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Who Do You Think You Are? - Davina McCall
An alcoholic mother who smoked 'magic' cigarettes and an ancestor reputedly fathered by royalty – you don't often get a family tree more colourful and tragic than that.
Davina McCall made interesting discoveries as she delved into her family's past in the latest TV series of Who Do You Think You Are? Davina's grandmother revealed that she believed Davina's great, great, great, great-grandfather, James Bedborough, was the illegitimate son of George IV.
Davina followed this trail at The National Archives. Her investigations led to Windsor, but not in the way Davina expected - her ancestor was the King's stonemason and his will left a chilling legacy.
As a child of divorced parents Davina, who is half-French, was brought up in England and knew little about her French heritage.
On her French side, Davina found out more about her great-grandfather Celestin Hennion. Her starting point was a medal given to Hennion by George V for organising security for the monarch's 1914 trip to France. Davina knew her great-grandfather was Head of the French police at the time, and she went to Paris to find out more.
In Paris, Davina discovered that her ancestor was famous throughout France and was responsible for revolutionising the French police service. She also found out that he was at the centre of the Dreyfus Affair, a spying scandal that rocked France.
Looking for your ancestors
If, like Davina, you would like to start looking for your ancestors, our interactive research guidance will give you some useful tips. Census records, available online from 1841 to 1911, are also a good place to start.
