Unearth the Past: A family history & genealogy podcast

S3 Ep6: Adoption, Fish & Manchester's "Fagan":Unearthing the Past with podcast host Ian Beighton

• Dr Michala Hulme • Season 3 • Episode 6

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In this deeply moving episode of Unearth the Past, Dr. Michala Hume is joined by Ian Beighton, host of So, Whats Your Story? podcast. This time, however, Ian is in the hot seat as Michala unravels the mystery of his biological family tree—a story he’s been curious about his entire life.

Ian shares his adoption journey, reflecting on the love of his adoptive mother and his suppressed yearning to understand his origins. With humour, anxiety, and raw emotion, Ian discovers a tapestry of ancestors that includes courageous war heroes, industrious salesmen, skilled athletes, and even a "Manchester Fagin" who once led a ring of thieves. Through a blend of historical records, DNA results, and touching personal anecdotes, Michala introduces Ian to his biological roots, painting a vivid picture of the lives that came before him.

Listeners will hear Ian’s reactions as he uncovers his great-grandfather’s bravery during WWI, and sees photos of his biological parents for the first time. Michala’s meticulous research and storytelling breathe life into long-lost relatives and forgotten family narratives, offering Ian—and the audience—a profound sense of connection and belonging.

This episode is a beautiful exploration of identity, resilience, and the enduring impact of family stories. Whether you’re passionate about genealogy or adoption or simply love a tale that tugs at the heartstrings, this is an episode not to miss.

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So, Whats Your Story...
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Michala:

Hello and welcome back to Unearth the Past, a podcast that delves into the lives of interesting people. With me, your host, dr Michaela Hume. So this week I'm joined by a podcast host. That's right. He has a brilliant podcast called so Watch your Story, and this week I'm going to be telling him a story that he knows nothing about. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to this week's guest, ian.

Ian:

Beaton.

Michala:

Ian, welcome to the podcast.

Ian:

Well, michaela, here we are in your studio in Manchester. Yes, what a fab studio, and I just can't wait to get into this.

Michala:

Tell me, then you've got this brilliant podcast. Yeah, it is brilliant because I've been on it. It's called, so what's your Story? How did that come about?

Ian:

Well, ironically, it's because of my fascination with people.

Michala:

Right.

Ian:

All of my life I've been fascinated with people and their stories. Okay, there's a link, isn't there An obvious one, because my podcast is called so what's your Story? And I sort of yeah, got curious. Some people say I've got quite a nice voice, I don't know really Right. So I sort of thought about you know this format called podcasting, and that's where it all began. And you've been on. I've had some amazing guests tv celebrities, actors, film producers, former fbi agent, you name it and they're all telling their story, which I love listening to. But there's a couple of things which is really the theme that's becoming very, very prominent in the two and a half years that I've done it now, which is, every single one of them has overcome adversity at some point in their life. Now society might say it's a small piece of adversity, but in for them it was probably big. But I can assure you that a lot of those guests it's massive. What?

Ian:

they've overcome and I'm very, very blessed to have the opportunity to sit with them, listen to those stories, ask questions, have a bit of fun, a bit of banter and yeah, off it goes and listen to it in 63 countries around the world right now.

Michala:

So up to now, when this goes out, how many guests have you had on roughly?

Ian:

I think we're episode 88 right now, so I do one a week.

Michala:

And.

Ian:

I've tried to get that momentum going throughout. There have been times where we've had to take a slight pause.

Michala:

Yeah, um, but yeah, we're at 88 episodes right now, so and out of all those guests you've had on and you've had a lot on and I'm sure you can ask this a lot what has been your favorite story? So what is the story? You know like when you meet somebody or you're on a plane yeah, somebody goes. Oh, tell us a bit about your podcast. And you had to sort of recite one of those stories that you've heard. Which one would it be? Which one has resonated with you? The most.

Ian:

I mean I'm going to almost like a politician swerve that question.

Michala:

Right.

Ian:

And answer it like this, because I think every guest's story is incredible. There is no doubt about that. Every guest's story is incredible. There is no doubt about that. But the more the adversity and the more the unbelievable twists and turns, the more I get excited.

Michala:

Of course, yeah.

Ian:

So there is no one that stands out?

Michala:

Yeah, there's a few of my own personal favourites. I don't think we're going to get those today. So how did you get into podcasting? I know, like you said, you love chatting to people. Have you always been in the presenting business? What was your life like before the podcast?

Ian:

Well, yeah, and still is yes. So I don't just, I'm not just a podcast host, I have another business as well which is really based on what I've done for the majority of my life, which is a salesman essentially. I've held some giddy titles over the years. I've worked for some big corporate global businesses. I've traveled all over the world with my career. I'm very, very blessed in that way world with my career. I'm very, very blessed in that way.

