WDYTYA series 4 # 7 Matthew Pinsent

[ludovica]

As Matt implied... We are all God's children

S'nice to have the proof though!

[ludovica]

My Gateway ancestor was a London lawyer's daughter  without a noble name or title... but had an aristocratic background.

Never ignore maternal lines.. most "Gateway Ancestors" are women

I agree. They are always women. I see itas flogging off the daughters all in the name of politics and cash flow.

My gateway ancestor was illegitimate. Don't know if that still counts, but it works for me. Her father was virtually bankrupt and living in a ruined castle before it became Scotland's first mainland lighthouse in 1787 (Fraserburgh Castle). He was then put up by his nephew the Lord Saltoun of Abernethy. He was good enough to leave his 'natural' daughter (and only child) 20 pound in his will. She refused it for him wronging her mother (probably just a romantic fairytale gone wrong).

That sounds very exciting and romantic! Of course illegitimate counts.. William the Conqueror was a b*st*rd himself, after all... and those Heralds scrolls didnt seem to mind!

[Willow 4873]

I really enjoyed this one I loved the look on his face when he was told he was decended from Edward 1st

On the other side his poor GUncle committing suicide because he thought he had failed his mission was so sad and his poor grandmother didnt know the whole truth

I havent got any gateway ancestors - were all common stock and brick walls lol

Willow x

[ludovica]

I really enjoyed this one I loved the look on his face when he was told he was decended from Edward 1st

On the other side his poor GUncle committing suicide because he thought he had failed his mission was so sad and his poor grandmother didnt know the whole truth

I havent got any gateway ancestors - were all common stock and brick walls lol

Willow x

Take heart Willow. I started tracing my family tree in 1978
 and found my gateway ancestor this April just gone

[Willow 4873]

Thanx Ludovica

Suppose that the thing about genealogy - where just tenacious lol

Love my lot no matters where they come from - funny thing is I was just saying to the OH my Hilton side were locksmiths and that was one of the trades Wolverhampton was built on (a lock is on the city coat of arms) so I'm proud of that

A gateway would just make things easier sigh

Willow x

[ludovica]

Thanx Ludovica

Suppose that the thing about genealogy - where just tenacious lol

Love my lot no matters where they come from - funny thing is I was just saying to the OH my Hilton side were locksmiths and that was one of the trades Wolverhampton was built on (a lock is on the city coat of arms) so I'm proud of that

A gateway would just make things easier sigh

Willow x

.. and my wealthy gateway family were wastrels and idiots... one boy (my ancestor), died young with four infant children, terribly in debt from playing cards etc with his Militia chums... and his sister eloped with ... a servant spent the short time she had left writing begging letters to her rich relations and lamenting she had no money for shoes!

Its so tough at the top! lol

[Windsor87]

I was just saying to the OH my Hilton side were locksmiths and that was one of the trades Wolverhampton was built on (a lock is on the city coat of arms) so I'm proud of that

One of my distant cousins (her great grandmother is my gateway) was a maid to the later Lord Saltouns. She always used to show up the Lord by reminding him, as his cousin, that he was no better than anyone else.

[rubyrose]

Great programme, the BBC definitely saved the best til last. Fascinating family history - all of the programmes in this series seem to have concentrated more on what was happening at the time, not just a list of names and dates. Loved it.

Ludovicia - please tell us about your gateway ancestor and how you found them. I must have missed the story back in April - is there a link to another thread?

Cheers

Ruby

[Willow 4873]

I was just saying to the OH my Hilton side were locksmiths and that was one of the trades Wolverhampton was built on (a lock is on the city coat of arms) so I'm proud of that

One of my distant cousins (her great grandmother is my gateway) was a maid to the later Lord Saltouns. She always used to show up the Lord by reminding him, as his cousin, that he was no better than anyone else.

Lol my type of girl - where would these men be without women to burst their balloon every now and then

Willow x