Australian Series #4 of WDYTYA

[Ruskie]

I'm sure that is how things often worked out.

I see the male as the winner in these situations. The poor woman might get a roof over her head and a bit of food, but generally gets the raw end of the deal, cooking, cleaning, and toiling over her brother in law and his children - not to mention 'marital favours'.  Whereas the husband gets an unpaid housekeeper with added benefits. 

[cocksie]

Ruskie - I agree!

However, the problem for the male is that the new wife/cleaner/cook/bedmate will probably end up pregnant (a number of times) which will mean more mouths to feed.  If the bloke had any sense he would partner up with the OLDEST unmarried sister he could find and thus minimise the child bearing years available and possibly minimise the number of future mouths to feed.

cocksie

[Stoodly]

Update from Melissa's mother roday - the tomb stone for Frederick and Emma Helen Tames is nearly completed and will be soon installed at the cemetery.

[karenlee]

Thanks to a screaming migraine that's been haunting me since about last Saturday.. I missed the show last night.  Bummer.

Oh well, I am sure that I can catch up on it some other time, no doubt it will be repeated.

Sounds like it was a good episode though, judging from all the comments you lot have made.

Karenlee

[BevL]

I was quite surprised. To me Melissa comes across as very stilted, but in this episode I thought she was very relaxed, polite and friendly when greeting people.
I too thought she was overly upset about the Rottnest Island part of it, but in those days they didn't try to rehabilitate you when you went to prison.   You had 'done' the crime and that was it.  Though some of the 'crimes' people committed and were sent to jail for are laughable now.  You could have stolen a loaf of bread, but you were considered just as bad as a murderer.
Glad to hear about the tombstone - rather nice thought.
Now, as with everyone else I think it would be a good idea for an ordinary rootschat member to be picked and have their genealogy done for them by WDYTYA!   I am also waiting for pigs to fly!!
Kind regards
Bev

[deeiluka]

Great about the tomb stone!
It's what I'd love to be able to do for some of my ancestors.   


Dee   

[Nova67]

Now, as with everyone else I think it would be a good idea for an ordinary rootschat member to be picked and have their genealogy done for them by WDYTYA!   I am also waiting for pigs to fly!!

Yes, I agree. Being whisked off to Taunton, Somerset would be very convenient. Was good to see a visit in my genealogical neck of the woods.
Thought Nick Barratt looked very familiar. Now I know why.
Interesting to hear about the aunt's remarriage and the tombstone, and where Melissa stayed in Somerset.
I was unaware of the aboriginal history of Rottnest Island, never having been there. I guess Kerry O'Brien's career background and mature age (sorry Kerry) would lead to vastly different reaction to difficult news. I think if you do genealogy and want fact rather than fiction you have to be prepared for warts and all. It probably also depends on how much prior knowledge you have of the family background. Nowadays it must be hard to find people you can still surprise with something unknown.

[cocksie]

Well I have a candidate for WDYTYA - one of my brickwalls! So I have been looking and looking for a famous descendent which I could then offer as the "celebrity".  Can't find one so I have no "carrot". 
The story starts with my brickwall, her (at least) 3 partners/husbands, includes mythical link to Charles Dickens, possible scandalous link with an OZ NSW premier (in mid 1800s), arrests for murder (publican accused of supplying drinks to customer until he was dead), lively 1800s OZ pubs, religious problems, unorthodox wills, a judge, possible convict connections, couple of world war brave soldiers, British scum make good in OZ.  I can also offer interviews with some of the still living descendents of the 3ggmother brick wall - all from different 3 ggfathers (we have managed to find eachother online some 160+ years later).  Could be good - I can even imagine re-enactments!

[Wiggy]

I'm sure that is how things often worked out.

I see the male as the winner in these situations. The poor woman might get a roof over her head and a bit of food, but generally gets the raw end of the deal, cooking, cleaning, and toiling over her brother in law and his children - not to mention 'marital favours'.   Whereas the husband gets an unpaid housekeeper with added benefits.  

Don't forget the unmarried daughter needed some support when parents died, and probably had no training for anything other than 'service'.  - and surely being married with some rights was better than being the 'poor relation' waiting on an aged aunt as one sees in Jane Austen!

Reckon there was something to be gained in both directions!   the bloke got a housekeeper, the woman got some status and some inheritance rights possibly!  And sometimes it must have been an OK situation possibly better having a step-mother who was in the family than someone with no connection to the children.  You are probably going to have some feeling for your nieces/nephews.

fascinating stuff trying to put oneself in their place isn't it!

Wiggy