Ian:

But you know, the podcast came about because, as I say, back to this fascination with people. So throughout my career I've been meeting a lot of interesting people and I find that if you meet somebody in a business environment and here's a little tip for you listeners don't just go on about what you do and why you do it, and it's a bit boring, really, because everybody in everybody around you is having that same narrative, that same conversation. And I genuinely it's just ironic that the podcast is called. It's not ironic, actually, because I sat down with my blank piece of paper what am I going to call this? This podcast? I think it's great. I've definitely got the idea. I definitely run with it.

Ian:

I know what, when I meet people in business, I say to them. So what's your story? And you know what, michaela? It's an interesting question to ask because and a couple of my guests have nicked it they've, they've said to me, and we use that in business environment. It's brilliant because people will not always answer it in a business manner. They might say well, actually, I'm going through a shitty divorce at the minute, or my kids are driving me nuts, or the dog's got ill, might be something completely off track. Then, of course, what you're doing is you're, for you're building a relationship with this person in front of you because you're interested. Now they may just person in front of you because you're interested. Now they may just answer in business terms, which is also interesting because they'll tell you well, I'm the CEO or I'm this, I'm that.

Michala:

My role is yeah, does that make sense? Yeah, it does. Now we are going to pick up, then, on your story.

Ian:

Oh, here we go.

Michala:

But we're going to pick up on a story that you know nothing about. I know nothing about, I know nothing. So we met this is a true story I was in the oxfam bookshop in knutsford buying postcards for something else I do, and I was buying up all their postcards, all their old postcards, and you were in there and we got chatting, didn't we? We did, and you told me about your podcast and then I listened to it and then really enjoyed it went on and I, we were speaking about family history and, interestingly to me, you said that you were adopted correct.

Ian:

You're adopted.

Michala:

Yes and you didn't know anything other than the name of your biological mother. That's all you knew. What made you sort of, or what led you to sort of say to me would you have a look into my family tree? Have you been curious about your biological family?

Ian:

this is. This is a brilliant question, michaela, because I thought about this before coming in here today and I can also just add this my heart rate is going up now, really, yeah, if there's a monitor that we could visit, visualize, because I thought about this before coming in here today and I can also just add this my heart rate is going up now.

Michala:

Really.

Ian:

Yeah, if there's a monitor that we could visualize. Now my heart rate my resting heart rate is between 58 and 60. I reckon right now we're pumping at about 130. Okay, because I'm starting to get a little bit anxious about the fact that you are going to tell me today something which I've been curious about all my life. Something which I've been curious about all my life, Because people say when you're adopted, you have this void in you.

Ian:

I'm going to tell you I don't, because my mother God rest her soul was a beautiful woman, and I say this my biological mother gave me the gift of life, the mother who chose me because that's the reality. She chose me. I'm very blessed that she chose me. She taught me how to love unconditionally and I just think that's beautiful. So I don't have this void inside me.

Ian:

However, I have a massive, massive curiosity for things like, for example, as daft as it sounds, over the years I've had health issues and the doctors may say what's what's your family history? Is this? Does this run in the family? I haven't got a bloody clue, right. I'm adopted.

Ian:

I had skin cancer a couple of years ago, only a small blemish. I mean, it's still. I'm not dismissing it. Skin cancer is not good. And the dermatologist was checking my eye colour, my hair strands, the skin tonality, and he said oh, you do know, you're Celtic, don't you? Now you might go. I don't know where we're going to go with this, but I said no. And he said oh yeah, you're definitely Celtic origins. How come you don't know. And I said, well, because I'm adopted, I don't know.

Ian:

So all my life there's been this curiosity who was my mum? Why did she have to give me up Did? Why did she have to give me up? Did she ever think about me? How old is she? Where's she from? It's just this massive, massive piece of curiosity. And I got upset then because I've kind of buried that, I kind of suppressed it all my life. Because I have a mum and, respectfully, as sad as I am that she's no longer with us, I didn't want to go researching while she was still alive because I thought it was disrespectful. And I did have the conversation with her a couple of times and she went Ian, I love you, go and find your biological mum. I know it means you don't love me any less.

Michala:

How did you find out you were adopted? Oh my God, Is it something that you always knew? Well?

Ian:

as much as I love my mum and as much as she did all she could to give myself and my sister a beautiful life, the way she told us we were adopted was not best right, right, okay, and did that have any impact on you?

Michala:

like, how old were you when you find out?

Ian:

did that have any impact on you sort of growing up, yeah, yeah yeah, because when she told us, in the manner she told us, in which I don't really want to share here and now, I you know my mum struggled to explain it properly to us.

