One piece of family history which Dowden was aware of, but did not fully understand, concerned her great-grandfather’s decision to put his youngest child, Frank – her grandfather – up for informal adoption.
Bill served in the Royal Navy during World War One and had hoped to return to work as a miner when the war came to an end.
But the collieries were privatised in 1921, and the new owners of the mines halved workers’ wages – leaving many miners and their families dependent on soup kitchens.
Louisa died during the struggles at the colliery and their youngest son, Frank, was adopted by a nearby family.
Dowden said: “Bill had one of the hardest jobs there was. He was a grafter, just like my dad, but he couldn’t feed all six kids, so Frank – my dad’s dad – went to a loving family who lived nearby.”
Dowden also turned detective in the episode and delved into why her great-aunt was shot in 1888.
