BBC 1 WDYTYA: Series 11, Episode 2, Brian Blessed

[Plummiegirl]

Was not looking forward to this episode, purely because I thought he would be OTT.

Well I was pleasantly surprised.  Yes, he did embellish the lives of his ancestors, but don't we all!

He said at the beginning, he was not expecting anyone special and he was not disappointed.

His exhuberance was a joy.

Yes, we all know that large families were the norm in those days, but for all but 3 (2 x Elizabeth and Margaret) to survive well into adulthood, now that was quite unusual.  Shame they never found out about the older brother, who as said was probably the one who kept contact with all his younger siblings and parents once they moved away from London.

All in all very enjoyable.

[bibliotaphist]

So the 2 young orphans in 1822 actually had 2 older brothers, Book Binders like their father, living in London (George marrying 1823, and William 1825).

I can understand why - for the sake of presenting a coherent and not over-complicated story on TV - they choose to leave superfluous 'characters' out of the story. But it does strike an odd note, when we're all (presumably) here striving to record complete and comprehensive families...

...and when the existence of two settled older brothers might have explained how B. Charles and Jabez managed to stay in touch. Perhaps that didn't provide enough of a 'reveal'.

[bibliotaphist]

&

[Romilly]

I absolutely loved this episode, - quite the best that I've seen, I think.

BB was just putting into words what most of us think on such occasions, - but perhaps we don't all share his eloquence and verbal agility?

(I can't help wondering why his elder daughter doesn't want any contact with him though?)

Romilly.

[davidft]

Like others I started watching this with apprehension because of Brain's well known over enthusiasm. However this quickly subsided and I became engrossed in the story. Watching the programme it is easy to see how they made it, in my opinion, and I think if WDYTYA were to ever do a programme showing how they go about it step by step this programme would be a good one to use.

What I also especially liked is it showed how much some people, even poor people, got around in the early 1800's. Something to be borne in mind when looking for that elusive ancestor !

[mrs.tenacious]

  There was also another son:

George Wilkinson Blessed b.2/8/1804, bp.15/11/1804 St. Georges, Bloomsbury, son of Barnabas and Elizabeth Blessed.   (His baptism has been transcribed under surname Wilkinson, rather than Blessed.   He too was a Book Binder - married 1823 (and one of his children named Jabez).  He died in 1846.  Family transcribed under 'Blissed' in 1841.

Aha! I thought I caught a quick glimpse of that in one of the baptism records they were looking at - nice to know I'm not going mad 

[weste]

I must admit I enjoyed it but like has been said he made some assumptions, the one sister he thought would mother all the family after the parents died etc, poor bloke's hopes got dashed. I do think he did seem emotional particularly in the cemetry. It was nice to see the ordinary side, the kids going into the workhouse etc. he must have got quite a shock with some of that info. I know he comes across as over the top but that's him. Quite tragic tale really.

[lisalucie]

Marvelous!! This has to be one of my favourites of wdytya...he was so enthusiastic and grateful (even though it was just an "ordinary" story - much like my own family tree). It was a joy to watch him a) not cry at the drop of a hat (until the last three minutes) and b) be so happy (far too many miserable bu**ers on tele at the mo) x

[kooky]

I enjoyed this one! He was very interested in and affected by all the info. I would have been interested to see the connections to the coal mining ancestors.
Kooky