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View Full Version : Who Do You Think You Are - John Simpson 25th Sep


kiterunner
24-09-13, 22:08
On BBC1 at 9 p.m. and repeated next Tuesday at 11:35 p.m. Last in series.

Shona
25-09-13, 16:44
SPOILER ALERT

Some info on his great-grandmother, Elizabeth's, 'husband'.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Franklin_Cody

kiterunner
25-09-13, 21:04
Episode synopsis:

John Simpson was brought up believing that aviator Samuel Franklin Cody was his great-grandfather, but his father eventually realised that John's grandmother was too old to be Sam Cody's daughter and that he must have been her father, which meant that he lost contact with his mother's family.

In 1908 Samuel Cody became the first man to fly an aircraft in Britain. John went to Farnborough to find out about his flying career. Sam Cody died in a flying accident in 1913. His age at death was stated to be 52, but he was really 46. A newspaper report on the accident said that his sons Leon and Frank saw him die, and also mentions another son Vivian but these were actually the sons of "Mrs Cody" Lela by her husband Edward King.


The Codys' gravestone shows that Lela died in 1939, aged 87.

John met his second cousin Peter Cody, the grandson of Vivian, who had some newspaper articles about Lela, the first woman to fly in the British Isles, and photos of the "Cody Family" in their Wild West Show.

Lela's full name was Elizabeth Mary Blackburn-Davies. She and Edward also had a daughter Lizzie, John's grandmother, who didn't take part in the shows, and a son Edward who appeared as "Cousin Ted LeRoy".

Lela's family lived in Chelsea; her father owned a big stables in Sloane Square. John went to the Theatre Royal to meet an historian who suggested that Lela may have met Sam Cody at a show at Olympia in 1890. By 1891 they were performing as The Cody Family.

John went to Kensington Library and looked at the 1881 census, where Edward King is shown as a retired licensed victualler born Chelsea, aged 38, with wife Lizzie Mary age 25, and sons Edwd John and Charles L D. On the 1871 census Edward is the son of licensed victualler John King, 61, living in Keppel Street, Chelsea. An 1865 Ordnance Survey map of Chelsea shows where Keppel Terrace was, now called Tryon Street, and the pub the Queen's Head is still there. John met genealogist Else Churchill at the pub and she showed John various certificates, including Edward King's birth certificate. He was born at 10 Keppel Terrace in Dec 1841. John King's death certificate showed that he died on the 22nd Jun 1872, violently poisoned accidentally. A newspaper report of the inquest said that John was "poisoned through the carelessness of his son" - Edward had given a waiter an empty medicine bottle to put cleaning fluid in, and when John returned he took the bottle and drank it. Edward is reported to have been very upset during the inquest. The National Probate Calendar showed that administration with the will attached was granted to Edward, with John's effects totalling under £800. In 1873 Edward, age 32, married Elizabeth Mary Davies, 19. Else Churchill said that it had not been possible to find Edward on later censuses but that he died in 1904 of chronic Bright's disease (13 years) and hepatitis.


The informant on his death certificate was A E Whittall, son-in-law, present at the death, John's grandfather (Arthur.

John's father had told him that there was a big rift between Lela and Liese (John's grandmother). John visited his cousin Tony Reid who remembers their grandmother as he was about 8 when she died. He had photos of her and a postcard written from her to Lela, which showed no evidence of a rift, although there are family stories that Lela called her "big and ugly".

Arthur and Lizzie had three daughters, Viva (Tony's mother), Leonie, and Joyce Lela Vivian, John's mother. Joyce's birth and Arthur's death were both registered on the same day, 23 Aug 1906. Arthur died from enteric fever at the age of 32, the family story being that it was caused by infected water that he drank at TA Camp. The Cody family then took Liese and her children in, and Liese made the covers for the wings of Sam Cody's aircraft.

