RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => Topic started by: trystan on Tuesday 23 November 04 19:55 GMT (UK)
-
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory/images/wdytya_logo.jpg) (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory)
The seventh episode of the BBC's celebrity Family History series
9pm Tuesday 23rd November 2004 on BBC2 in the UK (& Europe for Digital Free to Air viewers)
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory/images/celebgal_05_baddiel.jpg) (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory)
WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?
"Fleeing the Holocaust
David Baddiel has made up for his youthful neglect of his grandparents with some careful research - uncovering a sometimes tragic, but highly dramatic, tale. on Tuesday 23rd November BBC2." http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory/
This series has been well worth watching, and at over half way through the series, if you've missed it so far, you may find it of interest. Also if you've not used your interactive button before (the red one), then give your thumb a bit of a treat (Sky Digital and Freeview viewers & some Cable areas) - the interactive bit gives you tips on conducting your own research.
Then at 10pm "Family Ties" on BBC4 (the TV channel available for free on Freeview, or on Sky Digital/Cable)
"The third woman:
David Lewis' father had been a career soldier. As well as being a strict but loving father, he was a heavy drinker who, when drunk, became a bullying wife-beater.
But nothing prepared David for the discovery he made years after his father's death. In an old briefcase were letters revealing another marriage, as well as a third woman with whom his father had a passionate affair and which resulted in a daughter.
David embarks on a journey to help him understand more about his father, and to find his half-sister..."
BBC4 Website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/)
So will you be keeping us company and joining us yet again on the ever squashed and comfier RootsChat sofa and watching Who Do You Think You Are?
See comments on the previous programmes here:
Episode 6:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=20315.0
Episode 5:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=18946.0
Episode 4:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=17613.0
Episode 3:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=16836.0
Episode 2:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=15727.0
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=15673.0
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=14764.0
.
-
This was my favourite yet in the series. But then I'm interested in Jewish and Central/Eastern European genealogies and history and am fascinated by Konigsberg and Warsaw and so on. I could have happily watched the programme for three or four hours or more.
There was less genealogy per se, so I'm wondering whether others of us might have found this the least satisfactory of the shows so far...
-
Although not my favourite of the series I found the show to be extremely interesting. Although there was not much genealogy per se there were many of the obstacles that we often come across. The family myth's , the dead ends , the family rifts etc.
Personally I felt that the show could have been expanded ..... why for example did his mother feel that her "parents" weren't her real parents. What caused the schism which seperated the two halfs of the family in Swansea
It was a good human interest story with genealogy used as a back drop , just as many of the shows have been.
-
Am I the only person to think that David Baddiel was the image of his lost uncle? In such terrible circumstances it would be understandable that people would try to save others especially children- and the letter ref the birth could have been part of backing up the apparent parentage. Ronnie
-
I'm really surprised at the lack of postings on this one - I got into the program about a third of the wat through, and was gripped to the end.
The highlights for me:
It was lovely when he was kicking the ball around with his dad, and it brought him back quite emotionally to his childhood.
Also, when he went to his G-F(?) internment home on the Isle of Man and it was a shut-down chinese restauraunt, and how messy it was, and how he commented on it.. he had to leave.
The program left him on his Forty'th birthday, with his family, with the candles burning down on his bithday cake, and still not really closer to his quest... it made it so much more real!
We stayed up and watched "Family Ties" too afterwards on BBC4 and it was really ripping, trying to understand the chaps father, and the complexities of his past. What a bad man he was, and the depth that his first ex-wife sank to in desperation (in drowning her baby conceived through another man). The re-union with his half-sister in Austria was wonderful. It was a very "difficult" programme to watch, but well worth the trauma.
Well done, BBC ! :)
-
I have enjoyed them all so far but this one was specially poiginant.
I had to giggle though, when he went through the telephone book and started ringing up lost Rellies! Maybe he saw the thread relating to just that, here on Rootschat lol If he can do it, so can you!
Ronnie, I noticed too how alike he was to his uncle. :)
-
Sorry
Being a red blooded English male, I had the dilema of watching this episode (not been impressed with the series, but like DB) or watching Champions League Football.
As a big footy fan I am sure DB will understand.
Adrian
-
Living in Oz, We haven't had an opportunity to see the program, however I just noticed this on the Scotlandspeople site
The success of the BBC's recent family history programme "Who Do You Think You Are?" has resulted in a significant increase in visitors to the leading genealogy website www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk.
Within the space of the past two months the site has attracted a further 45,000 registered users, a staggering figure which serves to highlight the soaring popularity of genealogy.
The same item says total users are "over 215,000" so as mentioned a rather large % increase.
No doubt the pay sites are happy - they should give the BBC a %.
