General Chat

of people aren't happy with the format ( here and on other gen' pages) .

The ones which concentrate on one family member seem to draw the most unfavourable comments ( that's the impression I get ?) so my question is: What would you like to see?

An easy step by step guide to working back via census etc to encourage newbies?

A really in depth search of offline records to show how that can be done for those who already know the basics?

A celeb who is shown going back five generations say, with a little snippet on each person?

Just the people in a family who have 'done' something notable or been someone who has had a bigger personal influence on someone's family than the the rest of the ancestors ( eg the person who decided to ship the family out on the Mayflower)?

Just interested :-) no right or wrong answers lol. oh and is there someone you would love to see on the programme, either being researched or researching
( yourself not included lol ;-) )

Any of the above with the exception of concentrating on one fairly recent ancestor.

I haven't watched it since it moved to BBC1, so perhaps cannot make fair comment. However it seems genealogy takes a back seat to 'interesting' family members and milking emotions. I found the first few episodes (e.g Jeremy Paxman, Sue Johnston) quite good in that different types of records were researched and you got a much broader picture of someone's family history.

I agree with Guinevere.

It’s the ancestor in the 20th century which bugs me! If they come across an interesting further back ancestor who is documented, then fair enough, spend some time on that person and the relevant social history for the time period to show it affected their lives.

To get there, the celebrity should have been guided through on-line records, presented with the resulting BMD certificates to get the details + any other finds from the archives.

The current format might be based on the production team's idea of 'history'. What is living memory for many of us could be 'history' for a 30 year old.

I would like them to go back to the days of the early series. Like Barbara Windsor, where they went back several generations and gave a snippet of each. Where they travelled around a lot and gave a basic idea of their life.

It use to be so interesting and I learnt something in nearly every episode. I wish there was a way to get this through to them. This year they have some interesting celeb for a change so it should have been good.

Sick and tired of so much time spent on one person and the social history lectures.

The Tamzin episode was so boring I am glad she enjoyed it as I said earlier if I had wanted to learn how to make ice cream I can watch masterchef. I think the best bit about her show was where she got splatter by the cream. The loo on her face was the best bit in the programme.

The viewing figures are far better with the current format. Most people are bored to tears with the fusty musty crusty fh records whereas they enjoy the video bio of minor celebs. Chances of reversion to the old format are nil.

All depends if said celeb has anything of interest in their past. I gather that some have been researched and not used. Would agree that it is more of a reality show and free publicity for the celeb than a FH tutorial.

Andy

I have never been very interested in WDYTYA and only watch it if there is nothing much else on.

Other people's ancestors are not really of much interest.

I was, however, rivetted to the Brendan O'Carroll episode.

There was not a huge amount of personal detail but it explained the beginnings of the situation in Ireland and how it affected the individual so very well.

It can be very helpful to understand mindset in which your ancestors existed for example a pregnant single eighteen year old today would not be making the same decisions or taking the actions as she would have done fifty years ago.

This weeks episode was fantastic.

Brendan O'Carroll did state at the beginning that he wanted to concentrate on his grandfathers murder, which they did, and it was solved.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. And I learned a lot about recent Irish history.

I think that for many people the newer format could be helpful and show them how to break some brick walls.

No matter what the format, many are never going to be satisfied.

I still enjoy it. There is the odd episode which I do not enjoy, such as the Julie Walter ones, which I fell asleep through. But every series has this and also the surprise one that you never thought you would enjoy, mine has so far been the Brian Blessed.

As long as the Beeb continue to make the series I am happy.

Also this NEW format is not that new. There are quite a few old episodes which concentrated on family member, Martin Freeman's episode comes to mind.

Of the 3 we've watched, OH has sat glued to his seat. When other series have been shown focussing on the actual researching, he has wandered off.

On that basis, this format may have attracted more viewers than previous series.(I still think that the 20th C is too recent!)

I found Brendan O'Carroll's episode interesting but not for genealogy if they had called the programme Old Mysteries Solved or something then fine but for F.T. viewers a let down. The programme is called WDYTYA well really didn't find out did we? :-S :-S

I agree with you Nolls, but as with this programme
the help they get to find out facts etc is great, to
have experts to knock down your brick wall looks
easy if you have the know how. For the rest of us,
as in my case takes decades and the wall is not
even chipped.
A separate programme on these subjects I would
enjoy.

Emma :-)

I enjoy most of the WDYTYA programmes and Brendan O'Carroll was fascinating.

Those who want more detail about how it is done would probably find Heir Hunters more interesting.

What I find most frustrating is the fact they make it look so easy.

Someone turns up at the Records Office, and the certificate magically appears. Blimey if it was as easy at that, we would not be struggling. I know from personal experience that I have ordered the wrong certificate, and have had to back-track and order another!

They walk through the door, and lo and behold, the certificate is waiting for them. I KNOW it is for the continuity of the show, but people should be aware that they have to be ordered, and there is a wait for them to be collected, or sent.

Nit picking I know. But it really irritates me!

:-P

I finally watched Brendan O'Carrolls one Friday night and watched about two minutes then carried on with playing candy crush.

I have no interest in recent Irish history, nor do I like him ....hope Sheridan Smiths is'nt as boring, as I like her

Brian Blessed's was interesting even though he was annoying

For anyone who has Irish ancestors and are trying to find out about them in the 20c, it is a nightmare.

This show will have helped many to understand how difficult some of the more recent Irish research can be.

I cannot even find my mothers birth certificate!!!

And do not get me started on her fathers Army records. He served in the Irish Army between the wars. He and many others may not have existed as they records just are not around!!! :-D

I have irish ancestors DazedConfused, so any programme that touches even slightly on what alternatives to the destroyed census' there are, is of interest to me.

My gt grandfather's baptism cannot be found, though his younger siblings can be so I have the names of his parents, and I know when he left Ireland from his attestation papers etc. but going further back is proving impossible.