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General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: Tephra on Tuesday 08 August 06 10:57 BST (UK)
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Mum and I were talking today about family I never got to meet and some I met but don't remember as I was too young. And then we got on to Grandparents and I mentioned one of my fondest memories of my Granny was sitting by her side in an easy chair watching her blow smoke rings.
But I started to laugh remembering my Grandpa getting me to shave him with a cut-throat razor . . . ..
"Derst want a go?"
"Noooooooooooo"
"Go on lass, 'ave a go"
"Nooooooooooooo"
"Gerrout wi' ye, c'mon 'ave a bash" . . . . .. . . Brave man or very silly??
My Nana would let me brush and comb her long, long, long auburn hair sitting patiently for hours while I combed it and styled it, stuck pins in it and tied it up in ribbons and tatty bits of old lace.
And my Granddad terrified me - him being sooooooo very tall and always looking cranky.
I was wondering what your fondest memories would be, are you lucky enough to remember your Great Grandparents??
Barbara 8)
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I have so many fond memories of my maternal grandparents, I used to spend a least a week staying with them most school holidays.
I remember before Grandad retired, Gran would get him up for work, cook his breakfast and he would go to work. My sister and I would run to the window to wave bye to him and then we were allowed to get up. If I shut my eyes I am in that front room sitting at the table, I can smell the bacon cooking, see the sun pouring in the window and I can hear granny in the kitchen cooking.
When grandad retired our greatest pleasure was him sending up the road to fetch his daily paper and giving us enough money for a panda pop (10p each) and a box of fruit gums oh and a packet of prawn cocktail crisps each.
I do remember one set of great grandparents very vaguely, they came over from America in the 1970s when I was quite young and we took them out to visit various places in Sussex. He was small and Italian.
Kerry
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Ahhh what lovely memories Barbara, I knew one of my great grans, she died when I was 14, we didn't see much of her as she lived in Middlesbrough and we live on the south coast, but I do remember her 90th birthday party. She thought she was royalty when dad drove her to he venue in a new white mondeo estate!! And them my gran (great grans daughter in law) got a little merry and was up on the stage dancing and doing the can can!!
The fondest memories of my gran (same one as the can canner above!) is the fact she cannot say ridiculous but instists on using the word as much as possible and love tunnels.....where the trees on either side of the road meet in the middle causing a leafy green tunnel over the road, she always comments on them. My grandad will be remembered for whenever he finishes a really good meal he would proclaim that it was 'bloody awful' a phrase which I picked up at a very young age!!
My other gran used to give us 'lucky bags' whenever we saw her, they consisted of sweets etc and loads of shiny new coppers. He was also known as the panda gran 'cos the only car she would ever have was a Fiat Panda!! And her blackberry and apple pie was to die for!
My grandad died when I was 3, unfortunately I can't remember a great deal about him, but I have memories from photos and my mum and dads stories about him.
Love
Legs
xxxx
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I'm grinning from ear to ear at the thought of 'Bloody Awful' how wonderful.
Isn't it lovely how we remember the little things of our Grandparents, like the lolly bags Legs, and Kerry remembering the smell of bacon cooking.
I love those memories.
Barbara 8)
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I remember the big wet sloppy kisses from both my grandmothers - :)! Also the smell of real fires - again both grandmas had them, which always makes me smile whenever I smell one. One other thing, Beattie (left) always cried when we left - we lived over 200 miles away and saw her infrequently. As I have researched the tree I understand more how lonely she was as all her family had died nearly 20 years previously and was very much on her own. This makes me very sad when I think about it.
Sallysmum
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My maternal Grandmother's parents were both alive when I was born. However Nancy (G Granny - but was always just referred to as Nancy, even by my Gran!) died a few weeks after my 3rd birthday. I don't remember her at all, but we do have a nice photo of the 4 generations - Nancy, Gran, Mum and Me, taken the summer beforehand.
Pop, on the other hand, I do remember as he came to live with us after Nancy died. He permanently had a bag of mint imperials in his cardigan pocket and was a cantankerous old b**ger with everyone except me! I always feel quite privileged to have known him at all (although he died when I was about 5), and it is his family that has always been what has drawn me into my research. I have no idea what has made that line so fascinating but it is the one that I have always wanted to crack ???
Clare
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;D What a lovely topic...get ready for a bumper reply I reckon.
My Grandad died in 1965 aged 85...only 2 years after my Gran who he adored.I was 5 years old.
I remember a tall,strong man,a pipe smoker who would light his pipe with a long taper from the fire ...I can still smell the smell of tobacco now....and the smell of the open fire,with the polished copper ornaments and the hand bodged rugs.I remember as a toddler he would turn a stool upside down and sit me in between the legs as a sort of baby pen!!!
He had a hard but happy life as a coalminer in staffordshire Uk from the heart of what is called the Blackcountry.I remember he wore those grandpa shirts that button up the neck and a thick leather belt around his waste.I was too young to remember specifics...and too young to ask about his life...especially the early days as a miner in Nova scotia in the days when grizzley bears tried to knock the door down.
Too young to ask about the journey over by ship...the upheaval of the whole family going on masse...of the roadrace he won over the Rockies and the football team he played for in Novascotia...his wedding to nan in Canada,,,where was it????.
He must have been a lovely man( just like my Dad I guess)...because all these years later I still miss him .
It is because I did not get the chance to share his memories that I spend ages trying to find anything out about his life in Canada...and I am quite fanatical at writing diaries and notes about my life and family to pass down to my children.
My Nan died before I was old enough to remember her...but I have memories of her long auburn hair plaited and on the top of her head and round tortoiseshell glasses!!
Dad makes me laugh when he says that while he was away with the scouts she had all her teeth out and dentures fitted....but the teeth were enormous like horses teeth when she smiled!!!
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Both the grandfather's died before I came along, but I remember the grandmothers. Not very well, but I remember them.
Darkness and Light. Strange that.
Father's mother, my Gran Sarah was 5ft 7ins tall (it's in her passport) thin as a stick, white hair and grey eyes. Her front room was bright and blue with comfy arm chairs. She used to let me plump up her cushions for her, and when I was tired of 'plumping,' I used to go and look at the hole in the floor! I suppose now that it was dry rot, or something similar. For years my father waged war with that hole. I have several receipts for work done on it by local builders. But it was always there.
They would say, 'Don't go too near the hole.' Fat chance, even at six I was too smart to let a hole in the floor swallow me up.
On the other hand, Mother's mother was short, stocky, hair as black as soot and eyes like dark chocolate.
We never went in her front parlour. It had a lot of dark red in it as I recall. There was a heavy lace curtain over the window, and the big curtains were always half drawn over.
At Gran Harriet's we sat in the 'back room.' It would have been a lovely room, with it's big, slowly ticking clock and bright black kitchen range. But it was also the home of 'the chair.'
I was scared of that chair, it was one of those big wooden arm chairs, a bit like a Windsor chair, but with arms. When I was little I would crawl under the table to circumnavigate that chair.
No one sat in it, no one touched it even. It was just there, a little back from the head of the table.
Long years after, I told Mother about it, and how I always felt there was someone sitting in it already.
She went a bit white. It was Grandfather William's chair, and it was kept at the head of the table for him.
Spooky, but I'm smiling remembering these things.
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My Grandad - the hard man - lost his parentss in WW1, spent his youth in an orphanage, joined the Merchant Navy at 14, joined the army, then did bomb disposal in WW2 and was also a bare knuckled fighter.
Then in later years spent hours reading me stories, playing with dolls/football etc., making the best buttered toast EVER for his 'Princess of Whitefield' (me) - The man had endless patience and was the hard man no more.
Also, taught me a million things that I couldn't have got through life without.
Also spent years tracing his family from the orphanges.
I have missed him every day for the past 22 years :-* :-* :'( 8) 8) 8) 8)
But when I think of him I allways smile :) :-*
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Nice thread :)
Always remember :
My sister and I up looking up at Nan, while she opened the present we had chosen ourselves for her birthday.
The look of joy and delight on her face and in her voice when she opened it - 2 cotton dish cloth's.
:)
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My Gran died when I was 9 but I remember watching the wrestling on the TV on a Saturday afternoon with her. She could swear and curse better than anyone I have ever heard. All punctuated with, "don't say that word in front of your Dad, pet". I am sure that if she had been able to be at the ringside, she would have been the old woman who jumped in to the ring and started laying in to the wrestler with her umbrella!!
