Who Do You Think You Are Magazine Forum

[Rosemary Collins]

Hello everyone!

The next episode of Who Do You Think You Are? series 15 will broadcast on BBC One at 9pm on Monday 9 July.

Award-winning actress Olivia Colman thinks her family history dates no further than Norfolk - so she's surprised when her journey takes her to India.

Please let us know what you think of the episode here!

[junkers]

I thought although interesting, it was a tale of well-off people and a woman who received a large amount of money and unlike most women of the time would not have struggled financially and seems to be a story from the Bronte sisters or their like would write. I did find the reference of St Helena odd (where was it), it was of course where Napoleon was once imprisoned and where single men were not posted as the economy could not support them and their families, I had relatives on the island. The other thing that was not mentioned was the reason why getting from India to England and v.v. took six months was that the Suez Canal (operated by France and 'England') did not exist at the time. The story skimmed over how ordinary Indian families suffered, the operations of the East India Company and the subsequent intervention of the British Army in Indian politics with terrible effects. The story about the death when the gun went off accidentally proves that you shouldn't mess with guns, but it was and is part of British aristocracy.

[KayFarndon]

As enjoyable as this episode was, I felt there was a lot more to discover and I was waiting for a link to the Colman's mustard company of Norwich to emerge. There must be a lot more to divulge from Olivia's family, as this was only one stem.

I am not sure I liked the format of working backwards and why did they send her to India where she got information about her family back in England, which she could have obtained from here: or was I missing something?

Once again there was no indication as to where some of the records were found, leaving some viewers disappointed and not knowing how they could access the records to discover more about their own descendants in India.

All in all a good programme and I am looking forward to more. I just wish that so much information was not reported in the tv mags and press, it is not needed and spoils the impact of discoveries.

[Tabithabenef]

I love this one - back to the old days & she was so interested.

I found it strange they sent her to India to be told things from the UK.

I loved how she was so normal and so excited about all the things she was told.

I know a lot was missing but it is only an hours program . Once again i think this could be a 2nd program as well.

I for one am fed up hearing about all the political activity going on in India all the time - it was like all the 1st world war things last time. You get fed up after a while and it was more interesting to hear about the women going out from England.

Shame there was nothing found on "India" Harriot's Indian family.

I hope the others in the series are as good and not like the previous one as that was a little dull.

Lets have more like this one - Interesting and fun

[Tim Ridge]

great episode! an update regarding Harriet “India” Slessor - yesterday the Berkshire Record Office posted on their FB page that they had the will of Harriet’s mother, which was amongst the papers received from the Newbury solicitors Pitman & Bazett (Charles Young Bazett’s nephew was a solicitor in this firm). Her name was Seraphina Donclere, and her will dated 8 Oct 1809 referred to her daughter Harriet Slessor, another daughter named Charlotte Hunter, the fact that she was pregnant at that time, and naming Major William Slessor as her executor. She died shortly before the untimely death of William Slessor (7 Jan 1810) - possibly in childbirth. I have to wonder, as Seraphina was probably carrying his second child when she died, whether his death by “the accidental discharge of his fowling piece” was not an accident after all.
Berkshire Record Office have already passed on this information to the WDYTYA researchers, so there may be more to be revealed. If you have FMP you can find Seraphina Donclere’s will and probate on there.

[historyladywilts]

Hi, Berkshire Records Office posted on Facebook that they have the will for the Indian mother of Harriot, the little girl who was born in India and brought home by her grandmother. Ms Colman might like to get in touch with them to follow up on this, if she would like to know more about it.

Great episode, Olivia Colman is such a lovely, funny and very natural lady. And what a great family history. Always love it when unknowns pop up!

I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series although I'm sorry to say I didn't recognise most of the people in it!