Who Do You Think You Are - Ian McKellen 25th Jan

[kiterunner]

On BBC1 at 8 p.m., and repeated next Tuesday night / Wednesday morning at 00.05 a.m.

[Guinevere]

Loved it!

[Ann from Sussex]

Loved it!

Me too. It must be wonderful to discover that you have inherited a particular talent from a hitherto-unknown relative. I know exactly what he meant when he said his discoveries had made him feel more secure as a person because I feel the same way since discovering all those people who shared the same genes as me. It gives me a sense of my place in the world that I didn't have before.

[kiterunner]

Episode synopsis:

Sir Ian McKellen was born in North Lancashire. His family moved to Bolton when he was 11. His mother died when he was 12, and his father when he was 24. His sister Jean died a few years ago, leaving Ian as the last of the family. Ian's paternal grandmother, Alice McKellen, nee Murray, who died two years before Ian's birth, was a singer, known as "Mother Mac", and he wanted to know more about her.

Ian went to Cheshire, where Alice had lived with her husband William McKellen just outside Stockport. They were involved with the Christian Endeavour Church at Hatherley. Ian visited the church and was shown his own baptism record stating that he was baptised there on the 20th Aug 1939. In 1902 the Christian Endeavour movement held a big gathering in Manchester (the Manchester Convention). Ian was shown the programme which listed Mr W H McKellen as the Secretary and Miss Murray as singing a solo. The family story was that this was how the couple met.

Ian was shown the birth certificate of Alice Beatrice Murray, born Aug 1879 in Stretford, Manchester. Her father was William Whyte Murray and her mother was Alice Murray nee Lowes.
The 1871 census showed Alice Lowes, age 21, with her father Robert Lowes, a widower, her brother Frank Lowes, an actor, and their younger siblings. Ian went to Manchester Central Library to meet a theatrical historian who showed him various playbills and reviews of plays which Frank appeared in. An advert from "The Era" dated 1875 said that both Frank Lowe and his wife had been cast in the play "The Two Orphans" which James Pitney Weston was putting on at Bolton Theatre and Opera House, having bought the rights to it outside of London. Ian went to Bolton to meet another theatrical historian who showed him an advert announcing Frank's 150th appearance in the play, which closed when James Weston emigrated to the USA.

A copy of "The Era" from 1884 had Frank Lowe appearing in a poorly-attended play at Coventry Theatre Royal. The 1891 census showed Frank and his wife Ellen living in Liverpool (Ellen's home town) with no children. The historian couldn't find anything in the archives relating to Frank's career between 1886 and 1889, so Ian went to Liverpool to meet another theatrical historian who showed him a newspaper clipping from 1892 where "Mr Frank Lowe with company" was last on the bill at the Paddington Palace of Varieties. The historian couldn't find any more records of Frank on stage, but the admissions book for Liverpool Workhouse showed that Frank Lowe, actor, married, of 4 Mill Row, was admitted in 1893 with bronchial problems by his wife Ellen, of 8 Moor Place. Frank's death certificate showed that he died on the 2nd Jan 1894 in Liverpool Workhouse, age 47, with cause of death shown as phthisis (i.e. TB) and exhaustion.

Ian then went to Salford Town Hall to find out more about his 2xg-grandfather Robert Lowes, who was shown as a clerk on the 1841 census but reported in the Manchester Times of 1843 as giving lectures on humour and pathos for the Salford Lyceum at the Town Hall, each lecture concluding with a "dramatic illustration". The Manchester Courier of Sep 1843 reported on a public meeting of warehouse employees asking for a half-day holiday every Friday afternoon, later changed to Saturday afternoons, and Mr R J Lowes was named as the Hon Sec of the campaign. Another historian showed Ian the lists of signatures of employees requesting the holiday, including Robert J Lowes, Hon Sec, and of employers agreeing to close the warehouses at 1 p.m. every Saturday, starting on the 10th Nov 1843.

