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General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: sallysmum on Monday 19 March 07 15:59 GMT (UK)

Title: Family Heirlooms - what would you have liked?
Post by: sallysmum on Monday 19 March 07 15:59 GMT (UK)
A while back there was a thread of the beautiful family heirlooms passed down the family which made me think of what I would have liked.  Both my grandmothers died when I was a child and thus not particularly materialistic.   The items I would have loved meant more to a child and thus were probably just scrapped.

From Little Grandma I would have liked her toasting fork - happy memories sitting infront of her open fire with a slice of bread on the 3 pronged metal!  And from Big Grandma it had to be her mantle piece clock.  It chimed every 1/4 hour and as kids we used to wind it forward to make it chime!  We could only do it once tho - someho, we thought, it cottoned onto the fact that we  were fooling it!

sallysmum
Title: Re: Family Heirlooms - what would you have liked?
Post by: patrish on Monday 19 March 07 16:07 GMT (UK)
When I was young I remember my grandma having two vases with highland cattle on them which stood on the windowsill as you went upstairs, I always liked them,   I never knew what happened to them after she passed away, probably my aunt just got rid of them, cause she hasn't got them either. :'(
Title: Re: Family Heirlooms - what would you have liked?
Post by: cherryberry on Monday 19 March 07 16:12 GMT (UK)
My grandmother always  was said I could have the picture of her that used to be on the wall behind her favourite chair. It was of her as a young woman with her long blue black hair down her back.  When she died it disappeared along with lots of her personnel things photos etc  which would have helped in my research of her family. Where they went no one nows,  we can only make a guess that her daughters husband who was not liked by the family  got ride of everything.  even my aunts daughter was not allowed to  claim any of her mothers things  as both women never made a will  the family could do nothing. my aunt and her husband where living in the same house as my grandmother  at the time of my grandmothers death. My aunt died a few years later. where the husband is to day  nones knows. 
Title: Re: Family Heirlooms - what would you have liked?
Post by: lizdb on Monday 19 March 07 16:16 GMT (UK)
The Family Bible and a jug - given to my grt-grt-grandparents by my Grt-grandfather.
Both are in Australia, having emigrated with my grandfather's elder brother, who had no children of his own, though did adopt. We have been sent photos of both items from the adopted descendents - but would love to have had the real things.
Title: Re: Family Heirlooms - what would you have liked?
Post by: kesannah on Monday 19 March 07 16:25 GMT (UK)
I would have liked to have my Mothers wedding ring. Unfortunately my Grandmother would not remove it from her finger,she thought it would be "unllucky". I do have my Grandmothers wedding ring though, the hospital removed it when she died and Grandad gave it to me as I was the eldest Granddaughter.
Title: Re: Family Heirlooms - what would you have liked?
Post by: gig on Monday 19 March 07 16:39 GMT (UK)
 ;D id like my  family tree or is that just wishful thinking ::) ::) ::)
gig
Title: Re: Family Heirlooms - what would you have liked?
Post by: ozlady on Monday 19 March 07 23:56 GMT (UK)
I would have liked the family Bible and a beautiful painting depicting 'The Fair Maid of Cefn Ydfa.'
Patrish, did those "vases" you referred to have lids? My Nan had two that sound very similar.She also had an Ansonia clock that was very intricately carved. That was supposed to be mine but..............
Title: Re: Family Heirlooms - what would you have liked?
Post by: patrish on Tuesday 20 March 07 09:09 GMT (UK)
I dont really know if they had lids, I was never tall enough to see the over the top of them, me being short  :)  and the windowsill was very high as it was on the staircase. I have a sneaking suspicion that they were Royal Worcester which I absolutely love.  :(
Title: Re: Family Heirlooms - what would you have liked?
Post by: madammagician on Tuesday 20 March 07 10:36 GMT (UK)
My mum and dad inherited my great grans HUGE Mahogony bed, it was lovely! but they gave it to my cousin when he got married so that they could buy a modern bed!I would have loved to have had that!Luckily i have great grans bookcase with ball and claw feet.
Title: Re: Family Heirlooms - what would you have liked?
Post by: patrish on Tuesday 20 March 07 11:28 GMT (UK)
That reminds me, when I first got married I was given a beautiful old bed with quarter veneer mahogany headboard and footboard, we sawed the legs off and painted it white  :o :o :o what sacrilege,  how our taste change as we get older. ;)
Title: Re: Family Heirlooms - what would you have liked?
Post by: DianaM on Tuesday 20 March 07 12:26 GMT (UK)
My grandfather, as a young man, drew a rough family tree and wrote about a Valentine card written from one of our ancestors to another in the 18thC, with the remark "Polly has this".  Dad says that would be his Aunt Mary, who didn't have any children.  I have tried to trace descendants of my grandfather's brother and other sisters without success.
So I've no idea if the card still exists or if it was thrown away long ago!
Diana
Title: Re: Family Heirlooms - what would you have liked?
Post by: Ruskie on Tuesday 20 March 07 12:31 GMT (UK)
Photos of g and gg grandparents that I know existed  :'(
Title: Re: Family Heirlooms - what would you have liked?
Post by: stoney on Tuesday 20 March 07 13:36 GMT (UK)
My grandmother had a few nice pieces of jewellery which, if we girls were perhaps feeling down in the dumps or recovering from colds etc., she would allow us to "dress up" in and pretend we were princesses.

Amongst them was a beautiful aquamarine ring, which was my favourite. In fact, when I became engaged I opted for this type of stone in my ring.

Subsequently the original passed to my aunt, and just before she died she told me it had belonged to my grandmother's Aunt, who shared the same first name as me! (I had only just discovered that part of the family tree, and this individual in particular!)

After my aunt's death, a couple of years ago,  all her household possessions (and the jewellery) were shipped over to America by her son, so I will never know what happened to the ring. It is quite sad as he never showed any interest in family heirlooms, or the story that surrounded that particular ring!

Title: Re: Family Heirlooms - what would you have liked?
Post by: Lydart on Tuesday 20 March 07 14:06 GMT (UK)
I would have liked a family Bible with all the useful information that people wrote in the front ... but I don't remember there ever being one ?
Title: Re: Family Heirlooms - what would you have liked?
Post by: MrsLizzy on Tuesday 20 March 07 17:36 GMT (UK)
All I wanted was PHOTOGRAPHS  :'( :'( :'(   I would love pictures of my relatives, preferably with their names on the back.  Little personal possessions would be nice too - e.g. a Book of Common Prayer that belonged to my 3 x great aunt Ada who took her own life in 1881 aged 17.  Old birthday cards etc, a few letters.  Just little personal things.   :'( :'( :'(
Title: Re: Family Heirlooms - what would you have liked?
Post by: Keziahemm on Tuesday 20 March 07 17:53 GMT (UK)
A musical album of photographs of my great grandparents, grandmother and her siblings.  I remember seeing this as a child, only found out after an aunt had died that she'd sold it  :o  :'(


Susan