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#1
07-08-13, 08:19
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Who Do You Think You Are - Minnie Driver 7th Aug
At 9 p.m. tonight on BBC1, and repeated tomorrow at 10:35 p.m.
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#2
07-08-13, 13:00
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Oh bother, it looks, from the blurb for it in my paper, as though it's another WW2 one. I know that lots of people find it interesting but I prefer those that go further back so much more. I grew up on WW2 stories and in the war's aftermath so, to me, it isn't "history" really. I'll still be watching though.
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#3
07-08-13, 21:06
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I really enjoyed that. She seemed very normal.
__________________
Marg
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#4
07-08-13, 21:09
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Episode synopsis:
Minnie Driver was born in London in 1970. Now 43, she lives in Los Angeles as a single mum with her 4 year old son Henry. Minnie's father Charles Ronald Driver, known as Ronnie, died when Henry was 15 months old. Minnie's parents met in 1962 and were together for 13 years. They split up when Minnie was 6. Ronnie was married to another woman and had another family, but Minnie only found out that her parents weren't married to each other when she was 12. She never met Ronnie's parents. Minnie had a book which tells the story of the Battle of Heligoland Bight in WW2, in which Ronnie took part during his service in the RAF. The book had a photo of Ronnie. Minnie visited her mother Gaynor in West London. Gaynor told her that Ronnie received the Distinguised Flying Medal after the battle, but threw it in the Thames. Charles Ronald Driver's birth certificate showed that he was born in Swansea in 1921. His father was Charles Edmund Driver and his mother was Mary Jessie Kelly, formerly McGregor. Minnie visited Brooklands Museum in Surrey to see a restored Wellington bomber from the battle. She saw the book "Epics of the RAF" which also has a report of the battle. It said that Ronnie put out a fire on the plane with his gloved hand. His best friend, rear gunner Walter Lilley of Kippax, died in the battle, aged 21. The plane ditched in the sea and Ronnie launched the dinghy and saved the rest of the crew. Minnie met Derek Alloway, now 93, the last surviving RAF veteran of the battle, and he told her about his memories of Ronnie. Derek said that Ronnie was shaken up and had a health problem after the battle. Minnie visited the RAF Museum at Hendon, where she was shown an issue of the Air Ministry Bulletin which announced the award of Ronnie's medal and included an interview with him in which he said that his mother was Scottish and his father a Yorkshireman, a wool buyer, and that his family had moved around quite a lot, and that when he left school he went to work as a clerk at his father's wool business. Minnie was also shown a Sunday Times report on the battle quoting Ronnie as praising the pilot, and an interview with his mother from the Stockton Weekly Herald from Dec 1939, with a photo of Ronnie and his mother. Ronnie's RAF service record showed that he lived in Stockton on Tees, that he received the Distinguished Flying Medal in March 1940 and that he was discharged from the RAF Hospital in Matlock, Derbyshire. His diagnosis was "anxiety state". The record also showed that he was back in hospital in Dec 1940 at Littleport, and was then commissioned as a Pilot Officer in Nov 1943 and promoted to Flying Officer in Jun 1944. Minnie was shown a photograph of Ronnie in uniform in Sep 1944 at his wedding to Anne Wilshaw, the daughter of Sir Edward Wilshaw, the chairman of Cable and Wireless. Ronnie is not wearing his DFM in the picture. Minnie went to Stockton on Tees Central Library and ordered the marriage certificate for Ronnie's parents, Charles Edmund Driver and Mary Jessie Kelly, who got married in Oct-Dec 1936 when Ronnie was about 15. While waiting for the certificate to arrive, Minnie looked at the 1891 census entry for Charles E Driver age 11 with his family. She traced his younger sister Maud forwards, finding Maud's marriage to a Fred Thistlethwaite when Maud was 18 and Fred 32. On the 1911 census Fred and Maud have two children, John 5 and Dorothy 2. Dorothy Thistlethwaite married Nathaniel Cranson in 1928, and they had several children, including Jean Eileen Cranson, known as Eileen, who married a Mr Wiper in 1950. Minnie found Jean E Wiper, age 84, on the electoral roll and in the phone directory, and phoned her. She then went to meet her and heard about her memories of Minnie's grandparents Charles and Jessie. Eileen gave her a photo of Fred and Maud and their children. Charles and Jessie's marriage certificate dated 19 Oct 1936 showed that they were both widowed and gave their residence as 