Is there a family resemblance? a curiosity thread

[Top-of-the-hill]

   Placidness and lack of ambition! "A steady, sober and reliable man". A definite tendency to stay out of the limelight, newspapers, law courts......!

[Jool]

My father, grandfather and great grandfather didn't look particularly similar in their younger days, but as soon as they all reached their 70's and turned grey there was a striking similarity between them.

[Ayashi]

My great grandmother, married with four children, ran off with the lodger and had baby number 5. The lodger is named as the father on the birth certificate of my grandfather, but there are photos of all three men and if you couldn't tell that there was a time difference between one photo and another (quality of image etc) you'd swear blind her husband and the son were the same man. DNA later confirmed what we already knew!

[Nanna52]

When I was about twenty there was a snap of me that my mother swore was exactly like her mother and went searching for the photo.  My grandmother was very talented God at maths, me too, and very artistic, still searching for my artistic talent.  When I was in hospital I repeatedly told how similar my granddaughter and I were.  Granddaughter number two has a strong resemblance to her aunt, who is very different to her sister, the girls mother.

[River Tyne Lass]

From a photograph of my paternal Great Grandmother, I can see that my Dad's facial features are very much like hers.  Also, I was sent a photo - one of several - of my maternal Great Grandmother and I can see my Mother's likeness in her.

I have a Great nephew who is a mini-me of my maternal Grandfather (both in looks and personality)who was born in 1889.  A sibling of his is a mini-me of my brother, - his Grandfather.  My brother likes to sing and used to perform in a band.  This Great nephew likes to sing and dance and performs in local shows.  This is all his own choice - he was not encouraged to be like his Grandfather.

Others have told me that I have the eyes of an paternal ancestor who was killed in the Great War.  He was a bit of a 'bad lad' and I have a criminal mugshot of him which I bought from Tyne and Wear Archives.  He was my Grandfather's cousin.

Many years ago, when I was quite young I was doing a first aid course.  The instructor claimed to have known my paternal Grandparents and said I was the double of my Grandfather.  We have no photos whatsoever, of this one. However, I think he may have confused my Grandfather with my Dad as I was born late in my Dad's life.  It may have been my Dad he was referring to - but then again he knew my Grandmother was called Louisa and nicknamed Louie.

Martin, I do believe that non-physical characteristics are inherited.  It is said that even a preference or not for coriander is mapped in the genes.  I hate this - wonder who I got that gene from?

I wonder if some people are more disposed through their genes for an interest in genealogy.  I tend to think, yes.

[iluleah]

In so far as 'talent genes' I do think these can be passed down, however I also think being brought up in a household that exposes you to music or art or maths enables these skills to be used...so it is nature v nurture

[Regorian]

Very much so, not across the board but very noticeable.

[Finley 1]

My Paternal Grandfather was known as 'Jack of all trades'

 

say no more


xin

[Gillg]

I am often amused when people say how much my son resembles me - actually he was adopted and is no blood relative at all!  I think people look for resemblances. A neighbour of mine once said how much my husband resembled my brother's wife - she had assumed they were siblings, when of course they were not related except through my brother's marriage.