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Customer’s connection to the Tay Bridge train disaster

One of our customers got in touch to tell us about her personal connection to the Tay Bridge train disaster of 1879. Here is Linda Richart’s story:

‘I read with interest the article about the genealogy series Find My Past the TV show. My interest is with the Tay Bridge disaster episode.

My great grandfather, Francis James Chitty, was a commercial traveller and he was aboard the ill-fated train on that day, bound for a station beyond the Tay Bridge. At a station stop before the train crossed the Tay, however, he alighted to refill his flask. He emerged to see the train pulling out of the station, so he was spared from death. My grandmother was born in 1884 so I would not have been born if he had not refilled his flask!

We looked at one of the websites covering the disaster and noted that although 75 people were aboard the train, only 60 bodies were accounted for. We are left wondering whether the authorities ever established that my great grandfather was not on the train at the fateful moment, or whether they assumed he was one of the 15 missing bodies.’

Have any of you also discovered links to the Tay Bridge disaster?

Customer's connection to the Tay Bridge train disaster

One of our customers got in touch to tell us about her personal connection to the Tay Bridge train disaster of 1879. Here is Linda Richart’s story:

‘I read with interest the article about the genealogy series Find My Past the TV show. My interest is with the Tay Bridge disaster episode.

My great grandfather, Francis James Chitty, was a commercial traveller and he was aboard the ill-fated train on that day, bound for a station beyond the Tay Bridge. At a station stop before the train crossed the Tay, however, he alighted to refill his flask. He emerged to see the train pulling out of the station, so he was spared from death. My grandmother was born in 1884 so I would not have been born if he had not refilled his flask!

We looked at one of the websites covering the disaster and noted that although 75 people were aboard the train, only 60 bodies were accounted for. We are left wondering whether the authorities ever established that my great grandfather was not on the train at the fateful moment, or whether they assumed he was one of the 15 missing bodies.’

Have any of you also discovered links to the Tay Bridge disaster?

Behind the scenes of Find My Past the TV show: the researcher

Megan Cherie Owens is one of the expert researchers who traced the participants’ ancestors on Find My Past the TV show. We’ve been talking to Megan to get the inside knowledge of what it was like to be involved with the show.

FMP: What was your role in the series? How did you do this?

Megan: I did the in-house genealogy research. The production team looked into the stories and main protagonists and fed names to an outside researcher who worked on the genealogy and produced reports to show any living descendants. In some cases there were dozens of possible contact details for one name!

If we needed a quick turnaround I did the research on the spot and, in some cases, wrote a letter to a potential contributor within a few hours. If there were no obvious descendants, we widened the net to other protagonists and I then researched the names to see if they went on to have descendants.

Unfortunately some of our protagonists died without having children (e.g., Titanic, Suffragettes, Firing Squad) so we went back one generation or more and then forward, to find nephews and nieces. We sent letters out and I then took most of the phone calls from all the curious respondents!

I found out whether they were the right person, whether they were interested in their family history and whether they knew anything about their ancestor’s role in the events. I also chatted to them about the series in general, and whether they would consider going on camera! I then summarised all of this for the directors.

FMP: What was the most difficult thing you faced?

Megan: Confirming that the genealogies were correct and that people were from the correct families – especially where there were several possible marriages and children with similar names!

FMP: What was your favourite moment?

Megan: I loved working as part of this team – really great people, all with an interest in telling a good yarn! I also found it a real buzz to talk with potential contributors about their lives and family history but without letting on too much about the events we were looking into.

FMP: How do you think this series compares with other family history programmes, such as Who Do You Think You Are?

Megan: I love Who Do You Think You Are? This is working the opposite way – starting from the event and coming forward – so it really could be absolutely anyone who ends up onscreen. No celebrity status required!

FMP: What was it like contacting potential participants and how did they react?

