RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: Keith Sherwood on Tuesday 05 October 21 16:09 BST (UK)
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Not entirely sure whether this has already been flagged up on another board, but a new series of WDYTYA begins next week on the BBC.
I'm particularly looking forward to the episode involving Ed BALLS as a few years ago I did some (fairly amateur) research for a family friend who is related to the BALLS family. Should be very interesting to see how and what the professionals turn up on him.
Also in the series are Dame Judi Dench, Joe Lycett, Josh Widdicombe, Alex Scott, Pixie Lott and Joe Sugg.
Can't wait....!
Keith
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At least with Judi Dench they will go back earlier than WW2.
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At least with Judi Dench they will go back earlier than WW2.
That rather depends on what interesting characters they find!
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I'm rather on the edge of my seat to discover whether there will be much focus on one particular direct ancestor of EB who I discovered positively changed the fortunes of his family for the better. As often happened in Victorian times...
Keith
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Seeing as Judi Dench was born before WW2 they have to go back further,
Did you see this?
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/josh-widdicombe-henry-viii-100533175.html
Danny Dyer again.
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More chat about this topic here:
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=853180.0
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Tillypeg,
I had wondered whether someone had introduced this topic earlier on Rootchat...15th September, apparently. Never quite sure whether a theme deserves The Lighter Side or not...
Keith
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Never quite sure whether a theme deserves The Lighter Side or not...
Keith
We can decide after Episode 1..... ;)
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Ref Josh Widdicombe being descended from Henry Vlll..... the king never did acknowledge either child of Mary (Boleyn) Carey as his own royal offspring, so the programme will be fascinating!
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Bother - I have just checked and the first episode is next Tuesday, when I shall be out - regaling the village women's group with an episode of my family history!!
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Josh Widdicombe first episode, Judi Dench 2nd. episode.
Annette
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I missed the first bit as I was watching GBBO but what an interesting episode.
I won't spoil it for those who haven't watched it yet.
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It was very interesting, of course, to learn about the origins of Josh's family, but I would have really liked to hear about the earlier generations of his grandparents, etc., as well. Yes, it was an exciting bit of history, but I think it went a bit over the top on the distant past.
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Best one yet!
And such an unassuming young man, none of the fake over-the-top emotion which has put me off celebrities I had always liked! Just genuine wonder and enjoyment.
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He was very much spoon fed throughout, with the WOW! factor increasing by the minute. So I thought it was only fitting that he got his pen and paper out when faced with that memorial plaque in Westminster Abbey and began to work out for himself his even more extraordinary lineage...
Keith
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So disappointed that I forgot it was on and only saw the last 10 minutes of the programme 😢. I'm recording the rest of the series. It looked so interesting.
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Very interesting how they got him to say those two pictures were so alike and five minutes later told you what that meant. I thought that was very clever.
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I enjoyed it, Josh seemed genuinely interested and his reaction much more restrained than the awful Danny Dyer.
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I must admit, that "Danny Dyer" episode almost totally put me off the programme for ever! I'd no idea before I watched it, who in earth he was, and after I'd watched it was quite certain that I didn't care for him, nor have the slightest interest in him!
I've recorded the first in this series to watch, if not, I'd look on I-player, frostyknight.
TY
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I agree with you about the Danny Dyer programme. Unfortunately I can't watch on iplayer as I'm not in the UK. (Dublin). Hope it'll be repeated at some stage.
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Ah, not thought of that. Sorry.
TY
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Loved this episode. Didn't really know much about Josh ( I know he's been on comedy panel shows but haven't watched them) - but I really took to him and loved his reactions.
A fab start to the new series.
Looby :)
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Yes, I watched it and really thought it "worked". So many recent ones have merely explored very immediate ancestors for subjects - and this WAS a great contrast to the dreadful Dyer one!
TY
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I agree with you about the Danny Dyer programme. Unfortunately I can't watch on iplayer as I'm not in the UK. (Dublin). Hope it'll be repeated at some stage.
This might get yanked soon, so watch it quick...
Who Do You Think You Are ( UK) S18E01 - Josh Widdicombe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwXoU2PcmNM
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This might get yanked soon, so watch it quick...
Who Do You Think You Are ( UK) S18E01 - Josh Widdicombe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwXoU2PcmNM
Thank you so much for this cuffie81. It never occurred to me to check YouTube. I've just watched it and really enjoyed it. What an interesting programme, definitely one of the best episodes in my opinion.
Ah, not thought of that. Sorry.
TY
No worries TY. Rootschatters are an international bunch, not possible to remember where everyone comes from. :)
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I've not watched for a few series, but caught up with this today. His reaction when he read the plaque in westminster was the same as i had watching it. One of the best episodes I've seen.
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I hadn't got round to watching the beginning of the episode on i-player so thanks to the link I watched it on You Tube.
I didn't know Josh's surname.
Josh and my OH might be related :o
They both share the Hannaford & Widdicombe surnames. Common names around the moor though.
Shame they didn't investigate that side of the family. I expect they did but it wasn't anywhere near as interesting.
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Ooh, I think you should definitely follow that up, Bearkat! I wonder whether the BBC ever divulge what ends up on the cutting room floor to those that might ask re WDYTYA?
Keith
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I was not impressed with the most recent WDYTYA show . Josh Widicombe was not the most intelligent or interesting of men to feature. It seemed he was on an "ego" trip with the Tudor ancestry in his Family. After all we all have some Tudor in us .. I look forward to Dame Judi Dench , now here is a character .
