New series next week on the Beeb of Who Do You Think You Are?

[Top-of-the-hill]

  Finally, an ag. lab! And wasn't Ed's reaction interesting when he was told? "Oh good." Another interesting programme.

[IgorStrav]

Yes, I was also intrigued about the Kent part of Ed's history T-o-t-h which is in an area familiar to both of our family histories!

And I've never seen such suspense in a WDYTYA either! 

What on earth could have been the background to that dreadful sensational arson story - were the 'conspirators' set up to take the blame, perhaps because at least Green had been an agitator before?  If it wasn't those accused, who did carry out the crime?

It's certainly a good answer to those who think Ag Lab ancestors aren't interesting.

[Keith Sherwood]

Weren't the two women researchers/historians such a contrast to one another.  The lady in Kent almost expressionless in her reactions and delivery, whilst the Norfolk lady responded positively and sympathetically to all of Ed Ball's pertinent comments as the drama unfolded  in the life of his Ag Lab ancestor who was so determined to stand up for what he considered was only his birthright.
Nearly 10 years ago now I did some rather amateur family research for a friend who is a second cousin to EB.  There was a brief photo of Frank Smith Balls, their gt-grandfather, who married into the Dunbar family.  I discovered that it was every bit as much he who upped the fortunes of the Balls family from extremely humble beginnings in Norwich.
But his story was probably not nearly as dramatic as that of Surgeon Dunbar or the man with the Green surname on Ed's mother's side...
Enjoyed this evening's programme greatly.
Keith

[Jebber]

I think it has been one of the best series so far. Plenty of variety and in depth details, all the subjects have shown genuine interest and not played to the camera. I give it the 👍

[Caw1]

I agree with Jabber, it has been a very interesting and diverse series with all who took part refreshingly interested in their families history without acting up…

I thought Ed Balls’s was a bit like being on a roller coaster … and after his Dunbar ancestor I was really hoping that the next ancestor they looked at was going to give him a bit of a lift….
Who thought that an ag lab would turn out to have been such an interesting one, with such a precarious life! To have been accused of arson then have charges dropped only to be faced with sheep stealing…. Someone was looking down on him and only serving a years sentence when the ultimate punishment could have been death!
I wondered how his family had fared over that year … was someone looking out for them….
Thumbs up to the beeb though for a one of the best series… pity it’s finished..

Caroline

[Primrose11]

 Yes I agree it has been one of the best series for several years. As usual the best were the first and last programmes of the series.
 Re Ed Balls' family, I would be interested if anyone found out what happened to Mary Green.
 Also, the surgeon onboard ships in the early Victorian days - would he be a professional? Was there any medical training in those days?
  Ta in advance
P

[pharmaT]

I agree with Jabber, it has been a very interesting and diverse series with all who took part refreshingly interested in their families history without acting up…

I thought Ed Balls’s was a bit like being on a roller coaster … and after his Dunbar ancestor I was really hoping that the next ancestor they looked at was going to give him a bit of a lift….
Who thought that an ag lab would turn out to have been such an interesting one, with such a precarious life! To have been accused of arson then have charges dropped only to be faced with sheep stealing…. Someone was looking down on him and only serving a years sentence when the ultimate punishment could have been death!
I wondered how his family had fared over that year … was someone looking out for them….
Thumbs up to the beeb though for a one of the best series… pity it’s finished..

Caroline

I was pleased they had an interesting ag lab. I've long argued that ancestors don't need to be rich to be interesting and this illustrated my point.

[pharmaT]

Yes I agree it has been one of the best series for several years. As usual the best were the first and last programmes of the series.
 Re Ed Balls' family, I would be interested if anyone found out what happened to Mary Green.
 Also, the surgeon onboard ships in the early Victorian days - would he be a professional? Was there any medical training in those days?
  Ta in advance
P

as far as I know there wasn't the regulation as there was today.  Many trained via an apprenticeship rather than a degree as they would today.  One of my ancestors qualified as an army surgeon in 1826 and it was noted that a few surgeons had degrees at the time but most didn't.

[Keith Sherwood]

My 4×Gt-Grandfather John Kershaw was I believe merely a medical student in the 1780's when he went off as a "Ship's Surgeon" on one of those whaling ships to the seas around Greenland, sailing from one of the many ports on the NE coast of England.  However he had a bit of a change of job description when, during a particularly violent and life threatening storm out there, he found himself down on his knees, praying for Divine deliverance.
The ship and its crew all survived, and he thereafter became an itinerant Methodist minister for the next nearly 40 years.
Keith