RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: Wred on Sunday 11 October 15 12:08 BST (UK)
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Not really the 'lighter side' but the death of broadcaster Gordon Honeycombe has been announced.
It was his TV programme along with Don Steel, in the late 1970's that first started me on my long journey into tracking down my family. It has and remains a revealing fascination.
Thank you Gordon.
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The episodes can be found on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXh0CSRLdEE
Many years ago I picked up a copy of the book in a library sale for 20p.
Completely outdated by that time but still fascinating reading.
Daily Telegraph obituary here (others are available)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11923042/Gordon-Honeycombe-broadcaster-obituary.html
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Not really the 'lighter side' but the death of broadcaster Gordon Honeycombe has been announced.
It was his TV programme along with Don Steel, in the late 1970's that first started me on my long journey into tracking down my family. It has and remains a revealing fascination.
Thank you Gordon.
Me too. My mum and I were fascinated by that series.
RIP Gordon
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God bless Gordon. I always thought well of him for co-writing "The Golden Vision". Thanks for the You Tube link. Gordon was really thorough on his programme it was a more realistic portrayal of genealogy.
Blue
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I can't believe it was 1979! That's over 35 years ago....... half a lifetime in old money. No internet searches just good old legwork. I had already started my genealogy obsession by then so I found it fascinating. A prequel to WDYTYA and more in-depth. I don't think we were quite so obsessed by the cult of 'Celebrity' then. So glad someone has posted a clip on YouTube, so people who haven't seen it can compare with where we are now. RIP Gordon.
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The episodes can be found on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXh0CSRLdEE
Thanks for that link Dawn.
It should be absolutely compulsory viewing for all those family historians who now complain if information isn't instantly presented to them via the internet!
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I missed the initial screening of this program. So many thanks for the link, it was fascinating.
Expertly presented by Gordon, clear and concise, no padding. I think the team on WDYTYA should watch it and take note.....
I remember well the dusty corner of the library with the micro fiche machine!!
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I missed the initial screening of this program. So many thanks for the link, it was fascinating.
Expertly presented by Gordon, clear and concise, no padding. I think the team on WDYTYA should watch it and take note.....
I remember well the dusty corner of the library with the micro fiche machine!!
Yes I agree Gordon Honeycombe's interest in the subject comes through as well.
It must be said however it is easier to do an indepth programme when it forms part of a series on the one family tree rather than the one off shows as with WDYTYA.
Having said that I must admit I preferred the BBC 2 series Bloodties broadcast in the first quarter of 2000 than the currect series of WDYTYA.
That featured ordinary members of the public rather than celebs.
Cheers
Guy
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There's been various family history programmes on TV over the years we usually only get to watch WDYTYA? on You Tube. Among the various other country/regional coverage of genealogy was the Welsh "Coming Home" it usually gets banned from You Tube but I managed to find one episode, Shakin' Stevens on there:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9O_KAJ4QqM
Blue
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Yesterday's "Scotsman" carried an obituary of Gordon Honeycombe which didn't mention his interest in genealogy, so I've sent them this -
Alasdair Steven's obituary of Gordon Honeycombe omitted to mention his part in popularising the hobby of genealogy (family-history). As early as 1960 he was researching his Honeycombe ancestors in Cornwall, visiting churches and county record-offices and consulting dusty accession rolls and court rolls in those pre-internet days. He eventually came to the conclusion that all the Honeycombes in the world were descended from a yeoman farmer called Matthew Honeycombe, born around 1658 at St. Cleer in Cornwall, and a gathering of Honeycombes which he organised at Honicombe Manor in Cornwall in 1984 attracted 159 Honeycombes from all over the world. His BBC TV series "Family History" was shown in 1984, anticipating "Who Do You Think You Are" by several decades.
The "Guardian" obituary was better and did mention the genealogy.
Harry
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The Daily Telegraph obit mentioned the origin of the Honeycombes and the gathering but not the TV programme. I suspect it was probably made at his instigation. With some of the research already done he would have approached a contact in TV and suggested making a documentary series. He was high profile as a newsreader so some people may have watched who had no interest in genealogy.