<\/p>
On the next episode of DNA Journey<\/a><\/em>, airing on ITV on Wednesday 16 October, actors Ricky Tomlinson and Sue Johnston will trace their family history together.<\/p> Ricky and Sue became friends when they played a married couple in their native Liverpool on TV soap Brookside <\/em>in the 1980s, before going on to star on the sitcom The Royle Family <\/em>together. They bonded over a strong sense of social justice and interest in political campaigning.<\/p> As a proud Liverpudlian, Ricky thinks his family\u2019s roots have always been in the city. But for the first step on their journey, he and Sue go to Ambleside in the Lake District. Ricky is surprised to learn that his 3x great grandfather James Hunter was born there. James founded a successful tailor\u2019s business, and played an important role in campaigning against poverty in the town.<\/p> \u201cThis explains everything about you,\u201d Sue tells Ricky. \u201cAll the mixtures of things that you are \u2013 his creativity, his love of art\u2026 And also social justice beats at the heart of him.\u201d<\/p> Ricky agrees that he\u2019s \u201cthrilled to bloody bits\u201d to learn he\u2019s descended from James.<\/p> Next, Sue gets her DNA test<\/a> result back. She and Ricky are disappointed to hear that she\u2019s related to a Conservative MP! Her first cousin twice removed<\/a> was William Prescott, the MP for Tottenham North. However, William wasn\u2019t a typical Conservative. He grew up in poverty in St Helens, Merseyside and served in the Royal Engineers in the First World War. As an MP he campaigned for better housing for poor people, leading to the 1919 Housing Act. After he left politics, he became a senior civil engineer. In 1938, he was made a baronet.<\/p> Sue and Ricky also get to meet William\u2019s grandson Sir Mark Prescott, the current 3rd<\/sup> Baronet of Godmanchester, who is trainer to the King\u2019s horses. Sue and Ricky have a video call with Mark and hear his memories of William.<\/p> Next, they go to Moffat in Scotland. Sue knows that she has Scottish ancestry<\/a> on her mother\u2019s side of the family, which the DNA test confirmed. Sue found out about her great grandfather James Cowan on her episode of Who Do You Think You Are?<\/a><\/em>,but she\u2019s now able to trace back three more generations of Cowans from Moffat and visit their graves in the town cemetery, including a Peter Cowan who died in 1647.<\/p> \u201cThat is amazing,\u201d Sue says. \u201cIt\u2019s a privilege. Thank you so much.\u201d<\/p>