Then my mum would come to collect me and would always ask if there was anything she could do before we left. My Gran would always say, "can you just put the peas on to steep, honey" and there'd be a big pan of dried peas with some huge white tablet in it lurking there to have with Sunday lunch.
Wotty.
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Ahh - my fragrant Grandma who used to sit me on her lap as we read The Magic Porridge Pot together and whose dressing table was a haven of textures and smells - pearls and talcum powder and clip-on earrings and ivory-backed brushes. She never ran out of choc ices for us and had a passion for Ambrosia Creamed Rice. Grandma had a pond full of goldfish which we fed on Bemax wheatgerm. Then when I was eight Grandma went into hospital with cancer and while she was away the pond dried up (drought of '76) and the fish died and Grandma never did come out of hospital.
My other grandmother, Granny, is still alive in her nineties but unfortunately in the late stages of Alzheimers. When we were young she would tell us wonderful stories of how she grew up in South America and how her mother grew up in the Wild West of America. Oh how I *wish* I could talk to her now that I have painstakingly traced these adventurous ancestors and am going out to South Dakota in September to check it all out for myself. Her family has turned out to be more interesting and colourful than I ever could have imagined.
Sadly, both my grandfathers had died before I was born - but thankfully one of them left a wonderful diary and letters which make me smile, even though I never knew him. He was a true romantic - the wartime love letters to Granny are glorious! :-*
Anna
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ah, I loved going to my nan's. We were like best mates :) we used to put some music on in the kitchen and be singing and dancing. granddad was a grumpy old man - he used to sit in the lving room watching tv!! he was always known as grumpy-granddad when we were little. Unfortunately they both passed away in 2002. My other nan and grandad are still alive but I don't really see them very much.
I remember my great nanna - grumpy-grandad's mother! She lived to be 100 and was really lovely. I could also have known my great-grandad (mum's mum's dad) but we never went to see him as apparently he wasn't a very nice chap at all. He died in 2002.
Caz
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Barbara this is lovely :'(
Dad's Mum and Dad..I am sitting looking at their picture now on my wall. How I loved them.
Grandad was a Blacksmith and my sister and I spent many a happy day 'helping' him hammer horseshoes and pumping the bellows (he had to lift us to do this).
He had a lovely garden up a cobbled path backing onto the barley fields. He had an orchard of King William pears and bramley apples, raspberry, black current bushes, and goosgog's as big as gobstoppers, and rows of luschious strawberries.
He was a mad keen golfer and had a hole in the middle of the lawn, and let all his grandchildren (and there were lots of us), play at put the ball.
He loved to tell jokes, and we all had to wait ages for the punchline because he was crying laughing into his big white hankie.
He was also in the village band and there was a cupboard in the front parlour full of brass instruments which we kids were allowed to have a go at blowing, but could never make a note. Instead we played chopsticks on the upright piano.
Granny was gentle and kind and made the most wonderful pies with all the produce from the garden.
Everytime we visited, the 'slab' in the scullery was just covered with her pies. She had a cold larder full of jars of salted beans, and jars of rhubarb, apples, pears etc. Apparently she used to make Rhubarb wine and put it through the mangle.
Before we moved away, we lived a few houses away from thier cottage, and after we moved, my sister and I went to stay with them every school holiday.
Grandad died on Christmas day 1960 and Granny died the following July.
When my Dad was seriously ill after a heart attack and I was worried to death about him. I was sitting up in bed one night reading to try to take my mind off it, when the room filled with this strong scent of King William pears, and grandad appeared at the bottom of the bed for a few seconds and smiled. My sister saw him the next day coming through her front door. He had obviously come to tell us that Dad would be okay and not to worry.
Dad was his Father's son in every way, and I miss them all more than I can say.
Su
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Wow what a great thread ;D I remember my dad's parents very well, I was the 4th eldest granddaughter (22 of us now), Grandad used to take us out two at a time, we used to go on the train to Great Ayton, with Kim the Alsatian, Grandad was by then a school caretaker, great fun on Christmas day also, used to open the school gym and put the trampoline up for all the grandchildren while the adults sat in the house ;D All that bouncing after a large lunch and a selection box or two lol, my mum's dad had been killed when she was 15, but her mum was a character and passed away two years ago, she was 89, and one of the best memories I have is Grandma had small tin jelly moulds, she made red jelly and we used to love to scrape the jelly out, my mum used to cringe with the noise from the moulds, we used to do it to annoy her lol :D
Oh I could go on forever but I won't, someone else have a go
Thanks
Jane ;D
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Oh Su,
How lovely, your story brought a tear to me eye.
Legs
xxxx
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Barbara :D ;D
This is a wonderful thread. Just reading the some of the memories brought a smile to my face ...
My grandfather passed when I was 10 years old. He was a jolly fellow and came to the US as a young man in 1910 from England. He told me stories of arriving in the US and being "carted" in an old newspaper delivery cart to a house. He ended up spending his life / career in the newspaper business.
My grandmother used to drive to San Francisco every night in a "big old Buick" to meet my grandfather. Many times I would be invited to go along since I was the oldest grandchild. We would always eat dinner at a a tiny cafeteria / diner counter where I was treated like royalty. I don't remember the food but I always had a grand time
The year after my grandfather died I became quite ill. My grandmother visited me at least once everyday for the year I spent in bed. She related stories about my grandfather and their early life together. She also taught me how to sew, knit and crochet. I still have the afghans and some of the doilies I / we made and will cherish them forever.
My guest room is still decorated with their pictures and other remembrances.
Ah, the memories ....
Thanks Barbara :'(
yn9man
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Every Sunday, before we went to visit my grandparents, my grandfather would limp slowly down to the corner store (he walked with a cane) and buy us each a candy bar. He told us folk tales from Angola and he would always sing the refain in the original language, Umbundu.
Granny would take out her collection of cowrie shells that she'd had since her childhood on the farm. They had been sent to her from Micronesia by her uncle. They were her principal playthings and were all named after people and were figures in a complex imaginary social community.
They saved and dried all the peels from oranges and grapefruits that they ate and in the winter they'd have a fire in the fireplace and we would burn the peels to give a cirus odor to the smoke.
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How lovely Erato
I can smell that tangy smoke from here. It wouldn't have the same effect on an electric fire would it :D
Smells seem to play a huge part in remembering our grandparents.
I often catch a wiff of something from the past and sometimes can't put my finger on what it is, but just know it played a part in my earlier (or even past) life.
I know this sounds yukky, but when it's warm and I go through a field with cow pats in it, I'm transported back in the old time machine, to Dunham Massey where I was born and where Gran and Grandad lived.
There is an unmade lane there which leads through a farm yard and down to the Bolin Valley where we used to play and have picnics. The lane was always full of ruts and covered in cowpats which we used to jump over like hopscotch. Those were such lovely lazy hazy days. We would paddle in the river with our frocks tucked in our knickers and fill jam jars with water and catch tiddlers.
At night time my sister and I shared a bed and hung out of the bedroom window whispering to the girl next door, who was hanging out of hers, until Granny called up the stairs saying it was time we were asleep.
Su
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Su
It's true that smell is important, whenever I smell the scent of old fashioned roses I am taken back to my grandparents bedroom, they had an old pink rose that grew up the side of the house and when the window was left open through the summer, it would climb in the window and when the sun shone the scent was beautiful 8) 8)
Takes me right back
Kerry
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Much nicer smell than cowpats Kerry ;D
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:D :D :D
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:D :D :D
What a wonderful thread, and isn't it strange how childhood memories stay with us ! I love your stories Sue, indeed everyone has such wonderful tales to tell.
Both my grandpas died before I was two, but at various times, I lived with both grandmas and they were as different as chalk and cheese.
Mum's mum was small, dark and pretty and wore her hair in a bob. She was always singing, smelled of lavender and moth-balls, and could make the most wonderful cakes & pastry by seeming to just throw any old ingredients together. She never tired of playing my grandpa's records, liked to gossip, loved people, and hated domesticity. She was also a fantastic story- teller, and could change her voice and mood to suit the particular character she was portraying, sometimes frightening me to death before bed-time. It was she who gave me my love of music, the English language and theatre.
Dad's mum, on the other hand, was fair skinned with red hair and blue eyes, and you did not mess with this lady. She was very domesticated and the house always smelled of Mansion polish and Carbolic soap, and there was always a roaring fire in the back room. If you stayed the night, the bedding would be whipped off, washed and on the line, before you could eat your substantial breakfast, and up until the day she died, she still grew fruit and vegetables and sold them from her garden gate. I remember she always smelled of snuff, liked a "flutter on the gee-gees" and drank a bottle of Guinness everyday with her lunch. She was an absolute 'whizz' at figures and dates and tried many times to teach me how to do the same, but to no avail. What I did learn from her though was thrift and how to be a homemaker.