The 1911 census shows S F Cody age 49, his wife Lela 48, married for 30 years, with Lela's birthplace shown as Spain. Liese is listed as "cousin" because she would be too old to be Sam's daughter.

kiterunner
25-09-13, 22:10
Here is that 1911 census entry with Liese and Edward down as "cousins" (also Edward actually using the surname Leroy):
1911 census ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/2352/rg14_03108_0589_03/41613835?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3d1911England%26db%3d%26so%3d2% 26rank%3d0%26gsfn%3dlela%26gsln%3dcody%26sx%3d%26g s1co%3d1%252cAll%2bCountries%26gs1pl%3d1%252c%2b%2 6year%3d%26yearend%3d%26sbo%3d0%26sbor%3d%26ufr%3d 0%26wp%3d4%253b_80000002%253b_80000003%26srchb%3dr %26prox%3d1%26ti%3d5538%26ti.si%3d0%26gss%3dangs-b&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

Liese is shown as having had 4 children, one of whom had died.

kiterunner
25-09-13, 22:26
Wikipedia says that John Simpson's full name is John Cody Fidler-Simpson, born 9 Aug 1944, so his birth registration must be John C Fidler, mother's maiden name Cody, Jul-Sep 1944 Fylde, Lancashire. On Lancashire BMD his name is John Cody Fidler and there are two MMN's: Cody and Keen. Not Whittall! Presumably the children were known as the Cody family after Arthur Whittall died and they went to live with the Codys, but I wonder where the name Keen fits in?

Ah, there is a marriage between a George H Keen and Joyce Whittall Oct-Dec 1928 Epsom, Surrey, and then Joyce L V Keen married Roy S Fidler Jul-Sep 1941 Croydon, Surrey. Perhaps George H Keen is the one who died Oct-Dec 1933 Reigate, Surrey, age 31?

And presumably John's father is Roy Simpson Fidler-Simpson who died Jun 1980 Lambeth, dob 15 Jul 1914. His name is Roy S Fidler on the birth index.

kiterunner
25-09-13, 22:46
Here are Arthur and Liese in 1901, Arthur using his middle name Ernest:
1901 census (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7814/SRYRG13_660_662-0307/4993888?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3frank%3d0%26gsfn%3dliese%26gsln%3d% 26sx%3d%26f1%3d%26f2%3d%26f4%3d%26f18%3d%26f12__n% 3d%26rg_81004011__date%3d%26rs_81004011__date%3d5% 26f27%3d%26f14%3d%26f15%3d%26_8000C002%3d%26_80008 002%3d%26_80018002%3d%26f7%3d%26f8%3d%26f9%3d%26gs kw%3d%26prox%3d1%26db%3duki1901%26ti%3d5538%26ti.s i%3d0%26gl%3d%26gss%3drfs%26gst%3d%26so%3d3&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

And a possible for Edward King? Married but wife isn't there:
1901 (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7814/LNDRG13_57_60-1045/4388188?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3frank%3d0%26gsfn%3dedw*%26gsln%3dki ng%26sx%3d%26f1%3dLondon%26f2%3d%26f4%3d%26f18%3d% 26f12__n%3d%26rg_81004011__date%3d1841%26rs_810040 11__date%3d5%26f27%3d%26f14%3d%26f15%3d%26_8000C00 2%3d%26_80008002%3d%26_80018002%3d%26f7%3d%26f8%3d %26f9%3d%26gskw%3d%26prox%3d1%26db%3duki1901%26ti% 3d5538%26ti.si%3d0%26gl%3d%26gss%3drfs%26gst%3d%26 so%3d3&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

Shona
25-09-13, 23:21
Interesting (your research, that is). Will get stuck in on this in the morning.

Strange episode. Poss badly edited.

Guinevere
26-09-13, 05:13
Can't quite get my head around it.

I found it a bit boring in parts and was shouting at them to look at census. I wanted more genealogy!

kiterunner
26-09-13, 06:56
Yes, they seemed to cram all the genealogy stuff into the last 15 minutes or so. They seem to have started a thing recently where the celebrity has to have a go at something their ancestor / relative did, which makes it seem like a different series altogether.