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What a miserable response!
You are supposed to be interested in the story - not the "celebrity status" of the subject.
Michael Parkinson is an intelligent man, but his story was shelved due to having nothing interesting in his back story.
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I'm afraid I'm going to disagree with you, Tornado,
Josh Widdicombe is on the contrary an extremely intelligent and witty young individual who makes people laugh for a living, amongst other things. I felt that he was almost in awe of all the BBC researchers were able to unearth about his extraordinary lineage. Rendered speechless at times. As I would have been in his shoes, mouthing just as many Wow!'s
Now, Dame Judi Dench has of course portrayed many different characters during her long, stellar acting career. I once met her in the late 1970's in a pub in my town when she was filming on location, and she was perfectly charming to chat to. And I am sure she will conduct her own family history investigation with her usual great humour and dignity and pure class.
We're all of us of course perfectly entitled to our own personal opinions, but I think you've rather brewed up a storm in a teacup IMHO...
Keith
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I really enjoyed this episode. What a fascinating story.
I wasn’t familiar with Josh Widdecombe but thought he came across very well and seemed genuinely interested in and taken aback with what he discovered. I get the impression that he would have been equally interested if he’d discovered that his ancestors had spent time in the poorhouse.
I could identify with him needing to get out the pencil and paper to sort out the complex relationships.
Very enjoyable.
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Agreed. He seemed really quite genuine - and I wonder: Did he in fact leave his family to wait until the programme was broadcast, to discover the lineage, as he suggested he might? It'd be interesting to know.TY
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I used to think TV's Josh Widdicombe and Rob Beckett were the same person until I saw them together. Surely they must share a twig or two?
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I've seen the first episode and found it fascinating. I've often wondered how they decided who to feature on the program. Do they choose the person first then look into their ancestors or is there some other method?
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Sadly, didn't actually know who the Widdicombe chap was until the clues I picked up in programme and on here .... and - who is Rob Beckett?
(I must stay in more)
TY
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Did he in fact leave his family to wait until the programme was broadcast, to discover the lineage, as he suggested he might? It'd be interesting to know.
I wondered that too, would be so exciting to watch your own family story unfold.
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Did he in fact leave his family to wait until the programme was broadcast, to discover the lineage, as he suggested he might? It'd be interesting to know.
I wondered that too, would be so exciting to watch your own family story unfold.
I would love to know how he handled this. I hope he waited, but I’m sure he would’ve been under pressure from the family to spill the beans. :)
In the earlier series they used to show the celebrity back at home telling the family what they’d discovered, but that hasn’t been included for a while now.
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In the earlier series they used to show the celebrity back at home telling the family what they’d discovered, but that hasn’t been included for a while now.
I remember Stephen Fry going back to tell his parents in what was a terribly moving episode.
I would like to have seen Josh's parents reaction when he told them - although it would've been amazing if he'd palmed them off with the excuse of "nothing of great excitement to repory" then let the programme reveal all to them !
Looby :)
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Well - this was a very enjoyable episode!
Josh Widdecombe was really wanting to see what would appear in his family's past and at the start he did say he hoped the characters would not be boringly straightforward - I think he was truly surprised! I loved that quizzical aside to camera, wondering if this was in fact a comedy wind-up! ;D
His enthusiasm grew with every generation revealed - a great advertisement for the programme, unlike some of those who have featured previously! ::)
Roll on next week, with Dame Judi Dench!
Stoney
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I quite liked Josh Widdicombe's episode. No airs and graces and strutting around like Danny Dyer did just because they found a "gateway ancestor".
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...and what a perfectly delightful journey that was just now with Dame Judi Dench. Quite extraordinary at times. What a great series this is turning out to be!
Keith
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I quite agree!
So pleased for her "Hamlet" roots ;D
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Absolutely fascinating this evening and very moving in parts.
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....and me....what a rich history to be able add to your 🌲.....or should I say forest....and to get to go to Elsinore, the setting for Hamlet!!
Great programme.
Carol
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I enjoyed last weeks episode with Josh Widdicombe.
Tonight's episode with Judi Dench was brilliant. Fascinating and tearful at time with the connection to Denmark and Hamlet.
Turning out to be a great series this time.
Dorrie
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Well Josh Widdicombe's is still my favourite ever - but Judi Dench's tonight came a very close second. The history took a totally unexpected turn and actually the 'coincidences' (I wonder?) gave me goosebumps!
Pat
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Another good one tonight, I knew Judi Dench would be interesting. A good series so far, dare we hope the rest will be as good?
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Another fabulous episode. Judi got quite emotional and, if I'm being honest, so did I - the Hamlet connection was one of those 'wow' moments.
Her dad sounded am interesting character too.
Loved that she still had his surgery desk, chair & brass plaque !
Looby :)
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I agree with all that has been said… what a wonderful start to this latest series…
Josh Widdicombe was just so overwhelmed by his lineage which was hardly surprising given the stock he’s come from…
So refreshing to have firstly someone who was taking it all in without playing to the cameras and whose ancestors were interesting people and more than the usual..
Last nights one with Judi Dench was so fascinating too… when it started off with her father in WWI my heart sank a bit, as although he was very brave and quite fortunate in battle terms I thought we were in for another wartime history…
Well, most certainly not… what a wonderful family line she has and the coincidences of her playing her first part on stage in Hamlet and then ending up at Elsinore was just magical…. There must be something in the genes… I loved her Danish cousin too, such a jolly chap and an actor as well!