:D :D :D
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One set of grandparents died 20 years or so before I was born. The other pair died when I was 3. However, I still have some fond memories of them. In particular, my 'hoolie' gran. She was cuddly and a refuge if I'd done something wrong and my parents were after me!
Gran had an amazing set of risque postcards which she kept on her mantle shelf and brought down (with a chuckle) for me to look at. I liked the pictures :D
I am putting quite a bit up on my website about her. She was lovely.
I was a bit scared of her husband , my Taid. He was very stern but died a few months after her. The family said he died of a broken heart. They'd been married for 49 years.
Gadget
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A picture of me with my g grandfather. I don't remember him because he died not long after this photo was taken. He was a schoolmaster and later headmaster at various trade schools in and around Bristol. He taught metal working, engraving, and other such practical subjects.
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What a lovely scene Erato, can you remember it being taken, the lupins and you feeding him sand!! ;) ;)
Kerry
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What a wonderful thread, Barbara!! Reading it has brought smiles and tears to my face!
I never knew my maternal grandfather, who died ten years before I was born. However, my maternal grandmother lived near us in her own little flat until she died in her nineties. She was always immaculately dressed in nice dresses made for her by a dressmaker, stockings and corset. I used to take her shopping and to the library to choose her books, in her later years. She liked a little tipple herself, and would sometimes share it with me. One very hot day, I was going to do the shopping for her, and thinking herself very "with-it", she said, "Use the money that's left to get half a dozen chubbies, dear, and you can have one when you get back!" Aussies will know that a STUBBY is a small bottle of beer, designed as a good drink for one person! The family laughed a lot over that, but she bore it with perfect grace!!!
We lived next to my paternal grandparents when I was a child - they died when I was about 11. Granddad seemed stern but I know that he was crippled by arthritis in both hips, so was probably in a lot of pain. I was sent over to thank him when he bought me a pony - he looked at me and smiled gruffly! Granny was lovely - I was very close to her. I remember running over to her in tears when my favourite kitten died, and she held me and comforted me and defended me against one of my aunts, who complained that she couldn't hear on the phone because of my crying!
I still really miss my grandmothers, though one has been dead for fifty years!
MarieC
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What lovely stories.
I hope I'm remembered fondly by my grand daughter.
She's Nineteen now, and a lovely young woman, at University with a promising future ahead as a Forensic Scientist and Criminologist. She has a fine young man, who I have been whispered to, is saving up to buy her a ring.
She was adopted at 3 months, and was such a tiny dot, I fell in love with her the moment I saw her.
I played with her for hours on end, nursed her, knitted dolly's clothes for her dolly, read to her and sang nursery rhymes for hours on end. I have lovely tapes which I recorded from the first time she could speak, and we played them one day whilst I was teaching her needlework. Listening to her squeeky voice singing twinkle twinkle little star, made me wonder where all those years have gone.
I've taught her baking, knitting, cross stitch, machine embroidery and gold work (for which she got double A star and top marks in her A levels).
She loves being cuddled to this day thank goodness, and never leaves or finishes a phone call without a 'Love you Grandma'.
When I'm over in Cheshire looking after my own Mother, she never fails to ring to ask how Mum and I are.
When I was moaning about my weight one day and saying I must go on a diet, she put her arms round me and cuddled me and said...don't do that, cuddley Grandma's come with the job description.
I'm extremely proud of her, and love her to bits, and feel so privilaged that she was chosen to be my special grand daughter.
Su
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I've just been catching up with all the wonderful memories, laughing and crying, ooohing and aaahing and remembering some of the same things happening with our family. Do please tell us your memories, they're great.
I remember 'blacking' the hob for my Granny one day and ending up with more black on me than on the fireplace. Grandpa sitting there laughing his head off as Granny tried to clean me up before Mum came to pick me up. He got me to taste his Tripe and Onions one day telling me it tasted like chicken . ... . YUCK, it was horrible .. . but I'd share his Black Puddin' with him anytime :)
I also remember getting a wallop from Grandpa for breaking one of his prize canary eggs .. .. My bottom smarts just thinking about it - well, I shouldn't have been in the aviary at all should I!!
One of my jobs was to collect their bread after school and take it up for them all wrapped in tissue paper, I loved the crispy bits off the top and it would always arrive 'bald'
Granddad was a master carpenter and his shed was full of wood in all shapes and sizes with his latest project against the wall with all his other 'latest' projects. The floor was always covered in 12 inches of shavings and I would put some in my pocket and carry them round with me for as long as I could get away with it . .. . I loved the smell of the shavings and still do. He once made a sideboard in the front parlour which was so big and so ornate it had to be sold with the house, nobody could get it through the door!! Oooh, it was gorgeous but a b*gg*er to clean with all the carved bits on it.
Nanna had been a singer in her younger days and had a beautiful soprano voice, she and I would dress up in all her stage costumes with huge hats and feather boas, strings of pearls wrapped 10 times round the neck and long dangly earings .. . bliss!! We'd then prance around the house singing to all the stage shows . .. welllllll, she would sing and I would croak, but she never said anything about my croaking just . .. . . . .. "From here, Barbara - send it out from here" with a prod in the solar plexus. It didn't do any good, I still can't sing!!
Ah, memories
Barbara
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Not grandparents, but excuse me while I skip off to the side a bit.
Barbara, you mentioned the smell of the wood shavings. That put me in mind of the ironmongers near home when I was little. It was during the war and very old fashioned. They used to put fresh wood shavings on the floor and the smell was heavenly.
Then again, when I go into cycle shops and the like, the smell of the rubber and oil always brings back happy thoughts of my faher's cycle repair shop where I spent many happy hours (getting dirty.) ::)
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Lovely smells...I love wood shavings as well.
I can still smell the Smithy and feel the heat from the hot coals. The place was littered with old horse shoes and bits of metal shavings, and of course, vices and big anvils. As well as shoeing horses, grandad used to make beautiful jewellry, and Dad always wore a gold ring with rubies in it that Grandad made.
My Dad was a Farrier in the Cheshire Yeomanry during the war, so learned his work from Grandad.
When Grandad retired, he gave Dad his big anvil, and Dad used to repair our shoes on it. We still have his very old vice attached to our workbench.
Grandad used to tell funny stories about his work at the Smithy. He used to shoe huge Cart horses for the local farmers. One day he was busy shoeing one with his back to it, when it 'dropped its load' on him.
Another one turned round and bit his bum, and one stamped on his foot.
When I go over to Cheshire, I visit the grave where Grandad, Granny and Dad are buried, then go over to the Smithy and take it all in, and remember Grandad in his leather apron, hammering away on the anvil.
Su
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This is all so lovely. i am on my own at work, having my lunch and wiping away a tear.
I only remember one grandparent. Nanny Court on your left. She lived in Stratford on Avon and it was always an adventure to go there. She had no electricity, only gas lamps downstairs - you had to take a candle to bed. There was a cold tap in the kitchen and the toilet was at the end of the garden. she kept a variety of macs behind the kitchen door in case it was raining when you paid a visit down the garden!
I remember having to sleep on a camp bed in her room as my parents had the second bedroom when we stayed. One time I was learning to knit and thought that I would never get the hang of it.
She lived near the Trinity Church and each morning at 8 o'clock they played a hymn tune on the carillon. She used to take me "sticking" across the Seven Meadows with her friend. We were never sure of her friend's exact name - it was either Else Tollery or El Stollery (anybody claim her?).
This is, as far as I know, the only picture of me with her. I am the baby and the older child is my cousin. We were her only grandchildren.
Keep the memories coming I am so enjoying them.
Ellen
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Not sure what happened to my photo - try again
Ellen
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I've just been catching up with all the wonderful memories, laughing and crying, ooohing and aaahing and remembering some of the same things happening with our family. Do please tell us your memories, they're great. .....Barbara
Me too Barbara !..... And Sue, I'm sure your grand-daughter will always remember you with much love - I only have one grandson, who'll be twenty this year. The last time I saw him he was two, after which my son and partner split-up and there's been no contact ever since. All those missed years for making lovely memories.... ah me! ... seems to be the way of society these days.
I remember when I lived with my Mum's mum, whenever she took me along to visit her elderly lady friends, I was always made to stand in the middle of the room and sing "You Are My Sunshine", after which I was rewarded with some goody or other, and even to this day, whenever I taste Victoria Sponge, the smell and taste of those times come flooding back.
