Am I Related to Anybody Interesting or Famous
Who is Related to Somebody Famous, Notorious or Interesting ?
Inspired by a comment left by our very own History Hunter I thought I would follow his excellent suggestion and see if there is anybody out there who has relatives, however long ago that are famous for something, just plain interesting or infamous
Do you have any famous relations ?
History Hunter really does seem to have hit double top here with this one - I’ll pass you over to his comment in his own words.
Please do leave a comment if you have any interesting family history or ancestry - over to HH . . .
*********
. . . Did you know i am DIRECTLY related to, and i shall use her full title
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Queen of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, The Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, The Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize and St Kitts and Nevis, Head of the Commonwealth, Supreme Governor of the Church of England, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Lancaster, Lord of Mann and Paramount Chief of Fiji. (and yes she is Duke, not Duchess, of Normandy and Lancaster as she inherited her Fathers titles)
Boom boom, as Basil Brush would say!
Beat that!
Oh yeah there is also the small matter of multiple Archbishops of all over, over 400 years,
William Wilberforce, John Hurt …………………. and the gay drummer from Culture Club !!!!!!!
My wifes side of the family are not so well known but if anything they are notorious as being murder victims …… sometimes ideas are just thrust into your face!
Her most (in)famous relly, on her mums side, was Catherine Eddowes who was Jack the Rippers 4th victim, and another one, on her dads side, was murdered by Michael Ryan at Hungerford!
Feel free to start up another ‘discussion’ about “Who are you related to?”
******************
Thanks History Hunter - I’m sure you’ll all agree that’s an enviable cornucopia of ancestral history - I’m really rather jealous.
Please do add a comment - anything at all of interest in your family history ?
All the best
Rod
Amiguru said,
March 26, 2010 @ 12:20 am
HaHa HH
,
Between us all we’ll goad our maistro into genealogical research.
For now, I’ll just drop in a very brief mention of my relative who commanded a British fleet. Here is an extract from an order he issued to a certain Captain Maitland of HMS Bellerephon in 1815 after he, (my forebear), had wined and dined his guest(prisoner):
“You are hereby required and directed to take the Myrmidon…..under your command, …..and make the best of your way with Napoleon Buonaparte and his suite to Torbay……”
His name: Rear Admiral Sir Henry Hotham, K.C.B
P.S
One of his bright young protegees 30 years earlier was a certain Captain Nelson….
Regards,
Neville
Rod said,
March 26, 2010 @ 8:12 am
Neville,
that’s fantastic, stunning a Rear Admiral and a Knight - I’m going to have to find something to compete - well, if not compete at least put in a decent showing
There’s also somebody else I know out there who could drop a corker in here !
Best
Rod
The Dinosaur said,
March 26, 2010 @ 9:01 am
Rod, you know this already but my great-great-great-great-great-grandfather was General Count Jean Rapp who was Napoleon’s premier aide-de-camp. Born in Colmar, Alsace his first language was German though a French national. He was a cavalry officer and is best remembered for leading the decisive charge at the Battle of Austerlitz, he features in many paintings celebrating that victory against the Austrians.
Rod said,
March 26, 2010 @ 9:39 am
Dino,
General Rapp - that’s cracking !
Here’s a picture - you may want to elucidate on the scene
Best
Rod
General Rapp
chris keyworth said,
March 26, 2010 @ 11:53 am
ok not dead famous but famous dead, im related by blood to one Rev J, W, Keyworth who wrote such a book as The Coil of The Serpent, also rod when you get to ulceby village near killingholme and photo the church there your research should be drawn to the builder of the new part of the church in the 1800s now thats not only famous its a monument to a member of my family..
regards
chris
Peter Mullins said,
March 26, 2010 @ 3:11 pm
Give or take a little incest or cousin marriage, most of us have four grandparents, eight great-grandparents, sixteen great, great grandparents (I only have fourteen - cousin marriage rather than incest in this case), and so on. One of the peculiarities of the maths is that (if you assume the average age at which a person has a child born through history to be 25) you have more ancestors than the population of the country by about 1300. We are all members of the royal family and we all have some pretty impressive and some pretty dispicable ancestors.
