BBC "Who Do You Think You Are?" Gareth Malone (WDYTYA Series 12 Episode 5)

[Rosinish]

Admittedly the 2nd half was more interesting 

I did keep watching, waiting for something worthwhile, which did come, thankfully.

I don't think he knew so much of the 2nd half but I think he did with the 1st.

He seemed more enthusiastic with the 2nd part 

Annie

[Barnes612]

It was full of singing!

The actual informative parts about the two men were interesting but again there was so much filler, not of Gareth driving down long highways a la Jerry Hall, but of numerous singsongs - with his grandfather, down the pub with a researcher, then that last bit at the end.

I've got theatre folk in my paternal side of the family, so it was interesting from that aspect. At some point I want to look further into that side of my family and hopefully find some old programmes with my ancestors names on them. Apparently one of my gt gt grandmother's was taken on stage as a baby during a production of East Lynn. It's whetted my appetite. It was wonderful hearing Edmund Payne singing, I'd be so thrilled to find out there was a recording of an ancestor somewhere.

One thing I didn't like was when he saw Dan on the census and found out he was a dyer from Leeds. He seemed far too disappointed that he might have working class antecedents. Thankfully, Dan saved the day by being ambitious and 'making something of himself'...

I thought when he was told Dan bought a pub that he was going to be told it was the one they were sitting in! And I loved the bit where he was trying to decipher the 'sings at concerts' entry on the census.

The whole family seemed to know a lot about Edmund Payne and that section felt like it was more of a nice thing the programme makers did for his grandfather than actually finding anything out. They knew there was footage, they knew there was audio, it was a case of tracking down what was already known.  And there was nothing about either of the men's families, what did the wives and children or parents think about all of it? When Dan went to Dublin what did his wife do? Did either of the wives play a part in their respective enterprises? So much left out of the bigger picture that could have been included if they chopped some of the singsongs!

[Rena]

I smiled the whole way through and enjoyed the thrill of the little nuggets of gold he found.

[Blue70]

Best episode of the series so far. I would have liked them to look into Dan's parents I think they were probably Irish. Dan was baptised in an RC church in Leeds in 1823. His parents were called Patrick and Mary. He may have learned Irish songs from his parents and knew about Liverpool from his parents. There's a Liverpool shanty called Whip Jamboree sung by The Spinners that includes the lyrics, "And now my lads we’re all in dock, We’ll be off to Dan Lowry’s on the spot".

Slater's Directory 1869

Malakoff Dan Lowry 20 and 22 Cleveland square

Green's Directory 1870

Lawry D publican 22 Cleveland square
Lowrey Daniel jun licensed victualler 71 Paradise Street   


Blue

[dowdstree]

I found it a "lot of the same" tonight but did enjoy the old music hall recordings and he seems to have a great affection for his 94 year old granddad.

Where were the women in his family probably at home looking after the kids as usual.

Not overly impressed with this series at all

Dorrie

[jan57]

 Think Daniel   married  twice , 1851   census  showed  wife  Hannah ( as  seen on TV )  1861   has  him with  wife Charlotte in Liverpool


Marriages Mar 1857

Lowrey  Daniel    Liverpool  8b 82   
 
Summerfield  Charlotte     Liverpool  8b 82

Deaths Dec 1856   
Lowery  Hannah     Liverpool  8b 124

[loobylooayr]

I liked - finding the silent footage and also the audio of GreatGreat grandpa Powell. Gareth's old grandpa was thrilled.
          - the story of Dan Lowry, singer, public house owner and Dublin theatre impresario

I disliked - Gareth's rather snooty reaction when he discovered that Dan when he married was...a dyer  and his father had been a weaver. He obviously wanted to have descended rom the middle classes   
              - the emphasis on all the singing.

Looby xx

[rebeccaclaire86]

I agree there was too much singing!! I still need to watch the second half (dozed off halfway through) but I liked that his granddad got to see the recording, it clearly meant a lot to him.

[Rhododendron]

There was a time I couldn't wait for the next episode of WDYTYA but I am beginning to lose interest in it. Derek Jacobi was well worth watching but I've been bored by the last two (Jerry Hall & Gareth Malone). Perhaps it's just me. Or maybe the Programme has now run its course.