Megan: We mostly wrote to potential contributors, although we did make a few calls and left a message or two. One lady called me back at 10pm on a Saturday, straight after she got back from holiday – she was intrigued and wanted to discover what it was all about! Some people were more reticent but almost all were fascinated by the news that they were somehow connected to a significant historical event.

Megan’s background: I’m originally from New Zealand, where I was taught genealogy as a teenager by a teacher who was an ex-president of the NZ Society of Genealogists. My own ancestry is mostly English and Irish, with a Scottish strand and a strong Cornish element. My ‘favourite’ ancestor is a young man who was convicted of petty theft and transported to Australia in the 1840s. He must’ve been an okay guy as one of his sons, most of his siblings, and even his parents followed him out there! My academic background is in social science, and I’ve worked in TV, universities, oral history research, the 1911 census, and as a professional singer and theatre performer. My kids are impressed that I’ve been working in the production company that makes ‘Horrible Histories’.

Learn more about Find My Past the TV show

Behind the scenes of Find My Past the TV show: director's cut

We’ve been chatting to Adam Donneky, producer and director of two episodes of Find My Past the TV show, to find out the view from behind the camera.

FMP: What was your role in the series? How did you do this?

Adam: I was one of five producer/directors involved in this series of Find My Past the TV show. I directed two of the 10 episodes looking at stories from the Dunkirk evacuation of 1940 and the Whitechapel murders of 1888, attributed to the infamous Jack the Ripper.

FMP: What was the most difficult thing you faced?

Adam: The greatest difficulty that I faced was selecting the three individuals for each episode as there were so many fascinating personal stories from both historical events.

FMP: What was your favourite moment?

Adam: Very difficult to select a favourite moment from the filming process as this series includes so many fascinating individuals. I think I would have to say that the most prestigious moment for me was working with the Dunkirk veterans. Their stories were so remarkable and their attitudes and sense of humour was such an inspiration. I have to thank both the Dunkirk Veterans Association and the Dunkirk Little Ships Association for making it all possible.

FMP: How do you think this series compares with other family history programmes, such as Who Do You Think You Are?

Adam: What I like about Find My Past the TV show is that it gives new insights into stories that we all think we already know.

FMP: What was it like contacting potential participants and how did they react?

Adam: All the participants in my shows found their involvement to be a really positive experience. It was very difficult to keep certain information secret until we had them on camera, but they really enjoyed the suspense of discovering new facts about their ancestors.

Find out more about Find My Past the TV show

Behind the scenes of Find My Past the TV show: director’s cut

We’ve been chatting to Adam Donneky, producer and director of two episodes of Find My Past the TV show, to find out the view from behind the camera.

FMP: What was your role in the series? How did you do this?

Adam: I was one of five producer/directors involved in this series of Find My Past the TV show. I directed two of the 10 episodes looking at stories from the Dunkirk evacuation of 1940 and the Whitechapel murders of 1888, attributed to the infamous Jack the Ripper.

FMP: What was the most difficult thing you faced?

Adam: The greatest difficulty that I faced was selecting the three individuals for each episode as there were so many fascinating personal stories from both historical events.

FMP: What was your favourite moment?

Adam: Very difficult to select a favourite moment from the filming process as this series includes so many fascinating individuals. I think I would have to say that the most prestigious moment for me was working with the Dunkirk veterans. Their stories were so remarkable and their attitudes and sense of humour was such an inspiration. I have to thank both the Dunkirk Veterans Association and the Dunkirk Little Ships Association for making it all possible.

FMP: How do you think this series compares with other family history programmes, such as Who Do You Think You Are?

Adam: What I like about Find My Past the TV show is that it gives new insights into stories that we all think we already know.

FMP: What was it like contacting potential participants and how did they react?

Adam: All the participants in my shows found their involvement to be a really positive experience. It was very difficult to keep certain information secret until we had them on camera, but they really enjoyed the suspense of discovering new facts about their ancestors.

