Gransnet forums

Genealogy/memories

Is it destiny?

(8 Posts)
Joseann Fri 21-Jul-23 11:18:38

Another question ...
Is it just me, or do you find that fascinating coincidences crop up in your research? I mean like my great great grandfather and my DH, one from Devon one from London, totally unrelated attending the same school nearly 200 years apart.
And both being catherdal choristers and rugby players?
Is it silly to think I was attracted to someone in my GGGF's image even though I never knew him? Probably I'm inventing too many stories in my mind, but only one week in I'm finding it all gripping stuff.

FannyCornforth Fri 21-Jul-23 12:21:46

Oh that’s lovely Joseann!

Sidelined Fri 21-Jul-23 13:15:57

I’ve come across many coincidences in the 35 years I’ve been researching my family history - discovering my London born mum making friend on holiday with someone we later discovered was a distant relative, individuals on different sides of the family and a couple of generations apart living at the same address for example. Then there was a visit to a village the family had connections with, being put in touch with apocalypse historian who kindly invited us in for tea and a chat and then discovering our ancestor had lived in that exact house. Or that my Bucks daughter in law’s London grandfather had gone to the same Battersea school as my dad! I’ve since discovered her family name crops up in our tree - were we already related?

Sidelined Fri 21-Jul-23 13:16:49

Apocalypse should read a local historian,,

Blossoming Fri 21-Jul-23 13:30:32

I discovered I had an ancestor killed at Culloden in the Jacobite army. While following up historical documents I found another ancestor who fought in the government army at Culloden. They were related to each other. I wonder how many families have been split by conflict.

Luckygirl3 Fri 21-Jul-23 13:36:13

My friend did a family tree for me and I discovered that several people whom I know well in my village are related to me - a bit of a shock as I do not come from round here at all.

When DD2 married she wanted sweet peas for her bouquet..... a bit if a challenge as it was a May wedding. I put a piece in the parish mag asking if there were any good gardeners who might be able to make this happen for her. I received a message from an old man in the next village and he forced on some sweet peas in his greenhouse and my DD had the bouquet she wanted. I later discovered that, unbeknownst to us all, this old man was one of my (and DD's) relatives!

Callistemon21 Fri 21-Jul-23 14:19:14

Yes.
DH's Grandmother told me she was originally from the same town as me in the Midands, nowhere near where we both then lived.
When I researched many years later, I found they lived practically opposite my Great-grandparents.
Her family had grocery and bakery shops; probably my family did their shopping in those shops.

mumski Fri 21-Jul-23 15:45:57

When my DH was still alive, we own 2 sweet shops and ran one each. I was obsessed researching his family tree. It turned out his Great Great Grandmother and Great Uncle ran a well know sweet shop in Leeds around 100 years ago.