Genealogy Chat

I have been tracing my fiancee's family tree, and am stuck at one man, my great-grandfather-in-law-to-be! Now this man was a bigamist of the first degree ... he married 3 times and never divorced, had many children along the line and then ultimately marrried at 18 year old at the age of 50 (not that that is a problem, but does kind of round him up)! He is completely untraceable in the UK .... So the question is ... do I marry his great-grand-son? ;-!

My paternal grandmother's grandfather was known as 'Toffee Ben' in Accrington. He was a great one for experimenting and made many varieties of sweets in his kitchen. He went down 'Accy' on a Saturday to sell them - and was very popular. However, he got a bit carried away, and started experimenting with various things to make dye. To test out his products, he would go and pinch cocks/hens from folks hen-pens and try his colours out. He couldn't understand why his popularity wained. My great-grandma had a sweet shop next door to a pub way back in the 30's. She also sold penny bottles of 'pop'. She put a notice in the window which read: "Penny bottles are tuppence at Sunday when the pubs are shut".

Kat, I like the sound of your lot! I also have a second cousin who, in ww2, was in the Caribbean (Idon't know why - he was a serving soldier) but he used to send coconuts home to his family by writing the address on the shell and sticking on a stamp! My father said they used to arrive like this!

I don't know about most interesting - but my funniest ancestor is on my paternal grandmothers fathers side. He was in the army and they were camped out in a large tent for the night. Well, he couldn't sleep because of the other mens snoring! He went outside and found a sheet of corrugated iron propped against a wall. He decided that he would sleep under that for the night. When he awoke next morning the camp had been invaded overnight. The tent and all the men had gone - the vehicles and equipment had been taken too - and he had slept through it! Also, his family once recieved a telephone call from him and worridly asked why it was so noisy his end. He said that it was because they were under attack! He had shinned up a telegraph pole and plugged in his telegraphist equipment! It had been the only time his superiors were distracted enough for him to sneak a call home! Mine are a mad bunch!!! -Kat

My most interesting ancestor is my great great aunt Kate. My great uncle has told me the following story about her but as yet I have found nothing to confirm it. Aunt Kates husbandfell in a vat of acid at a chemical works in widnes. Aunt Kate was then addmitted to Rainhil asylum and remained there for sometime.

I have been sent a newspaper article from 1879 about a distant anscester of mine who left her 3 yr old daughter and 10 month old baby home alone in bed while she went for an order for the workhouse and came home to find her house on fire and the 3 yrs old dead. And another ancester was a bigamist. apparently he left his wife and children in england, while he and his brothers went to America & fought in the Civil War with the 11th Kansas Volunters, he went on to marry again!

We have two - one on each side of the family. My ancestor on my father's side was General Picton. He fought at the Battle of Waterloo and was one of Wellington's lieutenants. The name 'Picton' was taken by several male members of the family as a first name. On my husband's paternal side we have Oliver Cromwell from whom the additional surname of Peveral was derived. They were of course 'wrong side of the blanket' descendants! That's about all I know but if anyone has any more information, I'd love to hear it. Best wishes Sally Clark.

I am very new to this site. Not much added to my tree yet, you may be interested to know that my great aunt is Joyce Cooper the olympic swimmer 1928 games and 1932 games and she won silver and bronze from both games.

Not so much my ancestor but will be my grandchilds when my daughter decides to have children. One of her husbands ancestors was Lord Byron. And I suppose he was pretty interesting. Maggie

My most interesting ancestors are the ones who continually evade me on the censuses. George

My great-uncle Sidney Goldsworthy was the first person in Britain to undergo surgery to improve speech after throat cancer surgery. If only I oculd find out the name of the blimmin' operation!

I have a great grandmother who commited suicide by drownding herself in one of the local lakes and another who accidentaly gased herself with her cooker! A grandfather who received the British Empire Medal for working on Radar in the second world war and a great grandfather who received the Military Medal after he was shot and killed in Italy in the first world war

My Great Grandmother, Amelia Lamb is supposed to have been related to Charles and Mary Lamb the essayists. Mary wounded their father and stabbed to death their Mother in a"fit of rage" (If she is related I must take after her with fits of rage, but without the murder bit) So far I can't get beyond Amelia to find her parents. So if there are any Charles and Mary Lamb buffs out there you may be able to help. Also my Grandfather Thomas Maggs, Amelias son, was supposed to be "friendly" with Lilly Langtry. ooooh Lynda

Nothing as dramatic as falling into a vat of beer but my gt.grandfather was a mariner and worked on the laying of the transatlantic cable in the 1860's. This was the forerunner of our present communication system which enables all of us to keep in touch with our relatives abroad and to get information on-line about our ancestors. I still have a lot to learn about him but he is the most interesting ancestor I have found to date. The first cable was laid in the 1850's but broke and was somehow recovered from the sea bed to be repaired more than 10 years later. This was succesful and the first telegraphic signals were transmitted from England to, I believe, Newfoundland.

My Grandfather was born Francis William Clarke, his parents were Grosvenor Ashford Clarke his mother Irene Clarke formerly Littlejohns. My grandfather was put into a home when he was 2 years old, apparently under the name Littlejohns. Up until the age of about 18 he carried on life thinking he was a Littlejohns and then joined the Navy, it was there he found out, he wasn't a Littlejohns after all he was a Clarke. If my grandfather had never of joined the navy, I quite possibly could of been a Siobhan Littlejohns . Knowing I am a Clarke hasn't given me much success with my family tree.. My Grandfather died when I was 1 yr old, so I never really knew him and I think that is what creates my interest in mainly him. I Still haven't managed to discover exactly why he was placed in a home, and why under the name Littlejohns, but what I have discovered is that he had a twin, I'm not sure he even knew that. Thats about as far as I have got on his side, Not had much luck tracing any further than his parents. I have hit this brick wall now and cannot get past it But I definately can say My Grandfather is by far my most favorite Ancestor.

Oooh I can't decide 'Maybe it's "Poor Uncle Eugene" as my great grandad described him, who had 3 children die at birth and who ended up in a lunatic asylum, or my great grandad's uncle who was a pastry cook for Napoleon 3, or most probably my great great grandma on my mum's side Eliza who was a waterman's wife with 13 kids who lived on a boat and brought up all 12 boys and 1 girl to 'better themselves' ... A

My great grandad was a golf professional. He worked in Kent before coming back to the Wirral and the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake. While I was researching him, I was put in contact with a 95 year old man who said my great grandad had made him his first set of golf clubs. The Youds club is apparently wel known (in those circles) as it was half Aluminum and half lead to help with the weighting He had it patented. You can still get them at auctions though I have not yet come across one. I also found out that he had a house built for him, and one for my grandad. I've visited both. One is for sale and I keep wondering if I should pretend to be a buyer and nip round lol I contacted the Golf Museum and St Andrews, and a kind lady sent me a lot of articles mentioning him. Apparently he even entered the 1897 Open which was held at the Royal Liverpool. Sorry I can't round this off by saying he was struck by lightening on the course, not sure anything can beat falling into a vat of beer! Oh, his son, my grandad went to San Salvador for three years as a golf pro. One of the first Brits over there, but again no murders or untimely deaths - yet !

I have recently found my great grandfathers step brother murdered his wife and consequently was hung in 1922 at Nottingham prison, im curious to find out why he did it and what happened to their children afterwards.

Thanks Penny, Fascinating isn't it? I too enjoy reading all the stories - just wish I could find someone really interesting in my family. I'll take another look at the CWG site. Thanks, Linda.

My 2x Great grandfather was christened on the same date as me and in the same church!!! only 113 years earlier i feel we share some sort of special bond.