What did you inherit from your ancestors?

[Roobarb]

So now the yoke is on you Sarah! 
(Sorry, just can't resist!) 

[sem73]

 

Sarah

[PaulaToo]

Yes, Sarah, times have changed.
My grandfather, who I always call Mad Grandfather Joe, HE WAS MY GRANDAD AND I DON'T CARE, WORLD! was incarserated when he was only 39. He was Mad.....I have just learned why. In 1901 Grandfather was Mad. But earlier His Grandfather died young as a result of a brain rotting disease brought on we now know by working with certain kinds of wood.
The whole family worked on the wood one way or another.
Nowadays I expect Grandfather Joe would have been cared for at home, and not locked up and forgotten. At least it sounds as thought you Grandmother's brother was remembered by his family.
All I have of Grandfather Joe is a faded photograph.

[meles]

Paula, that's so sad.

My grandfather (who I never knew) committed suicide "whilst of unsound mind". Who knows how he might have fared today? He might have received help (or got "care in the community", ie no help) . And at least you have a photo - I have nothing.

And the risks to health by certain woods are now known - I am a H&S professional and try to protect people from exactly such risks.

meles

[KathMc]

I have ended up with quite a few things, besides the wonderful pictures and funeral cards I have. I have three barrister bookshelves that were my grandfather's, one of my great-grandmother's wedding silver, some plates that belonged to we believe my great-grandmother, but maybe her mother, we haven't figured that out yet. I also have a really ugly daisy vase that my mother made for her mother-in-law in 1974. I was so sad that my mom gave it to her then. When my grandmother died, I got it. Ugly, but makes me happy. And I have a small cow picture that was my grandmother's. It looks more like a bull. I remember my dad putting milk in it when we had oatmeal and walking around the table giving each of us extra milk from it. Mind you, it holds about an ounce, and there were 6 of us, so in one hand was the cow and the other a jug of milk. My kids love to use it now. And a lovely cat handled jug that belonged to my great-grandmother. My daughter has my grandmother's wicker doll stroller and my mom's rocker from when she was a little girl.

I feel so greedy about all of this. I didn't even list the things from my husband's side that we have inherited. Yikes. 

Kath

[Nutty1966]

I received from one of my grandmothers a Christmas bauble that was bought for my dad's first Christmas, it will be 68 years old this year, my beloved dad died at Christmas so she gave it to me that year, every year I hang it at the top of my tree with tears pouring down my face   the boys know how important it is to me so never ever touch it, I always hang it near the top so hopefully no one knocks it off. 

I also have my other grandmothers wedding ring, which I never take off.


Jane

[meles]

Lucky you, Jane. If only I'd worn my Granddad's ring that day...

meles

[bitty_matriarch]

I have my gt gt grandmother's sampler stitched in 1833 when she was just 7 years old!

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~cawthorn/TEED/Susannah's_Sampler_1833.html

I'm still thinking of getting it cleaned and framed - sometime.

  Ann

[meles]

Oh Ann, it's charming. Do it NOW!

meles