Family Footsteps

Gavin Andrews takes the Laughlins, an Ulster-Scots family, on a personal historical journey back in time to discover what life was like for their ancestors at the turn of the 19th century. Abandoning their comfortable 21st-century lives, mum Kerry, dad Ainsley and daughters Sophie, Anya and Hope find out what it is like to run a small farm with no electricity and a kitchen made up of a table and an open fire. While they struggle with pigs, laundry and fire pots, grandfather Alan begins a genealogical detective trail which eventually leads to a celebrated historical figure.

With the help of presenter Gavin Andrews, the Laughlin family discover what life was like for their Ulster-Scots ancestors living as poor farm labourers at the beginning of the 19th century. This week, they attempt to spend the night with a goat in a traditional one-room byre dwelling. While dad Ainsley digs the ground for potatoes, Hope and Anya experience the discipline of a Victorian national school. As grandfather Alan continues to research the family's genealogy, he discovers the harsh realities of the poverty experienced by his great, great relatives, some of whose names he finds in workhouse registers.

The Laughlins final step back into their family history begins in 1718, and presenter Gavin Andrews reveals a direct link to a famous ancestor known in America as the Moses of the Ulster-Scots. Three hundred years ago their ancestor led an Ulster-Scots community to America. It was one of the earliest and most celebrated mass emigrations in modern times and the Laughlins are completely unaware of the central role played by one of their family. Gavin takes grandfather Alan and his son Ainsley on an American road trip to find out what life was like for the early Ulster-Scots settlers, before visiting the community that their ancestor founded. While they do that, the rest of the family look into the early life of their ancestor. The programme culminates in a surprise party where the Laughlins get to meet an American branch of the family.