A house through time

I’ve now seen a couple of these and they’re really interesting.
Thanks again Jane10
It’s been awhile since I went on this thread but I notice you told me about the other programs in the series and I will now have a look at Newcastle and Liverpool.

I didn't enjoy last night's episode as much as the last two series either. As soon as it was announced that the house was in Bristol it was obvious that the slave trade would be covered, but I didn't like the sympathy towards pirates. Hopefully it will improve.

Too must surmise.

We thought it was very good, I think he's lovely.

Grandma I agree about port towns.
My mum was born in Bristol and moved to the port town I was born in aged 12 as my maternal GF was in the merchant navy and the family were sent here. My town too has a fascinating history.

We really enjoyed the programme, as always. The amount of research is staggering, all those documents, interpretation and tracing of them, it must have taken months. I like the presenter because he seems genuinely interested in what he presents, he doesn't lecture or hector in a pompous way like other historians such as David Starkey.

I thought some of it was interesting, didn't mind the bit about pirates. What I thought it lacked was real connection with Bristol. So much of it was placed in London- Foundling Hospital, hanging on the Thames, talking to Ian Heslop about Hogarth. I felt the property could have been anywhere. Love David Olusoga!

I found it intriguing - perhaps I just start off at a more impressive ignorance level, but I learned a lot.

I thought that it was a very interesting program. I didnt know about the slave trade links to Bristol. Horrendous suffering, what a way to make money

I was disappointed to be honest. He concentrated too much on the slavery aspect - there is a lot more to Bristol's history and the area the house is in than slavery. He also showed sympathy for the pirate - stating he was probably forced into piracy and even said the man who he had helped hold captive for several months was "vindictive". Hopefully next weeks programme will be more balanced.

But it was the history of a house and in the years he was looking at all the residents had links to the slave trade. Indeed the money to build the house came from the slave trade.

I don’t think frankly that you can dwell too much on the history of our slave trade, we see the result of this trade everywhere, and throughout the world.

I thought the slave trade was very interesting. I would have liked the story of the foundling to have included information about the 'nurses' the baby was given to. I believe there were women at the time who took care of other peoples' babies for money and those babies often died but would have liked to know more.

I think there was bound to be a lot of time devoted to the Slave Trade given Olusoga's interest and Bristol's history.

Always find these programmes interesting though. I like his style of presenting; not too in-your-face like some.

It was sad the mayor of Bristol was the only inhabitant of that house to be successful in life.

I was particularly sorry for the maid of all work, and it was so interesting the married woman in all social classes was at risk of being beaten to death by her husband.

Trisher, wet nurses had to earn their livings and their own nursling had to take what the paid -for baby left in the breasts.

Or worse

Just watched the second episode, very interesting I thought,
Containing Chartist riots ( hundreds killed and wounded) in the centre of Bristol, a man who became Mayor (6 times!)
A young man who ended up in the local asylum sadly, and the violent married life of a housemaid from the house, plus a sexual misconduct scandal.

Sometimes I find myself just watching the presenter.

I love this series, always vow to try to find out who has lived in my 190yr old house.

Lemongrove, the presenter is photogenic yet does not impose his personality. He is a credit to the BBC.

lemongrove- me too! A long time since I've found anyone on TV or film so attractive.

I don't like him.

Any reason why Sparklefizz I find him attractive, clever, and a good communicator. He has the ability to make the stories he tells come to life and seems to have empathy with the people he talks about. What's not to like?
Amazing that we remember Peterloo but the Bristol attack is forgotten.

I agree trisher what’s not to like? He’s attractive, interesting and unassuming. I watched the series set in Newcastle but didn’t know about the Liverpool one
Got last nights to watch yet. David Ooooh! ?

I caught up with the latest episode last night. David Olusoga is very easy on the eye.

The contrast between the chap who became the mayor (I didn’t know of the story about the Chartists), the servant who suffered so much abuse, the man who was committed to an asylum and the scandal surrounding the daughter of the house. So much drama connected to just one house.

I love how they ferret about and find all those old documents and also the backstory of the changing fortunes of the neighbourhood.

I’ve researched my own family history and last night I was nudged into doing a bit more. I found a bit of info which has broken down a brick wall, hurrah!