On a literary level too I found it fascinating the links between Rosencrantz and Guildenstern just made me come over with the shivers, then to know that Will Kemp had been there acting just made you really think about how Hamlet came to be written!
Well done to the Beeb for giving us two wonderfully interesting and diverse episodes… how are they going to top them I wonder …. Can’t wait for next weeks.
Caroline
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Not being able to sleep a few weeks ago I watched a TV programme in the middle of the night that asked why and how Shakespeare set many of his plays in Italy when he never went there.
That programme discovered that the story of Shylock was published in a Italian book some years before Merchant of Venice was written and it had been translated into English. So they came to the conclusion Shakespeare had read the book an used it as the basis of the plot.
So we found out Will Kemp was in Denmark, did he take back some information that he passed on to Shakespeare that formed the basis of Hamlet?
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Another great episode, which I really enjoyed. Look forward to next week's episode.
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Caroline and Jaywit,
I too absolutely loved the connection with Will Kemp and Elsinore and the Bard's setting of Hamlet. We know so little about how Shakespeare got hold of or imagined his settings and plots that surely this has to be added to the lengthy scholarship on the subject...
Keith
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Well ! Wasn't that fascinating ! One thing they didn't mention was that Judi's ancestor Tycho Brahe lost part of his nose in a duel, and wore a prothetic made of brass !
One of the craters on the moon is named after him (Tycho); you can easily identify it at full moon (from the UK) .... its the very bright crater near the 'bottom edge' of the moon.
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I loved the Copenhagen National Archive and it’s posh crane type thing that they went up in to get the archive material out as well as the whole story.
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I loved the Copenhagen National Archive and it’s posh crane type thing that they went up in to get the archive material out as well as the whole story.
That was amazing but I don't think I would like to be on it ;D ;D
Rosie
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I couldn't believe how high it went :o you wouldn't get me up there either.
Carol
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An excellent, and very interesting programme was Dame Judi’s! It was so interesting - and, for a change, I didn’t nod off once - for a change! ::) But I do record the programme as a back up.
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That was amazing but I don't think I would like to be on it ;D ;D
There is only a drop on one side. Shelves on two sides, retrieval mechanism on the third.
Normally, it's all automated. Zooms up, extracts the shelf contents (they showed the extraction mechanism running), then returns to ground level for the staff to extract the relevant box. The rest of the shelf contents can then be put back by the robot.
The personnel platform is normally only used for maintenance such as cleaning the shelves, and I bet the robot runs at a lower speed when that is in use. ;D
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That was amazing but I don't think I would like to be on it ;D ;D
There is only a drop on one side. Shelves on two sides, retrieval mechanism on the third.
Normally, it's all automated. Zooms up, extracts the shelf contents (they showed the extraction mechanism running), then returns to ground level for the staff to extract the relevant box. The rest of the shelf contents can then be put back by the robot.
The personnel platform is normally only used for maintenance such as cleaning the shelves, and I bet the robot runs at a lower speed when that is in use. ;D
Wow thanks for that explanation.
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Anyone watched Alex Scott's episode?
Were we overwhelmed? Or underwhelmed?
Certainly didn't have the wow factor of the first two of the series - but it was always going to be impossible to keep that standard up.
However I enjoyed Alex's journey into her Jewish East End Roots - although the research didn't definitively link events to her family and the story of her great uncle in the asylum was sad but unfotunately not unusual.
Alex's Jamaican ancestry was interesting too. A lot of information for her to absorb.
Looby :)
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I’m coming a bit late to this, but just wanted to say that I thoroughly enjoyed Judi Dench’s episode.
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The Alex Scott episode was very interesting - such a diverse family history.
But not quite up to the standard of the first two episodes.
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Alex Scott didn't have the same wow factor but I think her history was so complicated they didn't do it justice.
Apart from everything we saw there was a fleeting mention that her maternal grandfather came from Belfast, nothing else about that and I have to admit that the Russian Pogroms and Slave Owners have been covered before never in the same programme.
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I think we would be lucky to see anything else as unusual as the first two episodes. I have no idea who Alex Scott is, but I enjoyed the story - my daughter commented that she is a living embodiment of the East End melting pot, and proud of her roots there.
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I think we would be lucky to see anything else as unusual as the first two episodes. I have no idea who Alex Scott is, but I enjoyed the story - my daughter commented that she is a living embodiment of the East End melting pot, and proud of her roots there.
Former footballer who played 140 times for England, a pundit on BBC and Sky (Match Of The Day etc) and now presenter of Football Focus (BBC Saturday lunchtimes).
Inducted to the English Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
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I think we would be lucky to see anything else as unusual as the first two episodes. I have no idea who Alex Scott is, but I enjoyed the story - my daughter commented that she is a living embodiment of the East End melting pot, and proud of her roots there.
Always surprised at the lack of knowledge about their family history but I was as bad until I started researching my own!
As often happens when the subject of the programme is black or mixed race, they find that some of their ancestors owned slaves. The way that one left his children and their mothers allowances and use of a house shows the relationships were a lot more complex than the way they are sometimes portrayed.
I was intrigued that one of the ancestors had my surname, nothing to suggest related in any way though.
MB
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Former footballer who played 140 times for England, a pundit on BBC and Sky (Match Of The Day etc) and now presenter of Football Focus (BBC Saturday lunchtimes).
Inducted to the English Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
She has become quite a successful TV presenter and, unusually for a footballer, can talk without it being a string of football clichés!
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ToH, I am surprised you didn't know of Alex Scott.
