Craig Revel Horwood reflects on his ancestry

Craig Revel Horwood reflects on his ancestry

Craig Revel Horwood admits he was naturally stunned after unearthing an unlikely blend of 18th century criminality, gold-mining and  accomplished clog-dancing while examining his family tree for a new show. 

But armed with a newfound knowledge of its far-reaching roots, the Strictly Come Dancing judge has been inspired to create an ambitious new ballet.

Craig, 52, traced his family history for the new series of BBC's Who Do You Think You Are?, and was stunned with his findings.

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Inspiration: Armed with a newfound knowledge of his colourful family tree’s far-reaching roots, Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has been inspired to create an ambitious new ballet

Delving into his past, the dancer discovered his British great-great- grandfather Moses Horwood was exiled in Australia as a convict in 1841 after stealing money and valuables from a Chelmsford hotel.

But it was second great-great-grandfather Harry Macklin Shaw’s story that resonated with Craig due its striking parallels with his own.

Raised in English town Ashton-under-Lyme before moving to New South Wales, Shaw worked on sheep station while perfecting his skills as a clog dancer.

Findings: Craig discovered his great-great-grandfather Harry Macklin Shaw was a champion clog dancer while appearing on the new series of BBC show Who Do You Think You Are?

Shaw’s natural ability as a dancer would lead to him being named champion clogger of Australasia in 1871.

He would later travel to Sydney, where his passion for clog-dancing led to him advertising for people to compete against him â€" with the winner claiming what was, at the time, a sizeable £20.

'He went to the big smoke to make it,' Craig said. 'And I was in Ballarat, and moved to Melbourne. So to think my great-great-grandfather has done the same thing is just madness.'

Reflecting on his family history and its use on the new show, he said: 'I like they used the funny and insightful stories â€" there were some horrid ones too. But it wasn ’t too heavy â€" a lot of people have lots of murder.' 

The professional dancer has since used his distant relative's life as inspiration for anew ballet in collaboration with Balletboyz, to be launched at Sadler's Wells in October - and his even taken up clog dancing himself.

He explained: 'It felt so strange. In normal dance shoes you can point your toes, these are hard to balance in because the soles don’t have flexibility.I might need two more years of studying it to be any good. 

Looking back: Craig is the latest celebrity to delve into his family's past for the hit show 

'I’ve been watching lots of videos. It seemed very old-fashioned, like Morris dancing. But I was shocked to see not only how many cloggers there are now, but just how brilliant they are. Not just in this country but all over America.'  

The Australian-born judge travelled to Melbourne to visit his mother Bev and sister Sue, who told him the surprising news about his great-great grandfather, petty criminal Moses Horwood, who was brought over from the UK in 1841. 

'To think we come from convict stock! How exciting is that. Hardly royalty though is it?' 

Moses was transported by British governments in the early 1800s where penal colonies were set up as a place to exile prisoners and keep them separate from the general population.

'He was an interesting character,' Sue explained.

Stunned: The Strictly judge learns that one of his ancestors is a criminal, while one set of grandparents became rich gold miners 

'Moses was having a drink at the Queen’s Head Hotel in Cheltenham one night with a few mates and thought he would go steal a few things from someone’s room. 

'Moses was hauled in and charged for burglary.'

CRAIG'S JOURNEY

A dancer in Melbourne he moved to the UK in 1989.

Married his ex-wife Jane in 1990, and divorced in 1992. In 2014 revealed he was bisexual. 

Extensive directi ng and choreography credits in the West End led to prestigious Laurence Olivier nominations. 

Longest serving Strictly judge now Len Goodman has left. 

Regularly appears on Loose Women as a guest panellist.  

Is a patron of the National Osteoporosis Society.

Moses then went on to have seven children, and one of his son's, Charles Horwood, went on to become a rich gold miner after a two-decade long search for treasure.

Charles, who was married to Lizzie Bell Tinworth, became so poor at one point that he declared bankruptcy.

But it was a happy ending for the Horwood family when their 13-year-old son Edward Tinworth found the indicator for the Ballarat East gold field.

'He worked out that if you could find where the quartz intersected with slate you found a lot of nuggety gold. That became more or less a rule,' a historian explained to Craig.

They eventually collected 250 ounces of gold worth approximately £250,000 in today's prices - and when the Tinworth Mine was closed down in 1909, 30,000 ounces had been discovered worth approximately £30million.

'That is brilliant they must have been absolutely delighted. They had been through so much hardship, to finally win the lottery,' a thrilled Craig said.

'I wanted to follow my heart and dance. It literally runs in the family and in the blood. 

'It has really put a new twist on who I think I am.'

Craig Revel Horwood's Who Do You Think You Are? episode airs on Thursday 13th July.

Craig Revel Horwood sat on his grandfather Revel 'Mozza' Horwood, with his sister Sue (left) and their grandmother Phyllis 'Phonse' Horwood in 1967

Craig's father Phillip Revel Horwood, a former Lieutenant in the Royal Australian Navy, who passed away in 2015

 

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