WDYTYA Series 4: #5 Alistair McGowan

[Springbok]

Doesn't it make you wish that there was time to explore other lines!!

Was it Alistair's GGrandfather (The mustachioed Gent with the Dark Hair/eyed Wife) .That would be another  European/Indian  connection!
Accepting that by that time the Anglo Indians were intermarrying in their own communities , then there would be other ancestors to find.Especially with all those surviving records.
Wonder how many of the WDYTYA subjects go on with searching.

Spring

[avm228]

Doesn't it make you wish that there was time to explore other lines!!

Was it Alistair's GGrandfather (The mustachioed Gent with the Dark Hair/eyed Wife) .That would be another  European/Indian  connection!
Accepting that by that time the Anglo Indians were intermarrying in their own communities , then there would be other ancestors to find.Especially with all those surviving records.
Wonder how many of the WDYTYA subjects go on with searching.

Spring

I agree - maybe we should invite Alistair to join us on Rootschat and follow up his other lines.

I *think* I saw, on the family tree graphic they did, that the dark haired, dark eyed lady was named Isabelle STEWART.  Which, if Alistair really wants to find a Scottish connection, might be worth following up!

Anna

[Subaru]

I noticed her name too Anna.  I would say Stewart was definiitely a Scottish name, but you never know, that could lead back to Ireland as well

I'm sure the celebs follow up the research once they are bitten by the bug.  If I had found out that much, I would have to pursue it further.

Rosemary

[Springbok]

This really took me back to when I first met my future Husband in 1953
He was a junior Merchant Navy officer and had during his apprenticeship(1945-50) spent trips going to many ports around the world including Calcutta.

One of his tales in those days which I always felt the most poignant was, that he and his fellow apps. were invited to an Anglo Indian hop.and it was very much that the parents were hoping that their daughters could meet a "nice British boy" and get away from the social stigma which existed at that  time.
They were regarded as one level above the "Untouchables" in India and in UK not much better.

He had in his sea chest a photo taken at the dance with one of the girls and when he went to find it, it had gone. Challenged his mother, who denied( most unconvincingly) that she had ever seen it!!!

To this day I still feel anger and sadness at the prejudice and we both wonder what happened to "Corrine"


Spring

[buckaroo]

As somebody already said I didn't expect a lot from this episode, but if was fab! and wasn't he a really nice chap! I had no idea.  The more he found out the better his reactions got, really bitten by the bug I'd say.  I'd love to find an ancestor with 'elephants' to his name, wouldn't you

Buckaroo

[lilirose03]

What a great show last night.  For the first time this series I felt completely drawn in, on a fascinating journey of discovery, and AM was a wonderful travelling companion - so warm and humourous
Top marks WDYTYA!

[Nutty1966]

Brilliant episode, enjoyed it very much.  I wondered if the McGowan connection may have been Irish, I was a McGowan for a short time - all Irish.  What I enjoyed was the fact that Alistair enjoyed it.

Well done WDYTYA


Jane

[tazzie]

   Really enjoyed this one. It was good to follow the whole line and show the type of records still kept in India. I would have thought so many would by now have been lost so good to see they were still cared for even those burnt ones provided info. This was a whole new world to him and he took it all in and really enjoyed the process. I thought the Mcgowan clan still in India with their very British names will maybe get other Anlo Indians thinking about family still there ....amazing...

                         Tazzie

[cavegirl]

I really echo everyone else's comments - this was a great episode and really enjoyed Alistair McGowan's reactions and his obvious enthusiasm...brilliant!!