She certainly "is a living embodiment of the East End melting pot, and proud of her roots there."
I felt she came across as a really pleasant individual, though no doubt that covers a determined streak.
She was one of the BBC anchors for the Olympics coverage and is an extremely attractive lass I think.
The first two WDYTYA programmes were an enormously difficult act to follow, and of course the line up for the series must be with an eye to diversity. Alex ticked several boxes there. She is probably an important role model for a lot of young people.
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She has become quite a successful TV presenter and, unusually for a footballer, can talk without it being a string of football clichés!
Yes, she has that "in her locker" ;D
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My Lot are just ag labs lol. Nothing exciting.
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I thought Alex Scott was perfectly delightful throughout. I loved the short film of her scoring a goal at the age of 8 (was it?) on the soccer field amongst other girls who seemed rather older.
And the gentle Jamaican women genealogists really took her under their wings as they guided her through her ancestors there. ..
Keith
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I agree with you, Keith, about Alex and the other women in the programme.
"Former footballer who played 140 times for England, a pundit on BBC and Sky (Match Of The Day etc) and now presenter of Football Focus (BBC Saturday lunchtimes).
Inducted to the English Football Hall of Fame in 2019."
Sorry, KG, barely watch TV and have no interest in any kind of sport!
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I agree with you, Keith, about Alex and the other women in the programme
Sorry, KG, barely watch TV and have no interest in any kind of sport!
I have to confess I didn't know Alex either - but then I don't watch or follow football and didn't watch much Olympics coverage.
But I thought she came across as a very pleasant and grounded young woman.
Finding the grave of her Coombs ancestor in the undergrowth was intriguing....I wondered who was in the other two graves .
Looby :)
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I thought Alex Scott was perfectly delightful throughout. I loved the short film of her scoring a goal at the age of 8 (was it?) on the soccer field amongst other girls who seemed rather older.
And the gentle Jamaican women genealogists really took her under their wings as they guided her through her ancestors there. ..
Keith
I like her also, some people tend to be quick to criticise TV presenters. It is a job that everyone seems to think they can do better but you only have to see any of the poor presenters to see that it is not easy.
You also see a lot moaning about her namesake Alex Jones from The One Show, but the two of them manage to be very natural which is why it looks easy. There is a male ex-footballer acting as one of the other stand-ins whilst Alex Jones is off at the moment, he is very wooden and shows that it is not as easy as some people think. Several of the other temporary stand-ins also show it is more difficult that many people think.
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Alex Scott didn't have the same wow factor but I think her history was so complicated they didn't do it justice.
Apart from everything we saw there was a fleeting mention that her maternal grandfather came from Belfast, nothing else about that and I have to admit that the Russian Pogroms and Slave Owners have been covered before never in the same programme.
Totally agree, if we had Alex's history, then we would be totally engrossed, a researchers dream but probably too much for a 60 minute program to do it justice and for Alex to take in. Very diverse heritage.
I felt Alex was totally overwhelmed by it all and probably didn't really understand beforehand what could possibly turn up.
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A hard act to follow after the first two wonderful episodes… expectations are always high so anything could have seemed like a let down…
but….
I’d not heard of her either and my OH watches wall to wall sport but not necessarily womens! Or football for that matter.
I too thought she was delightful and her history as diverse as one could get really… the Jamaican folk were humble and imparted the information in a wonderful way…
It was a great deal to take in and digest but she clearly found her roots there…
You could see why she’s turned out to be such a lovely person when you hear about her ancestors history… despite her Coombs x? grandfather owning slaves he made sure that once he’d passed away that they were looked after financially to the extent that all the land was still in the Coombs family which almost slipped out as if by accident… so modest.
I enjoyed this episode almost as much as the previous two… think the Beeb, so far, are doing us proud!
Caroline
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Someone mentioned the Jamaican genealogists, they have probably seen before descendants being shocked to find that their ancestors owned slaves themselves.
At least her ancestor seemed to have taken care of his children and mistresses when he died. I don't know how much £15 a year was worth then but probably enough to live comfortably especially with a house provided, perhaps they could have given some idea of what it was worth.
It is actors on WDYTYA who I tend to dislike, many have been very arrogant and thought they knew better than the researcher often because of some family story that had been passed down which had been proved to be untrue but they still believed.
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I’d not heard of her either and my OH watches wall to wall sport but not necessarily womens! Or football for that matter.
I have often found that I can still enjoy the programme even when I have never heard of the person or even intensely dislike them. I have watched most of the American series and heard of very few of the people on it!
I keep hoping the BBC Wales equivalent would be shown on network, I think there are a few of the programmes that I have never managed to catch. They normally are quite keen recycle programmes so wonder if the BBC do not hold the rights but I cannot imagine it would cost a lot to show them and would fill a few hours of TV. BBC Scotland tried a short series in a completely different format, I don't think it was very successful as they have never done any more.
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Me neither but I enjoyed her episode the most so far.
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Anyone looking at Jamaica, NLS have just added some early 19th Century maps.
https://geo.nls.uk/maps/innes/
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Yet another good episode! What a series this is turning out to be!
Joe Lycett seemed very interested in his ancestors Marine life.
And shocked (as he should be) at some of the atrocities performed by British Navy/Marines.
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Fascinating!
And full of those findings where you 'think' you know where an ancestor's story is going and then you discover just how wrong you are.....
But I wanted to find out what happened to Sergeant Elton.
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I agree with you KGarrad...
