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Who Do you Think You Are? New Series


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Old 25-07-2013, 13:01
TrishaS
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Something similar happened to me. If you're a baby boomer (as I am), people didn't talk about their past and certainly nothing that may have been considered 'shameful'. My mum had confided something to my sister and neither of them ever told me. I was quite hurt at the time (and my sister still won't discuss it with me) but I understand now why they kept it to themselves. I would like to research my family tree but my sister thinks it's best to leave 'skeletons' in the cupboard.

Hi sixtynotout....I'm 61 does that make me a baby boomer?

I had an aunt much like your sister who said the same, but I kept on researching, been doing it now for almost 30 years and love it. Give it a go, its so much easier these days with the internet.
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Old 25-07-2013, 13:26
Stansfield
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I agree. I thought she was charming. Obviously she's picked up expressions and mannerisms throughout her career but that doesn't make it affected. She seemed genuinely touched, thrilled, excited and proud throughout. And what's more I thinks she has great personal style, quite 1920s.

I must say though I was shocked not to hear Mark Strong's voice doing the narration. It really took away from my enjoyment, not hearing his solemn, velvety tones.
It wasn't the same.


But still a great start to the new series.
Fascinating stuff.
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Old 25-07-2013, 13:34
NickLangley
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I got the impression Una might be be just a little bit dim. They never explained why it was that her sister knew more about the family tree - did they never talk???
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Old 25-07-2013, 13:38
kwynne42
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I got the impression Una might be be just a little bit dim. They never explained why it was that her sister knew more about the family tree - did they never talk???
Una was probably off having her acting career.
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Old 25-07-2013, 14:05
lundavra
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abebooks

Would have added quite a lot to their budget! There are lots of cheaper newer editions, though.
It is a bit pricey! But as you write there are probably cheaper copies around.
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Old 25-07-2013, 14:07
lundavra
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It doesn't always help if you ask family as I had been doing my family history for many years and was always asking my Mum stuff.
It wasn't until 3 months after she died that I discovered a really devastating thing which had happened to close family. For some reason she had never said a word
Unfortunately for many of use there are not many around to ask. But it is always worth asking, the story that you get might not be right but later you will find there are elements of it that are true and it can give clues.
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Old 25-07-2013, 14:16
lundavra
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Something similar happened to me. If you're a baby boomer (as I am), people didn't talk about their past and certainly nothing that may have been considered 'shameful'. My mum had confided something to my sister and neither of them ever told me. I was quite hurt at the time (and my sister still won't discuss it with me) but I understand now why they kept it to themselves. I would like to research my family tree but my sister thinks it's best to leave 'skeletons' in the cupboard.
It's worth a try though, I spent several years searching for my mother's sister (we were unaware of her existence) and found her family even though initially all that I had was her birth in 1919.

There is a lot of information available online though you usually need to get the actual certificates at nine pounds or so. Once you can trace back to the 1911 census then it gets easier.
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Old 25-07-2013, 14:18
lundavra
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I got the impression Una might be be just a little bit dim. They never explained why it was that her sister knew more about the family tree - did they never talk???
Many people just don't think about it and never ask.
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Old 25-07-2013, 14:50
BritFlicks1
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I really enjoyed the programme.

I think she is a very good character actress and she seemed like a lovely, kind person.

I can't believe there's so many nasty remarks on here.
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Old 25-07-2013, 14:58
dome
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I got the impression Una might be be just a little bit dim. They never explained why it was that her sister knew more about the family tree - did they never talk???
How ridiculous!

I never knew my great Aunts, Uncles and cousins, some of which lived a few streets away.

If your parents never mentioned them you didn't ask, all but one of my grandparents were dead before I was born.
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Old 25-07-2013, 16:12
sixtynotout
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Hi sixtynotout....I'm 61 does that make me a baby boomer?

I had an aunt much like your sister who said the same, but I kept on researching, been doing it now for almost 30 years and love it. Give it a go, its so much easier these days with the internet.
Hi Trisha, Baby boomers are any births between 1946-1964 so yes you are . I keep thinking of having a go but I don't want to upset my sister.
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Old 25-07-2013, 16:15
sixtynotout
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It's worth a try though, I spent several years searching for my mother's sister (we were unaware of her existence) and found her family even though initially all that I had was her birth in 1919.

There is a lot of information available online though you usually need to get the actual certificates at nine pounds or so. Once you can trace back to the 1911 census then it gets easier.
Where would you start please?
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Old 25-07-2013, 16:23
Jaycee Dove
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Does anyone know what happened with Mark Strong? I missed him, too.

As for Una Stubbs' voice - not put on - she even sang in that voice 50 years ago.

Just watch movies like Summer Holiday (1963) and Wonderful Life (1964)
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Old 25-07-2013, 20:05
lundavra
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Where would you start please?
See if you can someone locally who is interested in family history and they might be able to help you and use a subscription to Ancestry or Find My Past. Some libraries have computers with Ancestry or FMP available to users.

Start by collecting together as much information as you can, to start with just write it down on paper or computer so it will not be lost. Once you start to accumulate information then get a proper family tree program - there are ones that can be run free of charge and easy to transfer later to another program.

