Found Anyone Famous

[James R. Yeowell]

I have a family connection - although a very distant one - with Tara Palmer Tomkinson.  More interestingly to me however is that I have an ancestor, John Swynfen (an MP) referred to in the diary of Samuel Pepys. Jayson

I also am distantly related to Tara Palmer-Tomkinson (7th Cousin 2 Times removed).

How are you related?

I'm distantly related through the Smith/Collyer/Fladgate/Yeowell families.

Helen Mary Collyer married Lindsay Eric Smith and their daughter Marion Lindsay Smith married James Edward Tomkinson (later Palmer-Tomkinson).

This also means I'm related to Sir Herbert Ingram, 3rd Baronet and via the Smiths, to James Oliver Charles Fitzroy, Earl of Euston as well as James Walter Grimston, Viscount Grimston.

[James R. Yeowell]

Continuing on from the above post of mine:

I am still proving it but I believe I am a descendant of Isaac Lodington, Vicar of Aylesbury.  He is not especially famous though.

I am however, related to the following:

3rd Cousin 4 Times Removed (all brothers):

Dr. Joseph Sampson Gamgee, M.R.C.V.S., F.R.S.E. (veterinary surgeon)
Dr. John Gamgee (Professor of Anatomy and Physiology at Dick Veterinary College; he was also an inventor)
Dr. Arthur Gamgee, R.M.S.E., M.D., F.R.S., F.R.C.P., LL.D. (Fullerian Professor of Physiology and Comparative Anatomy at the Royal Institute of Great Britain)

4th Cousin 3 Times Removed:

Prof. Sir D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson, D.Litt., D.Sc., D.C.L., C.B., F.R.S., F.R.S.E., H.F.E.M.S. (author of "On Growth and Form" and Chair of Natural History at the University of St. Andrews and previously Professor of Biology and Natural History at University College, Dundee)

I may also be (I am fairly sure I am, I just need to prove a link) related to James Yeowell (1800?-1875) who has an entry in the DNB.

[janut]

Tom Finney eh!!! I would pass his house on my way to school and pat the head of his dog at his gates!!
When he had a plumbing business close to where I lived I would often see him getting out of his car...how I wish I'd had the courage to ask him for his autograph!

[alftabor]

Although it is tenuous
My third cousin's Great grandmothers brothers Daughter in Law was Daphne Du Maurier and one of her daughters married the 2nd Viscount Montgomery,Monty's Son
How is that for stretching to include celebrity
Alf

[tofgem]

Hi Maggie

I have Sergeant Albert Mitchell of the 13th Light Dragoons, and later Kent Police in my family tree. He was one of the few who took part in the Charge of the Light Brigade and lived to tell the tale - in his case he went one better, and wrote the book. (Recollections of one of the Light Brigade)
I have the book, and have always been fascinated by the very matter of fact description as they went in of 'seeing Captain Nolan on ours fall in front of me'.

I have another survivor of The Charge of the Light Brigade - William Whiteley born circa 1836 in England (I know not where). I know that he served in the British army against the Russians in the Crimea and fought at both Balaclava (the Charge of the Light Brigade) and at the Alma. However, I know very little more (his direct descendants have mislaid his medals). I found his name in a book online, but the only details gave his date of enlistment in the 17th Lancers as 17th July 1855??
I was wondering whether you know of any accessible resources which could enlighten me a little more about his actual service. He was serving in St. Helena in 1863.

Tofgem

[Charles IX]

All these posts makes for good reading  I wish I could be like some of you getting back to my 23xgreats! My only claim is Griffith Charles one of the 1st settlers in Logan, Utah. and his daughter Margaret Charles was the 1st white child to be born in that there....

Duke

[skyblue_scarlet]

I agree its great reading! Im just wondering though as some of these relations are, ermmmmm distant....... I was wondering how some of you end up researching so far out of your direct lines???

[Windsor87]

I have many famous ancestors and relations due to the fact that I have two seperate sets of lower gentry having illegitimate children (one from my father's side, and one from my mother's side).

My two favourites at the moment are:

1) William Fraser, 12th Lord Saltoun of Abernethy (1654-1715).
My 9xgreat grandfather. He held a seat in the old Scottish Parliament from 1695-1707. As such he voted in the Union debates of 1706/07 - consistantly voting against Union with England. He wasn't a great politician - more a backbencher. His fame is limited in that it was he who warned his political allies that the Duke of Hamilton - who was supposed to be leading the opposition to the Union Bill - was on the pay of the English. Anyway, nobody listened and Hamilton remained leader. If you read any moderned history book on the topic, you will find that most say that the Duke of Hamilton was on English pay which accounted for his poor role as leader of the opposition.

2) Dr. James Sharp, Archbishop of St. Andrews (1618-1679).
My 10xgreat grandfather, and father-in-law to the above. He is seen as a traitor to Scotland and to the Presbyterian establishment of the Church of Scotland. He himself started off as a Presbyterian minister even signing the famous covenant. He changed his mind however, favouring Episcopacy after he had helped restore King Charles II to the throne. He was made Archbishop by Charles in 1661 and charged with reintroducing Episcopacy in Scotland. He is responsible for many deaths in carrying out his remit. He was murdered by a group of Covenanters on Magnus Muir in May 1679 - hacked to death. These 'religious' covenanters had been waiting to murder someone else, but got lucky by bumping in to Sharp.

[XPhile2868]

I agree its great reading! Im just wondering though as some of these relations are, ermmmmm distant....... I was wondering how some of you end up researching so far out of your direct lines???

Personally, I like to trace the desendants of the siblings of ancestors as well, so I know of quite a few cousins of various degrees, ages and nationalities.

Stephen