The Dinosaur said,
March 26, 2010 @ 3:42 pm
Rod, this is the often reproduced painting of the conclusion of the Battle of Austerlitz, the original I believe is in the Palace of Versaille. Napoleon obviously is on the right, General Rapp approaches on the left, further to the left and out of picture is Prince Repnine whom he has just captured and is presenting to Bonaparte. If you’re interested you might be able to find a photo of the statue of Rapp that stands in Colmar, it was designed by another famous son of that town Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, he only designed one other statue which is somewhat larger and more famous, it is now in the U.S.A. and is entitled : The Statue of Liberty.
Rod said,
March 26, 2010 @ 6:39 pm
Chris,
I’ll be sure to check it out when I visit.
As to the book - that’s excellent - a tale of temperance no less !
published by Robert Culley in 1906
Best
Rod
Rod said,
March 26, 2010 @ 6:40 pm
Peter,
good point - didn’t I read the Ghengis Khan’s DNA traces can be found in 16 milion people !
Even with the odds you mention I’ll bet, somehoe, I’ve managed to dodge an interesting ancestry.
Reagrds
Rod
Rod said,
March 26, 2010 @ 6:43 pm
Dino,
this gets better then .
So, the person who designed the Statue of Liberty only did one other statue and that was of your
great-great-great-great-great-grandfather !
That’s just excellent !
Best
Rod
Rod said,
March 26, 2010 @ 7:15 pm
Chris’ Book
the book mentioned by Chris
How good is that !
chris keyworth said,
March 26, 2010 @ 8:09 pm
ive got a copy here infront of me it was presented to my great grandfarther in 1911 for good atendance at victoria street primitive methodist sunday school, by Rev John Wesley Keyworth himself, He was the son of Rev Robert Keyworth and grandson of Rev William Aver one of the last preachers sent out by John Wesley.
regards
chris
chris keyworth said,
March 26, 2010 @ 9:03 pm
he also wrote.
Mother Freeman,
The Churchwardens Daughter,
The Golden Shoemaker,
Nathan Plaintalk,
and The Price She Paid.
and a few others..
regards
chris..
Femme Fatale said,
March 27, 2010 @ 6:42 am
Rod,
I have found out that one of my ancestors, on my mothers side, was The Earl of Mexborough surname Pollington.
I do not know anything about him, but a family member is, at present, tracing our family tree.
FF
xx
Rod said,
March 27, 2010 @ 8:40 am
Chris,
that’s excellent - I’m certain I’ve seen copies of The Churchwarden’s Daughter before now - it really rings a bell.
Best
Rod
Rod said,
March 27, 2010 @ 8:46 am
FF,
I can’t believe this - am I the only one not related to anybody exciting
Here is the 1st Earl of Mexborough with wife and son
Jealously Yours
Rod
The Dinosaur said,
March 27, 2010 @ 8:56 am
Rod, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” rings a bell too !
Amiguru said,
March 27, 2010 @ 12:15 pm
Rod,
Maybe you have sporty genes; after all, there are these members of the Collins clan:
Collins Injera (born 1986), Kenyan rugby player
Collins John (born 1985), Liberia-born Dutch footballer
Collins Obuya (born 1981), Kenyan cricketer
Mischievously yours
Neville
Rod said,
March 27, 2010 @ 12:18 pm
Dino,
I’d imagined you may be related to the architect who designed Notre Dame
Rod said,
March 27, 2010 @ 12:20 pm
Neville,
somehow that strain of DNA seems to have passed me by. I’m something to do with a clan of Irish Warriors I’m told.
It seems we’re all unmistakable
Best
Rod
chris keyworth said,
March 27, 2010 @ 6:03 pm
Rod would that clan be the pixies…. lol
chris
Rod said,
March 27, 2010 @ 6:58 pm
Chris,
‘intellectual dwarfs’ certainly
It seems in fact every one of them/us is at least 6 feet tall, many 6ft 5″ !