Ian met a social historian in Manchester who told him that in 1845 Robert became a printer and publisher, printing the "Lancashire Witches Holiday Herald", a magazine which campaigned for the half-day holiday to be extended to other workers, such as seamstresses. Ian was shown a report in the Manchester Times from 1845 about a speech by Robert Lowe, and a response in the Manchester Courier stating that many employers had agreed to the half-day holiday, which soon spread to other cities. The Committee carried on campaigning for social welfare through the 1850's and 1860's, with their final charitable donation being £4,000 towards the building of the Warehousemen's Orphans' School at Cheadle Hulme - the school which Ian's paternal grandfather, William McKellen, would later attend.

Ian visited the school, and the school historian showed him that Robert Lowes was listed as a subscriber in 1869, after the death of his wife Jane, age 48, in Jan 1868. Robert's own death certificate showed that Robert Jacques Lowes died of emphysema in 1874 at the age of 56. His obituary said that he was a native of Carlisle, the son of Mr James Lowes, the engraver of Hutchinson's History of Cumberland published in 1794. It also said that Robert had worked in newspapers before becoming a warehouse clerk.

Ian went to Carlisle to meet the curator of the Tully House Museum and Art Gallery, which had a copy of the book, with James Lowes' engravings. Ian went to Bassenthwaite Lake which was the subject of one of the pictures, and was shown a newspaper advert from 1802 announcing J Lowes' drawing school.

[vita]

Loved it!

Me too, Gwynne. But then I love him anyway.

And I know just what you mean,Ann. I found those sentiments very familiar.

[maggie_4_7]

What a lovely man he is.

[Anstey Nomad]

Watching it now. Isn't he lovely, and isn't this all fascinating?

[Shona]

Just caught up with this episode. Thoroughly enjoyable.

[vita]

Did you notice how caring he was with the librarian - supporting the ladder & helping her

with the heavy volume? Such a gentleman. Love him even more.

[Ann from Sussex]

Did you notice how caring he was with the librarian - supporting the ladder & helping her

with the heavy volume? Such a gentleman. Love him even more.

Yes, I did. I just liked everything about him.....such a warm, kind man I thought.

[vita]

How about we form an appreciation society? We could call ourselves the Genealogical

Groupies.

Feeling inspired, I've just written what I hope is a summary of our feelings:-


Oh,Ian - how we love your style!

Won't you stop by here awhile?

Weave your magic,cast your spell.

Those buff,fit guys can go to Hell!


Who needs beefcake,who needs brawn?

When we can watch where you were born.

Enjoying every fresh reveal,

Imagining just how you feel.


We love the way you'd nailed the art

Of thespian chic, you looked the part,

With jaunty hat, dramatic coat.

Oh, Ian - you have got our vote!


But most of all we loved you for

The way you were, not what you wore.

Humble, kind, your tone just right,

True gentleman and worthy knight.

[Guinevere]

:d:d:d:d:d

[Ann from Sussex]

Vita triumphs again! Wouldn't it be lovely if Sir Ian saw that?

[vita]

Vita triumphs again! Wouldn't it be lovely if Sir Ian saw that?

Thanks Gwynne & Ann. Well, I've no objection if somebody wants to send it to him(!)

[Ann from Sussex]

Thanks Gwynne & Ann. Well, I've no objection if somebody wants to send it to him(!)

W-e-l-l.....if anyone who is on Facebook or Twitter cares to, it looks as though you may be able to get in touch with him there via his official website:

http://www.mckellen.com

I'm not a member of either so can't do it, otherwise I would. I suspect he would love Vita's poem. :)

[vita]

You're very kind, Ann. I'm not a member either, but then modesty forbids ......

Would be nice for him to know how we feel, though.

[Jenoco]

Well done, Vita!
I watched this last night and enjoyed it - he really is a lovely man.

[vita]

Well done, Vita!
I watched this last night and enjoyed it - he really is a lovely man.

Thanks, Jenny - yes, a worthy knight indeed.