Lunatics in the Family

Belgian Waffle

My Belgian grandmother often told the story that she was named after Queen Astrid, who was her godmother. She also said she was once invited to play with the young princess but they fought over toys so she wasn't asked back. Was there ever any family connection to the Belgian royal family, or was it all just 'a load of waffle'? This episode explores the validity of these seemingly tall tales, and my mother learns some things about her family that she never knew! For show notes, please go to https://geneageek.com/podcast/ Guest: Brigitte Surnames: Lemmens, Minne, Baels, Elleboudt, Moulaert, Vroome Places: Oostende, Ostend, Flanders, Wallonia, Belgium, Belgique, België ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

A Breach of Promise

In 1898, Ellen Cook began working for a carting company in Glasgow, Scotland, and soon became involved with the owner's son. 15 years later, in 1915, their relationship made the international newspapers when Ellen sued John Sinclair for breach of promise. After stringing her along for years, John had decided not to attend his own wedding because 'the weather was bad', and went home to bed instead. Join us in some historical 'curtain twitching' as we learn more. For show notes, please go to https://geneageek.com/podcast/ Guest: Dave Surnames: Sinclair, Cook, Young, Sutherland, Wilson, Lyell Places: Glasgow, Stirling, Kilcreggan, Gourock, Ayr, Scotland, Gibraltar, Malta ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Shottisham Angel - Part 2

In 1852, it was claimed that a young girl from a tiny village in rural Suffolk was blind, deaf, confined to her bed, and had lived without food for several months. Elizabeth Squirrell became known as 'The Shottisham Angel'. But the sensation soon turned to scandal with accusations that she and her family were frauds. Was Elizabeth Squirrell an imposter? Or had others just been spreading misinformation? In part 2, we explore the family's response to the accusations of fraud and find out what happened to Elizabeth and her family. For show notes, please go to: https://geneageek.com/podcast/ Guest: Pip Surnames: Squirrell, Matcham, Francis, Bendall, Seagar Places: Shottisham, Hollesley, Bawdsey, Woodbridge, Ipswich, Suffolk ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Shottisham Angel - Part 1

In 1852, it was claimed that a young girl from a tiny village in rural Suffolk was blind, deaf, confined to her bed, and had lived without food for several months. Elizabeth Squirrell became known as ‘The Shottisham Angel’. But the sensation soon turned to scandal with accusations that she and her family were frauds. Was Elizabeth Squirrell an imposter? Or had others just been spreading misinformation? For show notes, please go to: https://geneageek.com/podcast/ Guest: Pip Surnames: Squirrell, Matcham Places: Shottisham, Hollesley, Bawdsey, Woodbridge, Ipswich, Suffolk ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Lunatics in the Family

When a body is discovered on a rocky beach in Victorian northeast Scotland, it unravels the buried history of a fishing family marked by tragedy. Life in their harsh coastal village was unforgiving—but what led at least four of them to be committed to the Royal Lunatic Asylum in Aberdeen? Was it madness, misfortune, or something more? Guest: Eddie Surnames: Buchan, Strachan, Carle, Tait Places: Cairnbulg, Inverallochy, St Combs, Aberdeen, Maud, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire For show notes, please go to: https://geneageek.com/podcast/ ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.