WDYTYA Review - Series 10 - John Simpson

An interesting but not the best episode in the latest series of Who Do You Think You Are?

Interesting to hear about the daring adventures of his great grandmother when she ran away with the famous flyer, Cody...although technically John Simpson is not directly related to Samuel Cody.

Such a sad tale of Edward King but lovely his eldest daughter cared for him despite the rest of the family running away with the cowboys.

Can you imagine living the rest of your life with the death of your own father on your hands as Edward King had? His guilt and regrets must have made him difficult to live with and the rest of the family too, possibly what caused the break down of his own family and the cause of his wife running away for the adventure of her life.

Another documentary about Samuel Cody and his family but not a true family history researching program, shame for WDYTYA? as the series started really well.

WDYTYA Review - Series 10 - Marianne Faithfull

Wow, what a story of a family who lived under the Nazi regime as Jews in Austria and survived against all the odds whilst fighting against it.

Nazi Reichsadler
(Image link: www.wikipedia.org, Author: unknown)

A story of bravery and courage, but also a fantastic way to help Marianne understand why she has lived the life that she has and also why her mother was so damaged through the affects of the Nazi anti-sematic regime.


Such a terrible time in history but thankfully was destroyed before it controlled Europe. Most families will still be living out the dreadful effects of the lives of our parents, grandparents and even great grandparents during the war years - I know that I would certainly not be the person I am now or even here if it were not for the ancestors who went before and stood up for the things they believed in.

Thanks to Marianne for sharing some such intimate stories about your immediate family, but WDYTYA not really a celebrity researching her family history more like another documentary about a half Jewish family in the 1930-40s Austria.

WDYTYA Review - Series 10 - Sarah Millican

Old Fashioned Diver's Helmet
(Image link: www.wikipedia.org,
Author: Szilas, 23 Sept 2013)

Another fantastic episode of WDYTYA.


Two amazing stories of Sarah Milican's inspirational ancestors.

Firstly, James Hoult, her great x3 grandfather who was one of the first divers in the world!!! I never realised that Whitstable was famous for diving, I have many a mariner ancestors from the north Kent coastal towns, such as Whitstable and Herne Bay. I thought Sarah looked great in the early diving kit.

Absolutely fascinating records about John Malcolm's time working for the Hudson's Bay Company...with great prospects of adventure and prosperity for young men, but so so scary to get lost in desolate north Canada in the middle of winter. Even more horrendous to go on and lose both your feet to frost bite with no anaesthetic...OUCH!

It was beautiful to hear that he lived a long life and was able to marry, have children and settle down to a life, despite being an amputee in the early 19th century.

Until next week's episode....(although I will be on holiday so it might be longer before you see my review!)

WDYTYA Review - Series 10 - Nitin Ganatra

Kenya flag
(Image link: www.wikipedia.org,
Author: User:Pumbaa80, 10 Jan 2007)

Have just watched this episode of WDYTYA on iPlayer this evening as I was out at an Elton John concert in Leeds last night when it was live on TV...but more about Elton John on my other blog These are a few of my favourite things when I get some time to write about it!

A great episode of WDYTYA, very different but really interesting. Allowing Nitin to speak with his ancestors to gleam information as well as going out and researching. It also shows how difficult it can be to research your overseas ancestors, and shows how lucky we are in the UK to have a whole host of records to research at our fingertips.

India flag
(Image link: www.wikipedia.org, Author: User:SKopp)

A fascinating story of survival and sacrifices made in the face of true poverty and dire need. Fancy moving your family all the way to India to work on the British Empire railways. Also, such a sad story of his mother's siblings and her family, I cannot imagine the sadness of losing that many children, nor marrying at the young age of 6 years old.

Lovely to see a different culture researched in light of the British empire and what was happening in the rest of the world whilst Britain was a great nation.



Another fab episode...can't wait until next week now.

The episode reminded me of my time spent in Malawi in 2007, there were many Indians living there and they were often the business minded people there also.

WDYTYA Review - Series 10 - Nick Hewer

Has to be said not my favourite episode, but that was probably because Ireland, politics and 17th century family history are not my interest areas.

I'm sure it would have interested those who have spent time researching some of their families from these periods and places.

Am disappointed that you focussed solely on two ancestors and did not go into the family history but created a documentary about early 20th century Irish politics and also 17th century politics, I want to see more depth about the families and how they lived and were affected by these politics and changes in society.

I want to see emotion and their fascination at what they are discovering as celebrities researching their family trees.

