Celebs announced for American version of Who Do You Think You Are.

[millymcb]

It's on the BBC WDYTYA website so fingers crossed.

Milly

[Maggie1895]

I set Sarah Jessica's to record (which it did) and selected 'Record Series' (who says I'm not able to cope with technology? - well, most people who know me actually, but that's another story)

The point (there is one) is that I just checked my library of recordings and the one for Sunday has set itself for the BBC so it's looking very hopeful

[millymcb]

ooh... i forgot I did that.  Mine has set itself too.  I love Sky+

Milly

[Ringoroses]

Yep, mine too. 

[danuslave]

So did you watch Brooke Shields?

I have to say that this American series (so far) is rubbish compared with the original version   

I don't think she saw the inside of a record office and was handed umpteen generations of Italian rellies without lifting a finger

It's certainly giving a very false impression of what searching your family history is like for the majority of people   

Roll on the next UK series   

Linda

[kerryb]

Saw it last night along with my partner who is not the slightest bit into family history and his one comment was "Why is it always celebrities who go back to Kings, Queens and interesting people and you just go back to even more Ag Labs"

Well thanks a lot, I happen to be quite fond of my lot actually !!!!! 

Mind you I know what he means!!! and I wish I could get back to the medieval times without lifting a finger or spending a penny too 

Kerry

[Nick29]

So did you watch Brooke Shields?

I have to say that this American series (so far) is rubbish compared with the original version   

I don't think she saw the inside of a record office and was handed umpteen generations of Italian rellies without lifting a finger

It's certainly giving a very false impression of what searching your family history is like for the majority of people   

Roll on the next UK series   

Linda

Well, for some people it really can be like that (not me, unfortunately !).   If you do hook up to a 'privileged family', you quickly whizz up the ladder, finding research that scores have people have already done.  I am related to a few well-known Americans (by marriage), and once I'd found the link person, the names came in thick and fast as Ancestry hints.

As far as the programme was concerned, it was me saying "Oh my g-a-a-d" for much of it.  Fancy having an ancestor born in the Louvre !  I won't say anymore, in case it spoils it for those who haven't watched it yet.

[mezentia]

Fancy having an ancestor born in the Louvre

One of my lot married someone who was born in Windsor Castle, and no it wasn't the Queen! All sorts of people get born in famous places, but it doesn't mean they're owt special.  Let's face it, castles had cooks as well as Kings.

[katerimmer]

Has anyone tried tracing the Dollingers (Brooke Shields' maternal grandmother's family)  through the censuses?  I found them in 1920 in Newark, Essex, New Jersey, but they don't seem to have come from Germany after all. 

John Head 45 Wid Pennsylvania Molder
Eddy Son 6 New Jersey
Lilian Daughter 5 New Jersey
Tressia Daughter 12 New Jersey

It says that both of John's parents were born in Irland (sic) and their mother tongue was English.   The birthplaces for the children's parents are Pennsylvania for father and New Jersey for mother (Ida who died in 1919).

John's WW1 draft registration gives his birthdate as 11th June 1874 but I haven't managed to find him on any other censuses.  In 1930 Lilian is with Theresa and her husband so I would think John had probably died by then.