Who Do You Think You Are - Sheridan Smith 4th Sep

[kiterunner]

BBC1 at 9 p.m.

[Anstey Nomad]

I have never knowingly heard of her or seen her - are they running out of 'celebrities'?

[Langley Vale Sue]

Did you ever watch 'Gavin and Stacey'? She played Smithy's sister in that.

[kiterunner]

And she was the sidekick in some specials of Jonathan Creek.

[Margaret in Burton]

She's been in loads of things recently. Won a BAFTA or some other award for her portrayal of Mrs Biggs ( as in Ronnie Biggs).

[Anstey Nomad]

SPOILER ALERT

Here's the skinny on her

http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2014/who-do-you-think-you-are/sheridan-smith-156/

[Guinevere]

I quite enjoyed that apart from her calling it a journey and the banjos, of course.

[kiterunner]

Episode synopsis:

Sheridan Smith's parents Colin Mark, known as Mark, and Madeleine (or Marilyn) live in North Lincolnshire, near to Doncaster, and perform as a country and western duo at the Top Club. Her father served in the army in Egypt in the 1950's. He told Sheridan what he knew of his family history. His father, who Sheridan never met, was a professional classical cellist in an orchestra, and Sheridan's grandmother Hetty played the piano.
Hetty's father William Doubleday was the boss at the steelworks.


Mark showed Sheridan a picture of three members of the Doubleday family who were known as the Darrell Trio and played the banjo.
Sheridan went to Sheffield where she found out that William's father (her 2xg-grandfather) Benjamin Doubleday was born on the 17th Feb 1856 at the Union Workhouse in New Sleaford. He married Sarah Jane Collins on the 7th Mar 1883 and they had four children: May Fanny, William, Harriet, and Caroline. Caroline was born on the 5th Apr 1890 and her birth certificate showed her father as a teacher of music.
An 1886 report in the Sheffield & Rotherham Independent on a fund-raising concert mentioned that Mr B Doubleday performed on the banjo. Another newspaper report about the performance of the Canadian "Bohee Brothers" at the Sheffield Albert Hall in 1889 mentioned that Mr and Mrs Doubleday and several of their banjo pupils also performed.
Sheridan visited Sheffield Archives and was shown an 1891 ad from The Era for a pianiste, solo harpist and solo violinist to complete Mr B Doubleday's Ladies Choir. There was an 1891 review of "The Royal American Choir" (as it was named) in the Sheffield & Rotherham Independent. Then a review of the choir during their 2 month booking at Sanger's Circus said that they were not attracting as big an audience as expected. An ad showed that they were letting the audience pay what they liked instead of charging a fixed entry fee, to try to attract more people.
At Sheffield Local History Library, Sheridan was shown the trade directory for 1893 where Benjamin Doubleday was listed as a victualler at the Woodman Inn, South Street, Moor. The pub is no longer standing but she was shown some pictures.
The Sheffield Evening Telegraph of 7th Feb 1894 reported that the roof of the Woodman Inn fell in during a storm. Then early in 1895 there was a fire, and another fire was reported on the 5th Jul 1895. Benjamin had been the only member of the family at home and his wife and children had left him, taking most of the furniture with them. On the 26 Nov 1895 the paper reported that he had appeared at Sheffield City Police Court charged with attempted arson and attempting to defraud the Royal Insurance Company. A few weeks later it was reported that he was found not guilty and discharged.

Sheridan met her second cousin Louisa Gingell who has also been researching the family. She showed Sheridan that on the 1901 census, Sarah Jane is in Birmingham with William and Caroline while Benjamin, May and Harriet are in Sheffield listed as music teacher, professional pianist and professional vocalist respectively. Louisa explained that the picture which Sheridan's father had given her was of Benjamin, May and Harriet ("Etty"). A playbill from the Palace Theatre showed that they were performing on the vaudeville circuit as the Darrell Trio.

Benjamin's death certificate from 1907 showed that he died of heart disease at the age of 50. Louisa said that the family story was that he was an alcoholic. Sheridan was shown an obituary from Banjo World.

[Olde Crone]

All you ever wished to know about banjos.

I am afraid I gave up halfway through. Hope I didn't miss the best bit?

OC

[ElizabethHerts]

Sheridan's parents married in 1965 in Swansea. I wonder if she has any siblings - she was rather an afterthought.

I thought it actually covered very little in an hour. I was waiting for something more all the time.

[kiterunner]

All you ever wished to know about banjos.

I am afraid I gave up halfway through. Hope I didn't miss the best bit?


Not really. She did improve a bit at banjo playing by the end.

