Is it not marvellous when science confirms a fact. This time DNA has confirmed that my mother identified on 'My Heritage' is my real mother, by linking my daughter to a half brother of mine who got in touch with me last year.
The DNA test was Xmas present to my daughter from her daughters, but she left it untouched till a few weeks ago when it was sent off. It came back with the news that 48% of her identity was English, and the rest North-West European, giving credence to the Belgium heritage of my grandfather.
There is a dash of Norwegian, Irish and Scottish, with an emphasis on Staffordshire in England. Home to of course Colclough pottery, Colclough being the maiden name of my mother. How things slot so easily into place. As we poured over the results this morning other evidence of the people in my life were pounced on. Mostly to do with my second stepmother and half brother. So the explorations go on.
A trip to Todmorden Makery last night, with my daughter carrying the spinning wheel, and my problems were resolved by a good Samaritan who hammered it out precisely with a drill bit.
The Makery is there for repairs, whether bicycles or clothes and tools lent out. It is full of sewing machines and tools and looks an interesting place to explore. The gardeners of Tod will be out on Sunday to tidy up the many beds of vegetables and flowers in the town. I went to a meeting on Saturday at the college regarding the 'upcycling' of the town. They have won a 17 million pound grant, they asked for 22 million pounds but it is still a substantial amount. Now watch the arguments break out!
When we walked back from the college yesterday evening, we passed boxes filled with kale, spinach and someone had started to put out broad bean plants. We didn't pick though I was tempted by spinach but it is interesting to see how 'Incredible Edible Todmorden' has developed from this 2013 video........
Town Improvement document
I never realised that Todmorden was such a cool place and for some reason I love the name Honey Hole Road. Glad to hear that you have confirmed that your mother was your mother!
ReplyDeleteOnly took DNA to do it! and of course daughter and granddaughters always curious. Tod is like a lot of small towns, very local with bands and meetings but this edible Tod has been somewhat turned into a 'kindness' fraternity, a later development.
DeleteThe DNA kits offered by Ancestry and several others are interesting--both in what they confirm that we already know and in some cases the suggestions of something quite unsuspected. Jim and I took the tests several years ago with predictable results, including a 4% trace of Native American in my case which confirms the tradition of a many times g-grandmother of Canadian/Native American blood. Jim's paternal line came from Staffordshire many generations ago and there are still Whitehursts there.
ReplyDeleteMy cousin and her husband asked for my help in tracing his mother's parents, she having made a nearly deathbed confession that she was adopted as a child--knowing only her original surname and a nearby town as identifying marks. Original birth certs here are wiped from the record with adoptions, but I was able to pinpoint Betty's family of origin--and in making my 'report' chose not to include sordid details which could only hurt her children. It was an example of belatedly learning that there was a raft of 'cousins' growing up nearby. Heritage is a strange thing--what we don't know and what we perhaps never suspect.
There are skeletons in my family, scandalous doings, but all the people are dead now, so I am not sure that we should hide away secrets Sharon. After all we as individuals are not responsible for past mistakes.
DeleteThelma; In the case of that research it wasn't my own family--and the details I uncovered were rather beyond the usual 'scandals' and skeletons. Should my cousin's husband ever use the same resources that I did the story is there to be pieced together. Betty's adoption provided her with a life that her siblings never had.
DeleteHi Sharon, I do see your point, and really it is not up to us to tell the secrets of others if it may cause pain to their family. So point taken about it being a different family and upsetting.
DeleteIt has taken us a while, but I get the impression that this sort of thing has been going on in France for years. I like the community spirit. Nearby Box village has a similar attitude to the community enjoying itself.
ReplyDeleteTrouble is that we have never had the weather for outdoor living in this country as they do in France Tom. I remember Box, basically because of the Roman Villa that lies at its centre which used to be in the garden of someone we knew, and of course the London Road that runs through, which surely hampers neighbourliness.
DeleteThat Roman villa is so huge that it runs under a lot of gardens. The A4 does not seem to upset the festivities of the Box Revels too much as it is sited on the recreation grounds, like the Roman villa - or part thereof! Yes, in England we traditionally drink tea and eat cake under a leaky marquee and the M.C. is the vicar. I miss those events too.
DeleteI used to grow veggies in the distant past - the trouble with spinach is unless you are feeding the army or you eat vast quantities every day, it goes to seed,
ReplyDeleteIt needs to be cool and damp I think Pat. Also a great pile of spinach will wilt down to nothing in a pan.
Deleteand if you have kidney stone issues, you are advised not to eat it. Heartbreaking, because I love it.
DeleteYour comment got spammed Debby, but I fished it out from the section ;)
Delete*sputter* *gasp* Thanks for fishing me out, Thelma! (These comment problems are a pain the patootie.)
DeleteIt sounds like you are slowly peeling an onion on your heritage finding out what is in each layer. I would love to do one of those DNA tests to find out my heritage. I think it is amazing what you can find out from one test, I am aware that it has caused issues for some families and I hope that would not be the case for me!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter was cross because it did not go back to year dot, ie The Saharan Desert ;) But we have established Celtic origins I suppose, though whether it is important or not is up for thought. But I do believe if we could get over nationalistic drummings and accept our mixed race backgrounds the world would maybe a better place.
DeleteAnd I am so happy your wheel is functional!
ReplyDelete