Find out more about Find My Past the TV show

Behind the scenes of Find My Past the TV show: Chris Hollins

We’ve been chatting exclusively to Chris Hollins about what it was like to present Find My Past the TV show. Chris tells us about his favourite moments and how presenting the series has encouraged him to research his own family tree.

FMP: Are you interested in history?

Chris: Very much. It was my favourite subject at school when I was a young lad thanks to a great teacher who told the most amazing stories. That’s what I really love about Find My Past the TV show: incredible moments in British history are re-told though the relatives of key figures. History is about moments but it’s also about how people react to these events. As a journalist, I think it’s always open to interpretation – nothing is cut and dry.

FMP: How do you think this series compares with other family history programmes, such as Who Do You Think You Are?

Chris: There are obvious comparisons with Who Do You think You Are? as we are both looking into family histories. Find My Past the TV show, however, follows the families of famous people who sometimes can have led ordinary lives. We follow incredible/famous events in history through the eyes of ordinary people; without fail the relatives are amazed by some of the extraordinary feats of their ancestors. We also go into more depth about a particular event/relative.

FMP: What was your favourite moment while making the series?

Chris: Undoubtedly meeting the veterans from Dunkirk. They say they are very ordinary people but they are far from it. I can’t possibly imagine what these men were facing during the lowest moments during WWII. They were frightened, just as I would have been, but they still ‘did their bit’ for the cause. It was a very humbling experience.

FMP: Which was your favourite episode and why?

Chris: That is a very tricky question. I have, and I’m not just making it up, enjoyed every single programme, for different reasons. Some because of the moment in history: Dunkirk, Battle of Britain and D-Day, others because of the individual stories: Jack the Ripper, Titanic and Suffragettes or because of the discussions that arose from our investigations: Firing Squad, Bounty and Royal Scandal. It’s too difficult!

FMP: Has presenting Find My Past the TV show encouraged you to look into your own family history?

Chris: Yes it has, but I’m not sure I want to, just in case I owe anybody any money or we have a shady past! I will definitely be looking into it very soon.

FMP: Do you have any ancestors that you’re proud of?

Chris: Yes of course. My father was, and always will be, my hero. He came from nothing to play football for England and with my mum, who I am also very proud of, gave us a great start of life. I also think about my granddad who fought in Africa and Italy during WWII.

FMP: If you could be connected to a major event in history, what would it be and why?

Chris: I have always been fascinated by Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire but that may test the findmypast.co.uk website a little too much! I would love to know what my granddad did during the war.

FMP: Are there any other questions you’d like to answer?

Chris: Where my family name comes from. I would love to know what they did for a living. They don’t have to have done anything incredible, but I love social history. I want to know why we are the way we are.

Find out more about Find My Past the TV show

Behind the scenes of Find My Past the TV show: D-Day

Robin Clarke was one of the participants in D-Day, the fourth episode of Find My Past the TV show. Robin’s grandfather, Oliver Boland, was the pilot of Glider 92 during D-Day. Here we ask Robin about her experiences of appearing on the show.

FMP: What was the most surprising or emotional moment for you?

Robin: The moment I heard my grandpa’s voice, because even though he was in my life, I have no recollection of him.

FMP: How has being involved in the programme affected you or your life?

Robin: It’s made me really appreciate my family. It has also made me want to document all our family photos, past and present, so I can share with my son to pass on through the family.

FMP: Are you proud of your ancestor’s role in this historical event?

Robin: I am very proud of my grandpa. It’s such a shame I didn’t get the chance to know him.

FMP: Do you feel you’ve got to know your ancestor better?

Robin: Yes I do, because now I talk about him to friends and family, sharing all the things I’ve learnt about him.

FMP: If you could meet your ancestor, face to face, what question would you ask them?

Robin: If I met him I would simply ask how it feels to have lived through a war.

FMP: How did you find out you were going to be in a TV programme about your family history? What was your reaction?

Robin: Findmypast.co.uk got in contact with my granny. It was my mum who told me about the plans. I decided that I would do it as I wanted to learn about grandpa and I knew it would make my granny happy. I also wanted to teach my son about our family history and the role that grandpa played in D-Day.

