Genealogy Chat

During my teens (that horible time in life when nothing is fair!) I felt like a cuckoo but i only had to look at my thumbs to realise that i was my father's daughter - think chicken drumstick and that gives you an idea! i have my maternal grandmothers build - think outhouse - but not her height she was 6ft in stockinged feet as was her mother who was a willow - I'm 5ft 7' and although it sounds tall truly it isn't - i was 'expected to make at least 5' 10'! - the shortness must come from my father - thanks Pa! The men in the family are very musical and perhaps this comes down the generations as grandfather ancester from the late 1600s early 1700s was organist at the Chapel Royal Windsor, as was his son, and he was a friend and contemporary of Henry Purcell and Jeremiah Clarke. personally I'm tone deaf and have never been able to conqueror any type of intrustment.

Very dark eyes from my maternal grandmothers family. Fair hair and fair skin from my fathers family. Only 5ft tall like my mother and her mother. Laugh like my mother and her brother. Love of shoes, like my mother. Love of good food like my father's family. Not liking cut flowers in the house,( like to see them growing), from my maternal great grandfather. Not liking the taste of alcohol, like my mother and her mother, sooner have a nice cup of tea(tea leaves not tea bags). Have nothing against alcohol, just dont like it.

I HAVE THE SHORT HEIGHT OF MY PATERNAL GRANDPARENTS(5ft2ins) BUT GOD KNOWS WHERE MY FEET COME FROM --SIZE 7. SHORT SIGHTEDNESS -- BOTH SIDES OF THE FAMILY A DIMPLED CHIN FROM DADS SIDE. FAILED MARRIAGES-- MAMS SIDE I WORKED WITH THE ELDERLY, MAM WAS A NURSE AND NANA A HOMEHELP. WE ALL SUFFER BAD BACKS. TRAVEL SICKNESS FROM MAM, TWO OF MY CHILDREN ALSO SUFFER. MY BIRTHDAY SAME DAY AS NANA. I ONLY HOPE I DONT INHERIT THE TURKEY NECK AND VARICOSE VEINS MAM AND NANA HAVE.

My daughter was sent a photo of her 2 x Gt Grandparents and their children taken c.1901, from a relative found on here. Not only did we discover that the family were living in the same cottage that my husband grew up in, owned by the Duchy of Cornwall..... but one of the children was the spitting image of my husband when he was in his teens and 3 others were the spitting image of his couins! Spooky or what?

I seem to have inherited a couple of things from my Mum's mum's mum. I'm 5 ft 11 & she towers over evryone in photos. Also, like me, she gave birth to non-identical twins, and like mine, one was big-built with blonde hair & blue eyes & the other was slightly built with dark hair & brown eyes. Also like me, and I didn't find this out till after the christening, she called one of her twins David. I'd love to know where the twin gene comes from. So far I haven't found any further back. I know it only runs through the female line.

What a mixed bunch of peeps we are!

I forgot, my biggest trait, inherited from my french side, I love Pernod. I have to balance that with my scots side and my love of Edingburgh rock.

I have a prehensile tongue. (Don't laugh) Its great being able to lick rain off the end of your nose (especially in this weather) I inherited this from my maternal grandmothers side. My mum can lick her nose and wiggle her ears. The ear bit must've come from her fathers side. I inherited a bent big toe and smelly feet from this side as well. I've got my fathers curls and his eyes.

On a slightly more serious note-- I never knew my maternal grandmother, she was a total mystery until I started researching the family, I never even knew her name. But when I later found and read a diary she wrote in 1913 I recognised myself in her words. Quite a creepy sensation. She sounded just like me, just the sort of things I would have written, she came alive. I recognised bits in her that I don't like about myself, and felt for her, knowing she didn't mean to sound so bossy! And yet she was also so vulnerable at times and wrote poems that break my heart even now. I am cells of her I know.

It's strange how physical resemblances can be passed down or exist between quite distant relations. My friend and close neighbour turned out to be my half-third cousin (a pretty distant relation and I don't think we can share many genes!). My daughters used to play a lot with her children. One weekend my friend's elderly father was visiting when my younger daughter came bouncing down the stairs. The poor man hadn't realised she was playing upstairs with his granddaughter and was really startled because he said that my daughter was the spitting image of his own long dead sister as a child. So there must be some persistant family resemblance. Sue

What a lovely thread this is! I do not play any sport at all - but once, several years ago now, in a hotel where they lay on activities - I picked up an air rifle and had a go at target shooting. I was very good at this which surprised me. I'm also pretty good with an air rifle and the one time that I had a go at clay pigeon shooting was good at that too. Then, a year or so later - I found out I was descended from a whole bunch of East End gunsmiths! Must be something going on there! My father was a chef at some point in his life - I have absolutely no interest in cooking - but my son has a natural aptitude for it so a skipped generational thing there. There are a lot of artistic people in the family - seem to come down both sides of the family. As far as I know, none of us can sing in tune! I expect that's hereditary! Recently got hold of a will of my gr gr gr grandfather in which he leaves his 'brewing equipment, supply of wine, beers and liquors to his wife - for her own use absolutely' and I thought 'Yes, that's my woman!' It's now my latest excuse for having that second glass - 'It runs in the family!' Jill

