In this episode of BBC One’s Who Do You Think You Are?, actor Vicky McClure, known for her role as Detective Inspector Kate Fleming in Line of Duty, sets out to uncover the mysteries in her family tree. The episode airs on Thursday, 15 August 2024, at 9:00 pm.
Vicky begins her exploration by focusing on her late paternal grandmother, affectionately known as Nonna Jean. Starting with her birth certificate, Vicky discovers that Jean was born in Grimsby to Ruby Winifred and Thomas Compton. However, as she delves into Thomas’s history, she finds that he was in Canada at the time of Jean’s conception, indicating that he might not have been her biological father. This leads Vicky to speculate that Jean’s family may have given her up due to Ruby’s extramarital relationship.
To further unravel this mystery, Vicky meets with Nick, the son of Jean’s older half-sister. Although Nick was unaware of his mother’s half-sister, he provides valuable insights through his grandparents’ letters. These letters hint at financial struggles and suggest that Thomas may have been aware of Ruby’s infidelity. Despite the challenges Jean faced in her early life, Vicky takes comfort in knowing that she eventually became a loving mother and grandmother.
The episode also sees Vicky exploring another branch of her family tree, centred around her maternal great-grandfather, Harry Millership. Harry, a coal miner from Yorkshire, served in World War II and sadly passed away as a Japanese prisoner of war. To understand his story, Vicky meets with former miner Pete Wordsworth and Dr. Yasmin Khan, who sheds light on Harry’s military service.
Vicky discovers that Harry was deployed to Singapore in late 1941, only to face a Japanese attack a month later. He became one of 130,000 prisoners of war and was transported to a POW camp in Taiwan. Traveling to Taiwan, Vicky traces Harry’s footsteps and learns of the harsh conditions he endured, including forced labor in a copper mine. She visits the mine and discovers the tragic details of Harry’s death, falling down a hole in the mine.
Vicky’s journey concludes at a war memorial, where she finds her great-grandfather’s name inscribed, a reminder of his sacrifice. Although emotional, Vicky expresses pride in her great-grandfather and describes her discoveries as life-changing.
izzyj