I also remember a time when I took to looking in the mirror on the ornate sideboard to pull silly faces. Anyway, one day she caught me and scolded "You'll see the devil in there one day Lady!". I was absolutely terrified and never walked past it again, instead I would crouch down and run past it quickly. I really believed her !!
Another memory I have is once, when staying with Dad's mum I fell on the patio cutting my knee. Feeling very sorry for myself, I ran in screaming and crying and gran, without batting an eyelid, marched me back to the patio and pointed to the flags with cracks in. "Never mind your knee, just look what you've done to my flags!" (ha ha ha)... I never acted like a baby again... having said that, I did get a glass of Dandylion & Burdoch afterwards.
Happy memories
8) 8)
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It's very sad Mobo, when grandparents don't get to see their grandchildren because of breakups. I feel for you. Not only have you missed out on watching him grow up, but he's missed out the most by not having his Grandma and Grandpa to lavish love and affection on him.
Your grandmothers both seemed great women in their own way. Both had different sets of values and ways of doing things that have left you with lots of happy (and scarey) memories.
Dandylion & Burdoch and Tizer.....oooh! what memories they conjure up :D
love
Su
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One of my Granddads died when I was two - but I still had two Granddads.
Granddad and Great Uncle Fred.
Grt Uncle Fred (not blood related) had no children of his own so treated me and my brother as his Granchildren.
Grandad would collect us from school on a Tuesday and Uncle Fred on a Thursday. They were fiercely in competition with each other.
On the way home from school, each of them would have us sit on the steps of the betting shop and wait for 10 mins whilst they placed a bet. When they came out both would say
"Don't tell your Grandad/Uncle Fred about this and I'll buy you extra sweets"
Me and Stu never said a word, as we loved the extra sweets :D
I only told my Mum a couple of months ago (30 years on) - she was mortified ;) ;D
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I don't remember my maternal grandmother as she died quite young in 1968, but from what I've heard she was a clever, warm person who never let her kidney disease upset her, even though it caused her death at just 35.
My maternal grandfather is 73 years old and usually comes round to visit on saturday mornings. He actually looks a bit younger than 73, although he is slightly bald. He's a great person who I can see living a lot longer.
My paternal grandmother died when i was 12 (she was only 63 and died in hospital from pneumonia after a fall) but from what i can remember she was a small woman who was very cheerful.
My paternal grandfather is almost 76 and is very musically talented (he was a bass guitarist in a jazz band called Savannah and a country band called Nancy Rivers Country Band) who is a very independant person and taught himself how to use a computer - he is very fond of eBay.
Stephen :)
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:)Still a fantastic thread...I have just read all the entries again and enjoyed everyone.Funny thing is they are all so similar,and isn't it great to remember and share these memories.I guess we live in an age when we nolonger "storytell" in the family and pass memories on...so it is great to let it all out on threads like this!!!
One of the memories I just read was about blackleading the fireplace///that brought a warm glow to me because my Nan used to do that...Grandad used to brush his teeth with salt and soot from the fireplace :-Xmakes me smile...as I am a Dental Hygienist...and apparantly he had nearly all his teeth when he died at 85!!!!
My Grandad always used to whistle!!!!
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one incident i can remember concerning my grandad, he liked going on walks and often took me with him.He had made himself a walking stick and put a brass knob on the end for a handle and we were out one time when i was about 7 or 8 yr old and i had borrowed the stick off him and was throwing it up in the air like you do at that age.But this one time it fell into the road and i was just about to rush into the road to get it when i looked and saw a big lorry coming,it ran over the stick and flattened the brass end,grandad did'nt see this happen as he was way in front and i was frightened to give it back to him.Eventually he took it back and saw it, he said i had been banging it on a wall to flatten it but i never told him i was nearly run over so he never knew the truth.The next time we were together he had put a new knob on the stick but it was'nt as good as the old one and i felt awful but still never told him what happened.
Another thing he liked to do was collect old copper or brass to sell to the scrap man who came around,he never got much for it though.He used to get this copper wire that still had the plastic on it and he would put it on the fire in the sitting room to burn the plastic off.He did this when grandma was out obviously but when she got back she always knew cos the place was stinking. Thinking of it now always makes me smile.
Steve
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I saw my grandparents nearly every day as our gardens joined up with each other, a happy memory was sitting on my grandads lap and putting my fingers near his moustache while he used to try and bite them, or a bad one was when ever I got a splinter in my finger I was sent round to him so he could get it out, and that really hurt.
When I left home to live with boyfriend, I had to tell my Nan, and she said, Oh you naughty girl, but we have now been married for 22 years, she was rather old fashioned.
My other Grandparents also lived near us, so I saw them nearly every week, I was very luckly.
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Everybody has/had such lovely Grandparents, and aren't our experiences so much alike??
Both sets of my Grandparents died when I was in my early teens, so I didn't get to have them very long and I miss them like crazy. Especially my Granny (Mum's Mum) who was my best friend. She had her own special chair in front of the hob and we would sit in it for hours. We'd talk about silly things or things that happened during the war, like my Uncle refusing to go under the stairs when the sirens went off and taking his dinner under the table instead. Or how her hands were always yellow from working at the munitions factory - they called them 'Canary Girls'.
One day my Dad had Granny convinced spaghetti grew on trees and that the Italians at harvest time, draped the cut spaghetti over wires to dry it out . . .. . Poor Granny!!
I miss her. :'(
Barbara 8)
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I hope that I am helping my grandaughter to have a lot of happy memories. I am enjoying reliving my happy memories too! For example we have loved reading "Susannah of the Mounties" together which was my favourite book at primary school. We spent a few days together in London last year looking at all sorts of things that interested us both.
We are lucky that she lives so close to us. She also shares watching rugby and World Rally Cross with Grandad.
Ellen
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My favourite book was 'The Silver Brumby' which started my lifelong love of horses and Granny and I would sit and read it together.
Nanna started my love of clasical music along with music from the old stage shows . . . .. Oh how that woman could sing, wish I'd got half her talent :-\
Barbara 8)
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Wow....memories....what a lovely thread! (I loved the Silver Brumby too, Barbara!).
My nan (mum's mum) had a mynah bird that used to say hello to me whenever I walked in the room. My grandad taught it to say 'phewwww, who's got stinky feet?!' whenever my nan took her shoes off....
Nan made the best doughnuts ever. And cheese melted onto a tin plate till it went crispy - we'd scrape it off with a knife and eat with bread and butter!! Sounds strange now I've described it... :-\
Nan and Grandad had the original pantry in their Victorian terraced house, so they didn't need a fridge....but I remember them caving in and buying one in their later years. And the back room which they used as the living room had the original black open fire with ovens either side. And a huge waist height cupboard with a big, thick slab of wood on top, presumably used for food preparation originally - they put their telly on it instead ;D. It was a lovely house, full of original features, but I think the people who bought it did a 'renovation' job and no doubt it lost it's character. I wouldn't be able to face going back now....
Sigh :)
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Wonderful stories. I think I may have shown this photo before of me and Gt.Grandma. I had been urged to come away from the dustbin to have the photo taken but refused point-blank.
Gt.Grandma lived with her spinster daughters. There was always great activity - sheets being blued etc.
There was a pussy-cat I loved - totally black but called Buster Brown. ' Listen with Mother ' was on the radio and sometimes the Gt. Aunts would put ' The Laughing Policeman ' for me on the player !
Gt.Grandma would swing me on her leg and recite the alphabet backwards and I remember that I was always given sixpence on leaving for home.
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That's a lovely photo Emmaline, and I don't blame you one bit for not wanting to come away from the dustbin . . . they made such wonderful noises and hid all manner of things.
I notice your Great Grandmother had the full 'pinny' on, does anyone else remember the pinny and the contents of the pocket ?? Handkerchiefs, sweets, dishclothes, dusters, pins, hair clips, pencil, paper . ... . . etc, etc. It always seemed like a bottomless pit containing whatever was needed at that particular moment - the hand would go in and . . . . .. out would come the required object . . . . . As far as I was concerned, that darned pocket was MAGIC :D
Barbara 8)
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Barbara -
Just another note to say thanks for starting this thread. Just reading through the thread and some of the stories / memories brought a smile to my face and the memories of my kin. Hoping my relatives will think the same of me in future years.
yn9man
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Hello Barbara - Yes, all the grandma's seemed to wear the full pinny in those days - always spotlessly clean !