Bunions. Myself, my mother and all her sisters inherited them from my grandmother. Hers were so big that when she came to stay with us we called them her doorknobs as they looked exactly like doorknobs as they stuck up so much. She always wore those slippers like little boots, usually with a cream and brown check pattern with a pom pom on the front and she had to cut a hole in the front for the bunoins as they were so big. Something to look forward too. Julie

The strangest family trait that I've discovered is a shared dream. When I'm dehydrated but asleep I dream that there's a heavy weight pushing down on me, like a big truck tire or something, this is coupled with the anxiety of holding a very delicate flower in my hand and trying to protect it from the heavy object. I then get the feeling that my mouth is made of rock and it feels incredibly bumpy under my tongue. I was casually mentioning this one day with my grandma and she was gob-smacked because she gets exactly the same dream, then it turns out my dad gets this dream too. Very strange! I should ask the rest of the family about that one.

I forgot to add ..........that I've always loved gardening. Even as a child I had my own patch of garden and was a dab hand at taking cuttings of plants (the flowering kind) which always grew. Mum always said I had green fingers and didn't know where I got THAT from. Well I do know now......I received a copy of my Gt Grandfather's Marriage certificate, 1872 Rathmines, Co. Dublin.... and what a lovely surprise! Michael Brady's occupation was 'Gardener' as was his father Daniel! Keep the messages comming...they make very interesting reading!

hi teresa - interesting my son has twin toes we have yet fo find out where he inherited them from. my Nana's nickname was Ginger, the red hair gene has now missed out on 2 generations.

From my father.......grey eyes, and a high forehead. From my mother.....thin arms, chunky lower legs. From my father.......a love of crosswords, puzzles etc., and of good music. And a love of learning. Don't know what characteristics I inherited from my mother........she died when I was 7, and no-one has enlightened me! Reg

I was always the cuckoo in the thrushes nest in my family - my sister is only 5 ft 1 Im 5 ft 5 - mum and dad were both small - my aunt who I resemble more than my own mum is tall and auburn haired like me. I have found that the Hansons/Hansens were all six footers with auburn hair and piercing blue eyes - my sister has the eyes - I have the build - LOL. From the Hansons I now know from death certs and the like they were prone to anxiety even though all very successful businessmen and I too have unfortunately inherited that trait. I have also inherited the physical sign of the Hansons - in a flattened right thumb - my mother and grandmother had it too. My sister I can see is my mothers nature - from the Horsteads side - and I have also discovered a great aunt who was totally my sisters nature - she was a music hall artist, a 'hostess' in a gentlemans club in the early 1900s and married a very rich old man! Obviously a very confident girl who believed she could achieve anything and went for what she wanted (oh, why couldnt I have been like her!). I can also see in myself (as many many people have commented) my fathers love of nature, awe in the natural world and the belief in total honesty (which has caused many a problem). I also have my dads sense of humour - a sense of the ridiculous.

Great thread Teresa....thanks to everyone. I am/was born illigit way back in 1949. Father was a Canadian. ( a result of the war) I found and met my half brothers n sisters when in my 40s. It was like looking in a mirror!....manorisms....looks....hairstyles.....dress sense....same style glasses......hair colour.....it goes on..... My youngest half sisters son is a mirror image of MY son! When I looked at him, it was MY SON but with a Canadian accent!.....very spooky. None of us had ever met before but where did all these likenesses come from?....GENES? Gerri x

From my Dad, Uncle, Grandad and apparently my Great Grandad, gentleness and politeness (the men in the family are such gentlemen), we all resemble each other and my 10 month old grandson is carrying on the likeness. They were impatient and easily irritated and grumpy but never unpleasant. They had a love of family and an interest in where they came from. I always knew my grandparents names, maiden names etc. I am very much their descendant. Susan

Green eyes and a funny blood group(thats why I give blood) Funny 2nd toe.bigger than big toe but not wider.. Singing voice..my dad sounded like Pavarotti..I sing anything from Celine Dion to Barbara Streisand..bottled out of Stars in your eyes way back..was scared I wasnt good enough..lived to regret it! Wicked sense of humour..mum says her brother Eddie and I are just alike..up to mischief if things get boring... My eldest is spits of me,I am spits of mum...and we all have a wonky left ear and we buy the same presents at xmas,etc for some reason.so decided to give money instead..and yes we give the same amount even though we change it and dont tell each other. Wanda.x