Who Do You Think You Are - Gregg Wallace 22nd Aug

[kiterunner]

And I would have liked to see what Selina died of, but maybe it would have caused too many tears!

[Ann from Sussex]

Very good episode but agree about the tears. I thought that even the historian seemed to be on the verge of tears at one point when they were talking about the little girl who died of burns.

I haven't come across a death from burning in my own tree but I suppose in the days of only candles for lighting and open fires for heating (and cooking in some cases), it would have been much more common than it is today, especially amongst small children. How awful.

[Vicwinann]

Originally Posted by Ann from Sussex

Very good episode but agree about the tears. I thought that even the historian seemed to be on the verge of tears at one point when they were talking about the little girl who died of burns.

I haven't come across a death from burning in my own tree but I suppose in the days of only candles for lighting and open fires for heating (and cooking in some cases), it would have been much more common than it is today, especially amongst small children. How awful.

Hello
Children being burnt was not restricted to the early 20th century. I have first hand knowledge of two such incidents in my own lifetime. One was an infant school friend who survived an accidental knocking over of an oil lamp before she started school, although the resulting horrendous disfigurement she had to live with for the rest of her life.
The other was a little boy who had the presence of mind to wrap his younger sister in a towel when her hair caught fire from a table candle flame. Both of them were burned but the girl's face was not disfigured, although he lost the use of his hands for about 3 months. People ooh and ahh at pretty farm cottages today but even up to the early 1960's some of them did not have gas or electric lighting, and open fires were the norm.
Thank heavens for fire retardant clothing legislation!

[Sue at the seaside]

Originally Posted by Vicwinann

People ooh and ahh at pretty farm cottages today but even up to the early 1960's some of them did not have gas or electric lighting, and open fires were the norm.
Thank heavens for fire retardant clothing legislation!

Slightly off topic, I haven't seen the prog yet, a treat for tonight!!! but this point is so true, also have a friend badly burned in the 60s. I also fell into the open fire at home, the fire guard had been taken down as I was out at a party, got back and was a vey excited 4 year old, spun round and fell into the fire. Quick reactions prevented any injury whatsoever, but a narrow escape.

We moved into a flat in 1973 with no electricity supply, it had been lived in by an old lady and lit by candles, very risky! there was provision for gas lamps but she didn't use them. This was no quaint pretty area, but Hackney in East London

[Olde Crone]

Rachel

I am seeing Henry's situation from a slightly different angle! In 1922 when he COULD have obtained a divorce, got custody of his son and made a decent woman out of Emily 2...he didn't.

When Emily2 died, he could easily have found a live in housekeeper and kept his children. Of course, I don't know how he felt or what his circumstances were but I don't think we can say he was "forced" to give up his second family.

Yes, I wanted to know what Selina died of. She wasn't all that old.

OC

[Nell]

Well, I enjoyed this episode, it was certainly "crowded with incident" as Lady Bracknell would say.

But as a more experienced family historian than Gregg, I was able to hold back the tears and also the judgments. We don't know what might have happened had Henry got custody of his son, we can only speculate. No-one except the spouses knows what goes on in the privacy of a marriage and its very likelyt hey have 2 different versions!

[kiterunner]

Originally Posted by Rachel A

and then had to put his daughters up for adoption after Emily 2 was tragically killed...

They were fostered out, but evidently stayed in touch with him or even went back to live with him later, since one of them was the informant on his death certificate.

[Rishile]

It occurred to me that when Emily (1)'s baby died in the fire, if it had been the other child, Gregg wouldn't be here. After all, both children were in the bed and the bed caught fire too.

Rishile

Originally Posted by Rishile

It occurred to me that when Emily (1)'s baby died in the fire, if it had been the other child, Gregg wouldn't be here. After all, both children were in the bed and the bed caught fire too.

Rishile

He did say on the program at one point its a wonder I'm here or something like that but that goes for a lot of people if you look back at their FH.

[kiterunner]

Just thinking about the divorce papers - shouldn't they state Vera's supposed parentage? Also, I think they showed Vera's birth certificate, didn't they? Does anybody know what it said for father's name?