New Series of WDYTYA - Thurs 7th Aug, BBC1

Alicat

New series is starting this Thursday, 7th August, on BBC1 at 9pm. There is also a special programme on the night before (Wednesday, 6th Aug, 10:35pm) celebrating 10 years of the show and interviewing past participants.

This year's list:

• Julie Walters (7th Aug)
• Brain Blessed (14th Aug)
• Tamzin Outwaite (21st Aug)
• Brendan O'Carroll (28th Aug)
• Sheridan Smith (4th Sept)
• Mary Berry (18th Sept)
• Martin Shaw (25th Sept)
• Reggie Yates (2nd Oct)
• Twiggy (9th Oct)
• Billy Connolly (16th Oct)

rhapsody

Thanks for that, I have it series-linked now. The BBC ones are great

Alicat

What did you all think of the first episode? Not a whole heap of genealogy, and found it a little boring.

pedroeibar1

Alicat wrote: »

What did you all think of the first episode? Not a whole heap of genealogy, and found it a little boring.

They picked one of eight (or was it 16?) possible leads, so not much genealogy there. More a potted history of the lead-up to the Land Acts than genealogy, which rarely gets a look-in. Cannot expect the sponsors to say that the Census is free on-line. Not boring, IMO, but Land League 101. They missed the opportunity to mention ‘Boycott’ which was an abysmal ‘fail’ given the topic. All the females went to Joan Burton’s hairdresser (not sexist, just that 99% of the men had no hair!)

Alicat

I just thought they focused on Anthony Clarke and the L.L. stuff a bit too much. They could've fit all that into the first half hour with no problem, and explored another little bit of her family.

The photos of the eviction were very interesting. I'd never seen those before, particularly the battering ram for knocking down the walls.

L1011

Alicat wrote: »

The photos of the eviction were very interesting. I'd never seen those before, particularly the battering ram for knocking down the walls.

A trip to Glenveagh might be interesting - as that was used to clear the valley pretty effectively (and horrifyingly)

Jellybaby1

More history than genealogy. The way it was produced, the subject (Julie Walters), God love her, was sent on an emotional roller coaster. I did enjoy it, however by the end I was much more interested in Cummings Buchanan, who was he, where was he from etc. Would have loved to have heard more about that family. Aah! I well remember the old days when WDYTYA was only about ordinary folk.

On another note, it is interesting that Irish history is not taught very much in the UK. My own relatives in the UK are completely ignorant of what went on here over hundreds of years. Surely there must be some way this can be included in the UK school curriculum, they learn about French history after all as it was so entwined with English history. Maybe the WDYTYA programme was just a little introduction for the uninformed.

Looking forward to Brian Blessed next week.

shanew

I'll have to scan through again, but pretty sure they referred to Ballynamarroge as a hamlet, and avoided the term townland, thought it would have been better to use the correct term, also might have been an idea to mention what the page copied from the Revision/Cancelled Land book was.

People who never heard of the Land Issue here could have picked up some of the background on the issue

Must have a look for Anthony travelling to America, possibly as part of a Land League fund raising tour.

KildareFan

Anthony had lots of trips to the court for assault up to 1891, according to the records on FMP. Agree the really interesting rellie was Cummins Buchanan. Haven't found much about him, other than a Cummin Buchanan died in 1888.

The land league stuff was really interesting for context & some interesting archival material was introduced which isn't online as far as I know.

shanew

quite a legal history, something every year or two for him. Couple of names crop up several times, and also one very serious charge back as far as 1884.

shanew

think that 1884 charge is the one they mentioned - the name of the victim is James Joyce.

jos28

Big fan of Julie Walters so I was really looking forward to the programme. Like others I felt that it focused too much on the Land League. Although it will provide a good history lesson for viewers. Whatever about those who went through the Irish school system, I'm sure UK viewers knew very little on the subject.
I agree that it could have been covered in 30 mins leaving more time to explore Mr Buchanan. Where did he come from ? How did he end up in the Landlord's pocket ?

KildareFan

From Griffiths valuation about 1855:
Common Buchanan Toberrooaun, Parish of Aghagower
House offices land 37 acres; valuation £19-10-0 + some commonage.
Rented from Marquis of Sligo, Westport House

Death index:
Cummin Buchanan, born abt 1813; died 1888 aged 75; according to the will calendars, he died 27 April 1888, and left effects worth £227-5-0. http://www.willcalendars.nationalarchives.ie/reels/cwa/005014902/005014902_00047.pdf

1901:
There was an Andrew Buchanan [age 41, farmer, RC] and Mary Buchanan [age 26] living at House 2, Teberreeaun (Aghagewer South, Mayo in 1901 census http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Mayo/Aghagewer_South/Teberreeaun/1603731/
House, 5 windows, 5 rooms for 2 people; 6 outbuildings

1911
Mary was a widow in 1911, living house 5 Toberrooaun, Aughagower, but the kids were:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Mayo/Aughagower__South/Toberrooaun/745329/
Buchanan Cumon 8
Buchanan Martin 7
Buchanan Mary Ellen 5
Buchanan Andrew 3

So there may still be Cummin or Cumon or Common Buchanans who are startled to know they are related to Julie Walters!

