The BackTracker History Show

Death of a Front Line Clergyman

Season: 6 Episode: 4

He was charismatic, charming and passionate about his faith. Rev. Charles Edmund Doudney just wanted to make the world a better place for everyone, so when World War One required clergymen to offer their services, he didn't shy away and joined the British Army, serving as a chaplain at the front, to the 18th Field Ambulance.

On the day before he was due to return home, he was called to bury eight soldiers when tragedy struck. Listen to the latest episode to find out more about the first clergyman to die at the front line.

CAST

Church Family Newspaper - Sam Roberts

Rev. Charles E Doudney - Steve Sheperd

Parishioner - Caroline Ball

THIS PODCAST

This 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.com

Some 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 ME

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @BackTrackerUK

Instagram: @backtrackeruk

Twitter: @BackTrackerUK

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SOURCES

Imperial War Museum

Masonic Great War Project

Find-A-Grave

Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery

The National Archives

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard - Saturday 23 October 1915

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Sound Effects by zapsplat.com

Intro music by The Model Folk 

Back In The Day music by Freesoundmusic

© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2025

The Bristol Dinosaur

Season: 6 Episode: 3

In 1834, the bustling quarries of Clifton, Bristol, hid an incredible secret buried beneath their stone walls. As workers chipped away along Worrall Road, they stumbled upon strange bones unlike anything they’d ever seen. Little did they know, they had uncovered Thecodontosaurus, a creature that would later earn its place in history as one of the world’s first known dinosaurs.

Scientists have found that herds of Thecodontosaurus lived around Bristol 210 million years ago, when the area was made up of small tropical islands. Listen to this episode and find out more about this exciting discovery and the men who named it.

To find out more about the Bristol Dinosaur Project, a public engagement and educational initiative run by the University of Bristol., check out their website at https://www.bristol.ac.uk/earthsciences/research/palaeobiology/bristol-dinosaur-project/

CAST

Mr Lyell - Steve Sheperd

THIS PODCAST

This 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.com

Some 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 ME

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @BackTrackerUK

Instagram: @backtrackeruk

Twitter: @BackTrackerUK

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SOURCES

Dinopedia

Bristol Museum

Bristol Dinosaur Project

The News (London) - Monday 28 March 1836

The Bristol Mirror - Sat, 19 Feb 1859 ·Page 8

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Sound Effects by zapsplat.com

Intro music by The Model Folk 

Back In The Day music by Freesoundmusic

© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2025

A Bristol Murder: Killer Boy

Season: 6 Episode: 2

In a rash moment of teenage bravado, two young lives were changed forever. One ended tragically and the other's life would never be the same again. Listen to the story of 19-year-old William Braund and 14-year-old Alfred Dancey and the event that happened in 1849.

Plus there's two quick news snippets from the papers published at the same time that I thought you might find interesting

CAST

Henry Coggan - Ollie Colman

William Roach - Joe Wilson

THIS PODCAST

This 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.com

Some 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 ME

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @BackTrackerUK

Instagram: @backtrackeruk

Twitter: @BackTrackerUK

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SOURCES

Convict Records

Ancestry

Globe - Wednesday 26 December 1849

Kentish Gazette - Tuesday 01 January 1850

Derry Journal - Wednesday 02 January 1850

Elgin Courier - Friday 04 January 1850

Globe - Saturday 06 April 1850

Gloucestershire, England, Prison Records, 1728-1914

Australian Convict Transportation Registers

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Sound Effects by zapsplat.com

Intro music by The Model Folk 

Back In The Day music by Freesoundmusic

© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2025

Cpl Theodore Veale VC: A WW1 Hero

Season: 6 Episode: 1

Corporal Theodore William Henry Veale VC (11 November 1892 – 6 November 1980) was a British Army soldier renowned for his exceptional bravery during World War I, which earned him the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to British and Commonwealth forces.

CAST

Newspaper - Cerise Reed

The London Gazette -Sam Roberts

Theodore Veale - Joe Wilson

THIS PODCAST

This 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.com

Some 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 ME

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @BackTrackerUK

Instagram: @backtrackeruk

Twitter: @BackTrackerUK

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SOURCES

VCs of the First World War Gliddon, Gerald (2011)

The VC and GC Association

Dartmouth Chronicle

Dartmouth Museum

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Sound Effects by zapsplat.com

Intro music by The Model Folk 

Back In The Day music by Freesoundmusic

© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2025

Samuel Pepys Tour Around Bristol

Season: 5 Episode: 44

Samuel Pepys was a prominent English diarist and naval administrator, renowned for his detailed and vivid Diary, which spans from January 1, 1660, to May 31, 1669. Pepys provides an invaluable account of Restoration London, covering its society, politics, and significant events such as the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London. His work offers a rich perspective on the lives of the upper class and the inner workings of the English Navy during this period. The diary was first published in 1825, securing Pepys a lasting legacy in English literature and history. 