Michala:

And I was seven years of age.

Ian:

Wow, you were really young then, yeah, yeah, and we were told, and I just all that resonated with me in the words I only remember are so your mum didn't want you, right, okay?

Ian:

And that's what stuck. Yeah, and I remember running up to my bedroom I had a tiny bedroom in Leicester, buckminster Road and shutting the door and getting my head in the pillar and the pain was horrific, crying my eyes out, screaming into the pillar, and actually all I wanted was for my mum to open the door and say it's okay, because I want you. But she never did so.

Michala:

The reason that impacted me for the rest of my life is I learnt to suppress pain and deal with it myself, don't bother anybody else with it and what would it mean today, then, to find out who your biological parents are? What would that mean today?

Ian:

I think it's kind of like I view my life as many chapters. Yeah, it's like this, you know. To go back to the storytelling, we've all got a story. Every single one of us, all of you listeners out there listening to this around the world, and wherever you might be right now in your car, on the beach, sitting down to coffee, walking the dog, whatever you might be doing You've got your story. I know you have because we've all you might be doing. You've got your story. I know you have because we've all got one. And I've got a wonderful story that I'm going to tell next year.

Ian:

Um, but my life, but you know, to find out a piece of, to turn the page in in this metaphorical book of life and think about this chapter, there's just blank pages at the moment. There's nothing there. I can headline the chapter my mum, yeah, but I know nothing. So it would put the context into that piece of the chapter. And it's not a yearning to necessarily go meet this woman, it's just to know a bit more. And you know when, when you kindly suggested, because this is what you do, right, you're brilliant at it, you know, and I'm like, oh my god, over a conversation in a charity shop in knutsford, you looking for what you were calling thingy majigs, which is actually postcards, that's how you're referred to them. And I said to you cheekily what's a thingy-ma-jig?

Ian:

And that's how our conversation started, right. So now here I am sitting in a studio with you. You're about to, and this is just mind-blowing for me. We met outside the studio and you said to me I was getting distracted with something. And I said I do that, michaela, because I don't want to think about what's coming ahead. I really don't.

Michala:

I do want to, but I don't want to, and maybe it's going back to that childhood thing of shutting it off. Well, I found your biological parents.

Ian:

I found your biological mum and your biological dad. Did you know I?

Michala:

did.

Ian:

I did Okay. Interestingly, we're sitting in the studio in Manchester and there's some pictures on Michaela's little desk here and I said, oh, is that my dad? He's a bit of a handsome chap, isn't he? He looks like he's a high-ranking officer as well. And you were like no, that's not your dad.

Michala:

That's not your dad, but I did lie to you. Those are all your relatives.

Ian:

Oh, my God.

Michala:

May I? Those are all your relatives and we're going to talk about those in a minute, right, and we're going to go through everybody and who everybody is. We're going to go through why I've put a picture of a street on there. Are you okay?

Ian:

yeah, yeah, it's a lot, isn't it? Wow? Now, anybody who knows me knows that I would cry at this, typically, because even when I watch forrest gump, you know, and he comes to the point of, you know, mama says lap is like a box of chocolates, that bit doesn't make me cry. But when he's with journey and he says journey, I love you, I cry, you know. So the floodgates are probably going to open up, michaela. So I've got tissues, I've got water, You've got tissues you've got water.

Ian:

I'm okay, I'm all right, we're all right we're having a chat. I'm going to keep injecting humour to help me get through it. Now.

Michala:

I do want to just say as well that I did say to Ian when we started this journey that if I found his biological parents, do you want to know?

Ian:

So I don biological parents. Do you want to know? So I don't want you to think that I've just sprung this on him.

Michala:

Yeah, she hasn't just, she hasn't just hoodwinked me into a shoe. No, no, you've been very, very kind. Yeah, you said that you didn't want to know, you were happy to find out on the podcast. I did, okay, yeah yeah, so I'm going to give you now, for the first time in your life, your biological family tree. Are you ready for this?

Ian:

Oh my god. So this is your biological family tree that you can refer to at any point when we're having our chat. Oh, my goodness me, wow, shit, wow.

Michala:

So at the moment they are just names on a piece of paper, but we're going to bring some of those people to life.

Ian:

She's still alive then. She is and she's absolutely lovely and she has been really helpful in putting the piece of the jigsaw puzzle together. Goodness me, you see, listeners. What you don't know is you're not necessarily going to know this either is that my biological name is different to the name that you know me by yeah, and we will say, just for the sake of the podcast, we are not going to be mentioning no, you keep that.

