View Full Version : Who Do You Think You Are - Nick Hewer 28th Aug
kiterunner
28-08-13, 08:18
On BBC1 at 9 p.m. and repeated on Thursday at 10:35 p.m.
Think he will be more serious character than last week - on the preview he was asking if they could go further back.
I haven't managed to watch last week's yet!
This week's episode delves into Irish records.
maggie_4_7
28-08-13, 13:39
Who is he what does he do?
He hosts Countdown (not a patch on Richard IMHO) and he's one of the "experts" on The Apprentice.
Ann from Sussex
28-08-13, 17:38
Think he will be more serious character than last week - on the preview he was asking if they could go further back.
Good.......
This week's episode delves into Irish records.
......and good!
Gary Lineker was too jokey and any tips I can pick up to further my own Irish research will be welcomed.
kiterunner
28-08-13, 21:08
Episode synopsis:
Nick Hewer moved to London from Wiltshire in 1965 aged 21. His parents were John Hewer and Patricia Jamison who married in 1941.
Patricia's parents were Oswald Jamison, known as Ossie, a Catholic, and Jane Smith, known as Jeannie, a Presbyterian.
Nick visited a cousin Michael in Ireland, who showed him some photographs of his grandparents and their families, including Jeannie's parents John and Jane, her sister Annie, brother Fred, and other siblings.
Nick knew that his grandfather Ossie ran businesses in Dublin and Belfast, and that he was High Sheriff of Belfast. Michael told him that before becoming High Sheriff, Ossie was Alderman for the Falls area of Belfast.
Nick visited PRONI and looked at the 1901 census of Ireland. Oswald Jamison was 25, unmarried, a painter, living with his mother, widow Catherine Jamison aged 48, and his two brothers at 32 Great George Street, Belfast. John Smith was 59, a master plumber born in Scotland, and Jeannie / Jane was 21.
Oswald and Jane's marriage certificate shows that they married on the 30th April 1912 at St Malachy's Catholic Church in Belfast. Annie Smith was one of the witnesses at this mixed marriage, although she was also a signatory of the Ulster Covenant in the same year, along with others of the Smith family.
Nick visited Belfast City Hall to see where the council meetings were held when his grandfather was an alderman. A newspaper report from 1917 quotes Councillor Oswald Jamison as saying that Sinn Feinism had to end, and another newspaper report said he was a Nationalist and opposed to partition. A document showed that Oswald's business premises were burned down on the 26th May 1922, perhaps by the IRA. Oswald was appointed High Sheriff by the council in 1925. He had taken over his father's big painting and decorating business in 1895. In 1929 a newspaper reported that he had extended his business into Dublin and Cork. Another report stated that he had erected the first Refrigerating Factory in Ireland, in 1935 in Dublin. The factory was opened by Irish government minister Sean Lemass, who was a member of Sinn Fein.
Nick then turned to the Hewer side of his family tree. He had a tree drawn up by his great-grandmother, and took it to Cricklade museum to compare with the many local family trees held there. The staff there had managed to connect it with a tree of the Nott and Sewster[/B] families. This shows that Nick's 9xgreat-grandparents were Edward Nott and Elizabeth Sewster, whose fathers were respectively Roger Nott, a "citizen" (i.e. of London) and merchant taylor, and Edward Sewster, a "citizen" and goldsmith.
The tree mentioned the will of an Elizabeth Sewster dated 1644 which intimated that Roger Nott was a great scoundrel. Nick looked at a copy of this will at Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre. The will contained claims that Roger Nott had forced Elizabeth's first husband, George Sewster, to sell him their property for £1400, only half its worth, and had caused the death of her second husband, George Perkins and would also be responsible for Elizabeth's death.
Nick was shown a map of the farm in question and was told that the Sewsters had been given the land by Charles I in payment of a debt. He was also shown the coat of arms and pedigree that were granted to Edward Nott by the Royal College of Arms.
A 1651 document said that Edward Nott had raised a troop of men and horses to serve Charles I in several battles, including Lansdowne and Roundway Down. Nick visited the site of the Battle of Lansdowne and was shown a book which mentioned Major Nott raising money for the royalist cause from the local populace. He was also shown a letter from Charles Devereux which mentioned the prisoner Lieutenant Colonel Nott. Nick visited Lacock to see another historian who told him that Lt Col Edward Nott was taken before Parliament who ordered his estate to be sequestrated. Nick was shown a petition from Edward Nott, mentioning his wife and seven children, asking to be allowed to "compound his estate", i.e. get it back by paying a fine and swearing an oath to the Commonwealth. A document from 1666 showed that Charles II rewarded Nott with a lodge and some lands, more than he had before. A transcription of Edward Nott's petition showed that he said that he had worked with Massey and Booth, i.e. secretly for the Royalist cause after he had sworn the oath.
Nick visited Edward Nott's house Red Lodge in Wiltshire.
Margaret in Burton
28-08-13, 21:23
I nodded off for a short while. I found it very boring in places, or was it him that was boring?
kiterunner
28-08-13, 21:34
I nodded off for a short while. I found it very boring in places, or was it him that was boring?
I must admit, Marg, I found it pretty boring typing up the synopsis!
Isn't Nick Hewer supposed to be some kind of businessman? I laughed when he couldn't come up with an idea of how Edward Nott could have paid the fine to get back his estate when all his money had been seized!
