BBC TV "WDYTYA?" Series 7 Episode #4: David Mitchell

[Windsor87]

Hi

Before we blacken the name of the minister too much can we please check the source of the story about the illegitimate daughters.  I could not find it with a quick google but there were an awful lot of people called John Forbes.

All the best

Gobbo

http://www.forum.familyhistory.uk.com/showthread.php?p=32023

But that doesn't give any actual documentary evidence for these supposed illegitimate children.

Carole

I'm willing to take their word for it.

[LizzieW]

Just watched the programme     I'm sure David Mitchell would have thought it hilarious if John Forbes had been shown to father illegitimate children.  Said John seemed to me a typical Northern hypocritical man of the do as I say, not as I do kind - and I'm speaking as a Northerner.  No wonder his poor wife took to drink so would I

Lizzie

[O1dgobbo]

I would like some harder evidence of the existence of the illegitimate children.  At the moment the story is a bit like the stories about Gladstone and his rescues of fallen women.

Of course if the story is true then my closest modern analogy would be the American TV pastors, who become very rich peddling fundamentalist Christianity and when caught out publicly confess, repent and make even more money.

all the best

Gobbo

[Siamese Girl]

First rule of genealogy - never take anyone's word for it! 

Carole

[suey]

"was I the only one to think he's probably rich enough to "repair" the old family home of Ribigill, "

If I remember rightly the house and land did not belong to his family, they were tenant farmers of the Sutherland Estate.  The Sutherland Estate sold Ribigill, no mention was made of who owns it now.

As for the Kirk Sessions minutes, did the lady in question not say she'd found lots of other documents/papers as well.........I just hope someone will contact her and suggest that they are put into safe keeping where others might enjoy or use them for research.

It does however make you wonder how many people have things like this tucked away... anyone got the ten years worth (1780-90) of baptism registers for St Mary Stratford le Bow .  Could you all please have a look in the attic, the shed/garage, under the stairs........ this is now the third line in my family tree that has come to a dead end because records are thought to be lost, missing or destroyed 

Suey

[Gaille]

"was I the only one to think he's probably rich enough to "repair" the old family home of Ribigill, "

If I remember rightly the house and land did not belong to his family, they were tenant farmers of the Sutherland Estate.  The Sutherland Estate sold Ribigill, no mention was made of who owns it now.

As for the Kirk Sessions minutes, did the lady in question not say she'd found lots of other documents/papers as well.........I just hope someone will contact her and suggest that they are put into safe keeping where others might enjoy or use them for research.

It does however make you wonder how many people have things like this tucked away... anyone got the ten years worth (1780-90) of baptism registers for St Mary Stratford le Bow .  Could you all please have a look in the attic, the shed/garage, under the stairs........ this is now the third line in my family tree that has come to a dead end because records are thought to be lost, missing or destroyed 

Suey

I think people could have all kinds of records without even knowing it ............ I did.

My grandad was always involved in the churches he went to, and a long time ago when they were demolishing & emptying one of them he rescued a load of books that were being destroyed. Grandad took the books home with him & kept them safe in his shed for years, I then inherited them when he died.

I hadnt managed to go thru all the papers until recently when I found the books, I have contacted the city records office & I am donating them, they have loads of names & info going back to 1892 so hopefully they will be of help to someone.

Gaille