WDYTYA? Catch-Up Post - Cheryl, Ricky Tomlinson, Sir Ian McKellan, and Greg Davies

Looks like I got a little behind on these - ironically, I'm a genealogist with very little time at the moment!

Anyway, let's just give you a short round-up of the episodes of Who Do You Think You Are? that've aired since my last post, and then we can get back on track for the last two!

Cheryl (Tweedy, Cole, Fernandez-Versini,) found that she truly is Geordie through-and-through, with family based around the docks of the North-East, and a tragedy related to their seafaring profession.



Ricky Tomlinson discovered his connections to his working-class Liverpudlian ancestors, and the beginnings of worker's rights - something which he himself has been a passionate advocate for.



Sir Ian McKellen's was another tale of the apple not falling far from the tree, as he discovered that his family had an acting past that he had never known about.

Oddly enough, the various experts in theatre history seemed just slightly thrilled to meet him!



Greg Davies' family story was one I recognised - I've been researching similar stories of Welsh ancestry for over a decade now. Granted, I've never come across medieval royalty in any of the trees I've researched! (Yet! I live in hope.)

There's also plenty of family skeletons in Greg's tree (metaphorical ones,) including illegitimacy (which wasn't as uncommon in the 19th Century as you might think,) and running to the Rhondda to avoid scandal (as you do.)






The next (and last) three episodes of WDYTYA? will feature Warwick Davis (I love him!), Sunetra Sarker and Sophie Raworth.

WDYTYA? - Amanda Holden & Liz Bonnin

OK, this is going to be my write-up for both last week's and this week's episodes of Who Do You Think You Are? because, as a busy genealogist bee, I didn't have chance to write-up Amanda Holden's episode last week.

Amanda Holden's episode focussed on France - a connection to wine in Bordeaux which Amanda seemed thrilled with, and an interesting story of a an ancestor with a colourful character and a French wife.

Also in France was the tale of Amanda's paternal grandfather - a serviceman in WW2, he was caught up in the sinking of the Lancastria.

Not many people have heard of the Lancastria - a commandeered cruise ship which sank with thousands of people on board after being bombed.

More lives were lost on board than on the Titanic and the Lusitania combined, but it's less widely known because of the reporting ban Churchill placed on the event - too much tragedy was seen as bad for morale.



Liz Bonnin's episode was a fascinating tale of the double-edged sword that was colonialism. Colonialism brought oppression and servitude, but also, in many cases, opportunities - as Liz found when she traced her Indian-Trinidadian ancestors.

Another morally uncomfortable part of history is slavery. And Liz visibly struggled to reconcile the various aspects of slavery - that people were owned, and people were owners - with her own family on the French colony of Martinique.

History is something that must be learnt from yes, but also accepted. We can't change the past - it's simply the things that happened.

WDYTYA? - Danny Dyer

The 16th (16!) series of Who Do You Think You Are? kicked off last night with EastEnders actor Danny Dyer.

In honesty - it was actually a really fun watch!

I don't watch EastEnders (I know. Shock, horror!) so I wasn't really familiar with Danny Dyer - but he's certainly a character!

So, between the entertainment value of Danny Dyer, and the excessively interesting family he has (and yes, there are some very posh people in Danny Dyer's ancestry,) it was a great way to start off the series.

Of course, it wouldn't be Who Do You Think You Are? without the ability to reduce even the hardest of celebrities to tears, and it was the same here.

The story of Mary Ann Buttivant - one of Danny's ancestors - and the heartbreak she went through, was truly one of those WDYTYA? moments, and your heart really did go out to this lady.

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 13 starts tonight

Hi all!

Just a quick note to remind you that Who Do You Think You Are? Season 13 starts @ 8.00pm tonight on BBC1 with EastEnders actor Danny Dyer.

I'll be doing my write-up posts after each episode again this year, so look out for that!

The line-up, once again, suggests interesting episodes ahead:

• Danny Dyer
• Cheryl Tweedy/Cole/Fernandez-Versini
• Amanda Holden
• Sir Ian McKellen
• Sophie Raworth
• Ricky Tomlinson
• Warwick Davis
• Greg Davies
• Liz Bonnin
• Sunetra Sarker

Can't wait!

Checking In, and Check This Out

Hi!

I know, I know - I really need to post on this blog more often!

But I am here, still working away like a little busy bee, and researching your family trees and family history!



Remember that you can get in contact with me with any questions about my research services whenever! (I don't bite!)

So check out familyhistorybycerys.co.uk and use my e-mail to get in touch! :)

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BBC have a new history/reality series starting tonight called The Victorian Slum - sending people back in time (metaphorically,) to live the life of a slum-dweller in the 1860s.

It starts tonight on BBC2 @ 9pm.

The Somme

Today is the 100th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme.

I know I haven't blogged much lately (I've been very busy - sorry!) but I really wanted to take the chance to commemorate this date.

The Battle lasted from 1st July 1916 to 18th November 1916, and it was truly terrible.

This is something that we shouldn't forget - perhaps not out of a sense of national pride, but instead out of a sense of sorrow for so many lives cut needlessly short.

The memory of those events should not fade - not because the Battle should be emulated, or glorified, but because we should never forget the terrible cost of war, and what happens when games are played with men's lives.

We have a duty to these men and boys to remember them. And I hope we will.

If you want to learn more about the Somme, the CWGC have a dedicated website you can visit, and the BBC has an excellent iWonder page to explore.

Busy Busy Bee

Hi! Sorry I haven't posted much on here recently - I've been a busy genealogist bee lately.

So with all the buzzing around I've been doing finding people's families for them, I haven't had much chance to write-up blog-posts.

I'm going to try to post on here more often - if only to say hi! (Hi! :D) But of course, tracking down your ancestors for you comes first!

I'm never too busy to answer any of your queries or e-mails - so check out www.familyhistorybycerys.co.uk for my contact details. I'll be happy to hear from you!