What a relief! - Genealogists' Forum

Merry · #1 19-08-13, 07:30

Lately I have become quite fed up with the format of WDYTYA? and the celebrities being endlessly sentimental about their ancestors.

Last night I watched two back to back episodes of The Restoration Man with architect George Clarke. This programme has been going for three years, but I hadn't seen it before (probably because I'd been worn down by years of watching Grand Designs!).

Apart from watching the difficulties of restoring dilapidated old buildings, a few minutes of the show seems to be devoted to understanding the history of the property and.......what a relief!! - Sifting through old deeds and census enumeration sheets etc, only sensible questions were asked of the record office archivist (or whoever) and no one tried to apply the feelings of a modern-day individual to events in the past, as seems to constantly happen on WDYTYA? I don't know if this element of the show is always so good, but I enjoyed these two episodes.

A breath of fresh air! (and George is lovely!!!

)

#2 19-08-13, 07:40

Merry, I've just bought the DVD of the series of Michael Wood's Story of England on the village of Kibworth in Leicestershire. I have only viewed one of the DVD's as yet, from the Romans to the Black death. Of course having Merton College own the village makes a huge difference on records surviving, but I have thoroughly enjoyed it. Living in Aus, many of the things that folk in UK know instinctively, is new to me. Being of farming stock, I was particularly taken with the medieval strip farming method.
I'm wondering what others thought of it? Julie

Merry · #3 19-08-13, 07:46

I did watch that back in 2011,, but I can't remember much of the detail now. I seem to think I enjoyed it though!

#4 19-08-13, 08:11

LOL .. things do take a while to get here ... Julie

Shona · #5 19-08-13, 08:26

If repeats of Restoration Man are on, I'll watch again. The format works well and George has a genuine passion for his subject - I have a soft spot for a Sunderland accent.

How about George on WDYTYA?

Merry · #6 19-08-13, 12:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shona

How about George on WDYTYA?

What a good idea!

His father died when he was a child, so he might be like I was, with little awareness of my paternal history.

Shona · #7 19-08-13, 12:26

I'd nominate George to do the voice-over, too.

#8 19-08-13, 13:06

I've watched him on PayTV .. do like his blue eyes lol .. only window shopping of course ...

Durham Lady · #9 20-08-13, 15:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shona

If repeats of Restoration Man are on, I'll watch again. The format works well and George has a genuine passion for his subject - I have a soft spot for a Sunderland accent.

How about George on WDYTYA?

Aww Shona, he's got a Washington accent not Sunderland. I expect he was born in the maternity hospital in Sunderland but he's a Washington lad.

Shona · #10 20-08-13, 15:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Durham Lady

Aww Shona, he's got a Washington accent not Sunderland. I expect he was born in the maternity hospital in Sunderland but he's a Washington lad.

You're right! Born in Sunderland and brought up in Washington. Still a lovely accent, though.

In his own words: 'When most of the kids were playing with building blocks and pieces of Lego, I was actually on building sites.'

Both of his grandfathers were builders.