It was interesting to see how gentry and people were treated by the King and Parliament during the Civil War especially as I have recently been watching the BBC The White Queen drama. I would love to learn more about this era for my ancestors but I have much work to do before then!

The series started with some fab episodes, let's see some more good ones for the next few weeks...

WDYTYA Review - Series 10 - Gary Lineker

Danielle Lineker and Gary Lineker
(Image link: www.wikipedia.org,
Author: Liton Ali, accessed 7/2/14)

Unfortunately I did not get the opportunity to see Gary Lineker's episode of WDYTYA? live, so I have just watched it on BBC iPlayer this afternoon.

I have been very much looking forward to Gary Lineker's episode as he always comes across and genuine and humble ex-footballer and now TV presenter. I was interested to find where he had come from, was he from a rich family or just a normal working class family and the origins of his own surname.

It was still interesting to look into his grandmother's ancestry and for him to learn lots about two extremes of his ancestors, from a poacher who stole to keep and care for his own family and landed himself in prison several times to Tom Billingham, the law writer who had a lucky break to achieve great things.

It showed the depth of need during the times of great change in the early Victorian era especially in the rural communities with the failing cottage industries and the risk one would take to feed his own family.

A beautiful picture was painted of Tom Billingham's kindly benefactor who gave him a lucky break, by supporting his education and I loved seeing his apprenticeship document and right at the end a document that he had so beautifully written.

A lovely episode...

WDYTYA? Review - Series 10 - Lesley Sharp

Barnado's Badge
(Image link: www.barnardos.org.uk, accessed 8th Feb 2014)

Wow, a very different episode of Who Do You Think You Are? but so inspiring to hear the tales of her own adoption and real family as well. Her real father was obviously a lovely chap who wanted to do the best he could for his own family, but sadly it meant Lesley could not know him and that she had to be given up by her mother for adoption. Her poor mother had to live with the guilt of hiding her pregnancy, birth of her baby and giving her up for adoption. A big secret that the family never knew until recently!


A beautiful episode, showing the great works of Barnardo's in the past and the huge value to children who are given up being adopted into a stable loving families, who value children.


Wonderful to also see that adoption was found in her father's family in the past and that she could meet her great grandfather's foster child's grandson and see those 100 year old spectacles that were first bought for George by Lesley great, grandfather!!


Another impressive, well written and put together episode, WELL DONE WDYTYA?

WDYTYA? Review - Series 10 - Minnie Driver

Another fab episode on the latest series of Who Do You Think You Are?

I was amazed how little she knew about her father and his family, but then when I think there is little I know about my grandparents and their roles in the World Wars. Minnie has a lovely story to tell her son and future grandchildren about the brave role her father played in the war whilst serving in the RAF. Imagine having to deal with being a hero and seeing your best friend as a corpse all at the youthful age of 18 years old, it is understandable that he required psychiatric treatment, but yet he seems to have come through to live a happy life.

It was beautiful how she was able to meet and talk to some of her cousins on her dad's side and that they could fill in some gaps which she had in her memories and knowledge about her father's family. The episode showed how it is possible to trace down your living distant cousins using Electoral Rolls and Birth, Marriage & Death certificates.

Until next Wednesday!

WDYTYA? Review - Series 10 - Nigel Havers

What another great episode of "Who Do You Think You Are?".

Lovely to hear his father's family's claim to fame through the Hackney carriage business and his fall into bankruptcy. A great story of normal every day life of a Victorian businessman with it's highs and lows. How wise was Henry to pay into the Asylum Society to care for him should times of trouble ever ensue the family.

It is amazing how much information one can gleam through the newspapers about one's ancestors if they were well known in their communities.

His mother's family was also interesting, if the mill had passed down his family line, perhaps he would have been brought up in the humble village in Cornwall and a very different life story. Again though a beautiful depiction of every day life with its dramas and normalities.

I cannot wait until next weeks episode now...

WDYTYA? Review - Series 10 - Una Stubbs

A great start to a new series of "Who Do You Think You Are?" with Una Stubbs. I have just watched the first episode this evening on BBC iPlayer.

It was a great mix of basic family history research finding out a wealth of knowledge about her family's background which she never knew. An amazing story of how her mother's and father's families both came to be in Welwyn Garden City. Inspirational to show that whatever your background (poor or rich!) at birth is, you can achieve great things in life if you have the will power to do so. A beautiful story, but so sad she did not meet her father's family due to social prejudices.

Fantastically put together TV show, best one I've seen for a few series'. Let's hope this series carries on this way!