FMP: Has it sunk in that your ancestor was involved in such a momentous point in history?

Robin: I don’t feel that it has sunk in about what he has done. I’m so pleased I got to know him.

Read more about the D-Day episode

Find out more about Find My Past the TV show

Behind the scenes of Find My Past the TV show: Battle of Britain

Jamie Naden took part in Battle of Britain, the third episode of Find My Past the TV show. Jamie’s great-great-aunt worked as a plotter with the WAAF during the Battle of Britain. Here we talk exclusively to Jamie to find out his experiences of appearing on the show.

FMP: What was the most surprising or emotional moment for you?

Jamie: The most surprising moment for me was definitely finding out that I was going to an air base, because I originally was kept in the dark about the whole thing. That was a bit of a shock. Another surprise was being in the war room and having a go at plotting. That was ridiculously difficult!

FMP: How has being involved in the programme affected you or your life?

Jamie: It’s certainly made me feel very proud of my ancestry.

FMP: Are you proud of your ancestor’s role in this historical event?

Jamie: I’m really proud of my great-great-aunt’s role in the Battle of Britain. I had no idea at all that she played such a pivotal role.

FMP: Do you feel you’ve got to know your ancestor better?

Jamie: I didn’t know anything about my ancestor before I appeared on the show so it was a totally new experience for me. It was a learning experience from the get go – I loved it.

FMP: If you could meet your ancestor, face to face, what question would you ask them?

Jamie: If I could ask her anything it would probably be whether or not she found it hard to go back to a “normal” life after the war ended. Especially with all the responsibility she had in the battle and the war and all the stress and hardship that came with a posting like hers.

FMP: How did you find out you were going to be in a TV programme about your family history? What was your reaction?

Jamie: My mum asked me if I was willing to do the show after my grandfather had been in contact with her about it. I wasn’t told anything about it being about the Battle of Britain though, so I was pretty blown away when I turned up on set.

FMP: Has it sunk in that your ancestor was involved in such a momentous point in history?

Jamie: Yes it has. It’s hard to imagine it sometimes but it’s an awesome feeling knowing that my family have such a rich history.

Read more about the Battle of Britain episode

Find out more about Find My Past the TV show

Behind the scenes of Find My Past the TV show: Titanic part 2

Tim Rickeard was one of the participants in Titanic, the second episode of Find My Past the TV show. Read our exclusive interview with Tim as he tells us what it was like to appear on the show.

FMP: What was the most surprising or emotional moment for you?

Tim: Reading the personal narrative by eye-witness Joseph Scarrott of the rescue of my great-uncle Harold Phillimore. It made me realise how lucky he was to be one of the four people rescued by lifeboat 14, which was the only lifeboat to go back to search for those in the water. The description of how he was rescued was quite harrowing.

FMP: How has being involved in the programme affected you or your life?

Tim: It has given me the motivation to find out about the rest of my family history. I met with my uncle Leslie who has been researching family history for over 10 years. He was able to give me a fascinating insight into our relatives’ social history. I discovered a rich naval and maritime past. My great grandfathers sailed in the Fastnet race and on board the first British yacht to challenge the America’s cup.

FMP: Are you proud of your ancestor’s role in this historical event?

Tim: Yes, I’m very proud that Harold survived and that he went on to continue a successful career as a first class steward serving, among others, the Duke of Windsor (formerly King Edward VIII).

FMP: Do you feel you’ve got to know your ancestor better?

Tim: It was fascinating to get an insight into the life on board for a steward and to see a picture of my relative.

FMP: If you could meet your ancestor, face to face, what question would you ask them?

Tim: How he felt going back to sea after the disaster onto the Titanic’s sister ship, the Olympic.

FMP: How did you find out you were going to be in a TV programme about your family history? What was your reaction?

Tim: A letter through the post. Initially, I wondered if it was a scam but then I was intrigued to find out who in my family history was of interest.

