When I bring supper to my son, Rory, I usually pop it on a lap tray and make sure I dodge out of the way of the telly for the little prince, muttering to myself, “What did your last slave die of?”
Seems I was right all along to touch my forelock and be subservient to my darling child, and his father for that matter, as it would appear that royal blood runs through their veins.
For the last few years, Dougie’s uncle has been looking into the family tree and has uncovered some very interesting ancestors. He has been sending all the information down to my parents-in-law who have kept it all in large brown envelopes in a cupboard.
This weekend we decided to have a proper look through it all. If you’re sitting comfortably, I will begin and try not to make your head hurt, like mine has over the past few days.
Love it! Fulk and everything. you've inspired me to get on with our family tree as very impressed with your family's efforts. hold On I'll just have a sit down its a massive task so well done to you guys for finding the Royal Fulk in the family
Of course now I'm keen to have a look at my side of the family. It must have taken Dougie's uncle years of work to find all this, albeit through the ancestry websites, but it's a hard job. Ah, fulk it, I'm married into the royal lineage..that'll do for now!
Fulking hell! You're a nob! One of the nobility!
Do I scrape and bow?
Will you be appearing on a stamp sometime soon? đ
As Dougie keeps informing me, I'm not royal at all. Am I what they call a royal consort? Mother of a prince, certainly, but then I've always known that.
I can give you a bit about the Conways but it all gets a bit muddy when you get back to Ireland. Unless people were the ruling aristocrats (which we certainly weren't) there aren't many records.
I've just been looking into the Hargis stuff and it was amazing what we found. The records here are quite good and we've traced the first Hargis back to the 1640's; but he came from England of French parentage. When I branched off into the female lines, they nearly all went back to the 1600 English invasion. My husband seems to be more English than I am!
Oh yes, I remember you'd been doing some family research too. The Hargis family sounds fascinating. So you married an Englishman after all?
Ha – at first I missed that 'l' and thought you were having a little anti-aristocracy rant! Wonder exactly how that was pronounced in 1043?
My Canadian aunt (Mum's sister) has been doing Stanford family research for years and managed to trace one of our forbears to a composer who's buried in Westminster Abbey- probably the closest any of us will get to nobility. In your case, I suppose 'consort' is better than 'concubine,' right? We were just at a palace last weekend that existed purposely to hold King Sejon's 'many wives, concubines, and female attendants.'
I love all the little stories and detail that are found – like yours with the composer in Westminster Abbey.
Yes, I prefer being a consort than an old floozy concubine.
Decomposing!
Why didn't I think of that reply? Genius.
Impressive research.
I think my aunt did some for my dad's family and got back to the Huguenots. I know my mum has a big family Bible from her Welsh family that goes back several generations too as it records all the births and deaths on the inside cover.
As someone else has done the research, I have to take it at face value. To be fair, there are a few odd connections which, if wrong, could totally throw the English royal link. I'm more convinced by the branches on the Scottish side, if I'm honest. But it's such good fun reading it all.
I remember that about family bibles. I think we've lost ours so if I want to do any work I may have to start again. Think I might try following back my dad's side, as Grinsell is a more unusual name…might be easier.
Doesn't make a blind bit of difference to your lives but fascinating to know. I'd love to know mine back that far.
Absolutely. It's certainly reminding me about long forgotten history lessons. Probably what's more interesting is the more recent past, to some extent. As my son pointed out, once you go back to the 30th generation, you're talking about millions of people being linked to the same person.
I am really impressed with how far back you managed to go!
As for Fulk Senior and Junior, I did try to say both names out loud quickly… which resulted in Sexy Hubby saying to me: "Language, there are children around"!!
A judicious comma might help it to look less rude but far funnier to just say them out loud. Apologies to the children!
Fascinating stuff! Can't beat bit of history, especially when it involves a good Fulk… đ
I've been reading more this morning and even Lady Godiva is a distant relative of my boys. Best keep them away from horses.
Blimey, I thought I'd done well getting back to the 1700s. Fascinating stuff!
Did you use an online ancestry site? Was it complicated?
Blimey……how fascinating, and time consuming that must be. I would love to do ours (probably wronguns and maids all the way back…) but for fulks sake I don't have time!
All the recent relatives look quite nice families: it's once you get further up that all the murder and shenanigans take place.
Blimey, hope you are now perfecting your wave – you're aristocrats! Truth is, your husband probably has a better lineage than those sitting on the throne at the mo. Mine are all from Manchester and hilarious but nothing royal, illegitimite (sp?) or otherwise…
Of course he wants a crown now, and a sentry box at the front door. He spends a lot of time on the throne as it is.
I believe there has been a miscarriage of royal protocol that you were not invited to last year's royal wedding or at least to serve a little supper on trays.
I fear to trace my ancestry in case I find out I should stay in on Bonfire night and I'm linked by a DNA genome to a bloke called Fulk the Typographical Error.
Ha! Yes, I know my place. I do a good curtsey.
Good point about Bonfire night: will keep the boys inside: that's what people do with their little pets isn't it?
It's amazing just how far back one can now trace their ancestry. Apparently t'husband lot are from your neck of the woods, they were sheep rustlers from Northumberland – no such nobility claims here.
I suspect my husband's ancestors clambed over the wall to grapple with your husband's lot on a regular basis.
My father started to trace his ancestors — he was so pleased to find that Clan Chieftains were in our lineage — until he came to the 15th century and there was "Black Duncan". Dad stopped at that point, muttered something about Black Duncan having a penchant for "Robbing the women and raping the men". I'm sure dad, in his sorrow at having an ancestor actually known as "Black", just got a little confused but who knows — those woolen kilts can be really itchy.
Is this Sally anonymous or an anonymous anonymous?!
Will have to see if Black Duncan features on our lists: he probably does, every other bugger seems to be there.
It's the Anonymous Panamanian — aka Scottish, twice removed — once by marriage and obviously with Black Duncan in the family, once by the law!!
SlĂ inte mhath
Marion
I should have known haha! It couldn't have been anyone else really. Wonder is your Black Duncan is related to Dougie's Duncan?
Of course they are related. Black Duncan was the first to import leeches to Scotland, but he used them for torture purposes. This progressed (by generation) to using them to cure ailments by "balancing the humors and ridding the body of plethora". Hence Dougie's vocation — he's from a long line of doctors — Didne ye ken.
Marion in Panama (who is leech-less, it being the dry season)
I'll need to ask the man if he's got a jar of leeches at the surgery. That'll cause a stir in the village.
No, the leeches aren't in the surgery, they are packed in the "requisite emergency vacation supplies" along with the duck tape. As an animal lover — who is feeding the leeches??
Marion in Panama
Interesting news ma'am!
Is there a family line you can trace back to the Austrian village in this article?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/9209343/Austrian-village-F-ing-to-vote-on-name-change.html
You would think they would make the most of the tourist opportunities. F****ing fridge magnets would go down a treat.
Yeah! F***ing useless!
Fulk the rude? You just can't make this stuff up đ
It's great isn't it. Very childish of me to giggle about it but glad you're all having a chuckle too.
I wish I had some rude Fulks in my lineage. We seem to come from 'scavengers'. Think that was as far as we got.
I'm dreading what I find when I look at my own family. Maybe I should remain mysterious and bask in the reflected glory of my boys?