[kiterunner]

Sheridan's parents married in 1965 in Swansea. I wonder if she has any siblings - she was rather an afterthought.

I thought it actually covered very little in an hour. I was waiting for something more all the time.

This story from the Telegraph says that her eldest brother Julian died from cancer when he was 18:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/9469010/Sheridan-Smith-My-brothers-death-inspired-my-success.html.
She also has another brother, Damian.

[Shona]

Lovely pic of May on this banjo forum...

http://classic-banjo.ning.com/photo/imgp1210

Includes posts by Sheridan's Gingell cousin, who was featured, plus another cousin.

[kiterunner]

I noticed that on the 1901 census entry, Benjamin, May and Etty were down as "visitors", so maybe the whole family lived in Birmingham and those three were just on a visit back to Sheffield?

[kiterunner]

Here is the Doubleday family in 1891:
1891 census on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/6598/WRYRG12_3814_3816-0293/6102456?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fMS_AdvCB%3d1%26db%3duki1891%26rank %3d1%26new%3d1%26so%3d3%26MSAV%3d2%26pcat%3dROOT_C ATEGORY%26gss%3dms_r_db%26gsfn%3dben*%26gsln%3ddou bleday%26dbOnly%3d_F0003038%257c_F0003038_x%26dbOn ly%3d_F00027B9%257c_F00027B9_x%26dbOnly%3d_F000303 9%257c_F0003039_x%26dbOnly%3d_F000303A%257c_F00030 3A_x%26dbOnly%3d_83004006%257c_83004006_x%26dbOnly %3d_F00032DB%257c_F00032DB_x%26uidh%3dvm5%26mssng0 %3dsarah%26mssng0_x%3d1&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)
Benjamin is listed as Choir Master.

The Doubleday "visitors" in 1901:
1901 census on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7814/YRKRG13_4347_4349-0750/27694058?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26db%3duki1901%26new%3d1 %26gsfn%3dben*%26gsln%3ddoubleday%26rank%3d1%26gss %3dangs-d%26sbo%3d0%26uidh%3dvm5%26pcat%3d35%26fh%3d2%26h% 3d27694058%26recoff%3d%26ml_rpos%3d3&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord)
Just looking for the rest in Birmingham...

[ElizabethHerts]

This story from the Telegraph says that her eldest brother Julian died from cancer when he was 18:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/9469010/Sheridan-Smith-My-brothers-death-inspired-my-success.html.
She also has another brother, Damian.

Very sad. I noticed he had the second name "Darrell".

[kiterunner]

Hmm, this is the 1901 entry that the Gingell family tree on ancestry links to. Is this what it showed on the programme? :confused: Sarah down as "Jane Brown" wife of John J Brown a casement maker?

1901 census on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7814/WORRG13_2817_2818-0712/16082325?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3duki1901%26h%3d16082325%26ti%3 d5538%26indiv%3dtry%26gss%3dpt%26ssrc%3dpt_t966057 8_p-757140546_kpidz0q3d-757140546z0q26aidz0q3d17984736781z0q26pgz0q3d32771 z0q26pgplz0q3dpidz0q257caid&ssrc=pt_t9660578_p-757140546_kpidz0q3d-757140546z0q26aidz0q3d17984736781z0q26pgz0q3d32771 z0q26pgplz0q3dpidz0q257caid&backlabel=ReturnRecord)
248 Montague Rd, Smethwick, Worcestershire
John J Brown Head M 45 Casement Maker Scotland
Jane Do Wife M 39 Yorkshire Sheffield
William Do Son S 17 Machine Minder (iron screws) Do Do
Caroline Do Daur 10 Do Do

Edit - I've checked on iplayer, and it is! Think they should have gone into this in detail instead of wasting all that time with Sheridan learning to play the banjo.

[kiterunner]

According to the Gingell family tree, this is Benjamin with his parents in 1861:
1861 census on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/8767/WRYRG9_3479_3482-0241/11518144?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3duki1861%26h%3d11518144%26ti%3 d5538%26indiv%3dtry%26gss%3dpt%26ssrc%3dpt_t966057 8_p-745794588_kpidz0q3d-745794588z0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q26pgplz0q3dpid&ssrc=pt_t9660578_p-745794588_kpidz0q3d-745794588z0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q26pgplz0q3dpid&backlabel=ReturnRecord)
34 Lambert St, Sheffield
Benjamin Doubleday Head M 46 Collar & Harness Maker Notts Granby
Harriet Do Wife M 45 Lincoln Folkingham
Thomas H Do Son 10 Scholar London Middlesex
Harriet A Do Daur 8 Do Newark Notts
Mary I Do Daur 7 Do Do Do
Benjamin Do Son 5 Do Sleaford Lincoln

