In this seventh and final episode of Series Three, host Andrew Martin meets public historian and tour guide, Sheldon K. Goodman, to find out about how he became obsessed with family history, why he co-founded the Cemetery Club, and how he researches and shares the often hidden lives of LGBTQ+ people.

Life Story: John Traynor
Sheldon has chosen his Great Grandfather's life story to share with us, but it's one that's filled with pain and trauma.

When Sheldon's Grandfather was just 4 years old, in a fit of rage, his father threw him into scalding water, which resulted in burns that were so severe that the 4 year old child received his last rites. He did survive though, badly scarred, but never spoke of what happened, nor about his father. The family subsequently destroyed photographs of John, and removed him from his own headstone.

Sheldon, with help from his Twitter followers, unravelled some of John's earlier life, that has made him reassess his mental state - believing that whilst his act against his son is inexcusable, he may have been suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after his time fighting in the First World War.   

The Brick Wall: R H Bates 'The Bird Man of Hyde Park'
In what is probably the most quirkiest of all our guest's brick walls so far, Sheldon is trying to find out what happened to local character R H Bates, known affectionately on the streets of London, and the press, as 'the bird man of Hyde Park'.

• Who was R H Bates? 
• What did he do in life before he dedicated his time to feeding the sparrows? 
• When did he die, and of course, where can Sheldon visit his grave?

If you think you might have a clue for Sheldon, you can aptly tweet him via his twitter profile @CemeteryClub, or you can head over to familyhistoriespodcast.com and use our contact form and we'll send the message on.

In the meantime, as Andrew and Sheldon head to the garage, there's a surprise waiting for them...

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Episode Credits:
Series Three,  Episode Seven

• Andrew Martin - Host and Producer
• Sheldon K. Goodman - Guest
• Prince Sterling - The Intruder

Show notes and more: familyhistoriespodcast.com

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