I loved to “ root” ,that is look at things in cupboards etc .
My parents married in 1933 ,Dad must have taken a few photographs with him from his father’s home.
Most precious is the only one in existence of his mother ,a family group of her parents , her four brothers ,younger sister and my grandmother.
It would be taken after the 1891 census .
She left her native Shropshire to work as a servant in Manchester ,met grandad ,married in 1896,,had three children and died in 1916 just as my father was conscripted into the Army.
She was fifty.
There were a few other snaps and some nice portraits of my mother and father..Many of my older sister and two of me!
Very few belongings, that grandma’s wedding ring which had been base metal with a thin gold layer.One brooch ,a tiny black box .
He ring was taken from my sister’s when her house was burgled.
That is all of her.
I do not know if she had a Shropshire accent,most probably she did.
Nothing of my other grandma but a few photographs ,and some false teeth that may have been hers—— ?
The lavender mourning ribbon.
But the wonderful stories my mother told of that grandma and their family life.
They are so rich and funny ,a bright witty family .
My mother’s stories are like a book of social history , her mother a typical
Mother, capital letter on purpose.
All for her children and she and grandad devoted to each other.
She it was who when a neighbour commented on grandma being pregnant yet again - said “ All my children are born out of love and every one is welcome”.She had twelve in 25 years.
I have recounted some , they are written down but I fear will die with me.
Little known of my Dad’s mother.
I have very little of my mother’s few possessions .
Two Cristal necklaces ,one clear and one clear with some jet beads too.
A handbag she had at my wedding ,in it her gloves and a little sachet made by her ,of scented cashews ,a hankie.
A perfume bottle and a tiny pot which had perfumed cream in it .
A little dressing table vase and a cut glass vase.
A tiny cut glass pot with silver lid.
Her icing sugar caster.
Her mince pie tins ,bought at Woolworths in 1933 for 6d each.
Hankies ,all ironed by her .
She died in 1957 aged 61.
My children did not know her,my first son was just over four months when she died.
Again very few photographs.
So much lost in the blitz , there are some photographs ,but a gap of four and a half years when I was an evacuee ,from three and a half to eight.
They will all get chucked out ,my children are not sentimental really .
Second son will want Dad’s WW1 things.
Ah, well, all is transient , and we must make way for the new.
But- stop the world I want to get off !
Viktoria.
