General Chat

his Welsh ancestors

FORMER Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has spoken of his shock at being told his relatives were involved in an incestuous relationship.

The politician discovered his great-great-grandmother had borne four children by her own father, a miner in North Wales.

The MP fought back tears after learning of his family’s dark secret while filming a programme for BBC Wales.

Prescott, who famously punched a protester while on the campaign trail in Wales, said the news had left him reeling.

“We never knew about it. We’re surprised and amazed,” the Rhyl-born Labour MP said.

As well as the incest revelations, the lifelong campaigner against fox hunting learned one of his ancestors had been a master of hounds and a great-great cousin was head of the Civil Service under Margaret Thatcher.

The story, broadcast on BBC One Wales’ Coming Home series tonight, covers 300 years of Prescott’s mother’s family.

Viewers will see a clearly- shaken Prescott being told it was likely his great-great-grandmother Athalia Parrish was forced to take on her mother’s role after her father was widowed.

This included having four children by her father Thomas Parrish – a relatively common practice among poverty-stricken miners’ families at the time, Prescott is told by genealogist Gillian Jones.

The family lived in the small village of Chirk, Clwyd, and worked at Black Park mines near Chirk Castle.

Prescott said Athalia’s story was a “comment on the courage of women”.

“Consider the shame of living with that. Everybody in Chirk must have known,” he said.

When Athalia, who was born in 1826, later married her next-door neighbour, she didn’t invite her father to the wedding.

And her new husband didn’t officially adopt her four children, as would have been expected if there had been no scandal.

More at:

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/11/30/john-prescott-learns-of-incest-among-his-welsh-ancestors-91466-25284089/

I saw that in the paper SRS, but I did wonder..... If this is just based on the names on cert's , you wouldn't actually know if that meant he was the biological father surely? Do you think there are instances of the grandfather putting his name on certs, just to avoid there being no name on them? ( or four different ones!)

Rose xx

I was wondering that myself Rose.

It says on the full article:

Athalia, whose life was marred by poverty and tragedy, died of TB aged 42, leaving 10 children, four of them by her own father and six by her husband. Prescott told the programme: “The evidence is clear, though you can’t prove it 100%, that my great-great-great- grandfather Thomas fathered the children with my great-great- grandmother.

Without seeing the programme, I cannot tell if his name is on the certs. I think it is just speculation. In the newspaper I read, years ago, it was common for daughters to take over all the roles of their mother's when they died which depressed me somewhat.

However, I don't know if I agree with genealogists speculating about specific cases without facts. Who knows what really happened?

Rose, it looks like it will be on iplayer later. Maybe worth watching.

Coming Home - Series 3 -
3. John Prescott
John Prescott discovers a shocking secret behind his family story in Wales.
Coming today
BBC One at 7:30 pm
BBC iPlayer soon after
Duration:30 minutesCategories:
Wales, Factual, Life Stories

we cannot be held responsible for what our ancestors (or forebears) did in THEIR lifetimes....

but as you say what a shock!!

Bob