BBC "Who Do You Think You Are?" Anne Reid (WDYTYA Series 12 Episode 6)

[Jomot]

I thought she came across as the most awful leftie luvvie'.   

I'm not so sure about that, she seemed to think he was somehow 'better' than the other convicts as he *only* committed a white collar crime, and that he deserved preferential treatment for having been the teacher on the convict ship.   My (impoverished & illiterate) ancestor was transported for the heinous stealing some straw, so by Anne's reasoning clearly deserved the harsher punishment!  So she's somehow a leftie who thinks all pigs should not be equal 

[LizzieW]

So she's somehow a leftie who thinks all pigs should not be equal

No she's a leftie luvvie - that is something totally different.  They definitely thing all the pigs shouldn't be equal.

[Jomot]

So she's somehow a leftie who thinks all pigs should not be equal

No she's a leftie luvvie - that is something totally different.  They definitely thing all the pigs shouldn't be equal.

I'm clearly not up on such things 

[mogwood]

I was going to watch this episode on catch-up.

Having read the comments here, don't think I'll bother .... sounds like she was a complete fraud
 

[frostyknight]

I had recorded this episode and watched it tonight, I mean last night. I enjoyed the research and learning about transportation, and life in VDL. I like finding out about colourful ancestors, mine and other peoples , But.... I agree with what everyone has said about Anne Reid's reactions. I was amazed to put it mildly. Very strange indeed. She seemed to have no comprehension that this guy was a drunk who committed a crime, neglected his job, his wife having to fill in for him, and David Husband took on the raising of the 3 children.

By the way, did anyone else notice that directly under Margaret Reid's death record, age 38, was baby John's death a couple of weeks later, age 8 weeks? ( Son of John Reid schoolmaster, Logie)

[Winterbloom21]

Well spotted, Frostyknight.   No, I didn't see that.    That poor woman, what a hard time she had.

Apart from all the feelings about the totally misplaced sympathy in this case, what I thought was quite interesting was to hear about somebody who had a direct ancestor who had been transported, yet whose line all remained in England.     That's a bit different, and I wonder how many other people have this in their family, but don't realise it.    Like a lot of people, I suppose, my research in many lines has got fairly stuck in the late eighteenth century.    All sorts of interesting things might have happened before that, which I'm blissfully unaware of!

[roopat]

We had recorded this and I read the comments on here before watching it. Without knowing this, hubby came out with all the same criticisms that you all did.

I think her comment that 'in my younger days I remember my family all drinking a lot and laughing' was quite revealing and explained her reaction to John Reid's appalling behaviour, laughing at his drunken irresponsibility etc. She said at the end that her father and brothers would have laughed about his antics and loved him too.

I think her comments and reactions were a revealing insight into the lady herself.

[loobylooayr]

By the way, did anyone else notice that directly under Margaret Reid's death record, age 38, was baby John's death a couple of weeks later, age 8 weeks? ( Son of John Reid schoolmaster, Logie)

Gosh you must have eagle eyes Frostyknight  - well done on spotting that.
Margaret and John Reid married in November 1834. By the time she died 5 years later she'd given birth to Thomas (July 1835) ,Isabella (Oct 1836), David ( April 1838) AND John (July 1839) all while coping with John Reid's drunkenness and bad behaviour, standing in for him at the school when he couldn't or wouldn't go.
Could be that John Reid's father was a Thomas Reid ?? Second son has been called after maternal father. Daughter after maternal mother and 3rd son after father.

Dandylion mentioned spotting the name David Reid on the bill of exchange . There was a farmer of that name at Cruivie Farm , Logie on 1841 & 1851 Census. Wonder if this could be the man? 

As I said before an interesting family history with lots of good research. Just a pity Anne reacted as she did.
Looby

[LizzieW]

By the way, did anyone else notice that directly under Margaret Reid's death record, age 38, was baby John's death a couple of weeks later, age 8 weeks? ( Son of John Reid schoolmaster, Logie)

I saw that and was surprised it wasn't commented on.  At the time I assumed Margaret Reid had probably died due to childbirth and the child didn't last much longer.  I've got at least 2 ancestors who died at or shortly after giving birth and their children died a few weeks later.