Genealogy Chat

A few years ago when I was teaching, I had to phone the Jobcentre about my next intake of trainees. While the girl was waiting for info to load on her computer we got chatting, and it turned out she had just moved into my Great Grandparents house. Dianne xx

My husband's father's family come from Devon and his grandfather was born in a smallish village called Broadclyst. Through Genes I contacted a 2nd cousin in Exmouth, Devon (neither knew of the other's existance) and we visited her in 2003. We stayed at an ancient farmhouse in Broadclyst and had to pass two old cottages in the lane leading to the farmhouse. After we got home I discovered that Doug's great grandmother's family had lived in one of these cottages and had been an Ag Lab on the very farm we stayed on! Now why didn't I find that out before we came home! I've also recently found out that my mother-in-law's father was born in a small village in Worcestershire almost next to where my father's maternal grandparents lived! My G grandfather emigrated to Canada in 1906 and my father was stationed in London during WW2, where he met and married my English mother. Years ago, we were at a family gathering at my maternal grandfather's brother's house in South London (are you following so far? LOL). One of my great aunt's oldest friends got talking to my Dad about Canada. She said she had had a Canadian pen friend from her schooldays, some 35 years, and jokingly asked my Dad if he knew her. Imagine our surprise when we heard the penfriend's name - she was the first cousin of Dad's sister's husband and my Dad had been at school with her! The pupils had all been asked in 1930 if they wanted pen friends in England, but Dad and his friends had refused, thinking it 'cissy' to write letters! Such a small world! Sue xx

Morning Heather! I like this thread. There's some good stories, and like the others who have contributed, I also have had a few coincidences, but this is my favourite. About 5 years ago, before I started doing my family tree, I was working for our local phone company. They were expanding outside of the area that they had previously been restricted to, and I was the team leader of the roadshow that went round to the various villages signing people up. We were in a village at the other side of town when a lady came to the roadshow to ask for some information. I started giving this lady the usual spiel but I couldn't take my eyes off her. She was the spitting image of my great Aunt Gerty who had died some years before. The lady said she would like some information sending to her, so I took her name and address. She told me her name was Sheila B****. Well, that was the clincher! My great Aunt's maiden name was also B****. So I plucked up the courage to make a right narna of myself (lol) and said we had to be related cos she couldn't be called B**** and look so much like my great Aunt and not be related. It so happened that Sheila had been dabbling with her family tree and was quite interested and didn't think I was mad! So the next day we met up again armed with photos and stories. Unfortunately, we still couldn't make a connection, so I left her my name and address and said if she ever found a connection to let me know. At the end of last year I was going through Name Summary on this site and noticed that somebody had added the name of my great Grandfather and some of his siblings. I decided to contact the lady whose name was Sheila. We swapped a few emails and then it dawned on us, we had met before. It turns out that Sheila is my second cousin once removed. Her Grandfather was my great Grandfather's brother. So my great Aunt Gerty was her father's cousin. We have since met up and she is a lovely lady. We chatted for hours just like family do! lol It makes me wonder sometimes if our ancestors are guiding us. Jeanette x

Yes, its a nice thread isnt it. GR shouldnt delete it, they should use some of them on there 'fun facts' items rather than the 1000 people called Genghis Khan' or whatever they have. The strange thing is before I knew that I had Norfolk blood running through me veins people often said to me in shops locally - 'Have you got a sister - you look so much like someone I know'. Course, I just imagined they were confusing me with Pauline Fowler! But there was an incident a couple of years ago when I actually gasped aloud when I saw a woman the image of my real sister in town. I mean, I actually stopped in my tracks totally confused (!) why my sister should have come 140 miles without telling me. But she only glanced at me, smiled and carried on walking - probably thought I was care in the community. Now I suppose I should have stopped her and spoken to her but at that time I had no reason to think there was a connection locally. I often look out for her now.

When you think about it, it does show how we are all inter related, doesnt it.

Heather That reminds me of the time about 10-15 years ago when I was sat in the Chinese take away. I man walked in who was the spitting image of my Dad. He walked the same, dressed the same and everything.....apart from when he spoke, his voice was totally different. I was the shy, quiet type in those days and never said a thing to him. Wish I had now. Another time I was sat in the pub having a few bevvies with my mates. I'd just had my hair permed and thought I looked the bees knees. This girl I had never seen before came rushing over to me and said 'Good God Jane! What on earth have you done to your hair?' I pointed out to her that I wasn't called Jane and she went away a rather dark shade of beetroot. Needless to say my hair is straight these days! lol

The Holdens again.... Early days of my research, got stuck and was idling around, googling 'Holden'. Got onto a Manchester website which promised me a photograph of 'John James Holden' - a very big noise in Chemical Manufacture, Gas Production etc. It unfolded very slowly, as they do, from the top of the screen to the bottom. When it got to the eyes, I almost fainted and as it completed itself I was actually crying. The photograph was the spitting image of my father, who had recently died and for a barmy minute or two I thought he was trying to communicate with me, via the Internet!! He HAS to be related - but the details on the website were maddeningly vague and I could find loads of John James Holdens. One seemed a possibility, but I couldnt pin down who he married and as I hadnt a clue when he married, or even where, I wouldnt have known the right marriage if I'd found it! Stuck it on the back burner, but kept looking at the piccy and shouting 'Who are you!'. Ages after, mucking about on A2A this time, where I had looked many times before, I typed in his name - RESULT!!!A presscutting of his marriage - in a scrap book, donated by a Mr. Bowker's family. I immediately knew this was the right one - one of the few things I knew about John James Holden was that he had bought a bankrupt company from his one-time employer, H. Bouck. Lancs RO sent me a copy of the press-cutting - it gave the names of guests, relatives, a potted biog of John James and his family, where the happy couple were going to live, what they had to eat at the reception and so on. The only thing it hasnt told me is where the connection to MY family is. The likeness between this man and my late father is so utterly uncanny that they HAVE to have a common ancestor. I await another miracle to solve this puzzle! Olde Crone