I especially love that photo as it is the only one I have of us together and I do remember it being taken.
Ellen - your photo is lovely. Talking of learning to knit reminded me of my attempts. It was written at the time that when Queen Mary was teaching grand-daughter Elizabeth to knit she said that - ' No child ever tried harder ' and my mother's comment was ' I know one that did ' ::) ::)
I learnt eventually.........
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Can I 'jump to' my G'G'MA? Missed out on G'Parent's,,but the Woman who reared me whilst Mam was earning her corn did an excellent job of work on me.
So many thing's to mention,most already spoken of,but one thing I'd like to add is that I was her 'Little Bordie'.Being as Irish as a shilleliegh,that's her pronunciation of Birdie.
Another thing,for exploring her tall Chinese vase's,chest's of drawer's,cupboard's etc; the slap on the back of me little leg's!
Oh yes,and being rocked to sleep on her lap,in front of the range at night.
Gogy. ;) ;D
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Sounds as though you loved your Great Gran, goggy. To mention the slap on the legs but in spite of that the cuddles in front of the range at bed time. It conjures up a picture of a woman who was strict but kind. Just the sort you need behind you when you are growing up.
Unfortunately they don't seem to make 'em like that any more. :)
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My Mum's Mother always wore the long wrap around pinny, and my Mum carried on the tradition up until a few years ago when she became ill (she only goes in the kitchen now if it is absolutely necessary ;D). Mum (herself a great grandma to 12) always had a duster in the pocket of hers.
Mum and I used to go to the pictures on the bus every week, and one night we were in a hurry. We just made it to the bus, plonked down on the seat and Mum's coat gaped at the bottom to reveal...yes...the pinny :D We laughed all the way to the pictures, all the way through it (as it was George Cole and Alistair Simm The Green Man) and all the way home.
As for knitting...Neither of my grannies knitted, but Mum was a super knitter and knit all our cardi's and jumpers. I was 37 before I eventually took up the needles and my hubby's first jumper reached his knees and the sleeves his ankles ;D After that I got the hang of it, until I discovered cross-stitch, then knitting went out the window.
I don't recall either of my grannies having any kind of hobbies, I suppose they just didn't have the time for them. I suppose Granny's 'hobby' was baking and looking after Grandad.
Su
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What a lovely thread. I lived with my paternal grandparents from the age of three until I was ten and adopted by my aunt my late father's sister.
My grandfather had a wonderful garden and it had masses of peonies his favourite flower. My grandmother was a strong woman who was very strict but fair. Her hobby was competitions, She was always sending off to the competitions that appeared in Woman's Weekly, where you had to choose the best woman's outfit or hat. I remember her telling me that as a girl of 15 she went to work in a hat shop. A rich lady came in and tried several hats and could not make her mind up. She asked grandma who was attending to her every need, ' which do you think is the best dear?' Grandma replied ' I think you look a proper twerp in all of them!' ;D ;D ;D
Needless to say she got the sack!
She then trained to be a nurse and ended up as matron in one of the large Sheffield hospitals before she retired. My Grandfather was probably one of the first house husbands as he stayed at home during the general strike of 1926 to look after the children whilst grandma went private nursing to earn the money. 8)
Pennine
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I'd love to have some of those full pinny's! So practical. Can you still get them?
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Have you tried ebay ozlady? You can get anything on there ;D ;D
Ellen
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She asked grandma who was attending to her every need, ' which do you think is the best dear?' Grandma replied ' I think you look a proper twerp in all of them!' ;D ;D ;D
Needless to say she got the sack!
She then trained to be a nurse and ended up as matron in one of the large Sheffield hospitals before she retired. My Grandfather was probably one of the first house husbands as he stayed at home during the general strike of 1926 to look after the children whilst grandma went private nursing to earn the money. 8)
Pennine
That's really cool, Pennine!! 8) 8) Your grandmother was quite a woman! I love her!!!
MarieC
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my grandparents adopted me when i was two and i have tons of memorys!!
pappy as he was called used to roll his socks down when he had shorts on! (no idea why!) we had a huge sloping garden and he was always falling over in it and rolling down the incline!he was round and jolly and smoked a pipe one time i remember he baught some shoes that he realy liked but they were too big,then running across the road they fell off!! it was so funny he had to dart between the traffic to get them back!
nan was great she told me stories all about when she was a child living in wales,she would make welsh cakes and toffee apples but pappy did all the cooking as he used to be a chef in the navy,he was also involved in the design of concords 'nose' and i can remember him taking me to see her when she was being built,happy times i miss them alot. :-\ :)
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I loved this thread right from the start and find myself looking back at it regularly.
I too remember the pinny...and in fact the thought of it made me feel quite warm and cosy...I am going to get myself one!!
I also remember Nan having a lovely big button tin with all sorts of odd buttons that I would sit and handle for hours...guess what I am starting one of those too! 8)
Dawn ;D
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Dawn
My gran had an old biscuit tin with a picture of the Queen on the front full of buttons. My sister and I used to be allowed to get it out and play with it occasionally and the buttons inside.
Oh happy memories
Kerry ;) :)
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I finally got round to reading this thread and I have really enjoyed it! I only knew my paternal grandparents. Grandad died when I was about 6 but I remember him walking along the road in his old flat cap and playing magic tricks to keep us amused. Of course we have now worked out how he did it but as children we thought he was marvellous!
My Grandma was a real character, the life and soul of any gathering. I remember on her 80th birthday that she had to be brought home early because she had consumed too much 'wiksey'. We tried to record her speaking on a cassette for my brother in Africa but she didn't understand how it worked and kept shouting "can yer 'ear me lad? then to us "he's not answering"! We have a wealth of funny stories about her and even her funeral wasn't sad because people spent the whole day saying "do you remember when....."
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Wow....what a truly great thread......you have got me crying again as the memories flood back...........
I lived with my maternal gran Ellen nearly all my childhood, and the memories..yes she also had one of those wrap around pinnies, she made me a mini one and we used to bake bread (fresh bread mmm!! I can smell it now....) the old fashioned double range with a large kettle always on the boil..the front door never closed as neighbours would pop in for a cupa....
On rainy days we would listen to the wireless in front of the range, the glowing embers warmed us as we drank our cocoa. As a treat she would let me sort out the button box (this was an old biscuit tin..) she had another larger tin with all the old photos in, including letters and some silk type cards (I still have some..) My grandad Michael died the year before I was born, Ellen was widowed twice in her life both her husbands were called Michael and from Ireland.
I remember her sisters Sarah and Dinah coming up North from Portsmouth, Dinah took me to Newcastle shopping for a special dress ( pale blue, tiny lace type flowers on the bodice, with a full skirt...) I can see it now..magic.
After they went home the fragrance of Ponds cream and 4 7 Eleven Cologne that Dinah used I could smell for ages........
And who can remember washing day?....the old fashioned poss tub and mangle..white cotton sheets blowing on the line...the smell of carbolic soap....being sent out in the garden to pick enough peapods for tea...........home-made scones for afters with lashings of strawberry jam (home made..) ahhh!! crying again..better go and make a cup of tea........Nana Ellen I loved you so much...thank you for the memories................xxSummer
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;D ;D ;D
What wonderful childhood memories this thread is bringing back ahhhhhh...........
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you are all like me with fond memories of our grandparents
My Dads mum died before I was born and I know very little about her but I do remember my granda he was tall and smart and worked on the railway he would sit me on his knee and sing( My bonny lies over the Ocean my bonny lies over the sea )
He died when I was seven
My Nannie as we called her (mums mum) was a lovely little woman with fat legs and her ankles hung over her shoes she was always singing and as she played the violin in the local orchestra and also sang in the church choir she was very musical
I remember the smell of cooking and her making bread she would put her hand in the coal oven to feel the heat then pop the bread etc into the oven
I think I take this from her as I love to cook also she was a knitter and so was I .
I can still go through her house with the wash house outside and the big green mangle we had to turn when she was washing and the toilet was at the bottom of the yard and I think 3 shared it
With the news paper hanging by the string on a nail
As we were not aloud to read the News of the World you managed to find a part of a story
Yes that loo had a gap of about 6in and I used to sit with my feet up in the winter
Nannie had a mole with hairs on beside her lips and I hated that kiss when I left
Granda well he is another story
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This is my Dads mum and Dad how do I get the other off the picture or can
someone do it for me
The two lads are my uncles and their cousin om the other side
Elizabeth
Moderator comment: photo resized for easier viewing
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I was about ten years old when my Great Granny Flewers died aged 100. I can remember being amazed that, although she was blind, she ciould go into the scullery and make a pot of tea. She also managed to get to the pub each day for her half of stout, and that is how she lost her sight - she was celebrating the birth of two great Grandchildren and everyone in the pub bought her a drink. She went home and fell face first into the coal fire, how she survived I'll never know, but she did and remained fiercely independant.