And on the 1881 census he is a "Clothing Agent":
1881 census on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7572/WRYRG11_4661_4664-0408/25652507?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fMS_AdvCB%3d1%26db%3duki1881%26rank %3d1%26new%3d1%26so%3d3%26MSAV%3d2%26pcat%3d1881UK I%26gss%3dms_r_db%26gsfn%3dben*%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gs ln%3dd*d*y%26gsln_x%3dXO%26gskw%3dsl*f*d*%26gskw_x %3d1%26dbOnly%3d_F00027B9%257c_F00027B9_x%26dbOnly %3d_F0003039%257c_F0003039_x%26dbOnly%3d_F000303A% 257c_F000303A_x%26dbOnly%3d_83004006%257c_83004006 _x%26dbOnly%3d_F00032DB%257c_F00032DB_x%26uidh%3dv m5&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

[kiterunner]

Ooh, May Fanny Collins was born Apr-Jun 1881 (Sheffield district) - two years before Benjamin and Sarah Jane got married! I wonder whether Benjamin was actually her father or not?

[Margaret in Burton]

I thought she was a refreshingly normal woman. Maybe it wasn't rivetingly interesting for other people but I can imagine if it had been my family I would have gone though the same emotions as her. I have done in the past when I discovered that a nephew of my great grandmother had died in WW1 and left a pregnant wife. I cried. I didn't know them, they weren't even closely related but it got to me.

As for people not knowing who she is, well she's in loads of stuff.

[Guinevere]

She seems like a genuine sort of person but, like others in the past, I don't believe it was all new to her or her father. They had the photo with the banjos.

I stuck it out to the end but I don't like this concentrating one ancestor and could have done without the time wasted in banjo shops and northern clubs.

[Shona]

I thought the prof was a tad creepy.

[Olde Crone]

Marg

I think you've hit the nail on the head - rivetingly interesting for HER because it was her family but pretty uninteresting for the rest of us!

I recognised her as soon as I saw her but couldn't have told you her name until now.

OC

[Ann from Sussex]

Anyone feel inspired by that to learn how to play the banjo?

No, I thought not!

I thought the prof was a tad creepy.

Didn't he make the most of his 15 minutes of flirty fame?

[maggie_4_7]

She seems like a genuine sort of person but, like others in the past, I don't believe it was all new to her or her father. They had the photo with the banjos.

I stuck it out to the end but I don't like this concentrating one ancestor and could have done without the time wasted in banjo shops and northern clubs.


Agrees although I haven't seen this episode it appears to be the new format and I don't like it.

What's interesting is who the ancestors are and what the ancestors did but I don't want to see the WDYTYA subject trying to do it too.

I want to see a few generations (a mini tree) don't need to flesh it out to much, a bit but not to much because in one hour you can't do that and I want surprises for both the audience and the subject and also a step by step guide on how they got that information. Do I want to much?

[Ann from Sussex]

She's been in loads of things recently. Won a BAFTA or some other award for her portrayal of Mrs Biggs ( as in Ronnie Biggs).

She is a very good actress who I've seen in quite a few things. She will soon be on TV playing Cilla Black in a series about her early life and rise to fame. Here's a trailer:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2728000/Looks-like-lorra-lorra-drama-Sheridan-Smith-dazzles-trailer-new-biopic-charting-rise-Cilla-Black.html

I have always been a fan of Cilla's, especially in the days when we were both young (she is 7 months older than me) and Sheridan Smith could BE the young Cilla, both in looks and voice. I was surprised last night at what a good singer she is (much better than her mother I thought) and she demonstrates that in this trailer too.

[Nell]

Sheridan Smith is a very talented actress and I am sure will go on to better things. She was in a mini-series playing Charmian, wife to train-robber Ronnie Biggs and before that a sitcom called "Two pints of lager". The trailers for Cilla look excellent. She's also done Hedda Gabler on stage.

*do I get the idea that OC isn't very keen on banjos?*

[Olde Crone]

Nell

Banjos, like bagpipes, are ok in very small doses!

OC

[vita]

A little late picking up this thread - have to say I'm a great Sheridan Smith fan.

She's so versatile. I remember her being cast in the musical version of "Legally Blonde"

a couple of years ago & after hearing her sing on WDYTYA I can see why it was thought

she could carry a West End show.

True, last Thursday's episode was extremely banjo- heavy, but she's so natural &

unaffected that I forgave that.

A few years ago, when she was James Corden's girlfriend, the two of them were driving

back from the north when they took a wrong turn & got lost near here. They called into

a local bar for directions & then bought everyone a drink! How lovely is that?