The Devil’s Daughter and Me
It turns out I’m descended from the Devil which explains why I’ve always been a bit of a maverick. Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself anyway!
Having discovered my own family history, it’s been very enlightening to find out that I’m in very good company. Allow me to show you the underside of Victorian respectability through the eyes of some of my ancestors who had a devilish streak.
There’s Aaron who broke with his religion and his community to be with the woman he loved. And Caroline whose passions for a dashing Parisian left her in total disgrace. Then we’ll travel to Mexico City in 1596 and see what the Inquisitors make of my non-conforming ancestors there. And finally, we’ll meet Melusine herself…
Edith Da Costa is my great-great-great grandmother and this photo was taken in Brighton in 1869...
Finding My Grandad’s Global Family
When, at the age of 24, I discovered that my grandad had had four children with three different women over a period of 40 years, I felt a mission coming on!
I had always known my dad and had heard about Uncle Bob, but the other two were a complete mystery to me.
Without even knowing their names, I embarked on a seemingly impossible quest to trace them and their descendants, a quest that took me to the other side of the world: a world in which fact is stranger than fiction...
This photo of my grandad, Robert Nicholls, was taken in the early 1900s.
Here is a list of some of the groups I have given a talk to over the last few years:
Newent and District U3A, Gloucestershire
Uckington WI, Gloucestershire
New Milton U3A, Hampshire
Brimscombe and Thrupp WI, Gloucestershire
Chelmsford U3A Family History Group, Essex
Cricklade Probus Group, Wiltshire
Nailsworth WI, Gloucestershire
Crewe and Nantwich U3A, Cheshire
Southfield WI, Gloucestershire
Bury St Edmunds Probus Club, Suffolk
The Shires WI, Gloucestershire
Worcester Probus Club, Worcestershire
Chepstow U3A Family History Group, Gwent
Castlegate WI, Gloucestershire
Gloucester U3A, Gloucestershire
Mayflower, Gloucestershire
Burford Rotary Club, Oxfordshire
Oxford Women in Fellowship, Oxfordshire
Whitestone Beer and Wine Club, Warwickshire
Charlton Kings WI, Gloucestershire
Glevum WI, Gloucestershire
Hucclecote Wednesday Club, Gloucestershire
Avening WI, Gloucestershire
Chipping Norton Probus, Gloucestershire
Stratton Court Care Home, Gloucestershire
Richmond Villages Painswick, Gloucestershire
Devon Family History Society, Devon
Gloucestershire Heritage Hub, Gloucestershire
The Odd Fellows – Leeds Branch, West Yorkshire
I am also a Rest Less speaker.
Ben Nicholls
My talks last about 45 minutes and I charge £75 plus reasonable travel expenses.