Thought there was a calm, gentle narrative to his gt-gt-grandpa's life that Joe Lycett followed appreciatively this evening. Even if there were some very upsetting episodes. So many familiar locations to me, too. St Ives, Wimpole Hall, Greenwich, Portsmouth Historic Naval Dockyard, to name but a few. Oh, and the White Swan at Conington, too! Wasn't quite sure at first whether the Yarmouth of the hospital he was sent to was the one on the IOW ( most probably, being nearby) or (Great) Yarmouth in Norfolk.
I was also reminded of the Buffs doing a charity football match on a Saturday at our Primary School in Ely in the early 1970's, when a thick fog descended and with grown men taking on our under eleven school team, it really should have been called off for safety reasons. But lots of money raised for deserving local causes.
Thoroughly enjoyed this episode, yet again...
Keith
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Yet another good episode! What a series this is turning out to be!
Joe Lycett seemed very interested in his ancestors Marine life.
And shocked (as he should be) at some of the atrocities performed by British Navy/Marines.
I found him rather annoying.
Was I mistaken but didn't the marriage certificate early in the programme show someone born in India? No more was said about it.
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Another good episode. Joe Lynette seemed genuinely interested.
An interesting example of the awful working conditions of the child chimney sweeps. The life at sea with all that fresh air must have been a welcome relief, a great contrast from the filthy and claustrophobic conditions up chimneys.
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Yet another good episode! What a series this is turning out to be!
Joe Lycett seemed very interested in his ancestors Marine life.
And shocked (as he should be) at some of the atrocities performed by British Navy/Marines.
I found him rather annoying.
Was I mistaken but didn't the marriage certificate early in the programme show someone born in India? No more was said about it.
I think you are mistaken.
Where, on a Marriage Certificate, does it show where people are born?
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I think Joe Lycett is very much a Marmite character, you do either take to him or not but I think he did in his own way find the journey very interesting.
Again as with Alex Scott I think there was too much in his history to put across in 60 minutes and I think the way they handled the mental health issues is very much of the moment, a programme 7 / 8 years ago would have handled it differently.
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As someone who suffers from claustrophobia, I can hardly imagine what it must have been like to have been shoved up one of those Victorian chimneys. I find it bad enough thinking about what conditions were like crouching in a coal mine then. Both places of inhumane occupational work for very small children in those days...
Keith
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I found the story was well constructed using, almost entirely, the sort of records which we commonly use in our own research. Only the Yarmouth records and the list of licensees would require a trip out.
Are there people in our own trees with stories just as good?
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I wasn't sure who he was at first but nevertheless enjoyed this episode too. Joe seems a laid back character.
What an awful life those wee boys had sweeping chimneys from a very young age. I felt so sorry for them.
All in all enjoyable viewing.
Dorrie
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Quote from Martin Briscoe:
'Was I mistaken but didn't the marriage certificate early in the programme show someone born in India?'
I too saw the word 'India' on a certificate, but it was so fleeting I didn't see the column heading. We have recorded the programme so could try & pause it to get more details.
Michael.
Added - it was probably under the Address column.
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I have just looked at this and it says London but does look like India. The address was Tottenham Court Road, London.
I enjoyed this episode. It could have been any one of our ancestors and that made it interesting for me. I have a few mariners in my tree and at least one was in China around that time.
Rishile
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Many thanks Rishile, I haven't had chance to look at my recording yet so you've saved me that job.
Michael.
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He’s not a person I readily take to on TV, but I did find it interesting… what a dreadful life his gt gt grandfather had. The thought of being shoved up a chimney at 10 yrs old is horrific…
The marines info was interesting but equally disturbing… he seemed fortunate to have survived… to end up as a pub landlord was interesting and I did feel sorry that his grave was just a patch of bare ground when his parents had a headstone.
Despite the few comments by Joe at the beginning he seemed genuinely interested in his ancestors plight.
I too wondered what had happened to Colour Sgt Elton…
I’m sure there were more tales to tell but as someone said it’s only a 60 min programme.
Caroline
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Chimney sweeps, Marines/Royal Navy, South China Sea, stabbing, mental health and pubs.
Lots covered and I found it all fascinating. Like others, I wonder what happened to Elton?
I noticed Robert's father was a waterman - which if I'm right ( I'm Scottish so it's not a term used here,to my knowledge) is someone who worked on barges ??
Joe - I didn't know who he was before the programme - was a bit Marmite for me.
I agree with CAW1 - re. his slightly flippant comments at the beginning of his journey - but felt he became genuinely interested and involved as the history unravelled.
But so far this series has been a cracker - roll on next week.
Looby :)
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WATERMEN: You can learn something of them in Kate Grenville's "Secret River".
Starting in London in 1806, but involving transportation to Australia, this is a cracking good read.
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there is a William Ponsonby Elton born 1833 / 1835 Frome / Lullingtonn Somerset who was a Colour Sergeant Royal Marines Woolwich in 1861.
He ends up in Bristol, could be him but wants more research.
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WATERMEN: You can learn something of them in Kate Grenville's "Secret River".
Starting in London in 1806, but involving transportation to Australia, this is a cracking good read.
Oh. Thank you for the recommendation, mowsehowse....that sounds like a book I would enjoy !
Looby :)
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there is a William Ponsonby Elton born 1833 / 1835 Frome / Lullingtonn Somerset who was a Colour Sergeant Royal Marines Woolwich in 1861.
He ends up in Bristol, could be him but wants more research.
Good find, Jaywit.
I hope he wasn't too badly injured in the stabbing, but given the description in the programme of the depth of the wound, it seems a miracle he survived.
