BBC TV "WDYTYA?" Series 10 Episode #2: Gregg Wallace

[gaffy]

What an interesting but tragic story. My grandfather's baby brother died in similar circumstances to the child in last night's episode, indeed, granda was only little himself when he witnessed it.  The coroner's report made grim reading for me so I can imagine it was quite a shock for Gregg Wallace too. Very interesting to hear about the flammability of the cheap cotton clothing, that was news to me.

[sallysmum]

I felt the programme was somewhat contrived and scripted.  I think the producers wanted you to believe one thing then another in order to make it more interesting.

Greg went to his mum's to find out what she knew - she produced census records and GRO birth certificates.  As a previous posting says, why wasn't the other pregnancy mentioned on this 1911 census which his mum just happened to have!

I think the series has deteriorated from stories which hold a lot of history (eg Babs Winsdsor and her match girl stories) to this which was almost like a soap opera story to me.

It also shows a flawed approach to research - we go backwards, ie start with a death cert and work backwards, rather than pick a random birth cert.

sallysmum

[youngtug]

  http://www.devonhistorysociety.org.uk/2011/11/great-torrington-glovemaking-enquiry.html

[youngtug]

  http://championfh.net/genealogy/championfh-histories/H0102%20glove%20makers%20v1.0.pdf

[panda40]

I agree there were a lot of gaps that need filling and the jumping to conclusions nearly had me pulling my hair out. I know they need to make it for a TV audience but I wish they would show some of the research trail in a bit more detail. Someone appearing with the documents. Being given the original newspapers to look at rather than sitting scrolling through a reel page by page. Where to go and locate information at TNA or carring out a search on their site first. This would help beginners understand the long drawn out process more.

I feel sorry for the local library staff who have been cut back to a bare minimum, they must dread Thursday mornings when all the novice hunters turn up expecting a one on one service like they see on TV.
Regards panda

[Rishile]

How many Rc'ers were itching to get their hands on the photo of Selina and tidy it up?  It would have been nice to see it restored.

Rishile

[axecalibre]

I am sure that on the 1911 census that it showed 2 children born, 1 alive 1 dead.

I also wondered at the huge photo of Selina - surely in those days it would have been just much smaller, or were you given an extra large to remind you not to return?  Poor woman, bad enough struggling to survive but do feel that such a strict religion played a big part in her mental state.

Imagine how much information the researchers find out and then have to cram into a programme to make it interesting to all, not just us!  Particularly liked Greg returning to the spot and reliving the accident, haven't we all longed to visit a place and tread in our forefathers footsteps.....

[bearkat]

How many Rc'ers were itching to get their hands on the photo of Selina and tidy it up?  It would have been nice to see it restored.

Rishile

I was thinking that too. 

Another episode that didn't go very far back but I think Greg had found enough tragedy.  It really showed how tough life was for many of our ancestors

[Rishile]

I was surprised they didn't say how Selina died.  Maybe that was one piece of sadness too far.

Rishile