Michala:

we are not going to be mentioning the names of your biological parents, and that's just because we are respectful that there are potentially children out there or other people within the family that might not know about this. So we're trying to protect everyone, so we're not going to be mentioning their names. We are going to be delving into the tree, but we're going to go a couple of generations back. But before we do that, would you like to see a picture of your biological mother?

Ian:

Yes, I would. Is this her now, or is this her when is this?

Michala:

So this is, at the time, more or less Wow.

Ian:

Do you want to?

Michala:

grab it so she remembers having you. She knew your date of birth, she knew the name that she gave you. Uh, when you were born she was only young. She was very young when she had you and I think it's fair to say she had quite strict parents who so that part of the story is correct and that's what I was told. Yeah, she had very strict parents.

Ian:

Bless her. It's very odd looking into the eyes of somebody you've never seen before, who gave birth to you. Thank you.

Michala:

Would you like to see a picture of your biological father?

Ian:

Oh, my God, Of course.

Michala:

Names at the top you can definitely see you are related.

Ian:

Can't you just Abso-bloody-lutely. It's honestly like looking at you when you said do you want to Honestly it's, I mean, it's just unreal, isn't?

Michala:

it.

Ian:

When you said Wow, oh my God, shit Same fricking hairline.

Michala:

So I've just shown Ian a picture of his biological father and honestly, it's like looking into a mirror.

Ian:

It is Mm. Oh wow.

Michala:

So I'm going to talk to you then a bit about this process and sort of what happened.

Ian:

Please do.

Michala:

So when I was chasing your biological mum, that was slightly more difficult because you had taken an ancestry DNA test and we put those results into Ancestry and straight away you had a match and it was a really high, strong match and that match basically came back as your biological father. So Ancestry sort of predicts how you are related to people and, based on the strength of the amount of dna you shared with that person, it came back really quickly that this is your biological father isn't that fascinating, that's fascinating.

Michala:

You've also got other cousin matches on there. One of your cousins, obviously, when we uploaded your DNA, reached out straight away. She is absolutely lovely. She has given me her email to pass on to you. She really can't wait to meet you and talk to you. She is absolutely lovely, so I'm going to pass those details on to you. If you want to reach out via email and have a chat, I think she would absolutely love that.

Ian:

Wow.

Michala:

You also have another cousin, robin hello this one's for you who is in australia. Robin's a slightly more distant cousin. She has done the full family tree on your paternal side, your biological father's side, and she's coming over for a few weeks um to this country. She's done the family tree. I've had a zoom chat with Robin because she has very kindly given us these pictures just to help put some of those jigsaw pieces together. Um, really lovely. The people that I've spoke to on that side have been really, really lovely. Um. So do you want to know, then, your ethnicity breakdown?

Ian:

obviously you were saying that you know well, I, yeah, I mean, of course, I mean and, and, robin, if you're listening to this and you come to the uk, I'd love to meet you, um how ironic is that that both of my sons live in Australia.

Michala:

Really, yes, right, okay, so, yeah, so Robin is coming over for a few weeks, I'm sure, I'm sure, um, I can put you two in contact. Uh, your other cousin, she lives in Leicester and she's absolutely lovely and, um, she can't wait, I think, to speak to you so I can put you guys in contact as well. So should we go through your ethnicity breakdown, because I know you were curious about this, weren't you? I was very curious, yeah, so on your biological mother's side, you are 40% England, northwestern Europe, you are 7% Germanic Europe and you are 3% Netherlands. So that is your breakdown that you are getting just from your maternal side. From your biological father's side, you are England and Northwestern Europe, 24%, ireland, 22% Ashkenazi, jews 2%, basque 1% and Wales 1%.

Ian:

Wow.

Michala:

Hope I've pronounced those right.

Ian:

What does that mean then?

Michala:

So that is basically the areas that you are made up of. So that is your ethnicity breakdown, and you have got all those areas some from your mum and some from your biological father.

Ian:

So I'm a bit like that in the Forrest Gump film, aren't I? I'm a bit like that box of chocolates, like a mix of all sorts going on, yeah, and everybody is there. So I'm a bit like in the forest, couldn't film on? A bit like that box of chocolates, like a mix of all sorts going on yeah, and everybody is.

Michala:

I think people always assume when they do these tests oh, I'm 100 irish, you know. I know everyone's in my island and nobody ever is. I've yet to find anybody that is just from one region. Um, so shall we start then? You have got a copy of your, your family tree. Should we? Should we have a delve in and pull out some characters that are in this? In this family tree of yours so let's start, then, with your great-grandfather. He is called charles henry lovings no, I see him can you see him?

Ian:

yeah, I don't see him, but I see the name.

Michala:

Okay.

Ian:

Yeah.