He should be in the 1871, shouldn't he, is that in Bristol as you mention? Will have a look.
Added: this reminds me that there was no mention in the programme of the success of ex-chimney sweep gx2 grandfather's rise through the ranks from private to sergeant of the marines. That was very significant progression, surely.
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WATERMEN: You can learn something of them in Kate Grenville's "Secret River".
Starting in London in 1806, but involving transportation to Australia, this is a cracking good read.
Oh. Thank you for the recommendation, mowsehowse....that sounds like a book I would enjoy !
Looby :)
:D good.
Hopefully the library can get it for you.
Do let me know how you get on with it.
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I've done quite a bit of family research in the past for people who have ancestors in the Isle of Ely area, including Littleport, which gets mentioned in the programme. The term Waterman was ubiquitous as an occupation given in the Censuses in this region in the 19thC. The done to death comment about the locals having "webbed feet", alas, too...
Keith
Graham Swift's 1983 novel "Waterland" is a classic of it's kind, too. Steeped in the history of Fenland. Also made into a film with Jeremy Irons starring...who also appeared on WDYTYA many series ago, if I recollect, btw...
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Totally agree with all the comments regarding how good this series has been.
I can also echo Mousehowses's recommendation of "The Secret River" but would also add that Kate Grenville's book "Searching for the Secret River" is also well worth reading. This is her account of the research she had to undertake and the writing process involved in producing this novel, which is based on her ancestor Solomon Wiseman. Showing how things have changed some 15 years on much of what she found in visits to Kew, Sog etc is now available online!
William
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There is this for William Elton in 1891 1962 /15
William P Elton 56 yrs Pensioner (Naval) Drill Instructor b Frome, Somerset
Edwina E Elton 50 yrs
William G P Elton 19 yrs
Frank F Elton 16 hrs
In 1871 912/92/7
they are in Barracks
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Hello All. Am thoroughly enjoying this series too.
All the people, with the exception of Dame Judy Dench, are completely unknown to me over here in the great white North... :) Kind of makes it more enjoyable for me, as I don't have any preconceptions about how they might behave. Looking forward to the rest.
I also enjoy coming over here after the shows to read all of your comments.
Cheers,
Ms_C
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Even though Pixie Lott's ancestry wasn't maybe quite as remarkable as some earlier ones in this series of WDYTYA, I thought she was a breath of fresh air this evening. Her infectious enthusiasm meant I had a smile on my face throughout. And I simply loved it when she sang along with her ancestor's distinguished military band on that enormous parade ground...
Keith
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I would have liked it if they had given us some background as to how her ancestor had become a member of the household cavalry….I was pleased for her though that there was some music within her family…
I’m not sure she quite grasped the extent of what her other ancestor had gone through in WWI….certainly a different twist on other WWI tales..
Not quite as inspiring as some of the previous ones…
Caroline
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Possibly Pixie may not be as well versed in history as some of us, but what a delightful and natural lass she is. I felt it was a pleasure to "meet" her. :D
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This has been a great series, very varied with lots of records shown.
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I really like this series ;D
I like the way that, due to Covid, the subjects aren't spoon-fed information. They have to actually read the documents ;D
A little bit of a nit-pick, though.
The band Pixie sang with was the Blues & Royals (As seen on the drum) and not the Life Guards.
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I thought Pixie Lott was great last night. She heard the band playing her tune and she instinctively began singing along with them. She did it so perfectly that I wondered if it had actually been rehearsed beforehand.
Either way, her singing with the band was terrific.
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Very enjoyable. So much less complicated than Alex Scott's story but still very poignant with her grandfather's service in WW1 and also her musical ancestry.
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I enjoyed Pixie singing with the Military Band.
She seems like a lovely lass with no airs and graces. Different type of Ancestry this week but thoroughly enjoyable.
Dorrie
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Good factual stuff, but I couldn't help being distracted by Pixie's wardrobe changes and yellow fingernails. I got the feeling that there had been a lot of off screen discussion and prompting with Pixie and the researchers to make the finished programme run smoothly, but they certainly turned up some interesting information.
These programmes have certainly had a very different feel from earlier series.
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I was rather fixated by those colourful fingernails too, Gillg, as I was by those worn by Alex Scott earlier in this excellent series...I can't imagine Ed Balls doing something similar when his episode is aired within the next two weeks. He was excellent in a programme about Care Homes the other night on the BBC btw...
Keith
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This has been a great series, very varied with lots of records shown.
I agree.
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I reckon the Italian ancestry rumour came about because Pixie's great gran Maria was baptised at an Italian church in Clerkenwell, and perhaps Pixie's gran assumed that one of her grandfathers may have been Italian, but they were Irish instead, and simply baptised at an Italian RC church.
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I really like this series ;D
I like the way that, due to Covid, the subjects aren't spoon-fed information. They have to actually read the documents ;D
A little bit of a nit-pick, though.
The band Pixie sang with was the Blues & Royals (As seen on the drum) and not the Life Guards.
Not quite correct.
The band was half Life Guards and half Blues an Royals. The scarlet tunics and white plumes are
Life Guards, blue tunics and red plumes are Blues and Royals.
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mmmm, did my recorder fail this week or was it not on??
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Good factual stuff, but I couldn't help being distracted by Pixie's wardrobe changes and yellow fingernails. I got the feeling that there had been a lot of off screen discussion and prompting with Pixie and the researchers to make the finished programme run smoothly, but they certainly turned up some interesting information.
