Family Heirlooms

[chiddicks]

As the story teller and family history researcher in my family, over the years I have been gifted many precious family items, some with a story to tell and others I think people were clearing out their lofts and decided I was a worthy cause!

One item however stands out from all the rest and that’s Great Uncle John’s Military ‘Button Stick’.

https://chiddicksfamilytree.com/2020/06/10/52ancestors-handed-down/

I wonder if anyone else has some precious items in their collections?

[Viktoria]

I too have items,  my Dad’s POW identification from May 1917-March 19 when he came home.Documents etc.
A wounded stripe and also a gadget to stop metal polish getting on his uniform when cleaning buttons.

A little perfume phial of my mother’s sister and a little ivory fan ,as she got very feverish —— died from Tuberculosis in 1929.

A necklace of Crystal and jet beads, it goes with so many outfits and I still wear it ,that was my Mum’s .
A silk scarf, my paternal great grandmother’ born 1840 .

A little sachet off scented cashews ,always in Mum’s handbag as she had the odd cigarette but used the little cashews to take away the smell of smoke.
Oh thousands of things ,Most are labelled but will still get chucked out by my unsentimental children .
Ah well I won’t see that will I!
Viktoria.

[coombs]

I just looked through my grandfather's old photos and found lots of good info, and photos which had the photographic company's name on the back, from Blackpool to Great Yarmouth.

And I also found gran's ration book.

[iluleah]

I have my great grandmothers 9ct gold spectacles in their shagreen case, they are so tiny like a childs specs. I also have a photo of her along with husband and children where she is wearing them. Two silver chainlink bags/purses  and a beautiful detailed beaded one, not sure of who they originally belonged to but I think they were also my great grandmothers, given their age and style.
My grandmothers night dress case made for her when she was a child which is in the shape of an elephant and a beautiful parashute silk hand made, embroidered with cut work Christening gown my grandmother made for the christening of her son (my uncle), which has been used for my mother, myself, cousins and her great grandchildren.

[AllanUK]

I have a number of items that were my maternal grandfathers but the one that I treasure the most is his fob watch. Made from base metal, a bit battered (he was a coal miner), sometimes works sometimes it doesn't, but I won't get rid of it. I can remember him using it when I was a 'nipper'.

[Viktoria]

Oh yes,Christening gown and my wedding dress !
However did I get in that?
Gave baby clothes ,teddies etc to respective children when I moved ,whether they kept them or not is anyones’s guess ,I could not have thrown them away, - too sentimental.

Viktoria.

[Jebber]

I have a number of items, amongst them I have my grandfather's  Princess Mary WW1 brass tin, with card and pencil,  he died in 1916.

I have Bibles belonging to two great grandfathers on different sides of my family, both listing BDMs, one entry is the only way I discovered stillborn twins sons in 1832.

I also have that same great grandfather's William IV engraved pewter beer mug. The beer mug is special because I obtained it by chance, it was donated by a collector to a sealed bid auction for charity. Fortunately, a local historian remembered I had visited the town several years early, researching that surname name, she tipped off the organisers that I may be interested and gave them my contact details. I was lucky enough to place the winning bid. That great grandfather died in 1858, so the luck of  it finding its way to me 150 years later, is why it is special to me.

[chiddicks]

Thanks for sharing all these wonderful heirlooms Viktoria, some real gems there.
You do raise an important issue as well, how do we protect our heirlooms and family history artefacts after we have gone. There is a fear of them all ending up in the skip after we have gone!

I too have items,  my Dad’s POW identification from May 1917-March 19 when he came home.Documents etc.
A wounded stripe and also a gadget to stop metal polish getting on his uniform when cleaning buttons.

A little perfume phial of my mother’s sister and a little ivory fan ,as she got very feverish —— died from Tuberculosis in 1929.

A necklace of Crystal and jet beads, it goes with so many outfits and I still wear it ,that was my Mum’s .
A silk scarf, my paternal great grandmother’ born 1840 .

A little sachet off scented cashews ,always in Mum’s handbag as she had the odd cigarette but used the little cashews to take away the smell of smoke.
Oh thousands of things ,Most are labelled but will still get chucked out by my unsentimental children .
Ah well I won’t see that will I!
Viktoria.

[chiddicks]

The next thing to do is label the pictures if you can

I just looked through my grandfather's old photos and found lots of good info, and photos which had the photographic company's name on the back, from Blackpool to Great Yarmouth.

And I also found gran's ration book.