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

[LizzieW]

My husband's 3 x g.grandfather who was a Catholic lived in Liverpool in 1841 (so possibly even before then).  He didn't live near the docks although he did work as a Porter in 1841 so possibly worked on the docks, his eldest son was an apprentice cabinet maker.  By 1851 he had moved even further away from the docks, so I guess you could be a Catholic in Liverpool and not be living in poverty.

[Andrew Tarr]

Can't comment on the programme as I stopped watching after a couple of minutes.  I have never taken to R-T as I can't take his chip-on-shoulder attitude.  I always feel he didn't have to act too hard in his famous role in the Royle Family.

My maternal ancestry has strong Liverpool connections, and one or two in the tree had menial jobs in the docks or round about.  Others were more middle-class - maybe I take after them    But having lived within 15 miles of there for nearly 50 years, I remember the 70s and 80s when the place was not often out of the news for some reason or other.  Colleagues of mine used to comment that high unemployment in Liverpool was no surprise - many were unemployable.  Things have improved a lot, but R-T still won't bury the hatchet.

[stonechat]

Yes I cannot find his personality engaging and did not enjoy so much. I do like the way the program makers fill in social context though

[Blue70]

I hope Ricky's dramatic mannerisms haven't caused people to neglect the injustices of the past. We need to learn from history. The poverty and cruelty of Victorian times must never be allowed to creep back.


Blue

[JAKnighton]

On the marriage certificate of his ancestor (GGF?) who grew up in dire poverty, it clearly showed him as a widower - this wasn't even mentioned, despite his young age.

Yes I noticed that, perhaps it didn't fit into their agenda.

All of the episodes follow a narrative, and a segue into the life of his great-grandfather's first wife would have distracted from it.

Non-genealogists are the main audience for this programme and they aren't as good at keeping track of names and relationships as we are. So you really need to keep things brief and streamlined as possible in order to keep things clear.

[Blue70]

But having lived within 15 miles of there for nearly 50 years, I remember the 70s and 80s when the place was not often out of the news for some reason or other.  Colleagues of mine used to comment that high unemployment in Liverpool was no surprise - many were unemployable.  Things have improved a lot, but R-T still won't bury the hatchet.

 


Blue

[LizzieW]

All of the episodes follow a narrative, and a segue into the life of his great-grandfather's first wife would have distracted from it.

I guess they wanted to show his 2nd marriage to point out that one of the witnesses was a half brother and so the family hadn't split up as they'd previously decided.

[Skoosh]

Enjoyed this programme, you have to remember that Ricky is an actor! Life in the Liverpool slums must have been a greater shock to the rural Irish than the natives who were accustomed to it. The world was ill-divided right enough!

Skoosh.

[Blue70]

Sad to say but the Irish were better off in the courts and cellars of Liverpool than in Ireland such was the poverty and conditions in Ireland throughout the 19th century.


Blue