I remember a story my mum told me years ago about her father and his sister. This may have happened at the end of the 19th century or early in the 20th. The story, as told by mum, was that her aunt had decided to do some genealogy of the Rockliff family and apparently she discovered that they may have been descended from King Llewlyn of Wales. When she told her brother (my grandfather) of this discovery he told her she shouldn't be too proud of that fact as, if it were true, he was a dreadful old blaggard!! Now I'm hoping to find out something about this king of the Welsh whom my grandfather obviously did not approve.
Keep watching this space on Thursdays and thanks to those of you who have been interested enough to have followed so far.
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteOOOOOOOOOOhhhhhh,,,, that sounds intriguing!!! We just got the new series of Who Do You Think You Are on here and the first off the list was an actor called Danny Dyer; he plays the cockney bad guys pretty much all the time - because that is essentially what he is. No one was more gobsmacked that he was when it was discovered down his father's maternal line, heritage went directly back to Thomas Cromwell and, via the wife of Cromwell's elder son, to King Edward III!!! YAM xx
I saw an episode of Who Do You Think You Are? on TV here a week or so ago and this person traced his heritage way back to God. This was because it turned out he was descended from royalty and back in the early days all kings were apparently meant to be chosen by God or some such story. I wish I could remember who the person was. Did you ever read about the man (living today) that could be traced way back to Cheddar Man? This chap's family had always lived in the same area over the centuries and DNA proved he was directly descended from Cheddar Man. I was so intrigued by it all.
DeleteI don't recall the name Danny Dyer but would probably know him if I saw him.
Hope you have a great weekend. xx
Hari OM
DeleteI think that was sportsman (rower) Matthew Pinsent... though it is important to point out that the track back to creation was one of those Medieval 'Publicity Stunts"! records beyond Edward 1 being wholly unreliable!!!
Is this the person you are thinking of regarding the Cheddar connection? Yxx
This sounds like it could be very interesting! I enjoy your posts and I'm sure the next ones will be just as enjoyable!
ReplyDeleteThank you for that and I will begin the Welsh royals next week and it will have to be a few episodes or it will become boring.
DeleteI am so far away from you I had to look up the meaning of the word blaggard!
ReplyDeleteUgh...I hope the King turns out to have been a wonderful man and everyone is happy you are related. Does he look like anyone in the family?
We have a story that a daughter of the Lloyds of London left her wealthy family to marry the man she loved, was then cut off financially and, of course, we are related to her. Haha! I don't know if that's true or family folklore. We also have a story of being related to the US President William Henry Harrison, who died after 32 days in office because he developed pneumonia during his very long-winded inauguration speech. Hmm...we either need more self-esteem in our made up stories or these are true and we should aspire to greater things. I don't know which! Family stories are like that...ours may have started as jokes.
I hope you find out more about yours!
I think blaggard is a good old English word from way back and in little use these days. Having had English parents I guess I know some of these words really well as you have to realise both of them were born in the 19th century.
DeleteNo idea what Llewlyn looked like and I think any picture of him would be a sketch or portrait. No cameras back then.
Descended from royalty!
ReplyDeleteBlaggard or not, that's still something to start a conversation at dinner parties :)
It obviously caused a discussion among family member way back then and I have to remember that grandfather may have had a humble beginning but rose to great heights and unfortunately, I feel, became somewhat of a snob.
Delete