In the letters page of The Times in 1910 a Mr Cocks wrote:
“..my father (as a boy) knew an (old) gentleman, who (as a boy) had danced with an (old) lady who (as a little girl) had danced with Charles II. There were therefore only two lives between my father (born 1815, died 1899) and Charles II..”
In answer to this letter another one arrived on 23 July 1910 from Mr Richard Hollick:
” ..thought my father’s case would be interesting…Mr Francis Hollick of Birmingham, is still alive, and has a birth certificate for this father, who was born in 1750, so that the two lives extend over seven reigns, including the two “record” ones of George III and Victoria..”
Another reply came into The Times on 25 July 1910 from Reverend Daniel Radford, who wrote:
“I do not know whether but dare say there are many family instances like my own, but on this subject it may be of some interest to mention that my great-grandfather was born in the reign of Charles II. If this saviour of antiquity is partly explained by my being more than half-through my 83rd year, the youngest child but one of my father, who had ten children, and who himself the youngest but one of 25 children by the younger of two wives…”
We found these letters absolutely fascinating! One hundred years on from these letters, we wondered if our readers had any similar stories? Have you found that your ancestors are connected to a long distant monarch? Or can you trace your family back a long way through only a few ancestors? Let us know below, we would love to hear…