I enjoyed the episode, probably more than the previous Julie Walters one. I do agree that there was some questionable supposition on Brian Blessed's part, however I personally find it excusable in view of the very real hardships that Jabez and his family faced. Brian was clearly emotionally connecting with the narrative that was unveiling before him. I liked the fact that the focus was on the very ordinary life of a nonetheless inspiring person. In other words, no history-changing impact on the world, no royal blood or claim to fame - just the story of a child from a broken, split up family, with a very poor start in life who managed to make something of his life and rear a large family who all seemed to have been educated and led healthy childhoods, the kind of childhood he himself had been denied by the impoverishment of his parents and their untimely deaths. It was all very human and quite gripping.
The phrase 'larger than life' could truly have been invented for him. ;D
Carole
I wish once in a while the producers could drop a hint to the sleb that large families were the norm before television and contraception.
So the 2 young orphans in 1822 actually had 2 older brothers, Book Binders like their father, living in London (George marrying 1823, and William 1825).
There was also another son:
George Wilkinson Blessed b.2/8/1804, bp.15/11/1804 St. Georges, Bloomsbury, son of Barnabas and Elizabeth Blessed. (His baptism has been transcribed under surname Wilkinson, rather than Blessed. He too was a Book Binder - married 1823 (and one of his children named Jabez). He died in 1846. Family transcribed under 'Blissed' in 1841.
I found the programme featuring Julie Walters not very interesting.
I found the programme featuring Julie Walters not very interesting.I had the same problem with the Julie Walters episode. There was something lacking in it. Ostensibly the concept of people campaigning over unjust evictions from their land should have been interesting but it just didn't grip me at all. I was bored. This week however, I was gripped.
Interesting story but I found Brian Blessed totally OTT. I really wish there wasn't such a focus on actors in this series. It's a rare one who can refrain from acting in front of a camera, and so many of their reactions seem overdone.
It's a shame that they don't do a random 'civilian' in each series :)
It's a shame that they don't do a random 'civilian' in each series :)You know that might be a good idea for a new program. By a kind of lottery of people who sign up for it, there could be a series in which random people are selected and given their genealogy. ;D
Got to say I wasn't much looking forward to this one, but as in the past the one I'm least looking forward to ends up being very enjoyable!
I'm still amazed that the 2 brothers managed to stay in contact with each other despite being separated when they were young! Anyone have any ideas as to how 2 boys from the workhouse managed to stay in touch all those years?
But a really lovely story about a normal family, who suffered and lived to tell the tale!
Is this available to currently watch as this thread has been rekindled?
Is this available to currently watch as this thread has been rekindled?
BBC2 is showing some repeats - yesterday series 11 - Twiggy, today series 12 - Frances de la Tour at 2pm, tomorrow also series 12.
FS.