Rose Ayling-Ellis discovers family connection to EastEnders
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Rose Ayling-Ellis has discovered an unexpected connection between one of the women in her family and her EastEnders character.
Appearing on Who Do You Think You Are? last night (5 September), the actor and presenter researched both sides of her family, finding out that her great-great-great-grandmother Agnes Chilton owned her own pub.
During a meeting with her mum Donna, Rose was fascinated by a picture of Agnes and headed to Birmingham, where she lived, to find more about her and the pub.
Rose met with local historian Simon Biercliff, who provided her with more information about Agnes.
In the late 1800s, she and her husband Alfred ran a pub, the Sandy Hill Tavern, but it was Agnes who was in charge of most publican's duties.
"The wife does everything. I love that," the Strictly Come Dancing winner commented.
Biercliff then showed Rose a clipping from the time in which both Alfred and Agnes were accused of slapping a customer at their new pub, the Queen's Arms.
"It's kind of like EastEnders, at the Queen Victoria pub," Rose joked, after learning that Agnes had intervened to defend Alfred.
"Everyone slapped each other all the time in that pub! I chucked someone's drink in their face," she continued, referring to her character Frankie Lewis, who worked as a bartender at the Queen Vic.
"I feel like it's in my blood!"
Shortly after her husband died in 1904, Agnes and her children moved to a new pub, the Aston Tavern.
Rose visited the pub, still operating today under a new owner. Historian Julie-Marie Strange informed Rose that Agnes remarried two years after Alfred's death, though her new marriage to Thomas George Harris was short-lived.
Three years after they tied the knot, Thomas died. Despite having children of his own, Thomas declared his inheritance should go to Agnes, who used the money to expand the pub.
"She's widowed twice, but she's still a businesswoman," Rose said.
When a new owner took over the venue in 2004, they turned it into a pub and hotel, naming all the bedrooms after previous landlords.
An emotional Rose went upstairs to take a look at the "very, very pink" A. Chilton room.
"I just feel very privileged to learn so much about this woman," she said as she celebrated with a pint. "I have nothing but massive respect for her."
Who Do You Think You Are? airs on BBC One.
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