Michala:

So he was born in Manchester. That side of your tree are from Manchester. What does that mean to you to be from Manchester? I can see you getting quite emotional.

Ian:

It's weird, this is, this is. I don't know whether anybody else feels this when they travel to a part of the world, but I often feel when I come into Manchester. I live in Knutsford now in Cheshire. I'm from Leicester. I've lived in the Northwest for 17 years, I think it is, but when I come into Manchester there's a sense that part of me belongs here.

Michala:

You're home.

Ian:

When I go to Ireland, there's a part of me that senses I belong there. When I go to Wales, I feel like. I belong there, yeah, so isn't that bizarre that Charles Henry Levings was born in Manchester.

Michala:

In Manchester on the 27th of December 1885. He was one of 13 children born to Ferdinand Lovings and Honora O'Sullivan. He was baptized at Saint Patrick's Church on the 17th of January 1886 and I have found him on the 1891 census, which I'm going to show you now. So for those that are just tuning in that may not know what a census is, a census is taken every 10 years here in the uk. There is a hundred year closure order on it. So for us, the last one we can see is the 1921 census. So this is the 1891 census. If you scroll across, you should see the family living on colliehurst street. I don't know if you can read some of that out. If you can make it out, the handwriting is atrocious. So what's this then? What is this? So this is the census. This was taken in 1891, and you should find their name at the top Ferdinand Leving.

Ian:

Yeah.

Michala:

So I don't know if you can read out any of that information, what he's saying about it.

Ian:

He was a salesman.

Michala:

He was.

Ian:

Isn't that ironic. It's in my blood, aye, it's in your blood, sawyers. Why have I gone Scottish then?

Michala:

I don't know, because I've got no Scott in me. No, not at all.

Ian:

I felt like I was in a scene from, um I don't know, a film with the scots in it yeah, so he was a salesman.

Michala:

What was he selling? Does it say fruit, fruit yeah fruit salesman.

Ian:

People say I can be a bit fruity. God, look at this Shit If I scroll, did you say?

Michala:

So you should just be able to. Can you see what number they're living at? Is it 79?

Ian:

Wow.

Michala:

Collyhurst Street at this side.

Ian:

Interesting.

Michala:

So I'll just quickly summarise. So they're living in 1891. Ferdinand is living with your great-grandfather.

Ian:

It's a nice name, isn't it Ferdinand?

Michala:

It is a lovely name. They're living at 79 Collyhurst Street, which is obviously in Manchester. Your great-grandfather is only five years old at the time.

Ian:

Wow.

Michala:

So he's obviously in school school, but his dad is a fruit salesman and if you had gone across a bit more you would have found out that they were born in ireland. So even though charles was born in manchester, his parents ferdinand was born were born in ireland there you go.

Ian:

So there is Celt in me then.

Michala:

So there is. So I know that from the records your great-grandfather, Charles, was working actually as a fish salesman. So he went into the fish trade, Did he? And can I just say they did remarkably well, but we'll pick up on that. So he was working as a fish salesman. At the age of 19 he joined the freemasons and all of the men in the family were members of the freemasons and he was a member of the sir hugh middleton lodge. Now, when I was looking into the levings and I was sort of doing my research, it appears that they were very good athletes. So you any good at running.

Ian:

I used to be. I used to be, yeah, as a kid.

Michala:

Yeah.

Ian:

I loved cross country.

Michala:

Well, that's what they do. So they are. They love their athletes, they're racing all over the shop and their names are coming up all the time in the newspaper for like, winning races.

Ian:

Well done, right yeah.

Michala:

Beautiful. Now, in 1914, obviously, britain enters into world war one sure, and your great-grandfather signs up as a driver in the royal field artillery, and I've actually got a picture of him if you would like to see it yes, of course is that him.

Ian:

Yes. So again coming into the studio, I lied she told a big fat porky, uh, because we're sat in opposite each other and we've got a table, as I said earlier, with some pictures on and I said, oh wow, are they my relatives? I actually thought. I said my dad, I think, uh, but yeah, so this one here. Yeah, so so this one of course you can.

Michala:

You pick it up, you can have a look at that, no problem.

Ian:

Doesn't he look wonderful? Eh, this is unbelievable. Everybody should do this. You should trace your roots, even if you're not adopted. But if you're adopted, definitely Wow. Holds himself very well, mmm.

Michala:

God. Now, he wasn't the only one to sign up. So All the brothers, all him sorry him and his brothers they all sign up to the war effort and we can actually sort of go through some of them now because we have got some pictures. So Ferdinand Junior, known as Fred, he was the oldest of the brothers and he rose to staff sergeant. He was awarded the MSM, which was a very sort of prestigious medal. That was for long service. He was also awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, which is sort of, if you think of the Victoria Cross, that's more or less one under the.