FMP: Has it sunk in that your ancestor was involved in such a momentous point in history?

Tim: Both of my grandfathers and their families worked on cruise ships so it is not totally surprising that one of the family was on the Titanic. It was a real surprise to find out how my ancestor was rescued, however, and that he was probably the last person to be rescued two hours after the Titanic sank.

Read more about the Titanic episode

Find out more about Find My Past the TV show

Behind the scenes of Find My Past the TV show: Titanic

Jessica Wilson appeared in Titanic, the second episode of Find My Past the TV show. We talked to Jessica to find out her experiences of appearing on the show and how it has affected her life.

Q: What was the most surprising or emotional moment for you?

A: Reading my great-grandfather’s own account in the New York Times of the night the Titanic sank. It surprised me quite how emotional I found reading it. Despite being related, I didn’t think it would touch me as much as it did. By that point I had been given so much background information on his role, his colleagues and the lead up to that night, that reading his own account brought it all together. The story of the Titanic is familiar to everyone but to hear one individual’s account was harrowing, let alone to know that person was my great-grandfather.

Q: How has being involved in the programme affected you or your life?

A: I’ve always been interested in my family history, but know more about my maternal ancestry. The programme has made me think more about exploring my paternal roots and making the most of asking my family more about it while I can. I think the programme has made me realise how important it is to have an awareness of your ancestry and to be proud of it.

Q: Are you proud of your ancestor’s role in this historical event?

A: Immensely! Not only of how important his job was on the ship but to hear just how far he went to make every effort he could to get help. Especially after the Captain had told him he could step down, to have carried on sending the distress signals, with freezing Atlantic water around his legs rather than searching for the nearest lifeboat, was a very heroic act. In such a situation as his I feel it is a true test of character how he chose to act, his loyalty to both the ship and his colleagues.

Q: Do you feel you’ve got to know your ancestor better?

A: I learnt so much about what he did and what he went through, as well as learning about his character. I was very touched by his loyalty to his colleagues and his selflessness in his actions. Even his humour at such a fraught time portrayed more of his personality and strength of character.

Q: If you could meet your ancestor face to face, what question would you ask them?

A: That is a really difficult question to answer because after following his story, there is so much I would like to ask him, but once my great-grandfather returned from New York, he never really spoke about the Titanic again. So I guess I would ask him ‘which of his relatives he was most proud of and why?’

Q: How did you find out you were going to be in a TV programme about your family history? What was your reaction?

A: The researchers traced my cousin in Swaziland, who put them in contact with my father, and he gave them my phone number. Initially I was quite apprehensive to take part in the programme; I was a little worried about what I might find out and felt uncomfortable at the idea of being filmed. The team were very reassuring though and the more I thought about it, the more I realised what a great opportunity it was. I thought that if I were ever do something significant I would like to think that my ancestors would want to know about it and be proud. If the stories in our family history aren’t told they get forgotten, and this was such a good opportunity to learn more about Harold Bride. Often family stories change from generation to generation as parts get omitted or fabricated, whereas this was a way to hear the truth and facts about my great-grandfather that I otherwise wouldn’t have known. It was a very surreal experience, especially agreeing to take part not knowing who the programme would be focusing on or where they would be taking me. So I guess it was a little bit of blind faith and pure curiosity.

Q: Has it sunk in that your ancestor was involved in such a momentous point in history?

A: I’d always know that Harold Bride was on the Titanic but I never knew the details. Reading how his actions that night played such a huge part in the reason so many people survived made it more impressive. It hits me a little more each time I discuss the programme with people, to see their reaction to his story, and how impressed they are to hear what he did. It’s interesting to me because he was my great-grandfather, but to hear how much it interests other people makes me realise how momentous his story actually is. A friend even asked me to talk to her primary school class about it, so the idea that another generation will hear his story is quite special too.

Read more about the Titanic episode

Find out more about Find My Past the TV show