General Chat

Interesting item on Radio 4 this morning about a family in Yorkshire who were DNA tested and proved to be west African in origin. They reckon they are descended from Roman soldiers garrisoned on Hadrians Wall or possibly from slaves imported slightly later in history. Unfortunately they didn’t give the family name - only said it wasn’t a name like Ramsbottom I thought it was fascinating. Time to get Mr Medlock tested I think – see if he really is a Viking or whether (as seems more likely) his mother was abducted by aliens. Over and out

:-)) Of course he is from the Vikings all us up north are aren't we. Germaine x

Can we combine these two Sheila?

If only he were from up north - the allegedly Viking line of his family actually comes from Worcestershire! Sheila

Old Crone - lighten up!

Added By Pilgrim Father from Plymouth on 24/01/2007 11:22:05 | Update Message | Delete Message Tranferred after talking to Sheila - I am learning all the time. Precis from the Daily Telegraph White men with an unusual Yorkshire surname have black African roots, according to a study that shows Britain’s multiracial society dates back hundreds of years earlier than most people realise. Britain has been the home to people of African origin for centuries: they were first recorded in northern England 1,800 years ago as Roman soldiers defending Hadrian’s Wall . Vikings may have brought captured north Africans to Britain in the ninth century. And, from the 1550’s there was the influence of the Atlantic slave trade: Britain is estimated to have had a black population of about 10,000 by the end of the 18th century. The survey of 421 men founded by the Wellcome Trust revealed one man from Leicester who had a globally Y chromosome type - called hgA1 - described previously in only a few west Africans. Mr “X”, as the man is referred to in the study, is described as a white, middle-aged “quiet character” and knew of no African family connection. “He thought it was fascinating.” The surname has been withheld in case those who have it should feel that the Wellcome Trust were divulging personal information. So what do we think that old Yorkshire surname is? You beat me to it Sheila. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Added by Mystic Megabyte on 24/01/2007 12:27:52 Phew ! Thought i'd done summat wrong there ! *gives huge sigh of relief* Valley ;-)) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Added by An Olde Crone Holden on 24/01/2007 13:03:58 African people who came to Britain - Hadrian's soldiers aside - would have been slaves. They would not have had a surname but would have taken the surname of their (presumably white) owner. So I don't see that much can be gained from tracking an unusual surname, other than people with that name are likely to have black African ancestors - as are the rest of us too - we all originated in the bowl of Africa. OC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Added by Roxanne Sutton on 24/01/2007 13:00:03 Well I have Longbottoms In my family,do you think that unusual? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Added by Linda Jones on 24/01/2007 13:06:30 I have the name Lofthouse in my family. Quite common I understand! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Added by Toothfairy * on 24/01/2007 13:17:33 Hmmmm.. Bew, Butler, Isley, Yates, Carr, Firth, Hardcastle????? All my Yorkshire decendants...... Could we be the missing link?? lol.... LOU XXXXXXXXXXX -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Added by Rebekah (with a K in it) Markham on 24/01/2007 13:27:43 Well my Yorkshire lot had an unusual surname but it's Latvian, not African. They had a bit of Swedish mixed in with them too. Not sure about this African theory! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was an article about this in today's Telegraph. Maybe there will be something online, - either on their site or Radio 4's. Gwyn

It's on the Daily Telegraph web site at the bottom of the news page under the headline: Out of Africa love Sheila

Pilgrim Lighten up? In what way exactly? I made a comment on the subject - have I thrown every one into utter gloom and despondency? If so I apologise - perhaps threads could be flagged 'only jokey replies required' and then I'll know next time. OC