I hope I have her 'get up and go' if I live as long.
Babs
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All the stories and photos are wonderful. I just recently gave the family ' button jar ' to my youngest daughter.
Filled with a vast assortment of old buttons which all have the children have played with through the years -one of their delights.
The message about the News of the World conjured up memories - I knew that for some reason I was not allowed to read it so as soon as it popped through the letter-box would dash down the stairs and read as much of it as I could as I climbed back up ::) ::)
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My Nanna (The Duchess) was a frugal woman ,having lived through some hard times and losing her husband young.
I remember her keeping all the tiny slivers of soap and putting them together and making a marbly type soap from it.
Recently I met up with my cousin who was brought up by Nan .We were chatting about things and she disappeared upstairs and came down with something in her hand.It was a peice of Marbly soap.She had kept it and was surprised to find out that I remembered all about it as Nan died when I was 11.Nan died in the early 70's so is this a record for the longest lasting soap ?.
Lin
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Oooh I remember the 'Button Jar' it was always full of every shape and size of button and was a thing to behold.
The kettle on the hob or the pot of soup simmering away . . . .
Scones fresh out of the oven . .. yummmmmmm
Home made Eccles Cakes or 'Flat' Cakes that were soooooooo sweet . .. .
Playing the (very out of tune) piano in the parlour and Grandpa yelling out for me to "Turn that damn noise orf"
The trains going past the back yard and racing up to the iron bridge to stand in the steam as they went under.
Helping Granny to scrub the wooden table in the kitchen till it was white.
White stoning the front step . .. does anyone remember that??
Barbara 8)
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Oh, Granny and her 'button jar.'
Mr Granny didn't have a 'button jar.' She had one of those beautiful biscuit tins with pictures of a midnight masquerade on it. This has proved a lucky escape for the tin, because it was always kept polished and clean and is still in pristine condition. Guess who has got it now.....
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All this talk about buttons has given the old memory a jog.
I remeber sitting on the rack of Nans bike whilst she pedalled to various 'Jumblies'.
She would pick up an item of clothing and ask "how much ?".Upon being told the price ,she would put it back down and say "I only wanted it for the buttons".9 out of 10 times she would be offered it at half the price.
Aweek later one of the many Grandchildren would be seen wearing the item.
And yes ,she had one of the best button tins in the area.
Lin
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Well, I have just been reading all these lovely memories, perhaps you would like to hear this one of my beloved maternal Nanna.
She had a tough life, married at 20, her young husband already blind, they had 4 children 2 boys, 2 girls, my Mum was the second girl. They built up a successful business between them of a greengrocers shop, coal merchant & carrier with several horse & carts, bu then Grandpa died in the flu epidemic of 1918 agee 44, so there she was aged 41 with 4 children & the businesses to run & run them she did until her death at the age of 62. What do I remember the most about her. Her beautiful feather bed. sounds like a song, doesn't it "Grandma's feather bed"
When I was a tiny tot, it must have been about 1929/30 my Mum was ill after a miscarriage & had to go away to a convalesense home so I went to stay with Nan. The only place for me to sleep was with her & oh, this feather bed. I used to lie there cocooned in this bed in a lovely green & brass bedstead. I had great fun with this bedstead, I found I could unscrew the knobs on the top of the end posts. Opposite the end of the bed was the usual washstand, there being no bathrooms in those days. Nan would wash herself there in the morning, she was not very tall & the best way to describe her was plumply rounded, cuddly. She was getting dressed one morning when a little voice piped up "Oh, Nanna, what yards & yards of corserettes" They were not the usual pink corsets but very posh light grey linen & if I close my eyes I can still see her holding up,pulling them round herself. The family never let me forget that.
Would you believe all these years later I still have that feather bed but I had it made into huge square pillows that are still put to use for sitting on the floor.
Happy memories of a kind generous Nan, nobody went short of anything, many a familywho had a stuggle to make ends meet after loosing a husband or father in WW1 were grateful for the bag of vegetables she would find for them.
Meliora
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Meliora, that was lovely hearing about the feather bed, and you are so lucky being able to keep the feathers.
I remember my Nana's big iron bed, but it certainly wasn't as comfortable as yours . . . it was filled with the hardest substance known to man I'm sure. :-\
Barbara 8)
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AAAH!
The Feather Bed,not 'ticked'as we have now,just a great big beautiful'sack'to hold the feather's.Summer time in a closed room was the time to take them out,spread over the floor and let them 'air'.
Then,you may have guessed,a rambuctious little 3y.o would open the door,see the pile of soft+downy temptation and jump in whooping!!
Goggy. ;) ;D
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I didn't know any of my Grandparents ......... and I used to be as jealous as sin of the kids in the street that used to say .....
"I can't play .... I've got to go to me Grandmas !! " and then they'd pull a face ..... ::) ::) I'd get so mad at them ......... !!
So you can imagine my joy when last year I tracked down a 93 year old lady who used to know my Granddad ......
I was so excited ........ I finally got to talk to her on the phone ..... I was practically screaming at the top of my lungs ( she kept saying "A .... what d'you say ?? " ) ....
I finally got her to understand what I wanted to know and she said
" Oh yes ! ........ I remember 'im .... 'e drank like a fish !! "
and she hung up !! :P :P :P :P
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Annie.
I know how you must feel!I've found a Cuz:in Miami,last saw her about 1937.She knew my Dad+Mam,and some Uncle's+Aunt's etc.
Can you imagine how much self restraint it take's to communicate in a normal manner while the head want's to know all available info;NOW!!!
As my 'lug's' are ok for hanging my spec's on but u/s for hearing,and my Server wont accept from Miami,all is 'Snail Mail'!!
At least,now youv'e found a 'source'+maybe next time,a younger person can 'go between 'for you?
My sympathy,
Goggy. :( :D ;D
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Talking of beds, I remember when I was about 5 and my sister was about 3 we stayed with my grandparents and in the spare room they had a double bed and a cot. We were both put in the huge double bed, but my sister was so naughty, tickling my feet all night, she got put in the cot. :o :o :o
It took years to get over, we still tease her about it now. ;D ;D
She was a very naughty little child, probably would be called hyperactive nowadays, but she was just always on the go!
I of course, was as good as gold, probably why my grandparents had me on holiday a lot on my own. ::) ::) ::)
Kerry
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Reading all these wonderfull threads, just made me sit and think.
my nan ( dads mum) was separated from my pop but that never stopped her visiting us.
She used to catch the late train from Melbourne to Geelong, but she would never let us know she was coming.
You would wake in the morning to the smell of breakfast cooking no easy feat 8 kids 3 adults including her self you would hear a shout nans here.
I remember when I broke my arm and had to go to RCH in melb and stayed with nan in melb. I felt so lucky as i didnt have to share her with all the other kids. She was warm loving but spoke her mind....Now pop he was living in Geelong and I used to stay with him often he'd come and get me for the day (mum and dad didnt have a car ) so when i didnt return in a week they'd get someone to take them down to his place to pick me up, I only had the clothes i was wearing but that didnt bother pop
he'd wash my clothes at night and hang them infront of the open fire to dry over night while i was parading around in his pajama top.
I remember the smell of the open fire, pine cones burning, cuddles on his knee at night being tucked into bed by him.
We had a special bond and he always made me feel special to the day he died..
Raels
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I've been sitting here this morning reading some of these wonderul memories. I've been lucky enough to remeber both my gt grandmothers and 1 gt grandfather (just and he was Nan's second husband) I'm now left with one grandmother who is 87 years old. Her mother was 93 (and lives in Austrialia) when she died and my other grandmother was a week off her 102 birthday (her daughter died 4 years ago a couple of months off her 90th)
The Gt Nan who went to Oz used to keep her false teeth in the pocket of her apron! She also had 6 kids by 4 different men (no such thing as *** in her day though)
The other Gt Nan was first married to a solider who went to India at the turn of the last century and that's where her daughter was born. Nan(daughter) used to say that she had got so used to servants she expected to be waited on when they returned to the UK. For years as a kid I heard that Nan only drank Free'uns (thought the grown us said Freemans) and so I thought that Freemans was a bewery !!