I wish they had shown us the licensed victualler records when they were trying to find out which pub John King ran, instead of looking at a map and Google!

ElizabethHerts
26-09-13, 07:07
I agree with you both, Gwynne and Kate. I couldn't see why they had to concentrate quite so hard on Cody's exploits as he wasn't an ancestor.

I had found the 1911 census for the family long before they showed it on the programme. The last part was far more interesting.

Also, for the licensed victualler part, they could have looked at "the Era" which is where I found lots of information for OH's licensed victuallers.

Margaret in Burton
26-09-13, 07:19
It seems to me that they are starting to scrape the barrel a bit. As said, why all that on Cody if John Simpson already knew that he probably wasn't his real great grandfather? Wasn't as if it was a revelation to him. That spoiler alert of Shona's seems to say it all, I didn't read it until after the programme. Enjoyable episode entertainment wise but not much genealogy.

kiterunner
26-09-13, 07:24
This is the 1881 census entry for the King family (which was shown on the programme):
1881 census (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7572/LNDRG11_78_82-0695/13431706?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3frank%3d0%26gsfn%3dliz*%26gsln%3dki ng%26sx%3d%26f1%3d%26f2%3d%26f3%3d%26f18%3d%26f12_ _n%3d%26rg_81004011__date%3d%26rs_81004011__date%3 d0%26f29%3d%26_82004011%3d%26_82004013%3d%26_82004 014%3d%26_8000C002%3d%26_80008002%3d%26_80018002%3 dedw*%26f7%3d%26f8%3d%26f9%3d%26gskw%3d%26prox%3d1 %26db%3duki1881%26ti%3d5538%26ti.si%3d0%26gl%3d%26 gss%3drfs%26gst%3d%26so%3d3&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

I was annoyed at all the assumptions made about Edward King, how sad it was that his wife left him and he was all alone and ill, etc. We don't know how he behaved to her!

kiterunner
26-09-13, 07:32
And this must be Lela's parents, with granddaughter Lizzie (Liese) in 1881:
1881 census Davis family (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7572/LNDRG11_42_47-0245/13233761?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3frank%3d0%26gsfn%3dliz*%26gsln%3dki ng%26sx%3d%26f1%3d%26f2%3d%26f3%3d%26f18%3d%26f12_ _n%3d%26rg_81004011__date%3d1874%26rs_81004011__da te%3d1%26f29%3d%26_82004011%3d%26_82004013%3d%26_8 2004014%3d%26_8000C002%3d%26_80008002%3d%26_800180 02%3d%26f7%3d%26f8%3d%26f9%3d%26gskw%3d%26prox%3d1 %26db%3duki1881%26ti%3d5538%26ti.si%3d0%26gl%3d%26 gss%3drfs%26gst%3d%26so%3d3&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

3 Brompton Road, Kensington, London
John Davis Head Mar 59 Foreman Livery Stables Blackmans Yard, born Huntingdon
Caroline Do Wife M 56 Tooting Surrey
Lizzie King Grand Child 7 Edgware Rd London
Esther Phillips Unm 20 Domestic Servant Chelsea Middx

I thought they said on the programme that Lela's family owned the stables? "Foreman" sounds more as though he was employed there.

kiterunner
26-09-13, 07:39
Here are two of the children in 1891 with (presumably) Lela's sister:
1891 census (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/6598/LNDRG12_451_453-0440/10239099?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3frank%3d0%26gsfn%3d%26gsln%3dking%2 6sx%3d%26f1%3d%26f2%3d%26f4%3d%26f18%3d%26f12__n%3 d%26rg_81004011__date%3d1875%26rs_81004011__date%3 d5%26f27%3d%26f14%3d%26f15%3dchelsea%26_8000C002%3 d%26_80008002%3d%26_80018002%3d%26f7%3d%26f8%3d%26 f9%3d%26gskw%3d%26prox%3d1%26db%3duki1891%26ti%3d5 538%26ti.si%3d0%26gss%3dangs-d%26gl%3d%26gst%3d%26hc%3d10%26fh%3d10%26fsk%3dCIA AGcYA1cTN&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