These programmes have certainly had a very different feel from earlier series.
Um …. I think I might be the odd one out here, but I found her quite annoying. That (speaking) voice. :P Several inappropriate outfits too I thought. Interesting stories though. :)
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mmmm, did my recorder fail this week or was it not on??
There wasn't an episode this week.
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Children In Need took over the slot on Tuesday...hopefully we'll get to see one of the remaining two out of Joe Sugg and Ed Balls next week...
Keith
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Children In Need took over the slot on Tuesday...hopefully we'll get to see one of the remaining two out of Joe Sugg and Ed Balls next week...
Keith
Joe Sugg next week - according to my TV guide ;)
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Good factual stuff, but I couldn't help being distracted by Pixie's wardrobe changes and yellow fingernails. I got the feeling that there had been a lot of off screen discussion and prompting with Pixie and the researchers to make the finished programme run smoothly, but they certainly turned up some interesting information.
These programmes have certainly had a very different feel from earlier series.
Um …. I think I might be the odd one out here, but I found her quite annoying. That (speaking) voice. :P Several inappropriate outfits too I thought. Interesting stories though. :)
What was annoying about her voice?
What was inappropriate about her outfits?
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Children In Need took over the slot on Tuesday...hopefully we'll get to see one of the remaining two out of Joe Sugg and Ed Balls next week...
Keith
Joe Sugg next week - according to my TV guide ;)
I think that Joe Sugg’s one is going to feature Hugenot ancestry? (Unsure of spelling;-)
Romilly.
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Good factual stuff, but I couldn't help being distracted by Pixie's wardrobe changes and yellow fingernails. I got the feeling that there had been a lot of off screen discussion and prompting with Pixie and the researchers to make the finished programme run smoothly, but they certainly turned up some interesting information.
These programmes have certainly had a very different feel from earlier series.
Um …. I think I might be the odd one out here, but I found her quite annoying. That (speaking) voice. :P Several inappropriate outfits too I thought. Interesting stories though. :)
What was annoying about her voice?
What was inappropriate about her outfits?
You like some, you dislike some, that's simply a matter of taste/choice.
But what's critical is "Interesting stories though"
PS I loved her nail colour ;)
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Another Huguenot descendant coming up in WDYTYA. I shall stay tuned in then.
I hope to see David Jason, Steve McFadden and John Nettles on WDYTYA one day.
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Another Huguenot descendant coming up in WDYTYA. I shall stay tuned in then.
I hope to see David Jason, Steve McFadden and John Nettles on WDYTYA one day.
:-\ Because you like them Coombs ?? (I do too.)
Or because you know something of their history and it would be interesting in a genealogical sense?
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mmmm, did my recorder fail this week or was it not on??
There wasn't an episode this week.
Thanking you and Keith for your replies, thought I had missed one!
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Hadn't come across Joe Sugg before, but he seemed a thoroughly nice individual, very appreciative of some fascinating personal family history dealing with The Huguenots from Normandy. And as if that wasn't enough, the remarkable story of his 10-times gt-grandfather John Austen, an extremely successful goldsmith in London at the time of the 1666 Great Fire of London.
Couldn't help recognising too the quite small rectangle of grass of Choristers Green in The Close of Salisbury Cathedral as we homed in on the grand house where his church minister ancestor lived in the early 19thC.
I remember playing in a cricket match against the Swan School there in 1958 or 1959...
Keith
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I found this fascinating because I have similarities in my tree!
My 7xGF was also prominent in his profession. His picture hang in the apothecary's hall. I have copies of his apprenticeship, and also he then had young men apprenticed to him.
Only difference is - date wise, he came 30 years later. So it would be his father who would have experienced the Great Fire, if indeed he was living in London at the time. Of course, before the fire came the Plague. Equally fascinating history. (On the list for winter research!!)
FS
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I ehjoyed this episode too. Joe Sugg came over as a nice young man although like most of his generation a little lacking in knowledge of Social History.
Fascinating
Dorrie
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I found Joe Sugg a likeable young man, but like dowdstree, a little lacking in social history…
Both sides of his maternal line were interesting and varied… when they brought up his family tree with the surname Austen for a moment I wondered if we were going to be told he was related to Jane Austen!
Just Ed Balks to go now… can’t wait to see where his family lines take us!
I think this has been a pretty good series with quite a lot of diversity… well done The Beeb!
Caroline
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I think this has been a pretty good series with quite a lot of diversity… well done The Beeb!
Caroline
I agree - a very enjoyable series.
PS loved the ceiling of Goldsmiths Hall.
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Only just caught the Joe Sugg one and very interested as I also have the name Sorel from Normandy in my direct line. So far only a very rough layout so I'm going to have to get the paperwork back out this weekend and see where it goes.
Tazzie
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Finally, an ag. lab! And wasn't Ed's reaction interesting when he was told? "Oh good." Another interesting programme.
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Yes, I was also intrigued about the Kent part of Ed's history T-o-t-h which is in an area familiar to both of our family histories!
And I've never seen such suspense in a WDYTYA either!
What on earth could have been the background to that dreadful sensational arson story - were the 'conspirators' set up to take the blame, perhaps because at least Green had been an agitator before? If it wasn't those accused, who did carry out the crime?
It's certainly a good answer to those who think Ag Lab ancestors aren't interesting.
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Weren't the two women researchers/historians such a contrast to one another. The lady in Kent almost expressionless in her reactions and delivery, whilst the Norfolk lady responded positively and sympathetically to all of Ed Ball's pertinent comments as the drama unfolded in the life of his Ag Lab ancestor who was so determined to stand up for what he considered was only his birthright.