-
I have no doubts that there wil be an awful lot of disappointed people shortly as the series makes it look so easy to get back AND to get the information either online or at records offices.
The series is good entertainment but it is not a guide for the beginner to genealogy and it also gives the impression of jumping to conclusions on little or often no evidence.
-
In David Baddiel's case it seemed to be the reverse of jumping to conclusions - here are two big cases full of documents and photos - I am going to research my family history so I will carefully avoid looking at that stuff and wander off to Europe chasing a rumour - now I have a few minutes to spare I will read some of these documents - there you are, the Answer! Bah >:(
Next week it is Lesley Garrett - she is a heap of uninhibited fun and very down to earth. Do not expect any existential philosophy from this great lady of music. 8)
-
;D Yes I did wonder why he didn't actually study that wealth of information before setting out on the trip to Konigsburg ..... it would have seemed the logical thing to do.
Although with the BBC saying something along the lines of "Have a free trip and by the way we'll pay you for doing it all anyway" logic does tend to fly out the window :P
Re the resemblence to his great uncle, commented upon earlier, I believe that if you look closely at the photograph of Arno and Otti (DB's grandmother) there is a considerable resemblence to her
-
Greetings All :)
I've watched all of the series and tend to agree with the comments made. They do make it look so easy.
I'd love to do one myself it it meant they'd give me the time off work and other commitments and pay for me too go. Oh Bliss to get those niggling questions out of the way and see where your ancestor's came from.
Sadly I missed david Baddiel's programme and that was one I really wanted watch. I'm out on a Tuesday night and hubby forgot to video it for me. I was quite upset I know it's just a TV programme but....
He'll definetly be doing the next ones I imagineLOL
Lin
-
I've not seen any episodes yet, will enjoy catching up. It was quite chilling to see a trailer of Lesley Garrett sitting in her car, reading a death certificate of one of her ancestors, and laughing over her death by poisoning by carbolic acid.
My 3 x great aunt took her own life aged 17 by taking carbolic acid. Maybe I take it too seriously, but I was shocked, not amused, when I found her death entry unexpectedly, and even more so when I realised it was a suicide. :(
-
Unfortunately, they obviously could not cater for every eventuality but if it is any consolation I believe that Ms Garret found it more remarkable than "funny" given that it was a side of her family which had basically been hidden not only from her but from her father.
It was also my impression from what was said and her actions that she took the fairly understandable position that her relation had murdered his wife and that his position within the community was used/abused by him, or for him by others, to escape justice.
-
I haven't seen this one yet but hubby did remember to record it for me, it's just finding the time now!!
Sounds and interesting one!
Lin
-
Hi Everyone,
the whole series has been wonderful.I hope they have a second one.
However it's had one negative effect(well at least for me-lol).Has anyone tried to get any BMD certificates from the general records office lately?Because of the popularity of the programme they are inundated with requests for certificates.They take ages and ages to come!
Never mind.
Like a lot of people I enjoyed episode 7 a lot but I must admit the most touching and sad one(it made me cry in places) was the Bill Oddie one(episode 1).So sad.
Trisha.
-
If you go to this website www.webchats.tv and enter the word genealogy there are transcripts of questions put to the resident genealogist.
I thought it may help anyone out there who need answers to similar questions put to him.
regards
dinkey
-
In David Baddiel's case it seemed to be the reverse of jumping to conclusions - here are two big cases full of documents and photos - I am going to research my family history so I will carefully avoid looking at that stuff and wander off to Europe chasing a rumour - now I have a few minutes to spare I will read some of these documents - there you are, the Answer! Bah >:(
Next week it is Lesley Garrett - she is a heap of uninhibited fun and very down to earth. Do not expect any existential philosophy from this great lady of music. 8)
Sorry Hack, I'm confused - are they doing Cecilia Bartoli or Angelina Gheorghiu? Maybe Maria Ewing or Catherine Malfitano?? ;D ;D
-
I have to confess I have still not actually watched any episodes yet, but I will have to get down to it soon. Given the popularity of genealogy as a hobby in the UK, isn't it a bit surprising there aren't more genealogy programs? Family Tree Force? Changing Ancestors? Or just Family Tree (as opposed to Property Ladder, you see!)
There's even a program title already taken that would have been perfect for a genealogy program: Secrets of the Dead!
-
How about locking a dozen genealogists in a house for a month and see who cracks first? We could call it 'Big Great Great Great Grandfather'? :)
-
LOL!! And imagine a family history soap - gradually revealing the plot in reverse chronological order! 8)
-
Dynasty? :)
-
How about Ancestor Swap? Two families get to swap ancestors for a week, just to see what it feels like having a pedigree that includes someone other than miners (in my case!).
-
How about someone like me, with generations of strict French Huguenot ancestors, swapping with someone with ultra-Catholic ancestors? what fun!! ;D