Episode synopsis:
Josh Widdicombe was born in London, but grew up on Dartmoor in Devon. He went to visit his parents' who still live in Devon, and asked them whether it was true that his family was connected with Barings Bank. His father said that the connection was supposedly with the family of his grandmother (Josh's great-grandmother), Mary Irene Baring-Gould, known as Irene, who married Edmund Hannaford Widdicombe on the 27th April 1921. Josh remembered Irene, who lived to the age of 96. The marriage certificate showed that Irene's father was Arthur Baring-Gould, a clerk in holy orders. There was a report of his funeral in a parish magazine.
Josh went to Lewtrenchard Manor in Devon, where the Baring-Gould family lived, and met an historian who confirmed the connection to Barings Bank - Josh's 5xg-grandfather Charles Baring was a co-founder of the bank with his two elder brothers, John and Francis Baring. Josh was shown a picture painted in 1806 of John and Franci, but Charles was not in it. He was also shown a memo written by Francis in 1805 which said that Charles had made some bad and poorly judged deals and was being cut off from the bank.
The historian then showed Josh that his family tree went back to his 10xg-grandfather Henry Rich, the first Earl of Holland and his wife Isabel Cope. Josh went to Holland Park in West London, where Henry and Isabel lived, and he met an historian who showed him a picture of Holland House as it used to be, plus portraits of Henry and Isabel. Isabel's father was Walter Cope. Henry and Isabel had eight children. Henry was a member of the Privy Council of King Charles I, which used to meet at Hampton Court, so Josh went to Hampton Court, where he was shown a 1640 listing of the Privy Council which stated that Henry was "Groom of the Stool" to Charles I. Josh then went to the City of London where he met another historian, who told him that in the English Civil War, Henry was captured after losing the Battle of Surbiton, and was convicted of high treason and sentenced to death. Josh was shown news pamphlets from the time, one of which described Henry's execution and said that he made a speech to the crowd which said that he was well-bred and came from an ancient and honourable family.
Josh then went to Henley on Thames to meet an historian at St Nicholas' Church there, who showed him the memorial to his 13xg-grandparents Sir Francis Knollys, treasurer of the household of Queen Elizabeth I, and his wife Katherine Carey. Although Francis is buried there, Josh was told that Katherine was buried at Westminster Abbey and that her funeral was paid for by Elizabeth I. Katherine was Elizabeth's chief Lady of the Bedchamber. Francis and Katherine had 15 or 16 children, depicted around the Henley tomb, and Lettice Knollys, Josh's 12xg-grandmother, was depicted with a crown and red robes, because she was also a lady in waiting to Elizabeth.
Josh went to Greys Court near Henley, the seat of the Knollys family, and was shown a portrait of Lettice, who married Walter Devereux, the Earl of Essex. He then went to Kenilworth Court, the home of Robert Dudley, the first Earl of Leicester, who was Lettice's second husband. Because Dudley was a favourite of Elizabeth, she banned Lettice from her court for marrying him. Josh then went to Westminster Abbey to see Katherine's memorial, which said that Katherine's parents were William Carey and Mary Boleyn, the sister of Anne Boleyn, making Katherine cousin to Elizabeth. Josh then went to Hever Castle in Kent, where Mary Boleyn grew up, and met an historian who showed him a portrait of Mary and told him that Mary had an affair with King Henry VIII and that some historians believe that Katherine was Henry VIII's biological daughter. The historian then showed Josh his family tree back from Mary Boleyn to King Edward I, his 23xg-grandfather, and Marguerite of France, daughter of King Philip III of France.
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