Nearly 10 years ago now I did some rather amateur family research for a friend who is a second cousin to EB. There was a brief photo of Frank Smith Balls, their gt-grandfather, who married into the Dunbar family. I discovered that it was every bit as much he who upped the fortunes of the Balls family from extremely humble beginnings in Norwich.
But his story was probably not nearly as dramatic as that of Surgeon Dunbar or the man with the Green surname on Ed's mother's side...
Enjoyed this evening's programme greatly.
Keith
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I think it has been one of the best series so far. Plenty of variety and in depth details, all the subjects have shown genuine interest and not played to the camera. I give it the 👍
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I agree with Jabber, it has been a very interesting and diverse series with all who took part refreshingly interested in their families history without acting up…
I thought Ed Balls’s was a bit like being on a roller coaster … and after his Dunbar ancestor I was really hoping that the next ancestor they looked at was going to give him a bit of a lift….
Who thought that an ag lab would turn out to have been such an interesting one, with such a precarious life! To have been accused of arson then have charges dropped only to be faced with sheep stealing…. Someone was looking down on him and only serving a years sentence when the ultimate punishment could have been death!
I wondered how his family had fared over that year … was someone looking out for them….
Thumbs up to the beeb though for a one of the best series… pity it’s finished..
Caroline
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Yes I agree it has been one of the best series for several years. As usual the best were the first and last programmes of the series.
Re Ed Balls' family, I would be interested if anyone found out what happened to Mary Green.
Also, the surgeon onboard ships in the early Victorian days - would he be a professional? Was there any medical training in those days?
Ta in advance
P
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I agree with Jabber, it has been a very interesting and diverse series with all who took part refreshingly interested in their families history without acting up…
I thought Ed Balls’s was a bit like being on a roller coaster … and after his Dunbar ancestor I was really hoping that the next ancestor they looked at was going to give him a bit of a lift….
Who thought that an ag lab would turn out to have been such an interesting one, with such a precarious life! To have been accused of arson then have charges dropped only to be faced with sheep stealing…. Someone was looking down on him and only serving a years sentence when the ultimate punishment could have been death!
I wondered how his family had fared over that year … was someone looking out for them….
Thumbs up to the beeb though for a one of the best series… pity it’s finished..
Caroline
I was pleased they had an interesting ag lab. I've long argued that ancestors don't need to be rich to be interesting and this illustrated my point.
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Yes I agree it has been one of the best series for several years. As usual the best were the first and last programmes of the series.
Re Ed Balls' family, I would be interested if anyone found out what happened to Mary Green.
Also, the surgeon onboard ships in the early Victorian days - would he be a professional? Was there any medical training in those days?
Ta in advance
P
as far as I know there wasn't the regulation as there was today. Many trained via an apprenticeship rather than a degree as they would today. One of my ancestors qualified as an army surgeon in 1826 and it was noted that a few surgeons had degrees at the time but most didn't.
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My 4×Gt-Grandfather John Kershaw was I believe merely a medical student in the 1780's when he went off as a "Ship's Surgeon" on one of those whaling ships to the seas around Greenland, sailing from one of the many ports on the NE coast of England. However he had a bit of a change of job description when, during a particularly violent and life threatening storm out there, he found himself down on his knees, praying for Divine deliverance.
The ship and its crew all survived, and he thereafter became an itinerant Methodist minister for the next nearly 40 years.
Keith
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"Re Ed Balls' family, I would be interested if anyone found out what happened to Mary Green."
Rather to my surprise, I think I have found them in 1841; did they live in Winfarthing? Christopher 59. Mary 58, and 2 sons.
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I really enjoyed this one, - at last someone who wasn’t related to Edward III!
Much more relatable, I thought.
Romilly 🙂
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I thought this was an excellent end to the series.
Following on from the above post Christopher Green appears to be recorded as a widower and a pauper in the workhouse in the 1851 census ( showing as Christopher Green Senior in the index I looked at). Possible burial for Mary Green in Winfarthing May 23, 1848, age 66.
William
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Didn't they show on the programme with his death registration at the age of 80, that Christopher Green died there in the Workhouse? I wonder whether he remained to the last as radical as he had been as a younger man. Or whether he slowly bent to the regime of the institution where he eventually spent so many years. Whether the authorities there kept a special eye on him as a known former "troublemaker"...
Keith
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I need to watch this one again.. Blean, Kent was mentioned, and I have someone in my tree (very little information) who was born in Blean.
It might not progress my tree any further, but nice to see where she might have walked!
FS
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If you want any help with that, F.S. let me know! My ancestors stayed the other side of Canterbury, but I drive through Blean quite often.
The workhouse was near Herne; if I remember rightly it was the Blean Union.
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Might take you up on that TOT. She married a Canterbury man!
FS
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Hi TotH. Have started a new thread on my ancestor, born in Blean.
FS
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Have only just caught up with the Josh Widdecombe episode last night (I'd watched all the rest, good series), though I knew he'd had some interesting results.
What a fantastic tree to uncover (although of course we're probably all related to Edward I in some way), and how engaging a subject was he.
Every single discovery was welcomed with complete incredulity and amazement by Josh who evidently regards himself as just an ordinary person.
Which of course, we all are,(possibly) related to Henry VIII, and to Edward I, or not. ;D ;D ;D
Added: I'd love to know if he told his family, or made them watch the programme so he could see their amazement in real time