BBC One’s “Who Do You Think You Are?” returns with broadcaster Mishal Husain taking the ancestral plunge. This Tuesday, Husain applies her journalistic skills to a very personal investigation, exploring her family history with the same rigor she brings to current affairs.
Husain begins her journey by investigating a family story about her great-great-grandfather, rumored to have been a doctor to a maharaja in India. Along the way, she uncovers more than just an interesting anecdote. DNA evidence reveals a surprising Irish connection, and her ancestral trail leads her back to the American Revolutionary War. From India to the United States, Husain pieces together the lives of her forebears, uncovering stories of ambition, resilience, and rebellion.
In India, she learns of her great-great-grandfather Thomas Quinn’s ascent to become surgeon to the maharaja, a position of some status, particularly given the prejudices he had to overcome. An ocean away, she discovers a Harvard-educated ancestor, Joseph Farley, expelled for protesting food conditions (though later reinstated), who made his living trading textiles with the USA. A tragic twist emerges: Joseph was lost at sea, adding a poignant note to his story. Husain’s American roots go even deeper, with ancestors fighting on both sides during the War of Independence, further intertwining her own family history with broader historical events.
“Who Do You Think You Are?” with Mishal Husain airs Tuesday, 29 April at 9:00 PM BST on BBC One.