Best
Rod
Rod said,
March 28, 2010 @ 9:07 am
bst gmt check
History Hunter said,
March 28, 2010 @ 10:36 am
Just to clarify what Peter Mullins said, regarding that we are all related to the Royal family somehow. Yes this is probably true, and knowing the Royals through the years, a lot of those family trees include illegitimate offspring, and others rumoured to have had affairs etc etc
Whereas i have proof that my lineage is DIRECTLY, and by directly i mean only 3 generations back (1 generation before the QM), a female from the Bowes-Lyon family (the Queen Mothers family name) married into my family name. Im lead to believe it was one of the QM’s fathers sister who succumbed to having married into us.
So yes i can see the side of the argument saying everyone is a royal to a degree, but only 3 generations is a lot closer than the ‘6 degrees of separation’
Tracy said,
April 6, 2010 @ 3:55 am
I am new here but am enjoying this website. It’s very interesting and helpful. I am currently researching my family tree and have traced one branch back to Old Clee and Grimsby. There is no one very exciting in this branch unless being a gentleman farmer is interesting. That would be my great x 6 grandfather, Israel Bartram from Great Grimsby. I do, however, share ancestors with Bing Crosby (like 12 generations apart), does that count as being related to someone famous
?
Rod said,
April 6, 2010 @ 8:26 am
Tracy
thanks for the comment and welcome to the site.
Around here a gentleman farmer going back 6 generations or so with a name like that counts as being hugely interesting Tracy.
Being related to Bing has got to count Tracy although I’d say Israel Bartram sounds far more intriguing
All the best
Rod
History Hunter said,
April 13, 2010 @ 9:19 pm
Oh yeh i have just remembered on the good lady’s side of the family tree she has a couple of a-listers in america………..theres second cousin george and cousin rosemary……….all relationships are much further than cousin and second cousin …..but the CLOONEYS are in there somewhere.
They wifes mum was related to Rosemary Clooney through marriage somewhere along the line, and then george is her nephew, but alas her feelings for him are all but illegal and she doesnt want to see him locked up for a bit of inbreeding!!!! (but she is prepared to risk it!!!!)
Tracy said,
April 16, 2010 @ 5:31 pm
I mentioned before I’m looking for my ancestor Israel Bartram from Grimsby. I just found his father-in-law, Thomas Capiter, who is my 7th great-grandfather. He was one of the Grimsby area’s earliest Methodist preacher/advocate. The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, wrote letters to him and he helped make a room for people to listen to Methodist preachings. I’m pretty excited about this find and am just starting to do more research on him.
Rod said,
April 16, 2010 @ 7:26 pm
Tracy,
very interesting indeed - we’ll be sure to post anything connected should it come to our attention
Regards
Rod
Chloe said,
April 28, 2010 @ 5:35 am
I’m related to Napoleon Bonaparte (all of them) on my dad’s side.
Rod said,
April 28, 2010 @ 8:36 am
Chloe,
thanks for the comment and welcome to the site.
That’s very interesting indeed - scroll up to one of the comments left by Dinosaur - he’s related to General Rapp who was one of Napoleon’s Generals
All the best
Rod
Chris Brammer said,
June 28, 2011 @ 9:37 pm
I’m related to Chris Keyworth. Rev Robert Keyworth, his 2x Gt Grandfather was my 1st cousin 4x removed. By a strange coincidence Rev Keyworth was minister for many years at Midsomer Norton not five miles from where I am living at the moment!
Rod said,
June 29, 2011 @ 7:28 am
Chris,
welcome to the site - now there’s a claim to fame !
Best
Rod
History Hunter said,
June 29, 2011 @ 12:31 pm
Chris Brammer, this thread is about being related to anybody interesting or famous.
Chris Keyworth? Your pushing it a bit there. I think he comes under the ‘NOTORIOUS’ heading lol
Chris Keyworth said,
June 29, 2011 @ 4:56 pm
HH i will add that to my list lol, i like it…
Chris always interested to hear from relatives there are hundreds out there trust me.
Regards
Chris….