WDYTYA series 4 # 7 Matthew Pinsent

[jim1]

I think I might give up and go South.
Just a thought but if we're all related to God does that mean we're all related to the Devil as well.

[lesleyhannah]

I did enjoy tonight's episode, because it was different. I'd managed not to read any of the trailers so it was a surprise to me.

However, I'm going to go against the general feeling here, because I don't think it WAS the best. It's a personal thing, but I think people from fairly aristocratic backgrounds don't really have that much trouble finding their ancestors. Just look at the pictures hanging on their walls going back generations. Not many of us have that much of a headstart when we begin our family tree.

I find the programmes taking celebrities back to ancestors in the workhouse, or lowly Ag Labs, far more fascinating. They're the people we should be honouring and celebrating - giving the Invisible lives their brief glory - the Howard family have already had theirs.

Maybe I'm just biased - but I wouldn't want to watch this episode again, and it's not often I say that about WDYTYA.

[jim1]

Yes it is pretty straitforward when you find your gateway ancestor but I'd swap one of my ag.labs. for Catherine Howard any day.She's the sort of ancestor we all hope to find...but never do.
                                           Jim

[PaulaToo]

Not a lot to say about his one, a sad beginning and a happy end.
I loved it.

[Keith Sherwood]

Well,
The buzz word from this particular episode seems to be "Gateway", which means you sit back and see all those generations roll back in an unerring line to Adam.
Does having a Gateway laptop, as I do,  speed the process, I wonder...
Seriously, who knows if the iron determination of Edward Ist might have passed down in the genes to Matthew Pinsent and his incredible self-discipline that enabled him to win four consecutive Olympic medals for rowing...
keith

[ludovica]

I did enjoy tonight's episode, because it was different. I'd managed not to read any of the trailers so it was a surprise to me.

However, I'm going to go against the general feeling here, because I don't think it WAS the best. It's a personal thing, but I think people from fairly aristocratic backgrounds don't really have that much trouble finding their ancestors. Just look at the pictures hanging on their walls going back generations. Not many of us have that much of a headstart when we begin our family tree.

I find the programmes taking celebrities back to ancestors in the workhouse, or lowly Ag Labs, far more fascinating. They're the people we should be honouring and celebrating - giving the Invisible lives their brief glory - the Howard family have already had theirs.

Maybe I'm just biased - but I wouldn't want to watch this episode again, and it's not often I say that about WDYTYA.

Interesting. Actually I agree to some degree. A humble person rediscovered is worth 5 ancestors who are well known because you really have to dig hard, but as I said it took me best part of 29 years before I found that Gateway Ancestor and that is just one of my 5x great grandmothers (and her husband). Plenty of other directions to look as well.. with Mr Pinsent also, as the visit to Winchester College and the tank museum were the highlight of the programme for me.
In my case, my gateway ancestor led to middle class gentry  families but not aristocracy until quite far back into the 15th century where other gateway ancestors appeared.. it was only after that it went silly and became traceable via any encyclopedia

[joanne56]

I think I might give up and go South.
Just a thought but if we're all related to God does that mean we're all related to the Devil as well.

[joanne56]

I think I might give up and go South.
Just a thought but if we're all related to God does that mean we're all related to the Devil as well.

Of course.

[DJFRENCH]

I enjoyed it too- i'd give anything to find out the trades of all my ancestors going back that far famous or not.
Why were they still not wearing gloves with those documents. Were they copies of the originals ?
It was good but a bit silly at the end but interesting
debz