Michala:

Victoria Cross. I've actually got his obituary if you would like to see it have you. Yes, would you like to see it? Have you? Yes, would you?

Ian:

like to see it. Yes, this is just mind-blowing. I'm kind of thinking I'm in one of those states now emotionally where this just feels very, very unreal it's a lot, isn't it?

Michala:

it's a lot to take.

Ian:

It's a lot to take in. I mean, these are names and faces I've never seen. And to know the manchester connection, to know the other connections, to know the salesman, to know the efforts in the war, and anyway, let's see this document okay, so this is ferdinand Jr's obituary.

Michala:

I wondered if you could just summarise it for our listeners.

Ian:

Summarise it. I'm not good at summarising. I am actually quite good at it.

Michala:

Well, just pull out some bits that you think are interesting.

Ian:

So it says here that he served through the South African war and was awarded the Kings and Queens medals. With five bars he was at the storming of the Tugela Heights and the relief of Lady Smith. Afterwards he served in the Ceylon and then many years in India, went over to France on the Western Front, in Galapagos, and he was present at the beach landing. He was very resourceful in difficulties and undertook many arduous journeys and missions.

Ian:

He spoke Arabic, hindustani, urdu and was frequently secretary to the Espanto Club in that was just difficult to read in Royal Pendy it looks like he was an expert horseman he was and his knowledge why is that making you emotional? His knowledge of horses and mules often stood him in good stead.

Michala:

It did.

Ian:

And he served for 26 years. Goodness me, why has that resonated with me? Well, for various reasons. I have a passion for horses do.

Michala:

You see, I didn't know that. So I knew about the salesman obviously. Yeah, uh, literally coming up here he was flogging stuff, you know. So I'm not surprised at this. I knew that that would resonate with you. I didn't know the horses would resonate with you yeah, yeah, massive, massive horse lover.

Ian:

And I actually have a way with horses, right, yeah, in as much as I sense their feelings, wow, yeah, yeah.

Michala:

So that was Ferdinand Jr Arthur, who would be the next one of Charles's brother in age. He joined the Royal Field Artillery and then we have Wilfred, who was the youngest of the brothers. He signs up for the Cheshire Regiment in 1909. He was 17 years and two months old and he was actually an apprentice cabinetmaker before he signs up. However, it appears from his military records that he literally just didn't go back to work one day. So when they, when they went to the cabinet makers for for a reference as they do, it did say that he was an apprentice with us but just didn't turn up for for work one day. Yeah well, he was a brilliant soldier. He was awarded the Military Cross for act or acts of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy on land.

Ian:

Good lad.

Michala:

Now the last of the five brothers, the one that we haven't spoken about, is Sidney. He was a great athlete. He played the piano, he was a dance band leader. Sidney joins the 19th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment In 1915, the regiment leaves Manchester for Southampton where they board a boat to France. Now the regiment was about to play their part in the Battle of the Somme, and I'm sure most people listening will have heard of the Battle of the Somme. Between July and November of 1916, the British Empire suffered over 420,000 casualties.

Ian:

Horrific.

Michala:

One of those was Sidney. He was sadly killed in action on the 16th of November 1916. And I've got a picture of him. I'd like to see him.

Ian:

Very dapper gentleman, wasn't he? It's a lovely photo of him. He's wearing a three-piece suit, tie. Um, yeah, it's funny, isn't it? All of these photos. I can see elements of myself in there, particularly around the eyes, the mouth and the nose forehead yeah the forehead.

Michala:

The forehead is quite a thing mean if you look at the picture of your biological father and that side your immediate side.

Ian:

No no.

Michala:

You didn't even need to take a DNA test. You know Now if we I can go back a bit further. So we spoke about Ferdinand, their dad. He was born in ireland. He was born in 1841 in cork. He would be your great, great grandfather. Wow, he was a policeman in the royal irish constabulary was he now?

Michala:

and when he came over and settled in manchester he was actually still receiving his constabulary pension from Ireland. His father, james, he was born in 1792. He was also a constable. In 1828 I found a really interesting newspaper article because him and three other officers were tried for murder. Wow, because they had shot a man and it actually went to trial. They were acquitted but it did go to trial. They did actually go on trial for murder in Ireland in 1828.

Michala:

I'm going to move on, because I'm slightly conscious of time and I want to try and cover a bit. Sorry to interrupt the podcast and it will be back in just a minute, but I would like to take the time to talk to you about an organisation that is really close to my heart, and that is the Power of One. The Power of One is a non-profit organisation founded by the fabulous Samantha Hutchinson, which supports women across the world who work in the animal welfare community. There are currently thousands of women across the globe who are fighting to improve the lives of animals and make their communities safer by reducing the spread of disease. They are working really hard to reduce the number of animals on the street through rescue, providing rehabilitation, rehoming and spray and neutering campaigns. They are also raising awareness through education in local schools and improving public perceptions of the cities, towns and countries in which they live.