37 Southfield Road, Middlesbrough. Minnie visited Middlesbrough Central Library and saw the certificate for Mary Jessie's first marriage, to Robert Campbell Kelly, Apr 18 1917, and the death certificate for Robert, who died in France on the 29th Nov 1918 age 26. She also saw the certificate for the marriage of Charles Edmund Driver, 21, to Ada Wood Stancliffe, age 30, on the 15th May 1901. The certificate for the death of Ada on the 12th Dec 1932 showed the informant to be her son Leslie S Driver. Leslie's marriage certificate showed that he was an actor. Minnie was shown a programme from the Stockport Hippodrome from 1944 when Leslie was appearing in repertory, using his stage name of Leslie Stancliffe. She visited the Stockport Plaza to find out about Leslie's theatrical career. He was especially known for performing in the play Peg O' My Heart, and there was a newspaper report with a photo of him which said that he also appeared in silent films. Minnie also saw a photo of Leslie's wife Grace who was also an entertainer (stage name Billie Mackay). An In Memoriam notice from the newspaper The Stage showed that Leslie died Mar 6th 1947 leaving a daughter Jean. One of the theatre programmes showed that Jean appeared in a play with Leslie when she was a child, using the stage name Jean Stancliffe. Minnie spoke to Jean Driver on the phone. Jean said that she knew that Leslie had a half-brother but that Leslie and Ronnie never met each other, although she met Ronnie after her father's death. Jean sent Minnie a photo of Charles and Jessie.
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#5
07-08-13, 21:11
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I realy enjoyed it too. I took to Minnie, she was very genuine to everyone she met.
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#6
07-08-13, 21:19
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I enjoyed it too. She was very natural and the whole programme seemed much more down to earth and natural too. Almost the sort of background that one of us may be researching so one could get close to the circumstances as they unfolded.
__________________
 Researching Gillett in Preston/Sheffield and Campbell and Wilkie and Hepburn in and around Glasgow
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#7
07-08-13, 21:58
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Interesting history. A lot of children born to unmarried parents, as well as second marriages.
Before moving on to the genealogy, I have a (Scottish) gripe. Every time Minnie saw the name Jessie on a cert, she assumed it was Jessica. Noooooooooooo! Jess or Jessie is Jane or Janet. OK - got that off my chest. Moving on... Minnie's father, Charles Ronald Kelley, was born in Swansea in Jan/Feb/March 1921. Mother's maiden name was McGregor. Mary Jessie Maggie McGregor married Robert Campbell Kelley in Liverpool on 15 April 1917. She was 22 and he was 24 - a ship's steward. Her father was Gregor McGregor. One of the witnesses was Nellie McGregor. http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/21...nSearchResults 1901 census - Toxteth Park, Liverpool http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/78...l=ReturnRecord Gregor McGregor, head, 37, soft stone mason, born Scotland Margaret McGregor, wife, 36, born Scotland Annie Bella McGregor, dau, 10, born Lancs, Liverpool Mary McGregor, dau, 6, born Scotland Helen McGregor, dau, 4, born Scotland Jennie McGregor, dau, born Lancs, Liverpool Helen must be Nellie who witnesses her sister's marriage. When Annabella (Annie Bella on the 1901 census) was born in 1891 (30 Oct, baptised 20 Nov, Liverpool St Peter's), the family were living in Northumberland Street, Liverpool. Dad was working as a porter. http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/21...l=ReturnRecord 1891 - Toxteth http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/65...nSearchResults Gregor McGregor, head, 29, head barman, born Leith Margaret McGregor, wife, 26, born Glasgow 1888 - Toxteth Park Gregor McGregor married Margaret Ward - July/Aug/Sept 1888 Last edited by Shona; 08-08-13 at 07:56. Reason: Adding links
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#8
07-08-13, 22:12
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Quote:
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#9
07-08-13, 22:15
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That play "Peg o' My Heart" which Leslie appeared in - I'm sure I spent some time a while back reading mentions of someone else appearing in a production of it, I think in Australia in which case it would probably have been on the Trove website. But I can't remember why I was reading about it! Whoever was I looking up?
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#10
07-08-13, 22:21
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Quote:
http://www.genealogistsforum.co.uk/F...?t=9095&page=3
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