BBC TV "WDYTYA?" Series 10 Episode #1: Samantha Womack

[paulalou]

The record sheet at the Scots Guards HQ seemed to show the shooting incident was in Feb 1914 - pre war - surely an error in their documents, unless it was accidental and not caused by war?

Looking at his military record sheet for the Scots Guards on ancestry, he was in France between December 1914 and March 1915 although I can't see a date of when the injury happened. Although the 'distinctive marks
 section of his sign-up sheet for 1914 does say he already had a bullet wound to his lower right chest.

[Leah-WW]

Have to admit I kept wishing she would move her finger off the document so I could read the rest of it without waiting for her to decipher it! At least she seemed genuinely interested though.

Interesting stuff though. I would have liked to have known more about the circumstances of the grandfather who stole the instruments - why was he of no fixed abode? Why did he need to pawn the instruments? How did he get on after his dishonourable discharge?

[paulalou]

Looks like I wasn't the only one thinking this

Beatrice (Finkle) Garraud was in New Jersey in the 1910 census with her mother aged 14 so its quite clear that she didn't marry in 1908 ....I wonder if there are any children from this marriage to Beatrice Pickford ....looking for her in 1911.
N

Beatrice Ryan (nee Pickford) was working as a waitress in a theatre in Plymouth. It seems as though they never had children from the birth entries. The records imply she died in Paddington in 1958. She features in ancestry's will index but is listed as a spinster. So maybe Beatrice and ACR divorced or separated.

[nestagj]

Thank you for that ....

Trying now to see when Beatrice Finkle (Garraud ) returned to the UK.......ACR is down as a Theatre Musician in the 1911 so perhaps he went over to the states .

n

[weste]

I was annoyed with fingering of records, surprised she did n't have to wear any white gloves or plastic gloves as in local archives and as for her attempt at reading.  The excessive shock response at what she found out. Although i found her very funny as well and the program interesting and trust those war records to have survived but obviously stored in a different place.

[Sandymc47]

The funniest thing I found about the programme was having a house
numbered 36.1/2.  Whats all that about laugh.
Sammantha did seem to be intense about it all but I think she must
be short sighted and didnt want to wear her glasses?

[nestagj]

I have just rerun the start where she talks to her gran and gran says that "her sister".... and then when she is asked about ACR she says not a lot because "they separated" so by the look of it there was a bit that needed glossing over..........

N

[Leah-WW]

Re. Samantha not using gloves to touch the records: it seems to be a matter of personal preference between archivists/conservators now. I had a conversation with the National Trust's top paper conservator last year about it, and he was of the opinion that as long as you have washed your hands well it is better to be able to feel the document with your skin so you are more aware, in a tactile way, of how you're handling it.

I'll take my conservator head off again now though, and put my amateur genealogist one back on

[mulvenna]

Just watched the Sam Womack episode.

Initial reactions: Sam was maybe a wee bit too quick to judge. Impossible to know the full story of family circumstances that cause people to emigrate. What about all the American cousins she must have - is she not curious to find out about them?

Sharing the irritation with the excessive fingering, the countless shocked faces and the looks to camera full of anticipation as she clicks the search button.

Very enjoyable episode all the same - what was Pierre Garraud's occupation? Did I see "Judge" on the document. Lots of music on the French side that didn't get a mention in the same way that Alexander Ryan got.

Gerry