Granddad (mums dad) became very ill in his last years and the thing that we all remember about him (apart from the smell of Old Holborn tobacco) is him waking up in his chair on Christmas Day and seeing that Top of the Pops was ending - though he thought it was just being and saying "We're not having that rubish on"
Ed
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Dawn
My gran had an old biscuit tin with a picture of the Queen on the front full of buttons. My sister and I used to be allowed to get it out and play with it occasionally and the buttons inside.
Oh happy memories
Kerry ;) :)
Just to let you know that I have got my own button tin.I saw Mom who is 83 , and she had found out an old toffee tin with roses on the lid." Do you want this as I am throwing it out," she said ;DNow all I need are some buttons
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I really must start a button tin of my own, the shop that I buy my clothes from supplies 2 spare buttons with every item!!!!!!
Kerry
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Along with button tins/jars, what else do you remember your Grandmother having?? :)
Barbara 8)
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The house where my grandparents lived had a very steep narrow set of stairs and towards the end of her life granny used to breathe quite heavily when going up the stairs. When we were staying with them my sister and I would lay in bed and we could hear her coming up the stairs, her breathing and her hand on the bannister every step.
Do you know if I close my eyes now I can still hear that sound. A very comforting sound! :) :)
Kerry
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I'm just loving all these memories, they're so beautiful. Isn't it funny how one or two memories from our Grandparents can leave such a lasting impression.
Barbara 8)
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The house where my grandparents lived had a very steep narrow set of stairs and towards the end of her life granny used to breathe quite heavily when going up the stairs. When we were staying with them my sister and I would lay in bed and we could hear her coming up the stairs, her breathing and her hand on the bannister every step.
Do you know if I close my eyes now I can still hear that sound. A very comforting sound! :) :)
Dear Kerry...your memories of your granny breathing remind me of my brother in laws nan.When I was about 8 years old,I was being baby sat by my brother in laws elderly,gorgeous nan.It was christmas in the blackcountry uk,snow on the ground and carol singers most nights.This night I heard the sound of muffled singing ( so I thought)....it was actually the nan's chest wheezing ::) I had completely forgotten about it until I read your posting!!!
She was a lovely lady ..thankyou for rekindling a memory of her for me.
Dawn
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I remember my Nans wooden draining board .The smell of well scrubbed wood drying in the sunshine that shone through her scullery window will always stay with me.I used to run my finger down the slippery grooves in the wood.
Lin
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Reading through all these memories of grandparents, is my imagination or do people here seem to have been very close to grandparents? I wonder what it is that makes the relationship with grandparents so special!
Kerry
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Great Uncle Fred was like an extra granddad to me (he took my dad and his sister in when their younger siblings made their house too crowded).
On dark winter afternoons when we visited him, he would give us tea and cakes. At some point during the visit, he would get a big torch from the window ledge and say, "I'm just going to check that the horse hasn't kicked his blanket off". He'd only be gone a few minutes, then come back and say, "he's fine".
As a child, I couldn't work out where he kept this horse among streets and streets of terraced houses. It took me years to realise that he was off to the outside toilet!!
Wotty.
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LOL ;D ;D ;D ;D
My other grandparents had an outside loo and to this day the smell of paraffin reminds me of dark nights in there. Spiders lurking in the corners and the cold wind whistling under the door.
Errrrr :(
Kerry
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Kerry that reminds me of my grandparents outside loo in the yard.The first time i went to use it as a child they had old newspapers torn up into squares for toilet paper,i couldn't believe it and this was only in the 1960s.After that i used to avoid using it.Later on they modernised and got that hard loo roll paper which wasn't much better!!!We must be soft nowadays in more ways than one. :)
Steve
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Yes I remember that hard toilet paper - horrible!
Kerry
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Hard loo paper! That brings back some memories, like just after the war tearing off a strip and seeing what letters I could find. There were always some letters left from the newspapers it had been recycled from.
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Reading through all these memories of grandparents, is my imagination or do people here seem to have been very close to grandparents? I wonder what it is that makes the relationship with grandparents so special!
Kerry
:) yes I agree Kerry...we all seem very close to our Grandparents and it is such a lovely bond.
There is a scene in the movie " When Peggy Sue got married",that brings tears to my eyes when I think of it.Peggy has gone back in time and she actually gets to see her Grandparents again..it is so sad...because they had of course died...it would be so fantastic if we could just go back in time for another taste of life with our loved ones...
I guess that we sort of do that by sharing our memories with other people....I've said it before but I love this thread...reading other peoples postings has jogged my memory on so many things that I could almost remember but not quite pin down.
dawn
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Hello all. I have many happy memories of my maternal nan who lived in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. I remember baking Welsh Cakes with her (best in the world!) and whenever we would visit she would always have a shepherds pie in the oven waiting for us and a bowl of strawberry jelly waiting for me, yum!
I remember that on my sisters birthday she would always give me a box of matchmakers and vice versa on my birthday, so that the other would not feel left out.
She never had a bad word for anyone and would do anything for you, even when you didn't ask, everyone who knew her had the greatest respect for her.
I remember walking her to the labour club for her dancing, which she loved and going to church and bingo with her, I also remember going to the hairdressers with her for her blue rinse.
When I was little I always used to tell my mum that when I grow up I want to be just like my nan and I still do, although I doubt I'll ever get there.
Best nan and lady in the world! She sadly passed away at Christmas aged 97. Sorely missed and dearly loved.
I have vague recollections of my great nan, who died when I was four aged 96, I remember her as being much like my nan and from what I'm told she was, so maybe I'll be lucky and it'll be in the genes.
I did not know either of my Grandfathers who sadly died a long time before I was born. I do remember my dad's mum who lived in Ireland. We didn't get to see her much but she was a great character. I remember having tea at her house and she always gave us liver and bacon which I would hide under my mash tatoes or give to the dogs under the table, she always thought I enjoyed it so much she would then give me more (yuk!) that taught me!
Its nice to read everyone else's memories as grandparents are so special and we're all very lucky to have known them.
Regards
Kate.
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Where to start, considering I was lucky enough to know all of my Grandparents right up until the mid 1970s.
What do I remember most? My 'little Gran' I suppose. She was a tiny thing (hence the nickname), knee-high to a smurf reaching about 4'11" in thick socks, and weighed about 6 stone fully clothed.
The youngest of 5, she had to leave school at the age of 8 (after her Mother died), to look after her father and brothers. The youngest brother was 15!!!!!
I later discovered she was at the same school with my other Grandmother, although they subsequently finished up at opposite ends of the county before my parents met at a dance in London in 1945.
What made me smile though was at how fiesty she must have been. She looked after these 5 men from the age of 8 until she was 12 when, to use her word, she "decided" she didn't get on with her Father. So, she did no more than pack her bags and went to live with her Aunt 10 miles away. She spoke to her Father once after that - he turned up at her wedding, arrived just after the ceremony, stayed long enough to have his picture taken, handed her a 'present' (a letter telling her how much he loved her :-\) then left! My Mother remembers my Grandfather pointing out a complete stranger in the street once and saying 'That man's your Grandfather'!!!
But I digress, between the age of 12 and her marriage on her 21st birthday, she'd been down a coalmine (just visiting), queued "for hours" to go on 5 minute plane ride, nearly died by getting sucked into some quicksand and taught herself enough maths to subsequently get a job as a book-keeper. Later on she got "a little job", proof-reading manuscripts for a scientific publication. And not a SATs, GCSE or A level in sight!!!
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I was lucky enough to have known my great grandmother and a quirk of hers was if the table was set for a meal and it began to thunder and lightning outside she would put the knives and forks under the tablecloth.She would also cover the mirror above the fireplace and i was sometimes put under the table for safety!!! Hard to believe nowadays but true.
Steve
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thunder and lightning outside she would put the knives and forks under the tablecloth.She would also cover the mirror above the fireplace and i was sometimes put under the table for safety!!!
Steve
I believe you Steve, my Granny would do the same with the mirrors and close all the curtains so the lightning couldn't get in!! Bless her :)
Barbara 8)
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My Gran loved storms and taught me to do the same - unfortunately it didn't rub off on my Mother who, as above, would go through the close curtains, cover mirrors routine! When I learnt to drive as recently as 1971, and bought my first car, Mother nearly had a fit everytime I drove in a thunder storm - she never could understand the theory behind a Faraday cage!!!
