Genealogy Chat

My great-grandfather had a pub and fell into a vat of beer he was brewing and was scalded to death. Sounds gruesome but is the most interesting fact I have unearthed so far.

I have several interesting ones but one in particular made me cringe. A great aunt drank from a bottle when she was aged 7 and it turned out to be bleach. Gruesome or what! Mel

My Uncle when he was a young lad drank from a teapot spout and took the lining of his tounge right off. Then when he was 11 fell off a ladder I think and lost an eye so he had to wear a false one a few years later his younger brother reached 11 and fell of a ladder and lost his eye the same one his brother had lost he also wears a false eye. And you never know if their talking to you because it dosnt look as though they are looking at you. Debbie

Probably, a gt-gt uncle of mine who lived until he was 95. I had an old newspaper cutting of him, stored away in an old family photo album. The article revealed that he had just renewed his driving licence, aged 94 and he gave his thoughts on motoring today (in 1979) compared with when he bought his first car. Having met up with a relative of mine for the first time during the summer, I learned that he had competed in the Isle of Man TT races during his younger days and there were photos of him racing on his motorbike. I felt that he had lived an interesting life and would have had many stories to tell.

I don't have anyone in my tree who is that exciting! But I am dead keen to find out about my paternal Grandfather. Whenever he was mentioned in the family it was always in 'hushed' tones. He 'disappeared' years before I was born and no-one in the family knew where he went! So they said! Try as I might I can't find out anything about him - apart from a photograph that shows him in a Naval Uniform. Linda (East Sussex)

Hi Linda, just out of curiosity what was your grandfathers name? Penny

Hello Penny, My Grandfather's name was William Grant. Born 1884/5 - listed as living in Portsmouth when he married in 1917. He married in East Sussex but there the trail freezes! Linda (East Sussex)

One of my most interesting Ancestors is my Great Great Granfather. It starts of in India presumibly in the Army he married no record anywhere. Then he moved from here there and anywhere. and had loads of kids with the same woman. But I just cant put my finger on it but there was something odd. On my Granmothers birth certificate it says who her mother and father was no record for a marriage when she was born they were at the same address as my gg grandfather. but then later when my nan married on the wedding certificate the father was her Grandfather. My Nan would never talk of her father. but thought very highly of her grandfather and said that he was very rich and was meant to leave her with a lot, but there is no signs of any money as I can tell yet. something odd that I will find out one day. Debbie

Hello again Linda, sorry for barging in on this thread a bit, but I love a good mystery and have enjoyed reading everyones family stories. I take it you jhave checked out all the William Grants on the CWGC site, theres quite a few especially with the Portsmouth and naval connections. This is proving to be a very interesting thread but I'm sorry to say I did laugh at the poor man who fell in a Vat of beer. Hubby says what a way to go!. Penny

My 2x Great grandfather was christened on the same date as me and in the same church!!! only 113 years earlier i feel we share some sort of special bond.

Thanks Penny, Fascinating isn't it? I too enjoy reading all the stories - just wish I could find someone really interesting in my family. I'll take another look at the CWG site. Thanks, Linda.

I have recently found my great grandfathers step brother murdered his wife and consequently was hung in 1922 at Nottingham prison, im curious to find out why he did it and what happened to their children afterwards.

My great grandad was a golf professional. He worked in Kent before coming back to the Wirral and the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake. While I was researching him, I was put in contact with a 95 year old man who said my great grandad had made him his first set of golf clubs. The Youds club is apparently wel known (in those circles) as it was half Aluminum and half lead to help with the weighting He had it patented. You can still get them at auctions though I have not yet come across one. I also found out that he had a house built for him, and one for my grandad. I've visited both. One is for sale and I keep wondering if I should pretend to be a buyer and nip round lol I contacted the Golf Museum and St Andrews, and a kind lady sent me a lot of articles mentioning him. Apparently he even entered the 1897 Open which was held at the Royal Liverpool. Sorry I can't round this off by saying he was struck by lightening on the course, not sure anything can beat falling into a vat of beer! Oh, his son, my grandad went to San Salvador for three years as a golf pro. One of the first Brits over there, but again no murders or untimely deaths - yet !

Oooh I can't decide 'Maybe it's "Poor Uncle Eugene" as my great grandad described him, who had 3 children die at birth and who ended up in a lunatic asylum, or my great grandad's uncle who was a pastry cook for Napoleon 3, or most probably my great great grandma on my mum's side Eliza who was a waterman's wife with 13 kids who lived on a boat and brought up all 12 boys and 1 girl to 'better themselves' ... A

My Grandfather was born Francis William Clarke, his parents were Grosvenor Ashford Clarke his mother Irene Clarke formerly Littlejohns. My grandfather was put into a home when he was 2 years old, apparently under the name Littlejohns. Up until the age of about 18 he carried on life thinking he was a Littlejohns and then joined the Navy, it was there he found out, he wasn't a Littlejohns after all he was a Clarke. If my grandfather had never of joined the navy, I quite possibly could of been a Siobhan Littlejohns . Knowing I am a Clarke hasn't given me much success with my family tree.. My Grandfather died when I was 1 yr old, so I never really knew him and I think that is what creates my interest in mainly him. I Still haven't managed to discover exactly why he was placed in a home, and why under the name Littlejohns, but what I have discovered is that he had a twin, I'm not sure he even knew that. Thats about as far as I have got on his side, Not had much luck tracing any further than his parents. I have hit this brick wall now and cannot get past it But I definately can say My Grandfather is by far my most favorite Ancestor.

Nothing as dramatic as falling into a vat of beer but my gt.grandfather was a mariner and worked on the laying of the transatlantic cable in the 1860's. This was the forerunner of our present communication system which enables all of us to keep in touch with our relatives abroad and to get information on-line about our ancestors. I still have a lot to learn about him but he is the most interesting ancestor I have found to date. The first cable was laid in the 1850's but broke and was somehow recovered from the sea bed to be repaired more than 10 years later. This was succesful and the first telegraphic signals were transmitted from England to, I believe, Newfoundland.

My Great Grandmother, Amelia Lamb is supposed to have been related to Charles and Mary Lamb the essayists. Mary wounded their father and stabbed to death their Mother in a"fit of rage" (If she is related I must take after her with fits of rage, but without the murder bit) So far I can't get beyond Amelia to find her parents. So if there are any Charles and Mary Lamb buffs out there you may be able to help. Also my Grandfather Thomas Maggs, Amelias son, was supposed to be "friendly" with Lilly Langtry. ooooh Lynda

I have a great grandmother who commited suicide by drownding herself in one of the local lakes and another who accidentaly gased herself with her cooker! A grandfather who received the British Empire Medal for working on Radar in the second world war and a great grandfather who received the Military Medal after he was shot and killed in Italy in the first world war

My great-uncle Sidney Goldsworthy was the first person in Britain to undergo surgery to improve speech after throat cancer surgery. If only I oculd find out the name of the blimmin' operation!

My most interesting ancestors are the ones who continually evade me on the censuses. George