“I don’t know if you’ve had anyone on the show who knows as little about their family as me,” says comedian Paddy McGuinness at the start of his episode of Who Do You Think You Are? He thinks his maternal grandmother was called Winifred, but doesn’t know anything about his other grandparents or the rest of his family. He does guess that he has Irish ancestry – “Where is Paddy McGuinness’ family from? That’s a tricky one! I’d hazard a guess at Ireland!”
Paddy meets his mother’s brother, Uncle Tony, who tells him that his parents were called James Leonard and Winifred Taylor, but can’t tell him anything about their parents or childhoods. James was nicknamed Paddy because of his Irish heritage – “Back in the days when a bit of casual racism was accepted”, as Paddy McGuinness says.
In his hometown, Bolton, Paddy meets family historian Michala Hulme. She shows him James’ birth certificate. He was born in 1911 in Bolton to parents Patrick and Annie Leonard. A 1915 old newspaper article reports that Patrick was sentenced to prison for physically assaulting Annie. Records then show that Annie was admitted to the workhouse, and James was sent to a ‘cottage home’ for children run by the workhouse.
What happened to James in later life? In his 1935 marriage certificate, he gives his profession as ‘Colliery Haulage Hand Below’. He was working in the mines. But on Paddy’s mother Patricia Leonard’s 1939 birth certificate, her father’s profession is given as ‘Handle Rectifier, Airplane Works’.
This must have been at De Havilland’s factory at Lostock, Bolton. Paddy visits the factory’s former site with local expert Mick Crossley.
Mick tells him that during the Second World War, factories were urgently needed to build aircraft for the RAF. The government opened more factories in places like Bolton that were less likely to be bombed. James’ work at the factory was so important that he would have been bound by the Official Secrets Act. He helped make propellers for all the RAF’s most iconic planes, including Spitfires, Hurricanes and Lancaster Bombers.
“It’s amazing, really,” Paddy says. “I’m very proud.”
Next, Paddy wants to find out about his Dad’s side of the family. He meets historian Charlotte Wildman. She tells him that his paternal grandparents were William and Agnes McGuinness. In 1891, William joined the Royal Lancaster Regiment, probably to escape a life of poverty working as a miner. His army records show that he travelled to destinations including India, Malta and Hong Kong. In 1899, his regiment were sent to South Africa at the start of the Second Boer War.
Paddy meets military historian Peter Donaldson. He tells Paddy that the Royal Lancaster Regiment fought at the Battle of Spion Kop. Their aim was to capture a hilltop as the British fought to relieve the nearby city of Ladysmith, which was besieged by Boer forces. The battle was a catastrophic defeat for the British, with about 300 men killed.
However, William survived. Peter is then able to present Paddy with a medal William was awarded for fighting at the later Battle of Tugela Heights, which led to the eventual relief of Ladysmith.
But William’s military career wasn’t straightforward. His records show he was also disciplined for “disobeying a lawful command” and “using insubordinate language to superior officers”. Paddy thinks this is a family trait – “I don’t think it’s ever been lost on the McGuinnesses, to challenge authority”.
Reflecting on what he’s learned, Paddy says: “It just gave me a real sense of pride, but a connection as well, to someone who I’ve never met.”
Paddy now wants to take his family tree further back to try to find out if he has Irish origins. William was born in 1875. His birth certificate gives his mother’s name as Bridget McGuinness, but doesn’t say who his father was.
Paddy meets family historian Laura Berry. She tells him that in the 1871 census records, a man called William Birtwistle was living with Bridget McGuinness as her lodger. William Birtwistle is named as William McGuinness’ father on his baptism record, and he and Bridget married in 1884.
Bridget’s own baptism record, from 1836, shows that she was born in Kilmore Moy, Ireland. Paddy goes to Ballina in the west of Ireland to trace his heritage. After a break for a Guinness in honour of his surname, he finds out more about Bridget’s parents, Mark McGuinness and Winifred Molloy. Their marriage record gives Mark’s profession as ‘weaver’.
Local historian Terry Riley tells Paddy that Mark would have worked from his home in Ballina’s Garden Street – and his neighbour was Edward Blewitt, the 3x great grandfather of US president Joe Biden.
However, by 1835 there was a downturn in the Irish linen trade, leaving many weavers in poverty. The 1841 census for England shows that Mark, Winifred and their children were living in Stockport, having gone there in search of a better life.
Reflecting on everything he’s learned, Paddy says: “There’s been so many lovely little surprises. I think the biggest highlight for me was actually seeing my granddad’s war medal. That for me was a real moment where I felt like I was holding a piece of history in my hand.”