10 Gwalior Rd, Putney
Caroline Sutton Head Wid 44 Dressmaker St George Hanover Sq
Lizzie C Sutton Daur 14 Chelsea SW
Lily C M King Niece S 17 Dressmaker Chelsea SW
Vivian G King Nephew 8 Brighton Sussex

kiterunner
26-09-13, 07:44
And here is Sam Cody in 1891, apparently with his first wife:
1891 census (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/6598/LNDRG12_39_40-0033/8860921?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3frank%3d0%26gsfn%3ds%26gsln%3dcody% 26sx%3d%26f1%3d%26f2%3d%26f4%3d%26f18%3d%26f12__n% 3d%26rg_81004011__date%3d%26rs_81004011__date%3d5% 26f27%3d%26f14%3d%26f15%3d%26_8000C002%3d%26_80008 002%3d%26_80018002%3d%26f7%3d%26f8%3d%26f9%3d%26gs kw%3d%26prox%3d1%26db%3duki1891%26ti%3d5538%26ti.s i%3d0%26gl%3d%26gss%3drfs%26gst%3d%26so%3d3&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

26 Porten Road, Hammersmith
John Heanley Head M 47 Cab Driver Ireland
Annie Do Wife M 51 Holland
S F Cody Jun Boarder M 24 Actor & Manager USA Texas
Mrs Do Do M 19 Actress Canada Toronto
Mary Cooper Boarder M 20 Actress London

Shona
26-09-13, 08:05
The Cody family in 1901

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7814/CHSRG13_3311_3313-0171/19631088?backurl=http%253a%252f%252fsearch.ancestr y.co.uk%252fcgi-bin%252fsse.dll%253fdb%253duki1901%2526h%253d19631 088%2526ti%253d5538%2526indiv%253dtry%2526gss%253d pt%2526ssrc%253dpt_t29941478_p12615704700_kpidz0q3 d12615704700z0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q26pgplz0q3dpid&ssrc=pt_t29941478_p12615704700_kpidz0q3d1261570470 0z0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q26pgplz0q3dpid&backlabel=ReturnRecord

31 Catherine Street, Macclesfield

Samuel Franklin Cody, Baron Hartley, head, 40, author and actor, b Texas, USA
Lila Marie Cody, wife, 40, actress, b Spain, Madrid
Samuel Frank Leslie Cody, son, 5, born Switzerland, Basle

Shona
26-09-13, 08:07
Some info on the Queen's Head pub. The Kings were there as far back as 1851.

http://pubshistory.com/LondonPubs/Chelsea/QueensHead.shtml

Shona
26-09-13, 08:14
Here are Arthur and Liese in 1901, Arthur using his middle name Ernest:
1901 census (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7814/SRYRG13_660_662-0307/4993888?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3frank%3d0%26gsfn%3dliese%26gsln%3d% 26sx%3d%26f1%3d%26f2%3d%26f4%3d%26f18%3d%26f12__n% 3d%26rg_81004011__date%3d%26rs_81004011__date%3d5% 26f27%3d%26f14%3d%26f15%3d%26_8000C002%3d%26_80008 002%3d%26_80018002%3d%26f7%3d%26f8%3d%26f9%3d%26gs kw%3d%26prox%3d1%26db%3duki1901%26ti%3d5538%26ti.s i%3d0%26gl%3d%26gss%3drfs%26gst%3d%26so%3d3&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

And a possible for Edward King? Married but wife isn't there:
1901 (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7814/LNDRG13_57_60-1045/4388188?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3frank%3d0%26gsfn%3dedw*%26gsln%3dki ng%26sx%3d%26f1%3dLondon%26f2%3d%26f4%3d%26f18%3d% 26f12__n%3d%26rg_81004011__date%3d1841%26rs_810040 11__date%3d5%26f27%3d%26f14%3d%26f15%3d%26_8000C00 2%3d%26_80008002%3d%26_80018002%3d%26f7%3d%26f8%3d %26f9%3d%26gskw%3d%26prox%3d1%26db%3duki1901%26ti% 3d5538%26ti.si%3d0%26gl%3d%26gss%3drfs%26gst%3d%26 so%3d3&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

Arthur and Liese were living in Cowdery Road in 1901. Wasn't that Sam Cody's real surname? Quirky coincidence.

