Have you opened a Pandora's box?

[Latchfordian]

There is an article in today's Telegraph with the heading "Why a study of your family tree could bear bitter fruit". It says that sociologists have warned that people who take up genealogy might uncover more than they bargained for!

"Delving into one's ancestors can open a Pandora's box of secrets that could lead to serious rows, reopen old wounds and shatter illusions about a family's respectable history".

Actually I've been quite disappointed with my respectable ancestors because I'd love to find just a hint of scandal, but no such luck so far. Am I unusual in this respect or do others enjoy finding some spicy tit-bits in their family history? 

[coombs]

I think many of us will uncover dark secrets in family trees and even end up disowning an ancestor who committed a horrible thing.

[Lal]

There were more than a few women having babies 'out of wedlock' in my family, but that's not a scandal in my family, both sets of my grandparents only just made it to the altar before producing my parents My family seem to have been, every last one of them, more or less at the bottom of the social pile and I suppose an unexpected child wouldn't be much more drama than the struggle of daily life anyway.

I know of a few who went to prison, for fighting/stealing, but I've yet to discover anything more shocking....

I always think the closer in time it is to you, the more scandalous a thing would be anyway - in living memory something might still be bothering your relatives. If that makes sense...

[coombs]

I have lots of ancestors who just made it up the altar before popping out their first child.

[meles]

I seem to have a history of premature births in my family! 

meles

[coombs]

I have 2 ancestors who went to gaol.

[aghadowey]

I think it's wise to expected the unexpected when you start to look into your family history. Although I've been researching for years I've found lots of surprises recently as more and more information is available on the interest.
My great-grandfather has a mystery 'son' in 1930 census that no one who was living in the household at the time can remember seeing or even remember hearing about 
A relative seems to have been married 3 times (not the once the rest of the family know about) and the marriages seem to overlap which points to bigamy
On a happier note Facebook has led to contact with a close relative who has not had contact with his relatives since he was four years old 

[Mark1973]

I have lots of ancestors who just made it up the altar before popping out their first child.

I'm the 8 month sized bulge in my parents wedding photo's

[dannibaggaley]

I have a suicide in my family, which is all hush hush!
The lady in question had a daughter out of wedlock (who is still alive) then married, had 2 more children and then killed herself in London
Its a bit of a no go area as her daughter refuses to talk about it or even acknowledge I'm researching that family line

D