BBC TV "WDYTYA?" Series 9 Episode #7: Robin Gibb

[Lydart]

Do they have archives in Outer Mongolia ??   

[Sandymc47]

I also found it a little slow but did feel sorry for poor William dying of destitution after his wife died.  My Grandad went the same way after Gran died. Some men cant move on. Bless.
I did find watching Robin very funny as I was amazed at all his tram lines. He is very old looking for his age and for someone who has had money in his pocket for about 50 years now it was a surprise. The house was great.
I bet he did feel sad about William with no money and the Gibbs brothers having lots.
 

[chirp]

I agree with many of the posts on this thread - yes it was rather a slow programme due in part to Robin's quiet and unemotional approach (no bad thing really). However it did touch on some interesting subjects, Paisley shawl-weaving, the midwife's story and ragged schools, so overall I did enjoy it. I loved his house too!
Chirp

[mshrmh]

Another viewer who admired his house & garden!

I enjoyed the programme. I found the military detail a bit overdone (the expert duplicating the basics of cousin's note on the service records) though the explanations of the lifestyle and the education certificate added to the picture. The information on the Ragged Schools & then the details from the poor house records added to the newspaper reports on the state of trade I thought made a good social history (and I loved the paisley shawls & patterns).

It was a change to concentrate on a female ancestor's career - I've read some of the midwife memoirs & she seemed to fit in with those.

I did get the impression that he was interested and enjoyed meeting the sisters delivered by his great-grandmother.

[WelwynGC1]

This may have been a bit of a rush job as someone has mentioned.
It should be noted that Robin has been very busy for the last couple of years with the efforts to build a lasting memorial to the brave men of Bomber Command. (Opens next year in Green Park, London).

I think you have to go into each `show` with an open mind, those featuring celebrities you like are sometimes a disappointment, whilst l find the opposite true about celebrities l am not keen on.

Having said the latter, l am looking forward to next week.

[Phil Goater]

                   Although not especially exciting I found the program of interest because I could relate the stories of both his heroes to my tree.

                   He had a big advantage though with regard to his soldier ancestor because he had lived to retirement - I'd like to know how they would have traced his record if he'd died in service. One of my ancestors who served with the army in India committed the cardinal sin of dying whilst in service (having escaped the vicious diseases rife in India he died of flu on return to England). There is also a strong family story that he blotted his copy book and lost a stripe though that was for hitting his commanding officer. I'd love to know the details of that one!

                   The other story of interest to me was that of the mid-wife. My dear old spinster great -aunt Doss was a mid-wife around Devizes. I remember well that she was definitely of the 'no nonsense' school when it came to applying first aid but she was much loved. The newspaper article on her retirement reckoned she must have brought 3,000 - 4,000 locals into the world and the civic dignitaries launched an appeal to fund her old age as she had been seriously under paid. Her subsequent funeral was very well attended. I am glad that such as she are getting the recognition that they deserve.

Phil

[kerryb]

Must have been a slow one, I kept dropping off every few minutes which is usually unheard of when watching WDYTYA!

However having said that I didn't know Paisley came from Paisley so I found that quite interesting!

Was nice to have someone stuck in UK for a change

Kerry

[Marmaduke 123]

I think they usually try to put the weaker episodes in a series like this in the middle.

Having said that, I did enjoy this one, maybe all the more for having seen it in three distinct sections, owing to unexpected visitors last night.

I wasn't too interested in the military bit, I think many of us have ancestors with very similar careers. I've got one drummer who was promoted and then reduced in rank over and over again.

I was interested in the handloom weaver and the history of the Paisley hand loom weaving industry. It didn't seem that the Paisley area adopted powered looms, maybe they didn't have the water or the coal. My home based hand loom woollen weavers in Yorkshire carried on with their trade and with farming their bit of land, while their sons and daughters went to work in the mills down in the valleys.

Really good to have ordinary people discussed in this episode, rather than the more exotic. I thought Robin Gibb came over as down to earth and seriously interested in what was discovered.

Anne

[candleflame]

Despite the issues raised I still enjoyed watching it and loved his home too. It all adds to our interest and knowlege base AND its an hour of decent tv ( despite any shortcomings