Michala:

Now, this industry relies almost exclusively on public donations, and many women risk their livelihoods and in some cases, even their lives, just to be a part of it. Funding helps to create jobs. It supports families and local businesses and provides access to education and much needed mental health support. If you get a chance and look, I know times are hard, but if you get chance and look. I know times are hard, but if you get chance, please just check out the paraphorm website. I've put the details in the podcast description and even just tell people about this organization, this wonderful organization, and what they are doing to help animals and especially dogs and if you know me, you know all of my dogs around the world. Now back to the podcast.

Ian:

So we can now.

Michala:

If you have a look at your family tree, you should see the Flanagan line. So your great-grandmother is Agnes Flanagan. So we're still on your biological father's side at the moment. Yeah, she was born in 1892. Her father, James, was born in Ireland Hopefully can you see that on there and her mother was Mary Ann Remmers.

Ian:

Yes.

Michala:

Her father, which is now your great, great great grandfather, is Aaron Remmers, and I've got a newspaper article that I wondered if you could just read out loud for me. If you can, it's pretty short, but if you could just read that out.

Ian:

Sure, a Manchester Fagan, a Manchester Fagan Fagan is that the right word? Fagan Fagan, as in Oliver Twist, that's what I thought. A Manchester Fagan, a Manchester Fagan, has just come to grief. His name was Aaron Remmers. His nominal occupation was that of a Fent dealer. Fent dealer Meaning, I don't know.

Michala:

Fabric dealer.

Ian:

Fabric and he now has been convicted of receiving stolen goods. The prisoner had carried on a large retail trade in Manchester goods the produce of warehouse robberies committed from time to time during the last 18 months. Remmers, who was described as a trainer and supporter of young thieves, was sentenced to penal servitude, looks like, for 10 years. One of his sons was sentenced to six months imprisonment and a young man named Willie, who had committed theft on a large extent of the instigations of Rammers, to eight months. That's all I can see on that piece.

Michala:

So your great-great-great-grandfather was a bit of a rogue wasn't he just? And he went missing for 10 years. So I couldn't find him on the census. And that's because he is in pentonville prison, because he has been operating a ring of thieves in manchester and has been. They have been stealing from factories and then selling him the stolen goods. Yeah, should we now go down your dad's mother's line? Yeah, so if you have a look at your family tree again, you should see the Bridgewoods.

Ian:

Yes.

Michala:

So your great grandfather, which was George Hamer Bridgewood. He was born in 1898 in Macclesfield.

Ian:

Wow.

Michala:

His father was William Bridgewood. He was from Staffordshire and his mother was Martha Hamer. I did manage to find them on the 1911 census. That was the last record I actually have for them before World War one. Wow, like the loving side of the family, george also joined the war effort. He was a transport sergeant in the machine gun corps. The machine gun corps was nicknamed the suicide club because of the high casualty rate wow the mgc were responsible for both offensive and defensive fire support.

Michala:

George is discharged from the war in 1919, and in 1925 he marries your great-grandmother, lily Green at Park Green Methodist Church in Macclesfield.

Ian:

You know what's very strange about that?

Michala:

Go on.

Ian:

So my mum. Her mum was called lily, no way.

Michala:

So my grandmother yeah, lily, lily and actually, but yeah, yeah, was you know, yeah and her husband.

Ian:

My granddad was george wow it's a lot of serendipity. There really is today, isn't there Just a lot going on here?

Michala:

So they get married in 1925 at Park Green Master Church in Macclesfield. The following year, in 1926, lily gets pregnant. But when she is six months into her pregnancy I find another record which relates to George which I'm going to show you now. So they've got married, lily's now pregnant and I just wondered if you can make out what this record is and if you can make out the dates just in that column on the left-hand side.

Ian:

A grocer. So that is a death certificate Right.

Michala:

So George dies when Lily is six months pregnant. Oh wow, wow, so your great-grandmother never met her dad?

Ian:

Oh, my goodness me, yeah, yeah because a mum, as I say, was six months pregnant when he, uh, unexpectedly, sadly passes away. I think what's fascinating about this whole experience not just the, the, the highlights, obviously, of my mother and biological mother and biological father, but this history- is mind-blowing. Yeah, it's absolutely mind-blowing. You're pretty good at what you're doing, aren't you?

Michala:

you know what? I love it. I managed to trace the bridgewoods bridgewoods all the way back into the 18th century and they are from. We've got cheshire and then we've got staffordshire, which is pretty close to where we're from.

