbank was swarming with locals, not to rescue, but to scavenge: tobacco, cigarettes, sweets, and boots bobbed temptingl...

Eric Harper: WW2 Life in the Royal Airforce Season:  6 Episode: 28 At just eighteen, Eric Ronald Harper swapped the classroom for the cockpit. By May 1940 he was in uniform, training as an Air Observer—what we’d now call a Navigator—with 207 Squadron, 5 Group, Bomber Command. From Penarth to Melksham, then Bridgnorth in Shropshire, his journey into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve had be...

More Short Tales Season:  6 Episode: 27 From an unusual change of mind to a woman with bizarre eating habits, here are just a few of the shorter tales in my archive. All interesting enough to share with you. CAST Dr. Hocking - Steve Sheperd Mary Ann Carroll - Carrie Ball Magistrates' Clerk - Steve Sheperd THIS PODCAST This podcast has been specially edited from a Bradley Stoke Radio show in B...

The Dickin Medal Season:  6 Episode: 26 They call it the animals’ Victoria Cross—the PDSA Dickin Medal. Created in 1943, it honours the bravery of animals who served in war. Since then, more than 70 animals have received it, the highest honour for courage in the face of danger. And here are just a few of the 12 recipients buried at the Ilford PDSA Cemetery in London. Here's the story of just...

The Cheltenham Torso Mystery Season:  6 Episode: 25 The Cheltenham torso mystery, a chilling enigma that gripped the nation, remains one of Gloucestershire's most infamous unsolved crimes. It made national headlines and sparked a massive police manhunt, but despite tantalising clues and relentless investigation, the truth was never uncovered. CAST Bradford Observer - Andrea Reid Gardener - Co...

Shorter Tales Season:  6 Episode: 24 This week’s show packs a punch with three bite-sized but gripping tales – a dash of heroism from a local legend, a stirring act of WW2 bravery, and the bittersweet drama of a woman scorned – as well as your usual helpings of fascinating facts from days gone by. CAST Pete Budd - Colin Ball Jesse Organ - Patrick Allen THIS PODCAST This podcast has been speci...

HMS Trincomalee Season:  6 Episode: 23 HMS Trincomalee is one of only two surviving British frigates from her era, alongside her near-sister ship, HMS Unicorn, now preserved as a museum in Dundee. Ordered on 30 October 1812, Trincomalee was constructed in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, by the renowned Wadia family of shipwrights. Her maiden voyage was the begining of a love story and also brough...

The Legend of Lady Anne Clifford (Pt 2) Season:  6 Episode: 22 The last member of one of England’s great medieval dynasties, Lady Anne Clifford became something of a legend in her own lifetime, and has remained a celebrated figure in the history of northern England ever since. After fighting a 40-year battle for her right to inherit her father’s estates, devoted herself to restoring and enhan...

The Legend of Lady Anne Clifford (Pt1) Season:  6 Episode: 21 The last member of one of England’s great medieval dynasties, Lady Anne Clifford became something of a legend in her own lifetime — and ever since, she’s stood as a celebrated figure in the storied history of northern England. Anne spent a lot of time at the court of Elizabeth 1 with her parents and became a Lady in Waiting to Quee...

Who Killed Young Betty? Season:  6 Episode: 20 On February 20, 1823, young Betty Trump, just 13 or 14 years old, left her home in Buckland St Mary, near Taunton. She was on her way to visit family in the village of Winsham. On the return journey, Betty passed through Chard, pausing to pick up some supplies. Then she headed out once more toward Buckland St Mary—and vanished. This tragedy horri...

Florence Simpson Season:  6 Episode: 19 Florence Simpson didn’t just break new ground—she laid the foundation for the future of women in the British military. From voluntary cook to military commander, hers was a legacy of perseverance, service, and transformation at a time when the role of women in war was being rewritten. CAST Florence Simpson - Cerise Reed Lady Rachel Dudley - Molly Jeffer...

The Suicidal Murderer Season:  6 Episode: 18 On April 5, 1936, Beatrice Sutton was found dead in her London flat, lying across the bed with pillows stacked over her face. At first, it looked like natural causes—but a closer look revealed she’d been strangled. Murder had hidden in plain sight. A murder with an unusual reason behind it CAST Frederick Herbert Field - Joe Wilson Inspector Brown -...

USS Huron: Bristol's U.S Hero Season:  6 Episode: 17 It was just after midnight on Tuesday, July 21st, 1908, in a quiet little home on Rudgeway Parade, Upper Eastville. The world barely noticed as Antonio Williams drew his final breath. A modest man by all appearances… but behind that quiet ending was a life of extraordinary courage. Antonio Williams wasn’t just a U.S. Navy pensioner—he was a...

Lillian Wyles: A Pioneering Police Officer Season:  6 Episode: 16 Lilian joined the London Metropolitan Police in 1919 as a Sergeant, part of the Metropolitan Women Police Patrols. At the time, this was most unusual for women and initially not at all popular either with fellow Police Officers or the Public as it was deemed "unwomanly". Eventually rising to the rank of Chief Inspector. CAST Li...

The Murder of Billy the Tinker (Pt 2) Season:  6 Episode: 15 Previously, in the quiet village of Bishopsworth… It’s March 1880. Two colliers, out gathering primroses on an otherwise peaceful day, stumble upon a ghastly sight: a body, cold and decomposed, lying in a gully. The victim? William Palmer Robinson — a traveling razor grinder, eccentric wanderer, and local curiosity known for his fon...