The second episode of the new series of Who Do You Think You Are? continues tonight with actor and director, Brian Blessed. Brian was born in Mexborough, Yorkshire, the son of a socialist miner.
However, the programme traces his roots back to Jabez Blessed in the early 1800s. Born in London and orphaned at an early age, then separated from his siblings, Jabez earns money begging and performing acrobatic tricks around Covent Garden. He appears to have a confident and determined personality as he works his way up to become a fairly successful glass and china salesman.
There's more details and a preview of the programme on TheGenealogist website.
It promises to be another interesting episode, looking at the ups and downs of a Victorian family. The programme is on tonight on BBC1 at 9pm. Will you be watching?
Brian Blessed features tonight on Who Do You Think You Are?
What did you think of the first episode of the new series of 'Who Do You Think You Are?' featuring Julie Walters last night? With the series celebrating its tenth anniversary, the first episode got off to a strong start with a look at the Irish ancestors of Julie Walters and their struggles to get fairer rents and conditions for Irish tenant farmers, as part of the Irish National Land League, in what was known at the time as the 'Land War'. If you'd like to read a bit more, TheGenealogist.co.uk has put together a special feature looking further at Julie's ancestry.
To view the special feature, visit TheGenealogist website. Hopefully the rest of the series will be just as good!
A great first episode of the new series of Who Do You Think You Are? featuring Julie Walters
This Saturday the 9th August, it's the Midlands Family History Fair at Worcester Warriors Rugby Club. The Fair is open from 10am to 4pm and entrance is only £3 per person. As well as numerous stalls to browse, there's a number of free talks in the Hindlip Suite including the popular 'Breaking Down Brick Walls in your Family History Research' from Mark Bayley of TheGenealogist and a talk on the Women's Voluntary Aid Detachments in World War 1 from Paul Handford and also the Secret Army- British Resistance Organisations 1938-45 from Malcolm Atkin.
There's a special offer on TheGenealogist and free goodie bags for the first 100 visitors to the TheGenealogist stand as show sponsor.
It promises to be a great fair. Will you be going?
This weekend sees the Midlands Family History Fair
The ever-popular genealogy show 'Who Do You Think You Are?' which embarks upon its 10th series tomorrow night, has a special show tonight on BBC1 looking back at the high points from past series.
In this special one-off show, the outstanding moments from the previous series are shown again, featuring the likes of Boris Johnson, Jeremy Paxman, showing humour and tragedy and even moments where celebrities find links to royalty.
The series has produced so many remarkable moments, showing the surprises and shocks that can be discovered in the quest to find out more about your ancestors. The one-off special is on BBC1 tonight at 10.35pm. Will you be watching tonight?
Who Do You Think You Are? special celebrating 10 years is on BBC1 tonight at 10.35pm
The first programme date and time has been announced for the new series of Who Do You Think You Are?
The first show features Julie Walters and will be screened on Thursday 7 August from 9pm to 10pm. Julie's roots take her back to County Mayo, Western Ireland ,where her great grandfather Anthony Clarke was one of the very first members of the Land League- a revolutionary organisation formed in 1879, which campaigned for more than 40 years for impoverished tenant farmers to have the rights to own their own land.
Julie Walters is first to appear on Who Do You Think You Are?
The running order for series 11 of Who Do You Think You Are? has been released by the BBC. There's no date on the when the first programme is (we presume a mid August start) but the first programme will feature Julie Walters. The final episode, featuring Billy Connolly, will mark the 100th episode of the programme. It should be a great series.
The full running order is as follows:
1. Julie Walters
2. Brian Blessed
3. Tamzin Outhwaite
4. Brendan O'Carroll
5. Sheridan Smith
6. Mary Berry
7. Martin Shaw
8. Reggie Yates
9. Twiggy
10. Billy Connolly
Julie Walters is first to appear on Who Do You Think You Are?
The BBC have now released the names of the celebrities taking part in the forthcoming 10th TV series of Who Do You Think You Are?
Much anticipated by family historians, the programme has no schedule date as yet but this is expected to be announced shortly. In the meantime, the celebrities to be featured include Mary Berry, Brian Blessed, Julie Walters, Billy Connolly, Martin Shaw, Tamzin Outhwaite, Twiggy, Reggie Yates, Brendan O'Carroll and Sheridan Smith.
