In an exceptionally interesting episode, last night's Who Do You Think You Are? featured BBC journalist Frank Gardner's prestigious ancestors.
Of historical interest in so many ways, the episode darted around the various intrigues of Frank's family in the hopes of highlighting some of the array of family stories hiding in his tree branches. As a result, what we have is a glimpse into the life and tragedy of an eminent Victorian scientist and biologist (all very period drama,) and the ups and downs of political life for the erstwhile Michael Stanhope (all very 'Wolf Hall.')
The episode also highlights the historical position of the 'groom of the stool' - the King of England, oddly enough, used to have a man who literally... cleaned him up... after he used the privy. It was actually a highly sought-after position - not least because of the trust and access to the King that it provided.
An interesting episode, which once again proves that it pays to have posh ancestors - there'll be a lot more recorded about them if you do!
No comments:
Post a Comment