Ian:

So I was right. Yeah, when I came to Knutsford four years ago, was it or longer Five?

Michala:

Yeah.

Ian:

And sat in a cafe on King Street Felt like I belonged there.

Michala:

You do.

Ian:

Like I should be there.

Michala:

Now let's go down your biological mother's side. So your great-grandfather on your biological mother's side was John William Stanage. He was born in 1903 in Melton, Mowbray, famous for the pork pies.

Ian:

Are you kidding me? No, okay, go on, carry on. I'll tell you why in a bit.

Michala:

Okay, go on your great-grandmother, eliza Howe. She was born in 1914 in derbyshire. Right, the stanages are involved in agriculture, so your great-grandfather was a tractor driver. His father, which is your great-great-grandfather, uh, thomas williams stamage was a shepherd, and that is literally his job description. If we keep going back, his father father your three times great grandfather was a shoemaker who later went on to run a post office. His father, which is your four times great-grandfather, robert Stanage Wow, and they're all mostly involved in agriculture.

Ian:

And shoes.

Michala:

And shoes for a part. Now, the shoe thing is something that I thought would resonate with you and that's because what you guys probably can't see and don't know about ian, which I know he has the most amazing shoe collection right, so I know he loves, obsessively loves shoes unbelievably.

Ian:

I own far too many pairs of trainers and shoes Far too many. But there is a new reason.

Michala:

Yeah.

Ian:

Which is also interesting.

Michala:

Yeah.

Ian:

And I'm going to tell you exactly what my grandfather used to say. So on my mum's side, remember, I said Lily and George.

Michala:

Yeah.

Ian:

Yeah, george was a cobbler.

Michala:

Ah, right and in his house.

Ian:

in the yard he had a workshop. Ah right, and in his house in the yard he had a workshop. Yeah, and he would fix shoes yeah. He would resole them, reheal them, everything else. So I'd go into his workshop and he'd say Eolad, you can do this, yeah, yeah. And I'd do it. And he'd go do you know what? You're a bloody natural.

Michala:

Right, okay, yes.

Ian:

It's in the blood. It's in the blood. The horses, the, the, the bit.

Michala:

I'm not you know, I'm not a, I'm not a fagin type, no, uh, so you've not got like you know, people running around no, no, no, what a shame. So I I'm conscious of time right, and I always ask everybody this question If you could invite anybody from your family tree for dinner tonight and I know, obviously we have two very big ones in your case but if there's anybody in your family tree you'd like to invite for dinner tonight, who would it be and why? And quickly, what would you cook them?

Ian:

Oh yeah, my mum.

Michala:

Yes, why.

Ian:

Because I just want to just give her a big hug, yes, and say hi, yes, and say it's amazing to meet you and what would a cook cut her? Hmm well, what's? Your signature dish I think I'm a good cook. Um, I could throw anything together. So what I'd actually say to her is mum, sit down, yeah, tell me what you like to eat and I'll make it you, that's what I'd do there's been a lot to take in today.

Michala:

Obviously, we've spoke about a lot of things. You mentioned a lot of names in your tree. What are you going to take away from?

Ian:

this. Well, I mean, I'm going to have to process this, you know, because it is a lot to take in, um. But firstly, before I make comments on that, I'd just like to say to you, michaela, personally thank you very, very much.

Michala:

This is just. You deserve this you're very kind.

Ian:

It's unbelievable what you've managed to. It actually isn't unbelievable from your perspective, probably because you do this all the time, but for me, to see this and to see images and records and the stories and there's a few things really I'm proud of who I am. Thank you, Mum, for giving me this gift called life, and I will take away knowing who I really am and probably why I'm here.

Michala:

Ian, thank you so much for coming to my podcast. Thank you.

Ian:

You're welcome. Thank you much for coming to my podcast.

Michala:

Thank you, you're welcome, thank you. So that is it for this week's podcast. A huge, huge thank you to my wonderful guest, ian beaton. I will pop a link to his podcast in the description below. As you guys know, I'm a huge supporter of the power of one. It's an organization that supports women across the globe who are involved in animal welfare. If you can do me one thing this Christmas is just go on their website and have a look at some of the amazing rescue work they are doing around the world. That would be great, thank you. If you would like your family tree researching, or maybe you've got a little mystery that you would like help in solving, you can contact me via my website, which is wwwmichaelahumecom. As always, this podcast would be absolutely nothing without you, the listeners. So thank you so much for listening to these podcasts, liking them, sharing them, messaging me about them. I really, really appreciate it. So thank you so much. Have a great week, folks, and I shall speak to you again soon.