Genealogy Chat

I haven't be interesting to know what others have found. Mine are down to earth regular types. Only claim to fame with any of them was one of my Gt Gt Grandfathers was christened by Patrick Bronte!! Jacquie

My Great Great Aunt always claimed before she died that we were related to Len Hutton the Cricketer. I have as yet been unable to prove it but I think if she was then it would of been her 2nd or 3rd cousin.

Somehow in the dim and distant past, my hubbie is related to Mozart but that's about as close as we get to anyone famous or interesting, although just discovered one of my rellies was a Railway Policeman in London in the late 1800's. When I googled it, it came up with 'Was Jack the Ripper a Railway Policeman'? I dread to think!!!! Ali

Most of mine are of the 'diggin up taties' variety in Sussex and Herefordshire. You know the sort, - not enough money to leave Wills and not poor enough to feature in poor law or settlement records. They just kept their heads above water and named the children the same family names from one generation to the next, thus making it difficult to track them. My cousin has married a well known Belgian chocolate manufacturer in Canada so that has taken the family in a new direction.

Hi The most excitement I got was when I found out a rellie was illegitimate (shock horror!), I was pleased to get something other than the norm!!! My grandfather died in the early 1970's whilst in the army (he died in an car crash not war related) and my mother was adamant that my grandad was in the SAS and that my gran didn't find out until he died. Never known whether to believe this one or not until it was mentioned at my grans funeral a couple of years ago. My grandads army records should be here any day now (they told me three weeks ago that they were working on the requests from February 2004 and that mine should be here in a few weeks!!!), I think my postie probably thinks he's got an admirer! I'm hoping to find out in the records whether its true as he would have been in the SAS before it went all secretive. Heres hoping!!! Sam

Hi, I have an infamous one. The first cousin of my 5xgt grandmother was hanged in 1789 for the murder of his wife and his body gibbeted for a year. The case was quite famous at the time and was written about by Coleridge and the diarist Thomas Poole. He'd have been sentenced to manslaughter today. Walford's Gibbet appears on OS maps of the area. Gwynne

I've got a couple of LIVE "better than average " rellies.One is an ex England cricketer & the other a Deputy speaker in the House of Commons.In the old days was there anything else than ag lab??

On my Father's side we are related ---only by marraige !! To Captain James Cook -I know it's not direct but we feel proud of it. So i suppose he was a distant Gt Uncle by marraige.

my mums cousin played football for southampton but died from cancer after the ball hit him on his back and my second cousins are liberal democrats one with an mbe. jenny

My 3x great-grandmother's nephew (so my 1st cousin 4x removed!!), married the sister of Grace Darling - the heroine of the Longstone Lighthouse rescue in 1838. I always had a soft spot for Grace (and indeed lighthouses) long before I knew there was any connection at all, so even such a tenuous connection has been a real thrill for me. Tina

Yes those black sheep stories are fascinating. My Gt Gt Gt Uncle Sam got hard labour for fencing stolen goods!! Just think what they'd get for doing that now!! he was known as Samuel Baines Firth and his brother, my Gt Gt Grandfather as Reuben Baines Firth - when this happened Reuben dropped the Baines only found out why he did this when I found what Sam had been up to!! Jacquie

One living distant family member married in to the Cadbury chocolate family and her relative went on to marry a Duke. But as yet no free chocolate or invites to palaces!! kim

On my wife's sideof the family we have been told by older generations that one of her ancesters was Edward John Smith. Apparantly he sunk the Titanic!

my grt grt grandmother was related to the people who started Maynards sweets, and the story goes that my grandfather used to deliver the sugar canes to the factory and no-one knew of his connection!!! Is this why l love wine gums???? maureen

Oh Kim, Forget the palaces (think of those draughts, and all the dusting!). You go for the chocolate, girl! Tina

My Grandmother always maintained that we were related to President McKinley in America. She was a McKinley, originating in Ireland, But I doubt if I will ever prove or disprove it. I wonder.........

I would just be happy to find someone.....my head aches from looking.....why was there so many parishes and so many districts.....When you are living in another country and have no idea where most of these places are........ It would make me very happy just to be able to locate a marriage certificate or a birth certificate for people I know were born and were later married <sigh> Sue

Oh yes Me!!! I AM the secret sister of our present Queen!!!!No seriously, my cousin sent me an address of a website of a very big company and one of the directors is my Aunt dressed as a man! The resemblance is uncanny. But as far as I know at the moment the only connection is the surname.

My nan has always said that she was related to to Jermy thorpe Leader of the Libral Party(through her mother) i have yet to prove this but i think his second wife was a Countess of Harewood which puts him on the royal family tree even though he only married her although i think she only became a countess though marriage to the Earl . Jermey was charged with conspiracy to murder but was acquitted and i think he was one of the people who campaigned against apartheid . Do you think i will be welcome at the family residence of Harewood .(LOL) I would like to find out if there is any truth in what my nan says because it would make a change from the very hard working ag labourers that i have accumalated so far from her fathers side . Diana