An ancestor's moment you'd like to have witnessed?

[GR2]

Very, very difficult to choose. I would have loved to have been present on 18th June 1563 when my 11x great grandmother, Euphemia Dundas, was brought before the Council in Edinburgh for having spoken "injurious and sclandarous wordis bayth of the doctrine and ministeris, and in speciall of Jhonne Knox, minister, sayand that.....the said Jhonne Knox wes....tane....with ane commoun hure, and that he had bene ane commoun harlot all his dayis".

Graham.

[jaybelnz]

I can't tell you anything about the actual moment of conception, but I can relate the 24 hr journey of it!  My Mum told me (obviously when she thought I was old enough to know, which was long after I had children of my own).

Dad was in the Airforce, getting towards the end of the war, got a surprise 24 hr pass,  (they were only at this particular air base on a special job - he wasn't stationed there.  So it was a sudden leave and they were only allowed to travel on train 25 miles or so.  Tickets provided!  He and his mate went as far as they could on the train, and then hitch-hiked and walked the rest of the way - about another 30 miles!!  I think she said they weren't actually supposed to go further than the train pass either - naughty daddies!

Apparently it took them a really long to get home to their respective wives,()the other chap lived only a couple of houses up the road from ours). And their wives didn't know they were coming either. !  So going by the time it took them to get home, they knew they wouldn't be able stay very long, to allow enough time to get back to the base before the 24 hrs leave was up! ! So they had about half an hour at home, met up the road and then had to get on their way back again.  So that narrows the time of my conception down to about 1/2 hr!! 

Sounded like one of my Dad's tall stories to me, he had plenty of those -  but he had passed away just a couple of years before Mum told me.  Funny that I just found this topic when visiting here, just recently got his Service records, and there is a 24 hr leave noted , just about exactly 9 months before I was born!! 

[Willow 4873]

I would like to have been there when my grandad got arrested for climbing onto the back of Prince Alberts statue (the man on the 'oss) whilst he was drunk if only to see how he got up there as he was only 5'

That made me laugh as when I first read it, I read that you grandfather was drunk and only 5 (as in age!).

LMAO I wouldnt put it past him. He was quite a character

He worked in the steelworks and lost two of his fingers in a press. It was such hot work that they supplied the workers with free beer while they worked so he could probably drink like a fish. I also found out recently that both his legs were smashed by a bomb during the first world war which makes it more amazing that he managed to climb the staute

Willow x

[DEV9]

The reins on alberts statue were broken VE night 1945 your grandad would have been 55 and the reins were replaced 1991

[Helenmary]

Hello

I would like to send a message to a member GR2, in response to their post about their 11x Great Grandmother, Euphemia Dundas who was tried as a witch in Edinburgh in 1653. I wanted to tell GR2 about an exhibition in Lancaster last month which honoured all of the people accused of witchcraft in the UK, many of whom lost their lives. A beautiful memorial in which a prayer flag was embroidered for each person, 4000 in total was incredibly moving. My "witch" was Euphemia Dundas so I thought it would be nice to show GR2 the flag I embroidered for her. But I havent worked out how to send a direct message, Please can you help. Many Thanks Helen

[sarah]

Hi Helen and welcome,

I have just merged your reply to the topic so that GR2 will see your message.

Regards

Sarah

[Willow 4873]

The reins on alberts statue were broken VE night 1945 your grandad would have been 55 and the reins were replaced 1991

You never know! as long as they don't send me the bill 

Willow x

[coombs]

I would like to have witnessed my Marylebone London resident ancestor fill out the 1841 census form, where she put No as whether born in county or not, so I could ask her what county she was born in.

She was claimed by the Grim Reaper just 6 weeks before the 1851 census.

[Willow 4873]

One of mine put 'Shropshire' on the 1851 census which wasn't any help either with the surname of Harris

Willow x