Shona
26-09-13, 09:07
Humph.

Article from the Daily Telegraph from 2007, which covers much of what was in last night's episode.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/mother-tongue/familyhistory/3355275/Family-detective-John-Simpson.html

Feel cheated!

Shona
26-09-13, 09:26
Apart from John Simpson's autobiography, there is masses of info on Samuel Cody, his first wife Maud and Lela and her family in a book titled:

A Pair of Shootists - The Wild West Story of SF Cody and Maud Lee.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=5M2i9C9c7-0C&pg=PA78&lpg=PA78&dq=maud+maria+lee&source=bl&ots=DBLAMR9Pyj&sig=OyBJ5aZoFgqFHXNmQ65_Nzf4HjE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=EvFDUukO5ZLtBq3IgNgG&ved=0CDQQ6AEwBA

kiterunner
26-09-13, 11:06
Humph.

Article from the Daily Telegraph from 2007, which covers much of what was in last night's episode.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/mother-tongue/familyhistory/3355275/Family-detective-John-Simpson.html

Feel cheated!

I did feel as though I had watched a programme or read an article about this before! I'm not a Telegraph reader, but probably someone had sent me a link at the time.

kiterunner
26-09-13, 11:08
Oh, so it says in that article that Lela "ran off to America to pursue a career as an actress"! Maybe that's why we haven't found her in 1891 yet?

kiterunner
26-09-13, 11:36
So... the youngest "son", "Frank".

On the 1901 census he is Samuel Frank Leslie Cody, age 5, born Switzerland Basle, and on the 1911 he is S F L Cody, 14, born Switzerland. I know the birthplaces on those censuses are all lies and the ages quite suspect, so when and where was he actually born? They said on the programme that all the children were really Edward's, but they also said that he and Lela split up around 1891 so something doesn't add up.

anne fraser
26-09-13, 11:42
Hmm the Telegraph seems to have found out more about the family than the BBC. I think if I had been Lizzy I would have rather lived with my grandfather than join the family shooting act. I did not think Bright's disease was actually associated with alcoholism which tends to cause liver rather than kidney damage. I did get irritated by the producers making John Simpson try everything. I wonder how they worked out that his ability to shoot straight was genetic.

I hope the next series gets back to genealogy. On a Cody web site the youngest son is said to be Lela's.

kiterunner
26-09-13, 11:46
Samuel Franklyn Cody, 2nd Lieutenant, Royal Flying Corps, killed in action 23 Jan 1917. He seems to have got married in 1913 so I'm guessing he was older than 14 in 1911. But if he was Edward's son I guess he had a completely different name at birth! Probably the information is somewhere around already though...

kiterunner
26-09-13, 11:46
I hope the next series gets back to genealogy. On a Cody web site the youngest son is said to be Lela's.

All the sons were Lela's, surely? I was just trying to work out who his father was.

anne fraser
26-09-13, 11:52
Sorry I meant Samuel's. Samuel's real name was Cowdery. http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/polcrt/FSCowdery.html. He changed it when he claimed he was the son of Buffalo Bill who was William Coady.

Here is the grave of the Coady's at Aldershot. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=93235979

kiterunner
26-09-13, 11:58
Right, I see.

Samuel jr's age at death (in 1917) is shown as 21 on the CWGC site and it says "Son of Lela M. Cody, of Vale Croft, Ash Vale, Surrey and the late aircraft pioneer, Samuel F. Cody; husband of Maude H. Cody, of 'Notre Dame', Church Road, Aldershot, Surrey." The marriage to Maude is Apr-Jun 1913.

kiterunner
26-09-13, 12:03
Samuel Franklyn Cody (jr)'s service papers are available on TNA site for £3.36 but his date of birth is not shown in the description and some of the other officers' dates of births are. So I'm guessing his date of birth is not shown in the service record.

