Frankly , I was stunned
The story of David Husband and his son-in-law John Reid was an interesting tale only ruined by one thing - Anne Reid
Her attitude annoyed me. Gales of laughter drowned out the Kirk Session records on her GG-grandfather's drunken and irresponsible behaviour. Okay, this might have been slightly amusing but it was hardly hilarious. I don't think Anne appreciated the effect John Reid's drinking, anti-social behaviour and dereliction to his teaching position could have had on his wife and children , never mind the wider community. His poor wife (Anne's GG-grandmother) dying, obviously at a young age in 1839, scarcely registered with her. I would have been wondering if John's behaviour and the stress of having to take his classes for him had maybe contributed to Margaret Husband/Reid's death.
Then there was Reid's forgery trial at Edinburgh, where it's fair to say the poor researcher looked flummoxed by Anne's "I hope they all died horrible deaths".
Her stance seemed to be that John Reid had been "framed" by his vindictive father-in-law ; I agree with others - it seemed Anne didn't realise this was also her ancestor.
By the time she got to Tasmania and was complaining that John Reid didn't get special treatment there due to his friendship with the Surgeon-Superintendent, I was ready to switch off.
But I didn't .........
I think we can all sometimes feel we know an ancestor and perhaps sympathise with them. But at the end of the day we mostly have no clue whether any of our ancestors were good, bad, angelic, evil, friendly, grumpy, quiet, loud, violent, timid etc etc.
We can only take the evidence we find and look at it in a balanced way. Just wish the production team had told Anne that.
Looby