Ö÷²¥´óÐã

David Suchet embarked on a journey around Europe hoping to resolve the confusion surrounding his family history. Some relatives thought his grandfather was German, others Russian, others Estonian. And when and why was their name changed from Suchedowitz to Suchet? His mother's side of the family was equally confusing. Was her grandfather's name Jarché or Jarchy? He claimed to be a French photographer, but was he?

First David explored the only English branch of his family, the ancestors of his maternal grandmother Elsie Jezzard. David has always loved boats, and his investigations revealed that Elsie's grandfather was a master mariner. Further digging at the National Maritime Museum led him to the Suffolk coast and the story of a terrible storm, a shipwreck, great tragedy and heroism.

Next David decided to head to London and Paris on the trail of his great-grandfather, Monsieur Arnold Jarché, a 19th century photographer. Was he really the proprietor of the 'Eiffel Tower Studio', and was he really French? Finally David journeyed across Eastern Europe in search of the birthplace of his grandfather and the roots of his unusual surname.

Find out how we did it