General Chat

I thought it was fascinating, although I have no Scottish or Irish ancestry. It's a cautionary tale to all of us who research our families that we might not like what we find but that we should always look at our ancestors in the historical context. It was my fascination with history, particularly social history, that led me to research my family and what I have found doesn't always make pleasant reading. However, when I look at the times they were living in and what was happening in the world around them I can understand why some of them behaved as they did. Gwynne

Found it really interesting. Like Gywne and some others i became interested in family history through my love of social history. The bits about the clearance of the highlands was fascinating and also the history of the religious divide in Ireland - i studied Ireland as part of my politics A level and also did some of it within history a level also. David Dickenson next week - omg lol

Thought it was quite interesting - a bit different from the run of the mill. Would have loved to have seen his parents' reaction.... Agree that this series is a little less 'learned' than previous ones, but still helps with the social stuff. I have a theory about genealogy - it's a bit like statistics .... you can chose which particular story you tell. Sometimes, it's quite a 'remote' ancestor they focus on - I imagine that's in order to make 'new' subject matter for the programme. Whatever, it's all potentially useful background material for understanding general and occasionally your own specific circumstances. Regs Annie

I don't think this series is as good as the first. In fact I think many GR people would have more fascinating stories about their ancestors than some of the 'celebs'. But I suppose if someone suggested this to the BBC they'd say and Who do you think you are ? lol.

I was really gripped, despite not having any Irish or Scottish links, that I know of. I just love to be able to put names into the life that they would have lived, and get very caught up in the social history of a period. This explains why I still have very few names in my tree. lol Sharon xx

Morning everyone! On reflection, still not as good as last series. Colin Jackson was very good last week, and will take a bit of beating! Lynda x

i didnt like this one, to much politics,

I came in after 15mins so didn't see where he handled the skull. I must admit to being like Len, my mind kept wandering, when he was speaking he couldn't keep my attention. Gloryer (hi again) I tend to go backwards in my tree, and very rarely go sideways, only if I am stuck and need to find a new path round the wall. Gloria :-))))

Also thought it was boring. The lovely scenery when he was on the Isle of Mull was a bonus. Really surprised that he was shown lifting the skull. Maureen

I agree with Guinevere. The series has moved from BBC2 to BBC1 so a change in the format was inevitable. The first series did a little more about the 'how to' but I'm more fascinated by the historical and social context. I've enjoyed most of the programs so far, even though only one has had any slight similarity with any of my family story.

Hubby and I didn't find last nights too interesting either, but glad some people did. We seem to be evenly divided on this topic. Maybe next weeks will be interesting?

I learned more about the troubles in Ireland last night and understood the background better from this programme than anything else I've seen on Ireland. Its definitely less about how to trace your ancestors now than it was on BBC2, I suspect its so each programme is totally different from the last. I find history fascinating anyway so thats probably why I'm enjoying them, although I did find Robert Lindsays boring.

I thought this was fascinating and really struck a chord. I'm west of scotland born and bred, from a small town with it's own sectarian issues. My maternal granny was a staunch protestant unionist, sounded rather like David's granny Nellie actually, and I've heard stories about my grandfather, who I never met, and his attitude to Catholics which I find hard to reconcile with the man my mother adored. My fathers side of the family also have the same hard core sectarian views. And how much do I love it that my gran's maternal line leads back to Irish Catholics and my fathers gt-gt-grandparents were born in Ireland, also Catholic. We're all mongrels - the result of immigration, intermarriages between faiths, nationalities - hating people because of religion is pointless. The social context of the period has provided one explanation to a perplexing fact - my gt-grandfather took his mothers surname after his father died. Now I think it's probably because he thought a less Irish name would serve him better at that time. Re the skull - it's a medieval skull, people have been handling them since they were dug up, if they were particularly fragile I doubt if they would've been left lying around - put it down to exuberance! K

Gloryer Gloryer, I think that all the papers are available to everyone - just a matter of knowing where to look and what to look for and there are plenty of people always willing to help if you go to your Local Studies Group. I agree with David Owen - who wants to see people going through censuses, BMD etc to find their ancients much more interesting if you find one the gen labs and find that he had a hand in building the Blackwall or Mersey Tunnels, or helped in the construction of the railways - the country was built by the gen labs, dont knock them. Then the ag labs who fed them all - the puddlers etc., in the steel works - and you CAN find something about all this if you search hard enough Think too of all the military folk who helped in the development of what was the British Empire - the Brits abroad who helped build the Indian, and other, railways etc., All this is not something that only the Beeb can find.

I really enjoyed Colin Jackson, David Tennant was slightly harder work, ut I have to admit, I'm not sure I'll be able to sit through David Dickinson......

Might enjoy this programme more if they showed the occasional wrong track. For example last night the house where his grandmother lived (now an off licence) How many of us would have gone to the church across the road to see if their parish records had anything of interest. Obviously the records didn't contain anything of interest cos the programme totally ignored the church, but it would be more realistic. Overall I dislike this programme mainly as people who know I'm doing my tree can't understand why I get stuck (regularly) T.O.R.

Church over the road may not have been the right denomination and doubtful they would have found anything there in any case.

didn't grab me at all. the bit with the skull was awful - he should have had more respect. I like him as Dr? but was not impressed here. Angela

Didn't enjoy this one. They only traced his ancestors on his mother's side didn't they? Or did I miss something. Pat

Just seenit--was a bit disapointed--nowhere near as good as last weeks!! Mind I still think Davids rather nice!!