If you can't remember your grandparents' names or never told then you will need to get your parents' Marriage and / or Birth Certificates. Marriage gives father's name and Birth gives both parents. If they married in church then you might be able to save buying the certificate by looking at the church register in the church or local archive.

If you can to see Ancestry or FMP then you can search the Birth, Marriage and Death Indexes. With common names it might be difficult to work out which is the right entry but you might be able to search for any other marriages or births.

Once you get back to someone in 1911 then you can usually follow them back through earlier censuses.

But see if you can find someone who has done any family history or if there is a local Family History Society. Most people will help someone by doing lookups to get them started, It's sometimes surprising how quickly you can get back several generations well into the 19th Century.

Beware of companies online who try to cell the Birth, Marriage and Death Certificate for inflated prices. They can be bought direct from the General Register Officer or local Register Office.
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Old 25-07-2013, 20:33
Jaycee Dove
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Sixtynotout....I have a full Ancestory sub and will gladly look things up for you.

I have been doing it for lots of friends and acquaintances and enjoy doing so.

Just PM me.
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Old 25-07-2013, 21:20
orange-blossom
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It must be hard for anyone under 30 to appreciate how different life was not that long ago. For example, when I was a little girl we had to wait for a new film to come to our local cinema (after its West End run) and the version we got was often edited. No videos, let alone DVDs, and as for the internet...(God, I'm old).

I think people accepted "not knowing" certain things, too. Una was a young "hip" actress in the swinging 60s London scene. At 20, she probably gave little thought to family. Unfortunately it's later (often when it's too late) that you wish you had listened to your grandfather's stories, etc.
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Old 25-07-2013, 21:35
Nikkiclody
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Every time I see her I picture her with cliff.... She is too sweet... But it's interesting as she seems to know nothing about her family
I always think of her as Aunt Sally! thought they would have mentioned she was in Worzel Gummidge at the start, she was so famous for that show.
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Old 25-07-2013, 21:35
TrishaS
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So true Orange blossom, wish I could turn back the clock to talk to my grandparents about their lives. At the time I used to get irritated when they mentioned the war, what a shallow person I was
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Old 25-07-2013, 22:04
moondew
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Where would you start please?
I think it's best to register on the Ancestry site and start building your family tree on there. Put yourself on first, then add your parents, then grandparents, etc as far back as you can go. You can then look up each generation in the birth and marriage indexes so that you can trace further back. There's a lot more to it than that, but you need to start with the main line of descent.
There's a really good forum called Rootschat which has lots of useful info, and members who will give advice and help when you get stuck.
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Old 26-07-2013, 11:19
Smiley433
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Good start to the series, I thought. Found Una interesting and although we didn't go very far into her family history, was enough of a story of her grandparents on both sides to fill the hour.
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Old 26-07-2013, 11:26
andy_d77
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ancestry.co.uk is FREE in your local library its on their pc's just ask at the reception - its interesting when you see whos paid for it to be free.
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Old 26-07-2013, 13:01
bryemycaz
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I always think of her as Aunt Sally! thought they would have mentioned she was in Worzel Gummidge at the start, she was so famous for that show.
I hear her saying Oh Roger! and whats the matter with her Basil.

"Its perfectly Sybil Simples not well. Shes lost her throat and her Voice Hurt"
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Old 26-07-2013, 13:08
BellaRosa
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So true Orange blossom, wish I could turn back the clock to talk to my grandparents about their lives. At the time I used to get irritated when they mentioned the war, what a shallow person I was
You are not the only one. I only knew my dad's dad who scared me and my mum's mum who had a stroke and could not talk

I wish I had asked my parents more things but my dad was a very secretive person And when you asked him anything thing he said he didn't know. So really I would be no better off if I had asked

I have to get the headstone done soon and think I will put that on it "I da know" That is they way he said it.
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Old 26-07-2013, 15:47
samusek2
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I was just curious. Do you think this programme has staying power? I mean after 10 series and 90 episodes, as well as the power to attract some pretty big names (Lennox, Stewart, Faithfull..), can you see WDYTYA keep going for many more years to come. They probably have to double check certain histories of name celebrities to see if they are worthy of an episode (Parkinson, for example), so it might be harder . Maybe next year there will be a final 10 to cap off the episodes at 100?

The show is pretty popular worldwide. When NBC cancelled the American version, there was a bit of an uproar and TLC picked up the series for Season 4.
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Old 26-07-2013, 15:53
anyonefortennis
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I was just curious. Do you think this programme has staying power? I mean after 10 series and 90 episodes, as well as the power to attract some pretty big names (Lennox, Stewart, Faithfull..), can you see WDYTYA keep going for many more years to come. They probably have to double check certain histories of name celebrities to see if they are worthy of an episode (Parkinson, for example), so it might be harder . Maybe next year there will be a final 10 to cap off the episodes at 100?

The show is pretty popular worldwide. When NBC cancelled the American version, there was a bit of an uproar and TLC picked up the series for Season 4.
Don't think it will last another 10 years. Very few shows do. But I reckon it still has a couple of years or so of mileage in it. It all depends on the ratings of course. I was surprised that NBC cancelled the American version as they had some really high profile names on it with some very interesting stories.
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