I hated the bit where he took his great-grandmother's tree to the museum and they showed him how it connected with the tree that they had. Hopefully researchers worked behind the scenes on proving it was all correct!
kiterunner
29-08-13, 10:27
Unseen footage:
http://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/footage/14531
Ann from Sussex
29-08-13, 10:46
I nodded off for a short while. I found it very boring in places, or was it him that was boring?
I fell asleep too and missed quite a bit of the Civil War section. It was boring Marg!
Is it me or is this programme losing its interest? Last night there was precious little research as we all know it. On the Irish side we were shown one marriage certificate and a couple of census entries plus an awful lot of reading out of entries in various books. There seemed to be an endless procession of historians talking to Nick Hewer. Oh and let's not forget the tree which was produced out of nowhere, apparently compiled by "my great granny". They then proceeded to link it up with a tree held in the local archives but we had no confirmation that either of these trees were accurate...and WE all know how unlikely that sometimes is! Maybe I missed any other original sources by falling asleep. I had been trying to fight off the sleepiness for a while before it got the better of me. I must admit, I am getting a bit fed up with WDYTYA. It just doesn't seem to be as good as it used to.
I'm not being encouraged to watch either of the last two episodes!
I was disappointed sadly as I like his dry humour on The Apprentice and he seems a very nice chap.
First half I found interesting - just! 2nd half defeated me and I nodded off :rolleyes:
Ann from Sussex
29-08-13, 15:32
I was disappointed sadly as I like his dry humour on The Apprentice and he seems a very nice chap.
First half I found interesting - just! 2nd half defeated me and I nodded off :rolleyes:
Lol! I now have visions of GF members all over the country, nodding off on their sofas while this was on - watch if you are suffering from insomnia Merry! I like Nick Hewer too and he came across last night as a very intelligent and nice man. It was just the content matter of the programme that lulled me to sleep.
Lol! I now have visions of GF members all over the country, nodding off on their sofas while this was on - watch if you are suffering from insomnia Merry! I like Nick Hewer too and he came across last night as a very intelligent and nice man. It was just the content matter of the programme that lulled me to sleep.
Ann :d
That reminds when many years ago, I was going through a stressful patch with business, couldn't sleep well, and had on TV John Major giving something like the Dimbleby Lecture - within seconds I was fast asleep and slept for ages!
I watched this in the morning on catch up, otherwise I might have nodded off too! The only thing I found of interest is how much Nick Hewer looked like his maternal grandfather Ossie.
WendyPusey
29-08-13, 17:23
I'm not being encouraged to watch either of the last two episodes!
Me neither Merry. I don't think I'll bother.
Olde Crone
29-08-13, 18:33
I didn't watch all of this - phone again - but don't feel I missed anything.
My overall impression of this series is that they have tried to take on board the criticisms of the last series (too much "What grandad did in the war") but instead of this being FAMILY history, it is again potted bits of general history.
OC
kiterunner
29-08-13, 19:05
Here is the link to the Jamison family on the 1901 census:
1901 Irish census (http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/St__Anne_s/Great_George_s_Street/933580/)
Can anyone find them, or at least Oswald, in 1911? The only Oswald Jamison I can find is age 15, but interestingly enough, an Oswald Jamison signed the Ulster Covenant:
http://applications.proni.gov.uk/UlsterCovenant/image.aspx?image=M0000580006
Wonder if it's Ossie?
Edit - no, looks to be the one who was 15 in 1911 as the address matches.
Humph. Why is the iPlayer available only in the UK?
kiterunner
30-08-13, 21:51
Because of rights issues, I suppose.
Humph. Why is the iPlayer available only in the UK?
Basically, because it belongs to the BBC and is licenced. See:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_iPlayer
It is available for a fee in other places of the world eg.
http://www.my-expat-network.co.uk/
Vicwinann
Rosie Knees
10-09-13, 07:24
I've only ever come across NH on Countdown and have got to quite like him.
The first half of the programme I found very boring. Had to switch off at half time and I only managed to catch the second half that I had recorded last night. I nearly didn't bother but it was more enjoyable than the first half although I guffawed loudly when they merged the two trees without any explanation of research/sources!
I've got last week's recorded - the actor from East Enders - don't know whether to bother though.
Margaret in Burton
10-09-13, 08:08
I've only ever come across NH on Countdown and have got to quite like him.
The first half of the programme I found very boring. Had to switch off at half time and I only managed to catch the second half that I had recorded last night. I nearly didn't bother but it was more enjoyable than the first half although I guffawed loudly when they merged the two trees without any explanation of research/sources!
I've got last week's recorded - the actor from East Enders - don't know whether to bother though.
Definitely watch that one Rose. It's one of the best.
Rosie Knees
10-09-13, 13:17
right, I will then lol. I haven't looked at the discussion thread for him yet.
I'm still trying to catch up and just watched this episode which I found extremely interesting! I wasn't at all bored and didn't fall asleep once. It was refreshing to have a bit less emotion and sensible questions being asked.
The only really dodgy bit for me was the casual mapping together of those family trees in the Cricklade museum.
Only the Nitin Ganatra episode to go, but I won't get to see that before tonight's episode :(
Do you think Nick really read all those old documents without faltering??!!!!!
Rosie Knees
11-09-13, 18:14
LOL I wondered that too!
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