In July 1994 a body was found in the North Sea off the island of Heligoland. In smart clothes but with no ID, he became known as The Gentleman. Almost 30 yrs later, he remains unnamed, waiting for someone to solve the riddle of “The Mysterious Case of the Gentleman of Heligoland”

Live on Spotify: The Mysterious Case of the Gentleman of Heligoland - Episode 1 - Gentlemen Tell No Secrets open.spotify.com/show/5ZdZyq4kW…

Heligoland (Holy Island) is a German island in the the North Sea. Its history dates from the prehistoric. Its cliffs reach almost 50 metres, so it is seen over the horizon from great distances. It is approx. 28miles from nearest mainland. How did The Gentleman get there?

The tie The Gentleman was wearing when his body was recovered from the sea 11th July 1994. Made of 100% wool, the main colour is dark blue. Could this be the key to a break through in the case? Listen to Episode 1 to find out more.

The label from The Gentleman's tie gives us a break in the case. We learn the tie indicates our man may have originated from the other side of the world. Will this insight help us unpick how he ended up deceased in the sea off Heligoland? Listen to Episode 1 to find out more!

Michael Sterling Dean, listed on a passenger list for the RMS Queen Mary, June 1946. We can see Michael is travelling alone, escorted by Nellie Smelovitch. He is 4 yrs, 7mth old. The ship was carrying families of Canadian Allied Forces home from the UK after the Second World War.

RMS Queen Mary began life in Southampton, UK, in 1936 as a luxury trans-Atlantic cruise ship. In 1939 she was painted grey and stripped of her amenities serving as a troop transport ship during World War II. Today, she is a hotel, docked in Long Beach, California, USA.

Ann (Annie) Riley, born in Wales, UK, December 8th 1907, & Alfred Sterling Dean, born 8th February 1905 Ontario, Canada. Ann & Alfred were married in Brighton between January and March 1941.

Alfred (a Canadian Private, perhaps based at Stanmer) & Ann (a Welsh nurse) may have met at a dance in Brighton in the war. 1940-1946 Brighton's famous Dome held "necessary entertainment," known as "Dome Dancing." It was a "home from home" for a diverse group of deployed people.