Fawlty Towers

[John Upham]

Fawlty Towers is set to return with John Cleese and his daughter, Camilla.

Which famous British chess player was an ancestor of Prunella Scales? (they were related)

Their lives overlapped for twelve years.

[John Townsend]

I suspect John has Vera Menchik in mind, although that seems not quite correct, since a "predecessor" normally means a previous holder of the same office, or an ancestor. Could we be told the exact relationship?

It's good news about Fawlty Towers. The "Rat Inspector" episode remains my favourite.

[John Upham]

I suspect John has Vera Menchik in mind, although that seems not quite correct, since a "predecessor" normally means a previous holder of the same office, or an ancestor. Could we be told the exact relationship?

It's good news about Fawlty Towers. The "Rat Inspector" episode remains my favourite.

Correct. VM is an ancestor of PS via their Illingworth family connection.

[John Townsend]

An "ancestor" is someone from whom one is descended. I would question whether that is the case here. That's partly why I asked if we could be told the exact relationship, but I see that has only been answered in a vague way.

[John Upham]

but I see that has only been answered in a vague way.

Correct!

I'll let you have the fun of working out the exact relationship as I spent many hours doing that.

Yours in a vague way...

[David Shepherd]

Her great great grandparents George Illingworth and Nanny (Ann) Shefileld were the direct ancestors of Prunella (apologies if I have that wrong I only spent a few minutes having a quick look).

[John Townsend]

In the relationship which David describes, Menchik would not be an "ancestor" or a "predecessor" of Prunella Scales.

[John Upham]

I have tweeted Timothy West CBE for further information but am unlikely to receive a reply.

[John Clarke]

Got it sorted out at last, although I had to visit several sites to fill in all the deficiencies of information. (Not to mention a big error on one site and one or two other minor discrepancies; plus a surfeit of George Illingworths born in 1827.) To add a little to John U's hints: Vera and Prunella were/are actually in the same generation from their common ancestor, despite being born a quarter of a century apart.