WDYTYA - Marvin Humes

[KGarrad]

I found this an interesting episode, but I did wonder why Frederick Buckingham`s WW1 service ( if any ) was not mentioned.

I think that if the researchers HAD found any WW1 Service history, it would have been mentioned?
Or maybe it was simply left on the cutting-room floor, as there was so much else to fit in?

[carol8353]

I think that they say 'wow' because they are stuck for words!

Maybe some of them swear,so they have to do a re-take and ask them to say wow instead!

[Caw1]

I too enjoyed this episode, although I'd not heard of him before and was a little sceptical about whether it would hold my interest as I've no Jamaican history.
What a personable young man he was, thoughtful about researching both sides of his family and they were certainly interesting!
It seems such a shame that the land belonging to the family in Jamaica is just left to fend for itself. I did wonder why his gt. Grandfathers cousin hadn't mentioned it when they first met but I suppose they wanted him to see all the records first. His reaction to one of his ancestors owning slaves seem to cause him some concerns, understandably.
Poor old Fred Buckingham, he certainly didn't have the best of starts in life and so it continued! No wonder he always looked grumpy.
All in all an interesting programme.

[Blue70]

Good episode. I was recently helping someone with Jamaican ancestry so it was interesting to see how far back they went. There's no census records for Jamaica. I wasn't able to get back to slavery using the online records available the earliest record I found was a baptism from 1869.


Blue 

[Gillg]

I was considering not watching this episode, as I've never heard of Marvin Humes, but really enjoyed it.  His reactions seemed really genuine and the records found, particularly in Jamaica, were amazing.  No wonder Old Man Buckingham was so grumpy - what a dreadful early life he had and what difficult times he had in his life in the Merchant Navy!

[pharmaT]

I was considering not watching this episode, as I've never heard of Marvin Humes, but really enjoyed it.  His reactions seemed really genuine and the records found, particularly in Jamaica, were amazing.  No wonder Old Man Buckingham was so grumpy - what a dreadful early life he had and what difficult times he had in his life in the Merchant Navy!

I wasn't sure who he was either but tbh I'd watch the programme if it was a member of the public.  There's usually interesting stories.

[davidft]

Instead of giving Marvin a jolly to Jamaica they could have tried to sort out Frederick's true parentage - not as easy as it first seems, give it a try.

Also I was a bit confused by those medals Marvin was given at the end of the programme. Were they meant to be Frederick's actual medals (from a descendant of Frederick's) or just copies of medals he would have been awarded?

[polly50]

Good episode. Marvin seemed genuinely shocked by the fact his black ancestor kept slaves.

I think he and his mum may have found a new hobby 

[heywood]

Instead of giving Marvin a jolly to Jamaica they could have tried to sort out Frederick's true parentage - not as easy as it first seems, give it a try.

Maybe they tried and it was difficult. Perhaps it was more about the man rather than the child.
I enjoyed Jamaica