Interesting Family History Revelations
Discussion
My Gran and I are looking into our family history at the moment as I find it interesting and she is a semi retired and a full time internet geek.
So she managed to dig up that her Grandfather was in the war, he enlisted in 1916. He was taken to a POW camp in Hannover. The letters home state that he had lost an eye and his face was a bit of a mess. It turns out when he returned home as a Publican he committed suicide by slitting his own throat.
Admittedly this is not the nicest of facts, but is very interesting to myself. As it shows a bit of how the war effected people even after the war, through mental and physical torture of his experiences.
Anyone else look into their family history? What is the most interesting thing you have found so far?
So she managed to dig up that her Grandfather was in the war, he enlisted in 1916. He was taken to a POW camp in Hannover. The letters home state that he had lost an eye and his face was a bit of a mess. It turns out when he returned home as a Publican he committed suicide by slitting his own throat.
Admittedly this is not the nicest of facts, but is very interesting to myself. As it shows a bit of how the war effected people even after the war, through mental and physical torture of his experiences.
Anyone else look into their family history? What is the most interesting thing you have found so far?
My great grandfather served in the regular army, he signed up in the early 1890s. I was surprised how he got about during his two spells of service (I've got his army pay book). He was initially posted to Bermuda for a couple of years, spent time in Nova Scotia, then onto Egypt via Gibraltar ending his service in India.
Steve
Steve
fatboy b said:
My uncle was a Squadron Leader in the RAF on Blenhiem bombers in the war.
You might be able to find out more from these chaps: www.blenheimsociety.org.uk/Searching out your family history can be a rewarding pastime. Especially when you find "interestng facts". My own family has turned up a few interesting things. My great uncle was one of the very last, if not the last, casualty of The Great War, being killed in an accident with a gun carriage a day or so after the armistace was declared!
My maternal Grandfather was a chief stoker on a battleship, and saved a Maharajah's life during a Tiger hunt in India, was rewarded for it with the gift of a sword with jewel encrusted hilt, then the captain attempted to claim it as "his" by virtue of rank/being in command, for my Grandfather to throw it into the Bay of Bengal in a "if I can't have it, you can't have it" sort of way. He wasn't punished as he was in the worst place on the ship (boiler room) anyway, and not likely to see daylight for weeks!.
He'd actually "run away" to join the Navy, as his own father was in the Royal Artilliary, and had forbidden him to join the forces. They, by chance, met up in Constantinople in a bar!!!
Going back further, we got to the early 1500's before information ran out, but we know the area, and we know other family of the same name in the area which has pretty well documented history, so we're fairly sure that there is a link between the two, and it's a case of putting the pieces together.
We've chased all over the country looking up information, and found some intersting stuff on the way.
My maternal Grandfather was a chief stoker on a battleship, and saved a Maharajah's life during a Tiger hunt in India, was rewarded for it with the gift of a sword with jewel encrusted hilt, then the captain attempted to claim it as "his" by virtue of rank/being in command, for my Grandfather to throw it into the Bay of Bengal in a "if I can't have it, you can't have it" sort of way. He wasn't punished as he was in the worst place on the ship (boiler room) anyway, and not likely to see daylight for weeks!.
He'd actually "run away" to join the Navy, as his own father was in the Royal Artilliary, and had forbidden him to join the forces. They, by chance, met up in Constantinople in a bar!!!
Going back further, we got to the early 1500's before information ran out, but we know the area, and we know other family of the same name in the area which has pretty well documented history, so we're fairly sure that there is a link between the two, and it's a case of putting the pieces together.
We've chased all over the country looking up information, and found some intersting stuff on the way.
One of my ancestors was arrested by a regiment of cavalry on the orders of the then home secretary and charged with treason , he had printed some Chartist literature and called the Prince of Wales a "little black dwarf" he was tried in the old bailey
I dont know what happened afterwards but he died of Cholera whilst still a young man so i suspect he was found not guilty
His wife went on to continue his chartist work and printed many pamphlets and books listing radical political aims and the waste of the monarchy and upper classes
I dont know what happened afterwards but he died of Cholera whilst still a young man so i suspect he was found not guilty
His wife went on to continue his chartist work and printed many pamphlets and books listing radical political aims and the waste of the monarchy and upper classes
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