It promises to be another great series and shows that even after a decade, the programme is still as popular as ever with us family historians. Will you be watching this summer and which celebrity are you most looking forward to seeing?
Mary Berry will be one of the celebrities featured on Who Do You Think You Are? this summer
With the launch of over 11 million new Tithe Records now available on TheGenealogist, it's now possible to discover more details on our ancestors before the census record years. Available online for the first time, TheGenealogist, in partnership with The National Archives, has released these unique records, which show life in England and Wales from the 1830s.
Amongst the new discoveries, the ancestors of Monty Python legends, John Cleese and Eric Idle are found in the Tithe records, as can the shared ancestor of Prince Harry and his girlfriend, Cressida Bonas. Both are related to Richard William Penn Curzon-Howe (1st Earl Howe). Earl Howe owned a substantial amount of land in both Suffolk and Buckinghamshire (the family ancestral home). Here is a copy of Earl Howe and his details in the Tithe Apportionment record now available to view online.
Earl Richard William Penn Curzon-Howe, ancestor of both Prince Harry and Cressida Bonas
The shared family tree of Harry and Cressida can be found on TreeView.
The great great Grandfather of John Cleese was a grocer, and is discovered in the Tithe Records living in a cottage in Westbury-upon-Trym. The father of John Cleese, Reginald, changed the family name from Cheese to Cleese before he joined the army in World War One. The Cheese/Cleese family tree is listed here. Fellow Python Eric Idle's ancestors hail from Lower Soothill in Yorkshire. Eric's three times great Grandfather was a blanket maker by profession and lived with his family in a cottage and shop with gardens as found in the tithe records. The Idle family tree can also be found here on TreeView.
Other discoveries in the Tithe records include the ancestors of Lord Seb Coe, former athlete, whose relative, Robert Coe, a school headmaster, is found on the Tithe records in Durham.
See the family history of Lord Coe onTreeView .
The Tithe Maps are to be added to TheGenealogist later in 2014. The Maps were the graphical representation of who owned or occupied the land and property in England and Wales.
The second phase of the project will link images of microfilm maps with the plot references. Launch is due Spring 2014. The third phase will digitise the large original maps in colour for each county at high resolution to enhance this unique resource. Launch due for this is 2015.
Mark Bayley, Head of Online Content at TheGenealogist concludes: “This has been an exciting, major project for us. The records touch upon the lives of every family so they really are a must–have for every family historian!”
Example of a Tithe Map shortly to be live on TheGenealogist
The team behind the Who Do You Think You Are? Live event have just announced the third celebrity appearing at the Olympia Show in February.
Former Eastenders actor Larry Lamb will be appearing in the Celebrity Theatre at 'Who Do You Think You Are? Live' on Friday 21st February along with series creator and Executive Producer, Alex Graham, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the 'Who Do You Think You Are?' series.
Alex and Larry (who appeared in the series in 2011) will also be joined by several members of the production team. There will be an in-depth conversation on how the series is made, a look at some personal highlights and the team will reveal some of the secrets from behind the scenes.
Tickets are available on the day but you can guarantee a seat in advance if you wish.
More details can be found on the Who Do You Think You Are? Live website.
The latest news from the organisers at Who Do You Think You Are? Live is that due to work commitments, John Simpson has unfortunately had to cancel his scheduled appearance as a celebrity guest speaker and has been replaced by newsreader and TV personality, Natasha Kaplinsky, who appeared in the Who Do You Think You Are? series in 2007.
Whilst a disappointment at the withdrawal of John Simpson with his links to the flamboyant showman and early aircraft pioneer Samuel Cody, Natasha's family history story was just as fascinating and very tragic in parts. Natasha Kaplinsky will be celebrity guest speaker on Thursday 20th February at 10.15 and 11.15am at London Olympia.
Another celebrity appearing is former athlete and now sports commentator, Colin Jackson CBE. Colin appeared in a previous series of Who Do You Think You Are? with an international tale of family originating from Jamaica and Panama. Colin will be celebrity guest speaker on Saturday 22nd February. If you'd like more information, visit http://www.whodoyouthinkyouarelive.com
Natasha Kaplinsky to appear at Who Do You Think You Are? Live this year.
