Who do I think I am. Part 2
Posted by Big John on February 10, 2011
A short while ago I published this post about my search for my ancestors and ended by saying that there was another story to be told, for although the family I found had for the most part fairly humble origins, one branch of the old family tree led down a very different path.
In the year 1839 parish records show that my great-great-grandfather, who was a farmer, married a young lady who was possibly ‘above his station’, for my great-great-grandmother was descended through seven generations of the same family to a lady of noble birth who’s father was thought to be the illegitimate son of King Henry VIII (1491-1547). This lady, in her own right, was descended from the ‘Plantagenets’, so which ever way you look at it, and much to my disgust as a republican, it would seem that I have a few drops of royal blood pumping through my old veins.
Now ‘she who must be obeyed’ has always commented on the fact that I do look a bit like the “Merry Monarch”, (probably something to do with his codpiece) and now that I think about it I do see some resemblance (which is more than can be said for this bloke).
Today is my 72nd birthday, so I’m off to the pub for lunch with ‘she who must be obeyed’. I just hope that they have not run out of …
… Ye Olde civit of hare … Ye wilde boar … and .. Ye gilt sugar plums.
Grannymar said
Enjoy your Birthday and the untold treasures of your ancestry trail!
Jay said
Happy birthday!
SilverTiger said
Are you contacting Buckingham Palace in the hope of recognition?
When I lived in Brighton, we knew a family (I will not name them for fear of embarrassing any descendants) whose head was convinced that he was related to royalty and kept attempting to secure recognition from the monarch. Alas for him, all of his attempts were rebuffed. Unsurprisingly, perhaps: after all, when you’re onto a good thing you don’t want to share it with latecomers, do you?
Betty Adams said
Happy Birthday, John! And, many more.
Maria said
John,
Have a very happy birthday. I too am tracing ancestors and just wrote a post about one of my discoveries. No royal blood here and to my chagrin, my ancestors do not beat a path straight back to Ireland as I had wanted to believe. They dilly dallied among the English, Scots, and God knows what else. My father always said we were “blue-bellied yankees’ and I guess he was right. My dogs have better pedigrees!.
My husband however is only a second generation American and it is his family that I am finding very interesting.
rummuser said
A belated birthday greetings Big John and best wishes for many more. Hoist one for me too at the pub!
rummuser said
My family name is Rajgopaul. Raja of Gopals. Gopals meaning cowboys. (cowherds in our part of the world.) A name given to Krishna. That makes me the king of cowboys with descent from one of India’s Gods.
Big John said
Blimey ! Rammuser … John Wayne and a deity. That takes some beating.