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I've got such fond memories of my maternal grandmother. Grandma was the kind of person everyone loved. I always remember her drinking, 'cause she just seemed to love doing it so much. Everytime you'd go for a walk, she'd pass a pub and proclaim "Hmm, it's a bit dry today...leave me here." You'd come back a few hours later, and she'd be sitting there with a lager telling everyone her life story. The way she told it, you couldn't help but be fascinated. :)
An eternal memory of her we've all got in our family...we were in Spain on holiday, and going out for the night. It had be raining, so she told us to mind the puddles. Next moment we heard her shouting and swearing. She'd just stepped in the puddle she told us to watch out for. hehe. How we laughed. ;D
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It seems to be a recurring theme that we all have a favourite Grandparent, and it seems to be the maternal Grandmother . . .. . I wonder why that is?? ???
Barbara 8)
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It seems to be a recurring theme that we all have a favourite Grandparent, and it seems to be the maternal Grandmother . . .. . I wonder why that is??
I must be the odd one out then Barbara.
My favorite granny was my Dad's Mum. I never got on with my Mum's Mum, that's why I haven't mentioned her or my grandfather.
I can only describe her as 'sharpe', I can't think of another suitable word. She was never the warm loving cuddly grandmother, and I hated visiting her. She always favoured my sister, and my sister thought she was wonderful. I could never fathom out why. Gran used to take me into the bedroom and say...see those wardrobes, I'm leaving them to your sister. At the age of Eight I wasn't remotely interested in wardrobes, and thought she was weird.
She died when I was Nine, and was laid out in the bedroom. My Mum made me go in and kiss her when she had been there several days. I had nightmares, and to this day can still feel the cold waxey skin on my lips. I hated my Gran after that, and my Mum came a close second for quite some time. I didn't cry for her when she died, and Mum told me I was 'hard'....this is to a nine year old!
In later life Mum told me that Gran had had a very hard life with Grandad who used to knock her around. He used to drink a lot and spent the housekeeping money on drink. Mum says to this day she still feels the humiliation of having to take his best suit to the Pawn Brokers on a Friday to get money for food.
So even though I now understand all this, I still can't feel any love toward my Gran, although I am now old enough to sympathise with the hardship she endured.
By the way, two days ago, Mum, when talking to her Carer piped up that she had had a sister Elizabeth, who died as a baby. That's the first I've ever heard of it, so it came as a complete surprise. I shall now have to look for a birth.
I've done my best to research Mum's family, but they are proving extremely hard to find.
I have traced Dad's side back to 1629, and feel a great deal of affection for them all. I am wondering if it is the lack of affection I feel for Mum's side, that is causing this brick wall.
Su
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You have my sympathies Su, wasn't that a horrible tradition of kissing the corpse, especially for a youngster. I certainly don't blame you for not feeling warmth towards the family, I don't think I would either.
Barbara 8)
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I wonder why that is?? ???
I'm not sure, but I know in my family it's because my father never got along with his father...and as such I didn't spend as much time with my paternal grandparents as I did with my maternal grandmother (I never knew my maternal grandfather, since he died long before I was born).
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I realised a few years ago that my Great grandmother [died 1965 age 90] knew her great grandparents. What a pity that I only started my tree twenty years after her death. And what a pity that we dont have a tradition of passing down family legends and stories.
I only remember my grandmothers, my grandfathers died before I really knew them.
My paternal grandmother, a warm hearted, kind gentle sweet natured woman
My maternal grandmother,the exact opposite.
Tom G
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What a pity that I only started my tree twenty years after her death. And what a pity that we dont have a tradition of passing down family legends and stories.
Tom G
Isn't hindsight a marvelous thing, how much we could have learned and how much easier ....... !!
Barbara 8)
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Hmmm totally agree, my mum led me to believe that my paternal grandfather was not a pleasant man. But now the more I find out about him I think it was more a case that they just didn't hit it off and I wasted years of getting to know him.
Kerry
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Isn't that usually the case Kerry?? I'm now spending lots of time and lots of money trying to find out the answer to a question I could easily have asked my Granddad and didn't!! . . . . . What was the name of your Dad?? :-\ :-\
Barbara 8)
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I think looking back grandad didn't think she was good enough for his son, but she thinks she's too good for him!!!!!!
I even briefly knew 2 of my great grandparents, if only I had asked them some questions.
Kerry
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I have been quite lucky. I knew the names of six of my seven knowable great grandparents at the start. Not from grandparents but from parents.
Lots of stories were passed down as well. I'm making sure they are preserved by writing them down before I lose it ::)
Gadget
(Now Barbara - no rude comments :o )
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Rude comments Gadget . .. . . Moi ?? :D :D :D :D
I knew six out of the eight from Mum, and finally found out the seventh, but as you know, the eighth one STILL eludes me >:( >:( >:( Unfortunately, I wasn't interested in genealogy when my Grandparents were alive .. . mores the pity :-\
Barbara 8)
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Or you might have had all the help in the world.... :D
Long years back, when i first started to try this Family History thing, I asked the mother in law the names of her parents.
She said brightly,
'Oh, my mother was Minne, or Mary or Winifred. You didn't ask your parents things like that when I was young.'
Never forgot that. We had always talked about parents and grandparents and I knew all their names. (I had also been fed a pack of porkies in some cases too. Fell off a roof when he died in the nut house. Pshaw!)
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Well, I've got the ultimate in family history knowledge with Mr Gadget ;)
When I started looking at his history last year, I asked him what his grandparents names were.
He answered, in all innocence 'Granny and Granddad'.
Really ::) ::) ::)
Gadget - I have to put up with a lot :P
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;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D LOL
You two together must have a riot!!!!!!
Kerry ;) ;)
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I think I've said before that I only knew one grandparent (paternal grandmother) but my mother has a wonderful memory and throughout my whole life has told me stories about her childhood and even some which she was told about her parents'. She also spoke to her mother in law when they lived together after the war and sometimes knows more about his mother than my father does!
I have often wished I had been able to ask my grandmother the relevant questions but I have a distinct feeling that she would not have told me the answers to any questions she thought "inappropriate" - even if she knew the answers!
Ellen
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My mum didnt get on with her sister, my auntie Flo.
I think this because Flo was a no nonsense-straight down the middle, tell it like it is, kind of gal.
Flo was also a confirmed 'bachelor girl'.
Someone would say 'What do you think of my new dress?'
Flo would say something like 'It makes you look fat!'
I get on with her like a house on fire. She ran a farm during and after the war, and I helped out in the summer holidays in the 1950's.
In the evenings, out would come the cider [I was 14!] and we would chat all night.
She would tell me all the family secrets and where all the skeletons in closets were.
Trouble is, when she told me all this, I was 'tired and emotional' from all the cider and didnt have a notebook and pen.
I can barely remember what she told me, it was nearly 50 years ago.
I once thought of writing a book, calling it 'Cider with Auntie Flo'
Apart from the fact that I was p****d most of the time and I would have to wait until all the people that would be mentioned had moved on to greener pastures to avoid potential punch ups, it might get written.
Good old Auntie Flo, here's to you , whereever you are
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Tom
She sounds like the sort of aunt I am creating myself to be!!!! ;) ;) Fun and the sort of aunt that all nieces and nephews like!!!!
I think my sister would say I already am!! ::) ::) ::)
Kerry
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I think I've finally managed to persuade Mum to write all her little gems down. She has a brilliant memory for trivia like Mrs Suchandsuch had four steps up to her house while the one next door only had three . .. . . and there was a shop on the corner of Whatsit Street and it had hand made rag rugs for sale. Silly little things, but it brings the place more alive for me.
I said to her a month or so ago after finding a name I'd been searching for for ages . . . "Mum, does the name Blackledge mean anything to you??" She said "Yes, there was a family of them lived not far from us, Granny's mother was a Blackledge"
Thanks Mum :-*
Barbara 8)
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Your Mum's a real treasure, Barbara, and - dare I say it - there's a lot of her in you :D :D :D
Have you thought of having her round for a cuppa or whatever and recording her little gems. Just chat and ask her about things. You're good at that, I know ;)
I interviewed a few older people up here and collected some wonderful stories. Wish I could have done the same with my parents. I have to rely on my (elephantine) memory for their stories.
Gadget
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Ooooooh Gadget, perish the thought....... Me like Mum EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK :o
She only lives next door in the Granny flat, so she's round constantly. As for taping her, forget it . . . she goes all shy and clams up when she sees a recorder, that's why I've been at her to write things down. You should see her letters, regular epistles they are .. . . start off with 'Just a few lines' . . . . and end 25 pages later!!
Barbara 8)