Also of interest is the three different spellings of the townland between Griffiths and the 1901, 1911 census

Common was fined 6p and 1/- costs for allowing two asses to wander on the roads....27 May 1869

And here's the grave inscription:
Last Name Buchanan
Place AUGHAGOWER ROMAN CATHOLIC
County Mayo
Memorial Lord have mercy on the soul/ of/ Andrew Buchanan/ Tubberaune/ who died 14th May 1909/ aged 50 years/ and of his parents/ Cummon Buchanan/ who died 1st May 1888/ Ellen Buchanan/ who died 23rd April 1898/ also his wife Mary/ died 12th Feb 1918 aged 45 years/ and their son Cummon/ died 15th Dec 1966 aged 64 years

Waitsian

Having just finished watching it, I must say I found the whole thing fascinating.

rhapsody

On the one hand, it was nice to have a pretty in-depth look at one part of Julie's family and I have sometimes found in other shows that what looks like an interesting lead isn't pursued. I would have liked more info on Anthony Clarke going to America though. On the other hand, as Alicat says, they could have covered this in half of the show & looked at another side of the family/ particular relation for the other half. Though of course, as Jellybaby1 says, what is familiar history to most of us is not so familiar for others & the historical background is needed for context.
I wonder was Julie particularly interested in the Irish side. Or was there just not much info on other relatives (wasn't it Michael Parkinson who said they were going to do a show on him but couldn't find 'interesting' stories to make into a programme)? Or do the producers have particular topics they want to cover/ not cover something that's been done in depth before?

pinkypinky

I enjoyed it. We all know that WDYTYA has moved on from doing real genealogy to focusing on one or two interesting stories. It's good to give UK viewers an education on the Land League stuff - I'm still bitter about the 2 years of history that seemed to be only about it. I could actually hear my teacher making us recite "fair rent, fixity of tenure"!

P. Breathnach

pinkypinky wrote: »

I enjoyed it. We all know that WDYTYA has moved on from doing real genealogy to focusing on one or two interesting stories. It's good to give UK viewers an education on the Land League stuff - I'm still bitter about the 2 years of history that seemed to be only about it. I could actually hear my teacher making us recite "fair rent, fixity of tenure"!

You forgot "free sale"!

shanew

I think they are great way of passing on some details of general history, when a family story like that of Anthony is tied in to events like Land League, they register much better. The non-UK programs are great for picking up details on History around the World, US Civil and Revolutionary wars, Land Pioneers in Australia, etc. Some of the Canada and Australian programs were on YouTube, not sure if they still are, but are often in sections, not always complete, but worth looking out for.

Coolnabacky1873

shanew wrote: »

Some of the Canada and Australian programs were on YouTube, not sure if they still are, but are often in sections, not always complete, but worth looking out for.

I wrote a blogpost recently for US folk highlighting the Irish episodes on Youtube from British WDYTYA

http://www.townlandoforigin.com/2014/08/going-beyond-wdytya-usa.html?m=1

shanew

It looks like Lauren Graham, one of the upcoming participants of WDYTYA US Ser. 5, might have some Irish Ancestry somewhere along the line ... she mentions it in this interview, so maybe there's a chance of some Irish research in her episode

Coolnabacky1873

Good man Shane, keeping us up to date with all the celebrity gossip

shanew

one more for your UK list, didn't check YouTube yet - Barbara Windsor, Ser. 3, also had a Irish connection - think it included a trip to a famine graveyard in Co. Cork

P. Breathnach

And Alastair McGowan, who thought he had Scottish ancestry, but learned that he was of an Irish McGowan family. The programme found more interesting things on which to focus, and went to India.

Jeremy Irons, an Irish wannabe, did find Irish ancestry in Cork, not far from his Irish castle.

pinkypinky

Barbara Windsor's was great: she basically apologised for the whole famine on behalf of England.

shanew

Barbara Windsor Part 1, Part 2 - her Collins connection crops up in Part 2 from about 9 mins in

Waitsian

I felt so sorry for John Hurt. He was genuinely upset.

Coolnabacky1873

Thanks for the heads up with the other episodes, I'll hunt around and squeeze another post out of them, with acknowledgements to y'all.

WDYTYA US episodes are legitimately available to view on YoutTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTpbUV93zKlcsbQtBf-EHbw.

shanew

Coolnabacky1873 wrote: »

...WDYTYA US episodes are legitimately available to view on YoutTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTpbUV93zKlcsbQtBf-EHbw.

didn't realize there were official versions of these on YouTube - suppose since they mention Ancestry quite a bit, and are sponsored by them they put them online as a promo/advert

L1011

The US versions are more like an instructional video for using Ancestry underneath the main content. As they don't show the fustration, lack of records and patchy coverage within the US for older records its not a very accurate one though!

Waitsian

MYOB wrote: »

The US versions are more like an instructional video for using Ancestry underneath the main content. As they don't show the fustration, lack of records and patchy coverage within the US for older records its not a very accurate one though!

Of the different versions I've seen (UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, USA) the US versions are those I've least enjoyed. The guests on it seem too ramped up, hysterical almost at times, and there's far too much 'flag waving' for my tastes.

pinkypinky

My main problem with the US ones is the repetition - because they have breaks and the audience needs to be enticed back, and then reminded of what they've seen already. If they're shown here on BBC, then it could easily be condensed into 30 minutes.