For the past year, I’ve been sitting under a painting of a man in my university library. I’ve also been researching my family-tree online, where I found a painting of my great (x8) grandfather - Joseph Trapp. The next day in the library, I realised I had been sitting underneath him this whole time.

benjaminphammond on April 30th, 2018 at 23:39 UTC »

Here is the family-tree, starting with the man in the painting:

Joseph Trapp, D.D., Professor of Poetry & Fellow at Wadham College, Oxford (1679-1747), son of Joseph, rector of Cherrington (1638-1698), son of John Trapp, Oxford theologian and school headmaster (1601-1669), son of Nicholas Trapp (1500s), son of Thomas Trapp, Yeoman of Kempsey (1500s),

is the father of Joseph Trapp (1720-1769), who is the father of William Trapp (1744-1807), who is the father of Joseph Trapp (1788-1851), who is the father of Joseph Trapp (1827-1912), who is the father of John Trapp, railway worker in Ashchurch (1855-1943), who is the father of Alfred Tom Trapp (1886-1971), who is the father of Donald Trapp, policeman and detective (1914-1986), who is the father of C. B-O/W (originally C. Trapp) (1940-present), who is the mother of T. H (originally T. W) (1960-present), who is the mother of B. H (me), sexy beast of the south (1994-present).

EDIT: Some names abbreviated for privacy

foodcourtgirl on April 30th, 2018 at 23:54 UTC »

The odds seem astronomical that you would be researching your family tree while sitting inside a library at your university, only to discover that your ancestor was in a painting hanging above your head for the whole past year. What a cool story! I'm curious ... have you ever written poetry or any other types of literature?

ch3000 on May 1st, 2018 at 00:27 UTC »

Was his mother's name Elizabeth by any chance?