"Who Do You Think You Are" Series 13, Episode 5 Ricky Tomlinson

[kathb]

Well I for one enjoyed this programme. No slur meant, but for once it was about an 'ordinary working class family'. Just like my paternal family history. Mine was an Irish family arriving in Liverpool avoiding the famine, living in the Court Housing and eventually moving up the hill away from the docks. I have photographs of the Court Housing, but had not seen the last remains of these 'slums', as shown on the programme. The photographs of the docks were fascinating, just where my ancestors worked.
I was not surprised that Ricky expressed his socialist beliefs, I didn't think he would have been any different.
Now on the other side of the Mersey my maternal family ancestors were enjoying the fruits of working for one of the shipbuilders. Good housing, food and education for their children. A world apart, not just the River Mersey as a divide!!!!!
Regards
Kathb

[Andrew Tarr]

Who remembers the TV series Bread, all about a Scouse family trying to make good by whatever means?  A rather similar storyline - 'keep it in the famileee' ...

[Familysearch]

Yes, Lancashire OPC is a good site. I have used it a lot and discovered some very interesting things in my family. 

Unfortunately, my G G Grandfather claims to have come from Liverpool - on the census and his marriage cert, and there is no trace of him there.  Does make us wonder if his family really originated from Ireland.

I found the programme interesting, but am not a fan of Ricky Tomlinson. I started watching a repeat of the Royale family on tv the other night - gave up after 5 minutes !

FS

[Skoosh]

A Carter = a labourer with a horse!

Skoosh.

[jim1]

A Carter = a labourer with a horse!

That's what I thought. I'm not sure how they made the leap to "skilled". There were plenty of ag. labs. who were "skilled" with horses but were never regarded as anything other than labourers.
I think if there was any problem with this episode it was the attempt to flesh it out for an hour.

[coombs]

I did a bit more digging and Ricky may have some Scottish and Irish ancestors. I think his dads maternal gran was a Collier and her mum was Mary Christie, father Robert, who could be the Scottish Robert Christie in Liverpool in 1851. His maternal grandad was William Wilson and I think his mum was Maria Casell whose parents were Irish.

[smudwhisk]

A Carter = a labourer with a horse!

Skoosh.

One of my ancestors was a Miller by trade but seems to have mainly worked as a Carman in the East End of London.  He's also often referred to in a number of documents as a Horse Keeper.  In fact that's what's on his death certificate and one of his son's was the informant.

[Skoosh]

Smud,  my own ancestors were Scottish country millers one of whom appears in the Horse Tax Records as a miller had to have transport to take his meal to market.

Skoosh.

[smudwhisk]

True Skoosh, but I still find it surprising there were that many Mills in the Mile End/Ratcliffe area in the 1870s and 1880s as it was I think even then quite urbanised.  I suppose the grain was brought in to London and milled there.