Shona
26-09-13, 12:08
Right, I see.

Samuel jr's age at death (in 1917) is shown as 21 on the CWGC site and it says "Son of Lela M. Cody, of Vale Croft, Ash Vale, Surrey and the late aircraft pioneer, Samuel F. Cody; husband of Maude H. Cody, of 'Notre Dame', Church Road, Aldershot, Surrey." The marriage to Maude is Apr-Jun 1913.

Just been looking at that. A public tree on Ancestry names his wife as Maud Heliere Carroll.

Shona
26-09-13, 12:10
Samuel Franklyn Cody (jr)'s service papers are available on TNA site for £3.36 but his date of birth is not shown in the description and some of the other officers' dates of births are. So I'm guessing his date of birth is not shown in the service record.

His air certificate papers are on Ancestry with a pic. Birthplace is Basel.

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=royalaeroclub&rank=1&new=1&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=angs-d&gsfn=Samuel&gsfn_x=NN&gsln=Cody&gsln_x=NN&cpxt=1&catBucket=rstp&uidh=fpy&cp=11&pcat=37&fh=1&h=25524&recoff=&ml_rpos=2

kiterunner
26-09-13, 12:12
His date of birth is shown as 7 Sep 1895, birthplace Basle, nationality British, on this card:
Index card (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1283/31032_A200005-00118/25524?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2 fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dRoyalAeroClub%26db%3d%26so%3d 2%26rank%3d0%26gsfn%3dsam*%26gsln%3dcody%26sx%3d%2 6gs1co%3d1%252cAll%2bCountries%26gs1pl%3d1%252c%2b %26year%3d%26yearend%3d%26sbo%3d0%26sbor%3d%26ufr% 3d0%26wp%3d4%253b_80000002%253b_80000003%26srchb%3 dr%26prox%3d1%26ti%3d5538%26ti.si%3d0%26gss%3dangs-b&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

This is the "album page" but nationality is not mentioned so I wonder where it was taken from for the index card.
photo (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1283/31032_A200027-00077/25524?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2 fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dRoyalAeroClub%26db%3d%26so%3d 2%26rank%3d0%26gsfn%3dsam*%26gsln%3dcody%26sx%3d%2 6gs1co%3d1%252cAll%2bCountries%26gs1pl%3d1%252c%2b %26year%3d%26yearend%3d%26sbo%3d0%26sbor%3d%26ufr% 3d0%26wp%3d4%253b_80000002%253b_80000003%26srchb%3 dr%26prox%3d1%26ti%3d5538%26ti.si%3d0%26gss%3dangs-b&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

Edit: Snap, Shona!

Shona
26-09-13, 12:26
Reading the book snippet I posted a link to earlier, it seems as if the Cody family were touring Europe in 1895 - there are mentions of Belgium, France and Germany. The snippet ends too early, though. Another source (connected to the purchase of Cody family papers at Sotheby's) states that 'by 1897, Cody and his family returned the act to England'.

Olde Crone
26-09-13, 20:34
I too felt rather cheated. If I'd wanted to know about Sam Cody I could have read a book or even watched a documentary. I don't see the point in finding a FAMOUS ancestor, other than as a passing mention. In John Simpsons' case, the answer to WDYTYA? is, well, you certainly aren't a Cody!

On the whole I feel this series hasn't quite hit the mark. There's very little genealogical research shown and although I have enjoyed most of the programmes in this series, that's more an enjoyment of a documentary. I am thankful for small mercies in that this series has steered away from the endless WW1 and WW2 minutiae but I do feel overall that the format needs to go back to what it originally was.

Thought: perhaps they have steered away from the original format because the GRO has asked them to, lol. It struggled with the upsurge of certificate requests, I bet that has stopped.

OC