MyHeritage

[hdw]

I'm struggling with the revelation that "his grandfather's first wife was my grandmother's first husband".

Harry

[Mart 'n' Al]

Harry, that's not the half of it.  After thinking of a lady as my aunt, (my dad's sister) for almost 60 years, then to find out that she was my granny, is still taking some getting used to.

Martin

[hdw]

Yes, that kind of thing is quite common. Go back a couple of hundred years and our ancestors were happily rolling in the hay and having illegitimate kids without any stigma attached. Then came the period of Victorian respectability and prudishness, and illegitimacy had to be hidden if possible. Or you were told that your poor great-granny had been seduced by a wicked employer, although she had probably just been having fun with her boy-friend and your granny was the result.

Harry

[Mart 'n' Al]

Harry, almost! My dad (also Harry, like my middle name) was the result of my granny's first marriage.  She was a lovely aunt, and it was only 3 years ago I found out that she was our granny, long after she, (and HER parents, who raised my dad, were gone).  We still call her 'auntie', except in my documentation. 

Martin

[hdw]

I should have made clear that by "your" I meant "one's". I was speaking generally. Not being a member of the royal family I've never been at ease with "one".

I had a 2 x great-grandfather who was born in Melrose in 1805, illegitimate. His death-certificate in 1863 gave his alleged father as Hugh Stephenson, "teacher", so maybe he had seduced his poor servant-girl. I then proceeded to waste months of research looking at parish histories and commercial directories of the Border counties for a teacher by that name. In vain. Then I did what any Scottish researcher should do in such cases, I looked up the Melrose kirk-session records - for mothers of illegitimate children were usually interrogated about the child's paternity by the minister and kirk-session (elders). That's how I discovered that Hugh Stephenson was a farmer in East Lothian. I subsequently spent years researching my Stephensons and wrote three articles about them for various journals, including the journal of the Northumberland and Durham FHS. I have managed to trace the family back to Alwinton in Coquetdale, near Rothbury, a delightful little hamlet high up in the hills near the Border.
Harry

[CarolA3]

I'm struggling with the revelation that "his grandfather's first wife was my grandmother's first husband".

Harry

So am I

Carol

[Mart 'n' Al]

I'll try that again!  "His grandfather's first wife was my grandmother".  It's been a transgender day  very trendy I hear.  Just this morning I came across possibly the first gay marriage.  My friend's grandfather seemingly married a man, as his wife's name of Johan was entered as John.  I can't wait to tell him.

Martin

[hdw]

In my home town in Fife a woman called Henrietta Fyall was known as Henry Fyall. Formerly, lots of girls were given names like Johnina, Davidina, Andrewina, etc., if a male heir had failed to appear. If they were lucky, it would be shortened to Ina.

Harry

[sugarfizzle]

I just downloaded my data today after my results arrived last night. All seems in order, apart from the unexpected 8% Greek!

Martin

Must be the eyebrows