CAST

Samuel Pepys - Marcus KP

THIS PODCAST

This 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.com

Some 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 ME

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @BackTrackerUK

Instagram: @backtrackeruk

Twitter: @BackTrackerUK

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SOURCES

The Diary of Samuel Pepys

Legends of British History: Samuel Pepys By Andrew Godsell

BBC Primary History

National Portrait Gallery

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Sound Effects by zapsplat.com

Intro music by The Model Folk 

Back In The Day music by Freesoundmusic

© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2024

Death of a Policeman (pt2)

Season: 5 Episode: 43

xxx

CAST

Elizabeth Paddock - Carrie Ball

Mr. H. S. Wadborough - Marcus KP

Mr. Thomas Henry Whitehouse Davies - Molly Jefferies

PC John Harris - John Lock

London Times - Steve Sheperd

Poem - Cerise Reed

THIS PODCAST

This 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.com

Some 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 ME

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @BackTrackerUK

Instagram: @backtrackeruk

Twitter: @BackTrackerUK

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SOURCES

-

Sound Effects by zapsplat.com

Intro music by The Model Folk 

Back In The Day music by Freesoundmusic

© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2024

Death of a Policeman (pt1)

Season: 5 Episode: 42

The murder that had shaken the city in April 1869 was no domestic one - common as they were in those times. In fact, if the victim had not been a policeman, it would have been forgotten long ago. PC 273, Richard Hill, a young Bristol constable who had died in the line of duty. What led up to this senseless assault, committed by a half-drunk youth?

CAST

Mr. H. S. Wadborough - Marcus KP

Joseph Thrush - David Brinley Jones

William Thomas Curtis - Steve Sheperd

William Henry Davis - Joe Wilson

George Cole - Steve Yeo

Mary Ann Osborne - Sam Roberts

THIS PODCAST

This 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.com

Some 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 ME

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @BackTrackerUK

Instagram: @backtrackeruk

Bluesky: @BackTrackerUK

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SOURCES

Bristol Daily Post - Tuesday 27 April 1869

Bristol Mercury - Saturday 01 May 1869

Western Daily Press - Tuesday 04 May 1869

Findagrave

Ancestry

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Sound Effects by zapsplat.com

Intro music by The Model Folk 

Back In The Day music by Freesoundmusic

© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2024

Local Heroes: Bedminster

Season: 5 Episode: 41

Once an independent town in Somerset until 1831, Bedminster’s roots go back even further than Bristol’s. When Bristol was just a river crossing, Bedminster was already an important settlement.

Now though, it's a vibrant hub of creativity and independent charm. Well worth a visit. In this episode we take a look at just a few of the local heroes that you'll never hear of.

CAST

Henry Rosling - David Brynley James

Dr Langley - Steve Sheperd

Frank Wilkins - Steve Yeo

THIS PODCAST

This 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.com

Some 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 ME

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @BackTrackerUK

Instagram: @backtrackeruk

Bluesky: @BackTrackerUK

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SOURCES

Bedminster By Anton Bantock (edited by Bob Lawrence). Published in B&AFHS Journal 106 December 2001

Western Daily Press - Tuesday 25 September 1928

Western Daily Press - Tuesday 08 April 1930

Western Daily Press - Saturday 12 April 1930

Ancestry

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Sound Effects by zapsplat.com

Intro music by The Model Folk 

Back In The Day music by Freesoundmusic

© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2024

The Exercise Tiger Tragedy

Season: 5 Episode: 40

Training exercises for the Normandy Invasion, also known as Exercise Tiger, began in the Slapton Sounds, England, area starting on December 15, 1943. However, on April 28, 1944, the rehearsal turned deadly. German E-boats, having slipped past patrols from Cherbourg, France, launched a surprise attack on a convoy of eight U.S. tank landing ships, resulting in significant casualties.

CAST

MOTOR MACHINIST MATE 2nd CLASS NATHAN RESNICK- Garrett Odle

1ST ENGINEER SPECIAL BRIGADE VELDON DOWNING - Mark Vinet

NAVIGATION OFFICER  DOUGLAS  HARLANDER - Mike Moore

GUNNERS MATE FLOYD HICKS - Jodie B

THIS PODCAST

This 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.com

Some 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 ME

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @BackTrackerUK

Instagram: @backtrackeruk

Twitter: @BackTrackerUK

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SOURCES

Torbay Express and South Devon Echo - Monday 01 May 1989

Kansas City Star, May 31, 1994

Exercise Tiger Memorial

Ancestry

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Sound Effects by zapsplat.com

Intro music by The Model Folk 

Back In The Day music by Freesoundmusic

© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2024

The Dark History of Blackberry Hill Hospital

Season: 5 Episode: 39

Blackberry Hill Hospital in Fishponds, Bristol sounds like an idyllic place from an Agatha Christie novel, but don't be fooled by it's sweet name as this place has seen it's fair share of torment and despair. The site first came into use as a prison in 1779, during the American Revolutionary War, when it was developed to house Dutch and Spanish prisoners of war who had been landed at Bristol Docks.

In today's episode, we take a look at the history of this foreboding building and a look at a very recent discovery.

CAST

'The History of Kingswood Forest' - Steve Sheperd

Ipswich Journal - Cerise Reed

THIS PODCAST

This 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.com

Some 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 ME

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @BackTrackerUK

Instagram: @backtrackeruk

Twitter: @BackTrackerUK

-

SOURCES

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Sound Effects by zapsplat.com

Intro music by The Model Folk 

Back In The Day music by Freesoundmusic

© THE BACKTRACKER HISTORY SHOW 2024