Memory Corner.. For your old photos, memories & stories..

I greatly enjoy going through old pictures and I see myself popping in this thread quite often...

 

Thank you for all your Likes folks. Life was very different back then.

Looking back to 'those days' my grandparents looked very old ... but they were ... my mother was the only child of that marriage, a second one, as there were 6 from my Nanny's first marriage, one who lived to 105 in Harpenden and all her three daughters are alive and well in their 80s (one in Australia and two in Harpenden). My mother was 26 and father 32 when they married (Dad's second marriage). They were all born and brought up in a two bedroom terrace cottage on The Craig in Pontypridd, including my sister and I, with gas lights downstairs, none upstairs, a scullery, cooking over the open fire in the tiny lounge/dining area and a loo out the back up the steps past the coal hole where Scottie the dog lived ... (guess what kind of dog?)

I say Dad's second marriage as I discovered earlier this year that I have two brothers .... and let me introduce them ... first Dexter, aged 71 who lives and still works in Qatar with his son Alexander and grandson Richard who live in Wimbledon (Alex is the one who found me on the internet) ...



... and Clive, age 68, who lives in Nottinghamshire, and his son Justin ...



We are all 'getting to know each other' after 65 years not knowing we had brothers or sisters as Dexter and Clive were brought up separately ... (Dad was very naughty)

Since we 'met' Clive has learnt how to use a computer ... not only that, he went to get his lovely wife Sharron's upgraded so he could get onto Skype and bought himself a computer instead .... naughty Clive. He and I are peas in pod and his wife and I would have been the best of friends as we have everything in common and it is shite that during my business life I used to drive within 15 minutes of where they live whilst I lived in the UK. Grrrrr ... But, we speak on Skype about twice a month besides the flowing e-mails and photo exchanges ... I love getting the e-mails from Dexter saying 'Big Brother Here ...'

But we have found each other now and are making the most of life ... ... I feel very blessed ... ... but not as much as Sis who has had Alex visit her whilst he was on a business trip to Germany ... he looks more like he's her son than her son does ...

 

How wonderful to discover new family, Victoria. And I know for a fact you are not the only member of GC to discover "unknown" siblings. (Personally, I found a whole wardrobe full of them stuffed into my parents closet and not a skeleton in sight )

Now that you have discovered them, enjoy each and every precious moment (as I'm sure you do )

 

I think you are already more than "half" woo!

As for writing a book: hmm, with your love of photography, coupled with a good memory and lots to tell ... get writing! Your family (at the very least) would find it a treasure trove to dip in and out of and I do feel that it is such a pity that only the wealthy ancestors of old were the ones with a long, documented history. Write it all down and let the great-great-great-great grandchildren-to-be know their roots.

 

Agreed.

But what was the chances of having 2 Sisters both called Mel?

Wish I was a gambling man, i'd have got fantastic odds for that one.

 

Just been telling the girls a few tales of old.

One was about getting lost in Barcelona with Mum & Dad back in the days of the Franco regime.

We'd wandered away from the main shopping area & found ourselves in a very dodgy part of the City.

Mum, knowing nothing of Spain's politcal history or anything, decided to ask a Policeman for directions.

She walked right up to a landrover full of Gardia Civil with machine guns & just banged on the door till they opened it.

Not speaking any Spainish she just kept asking directions in English. They all looked very confused, but then dragged a young lad out of the back to talk to her. Trouble was, he only spoke French.

Now Mum could recognise French but not speak it, so she drags me in front of the lad & tells me to ask him.

Very odd situation, he and me trying to talk, both in School boy French with a machine gun inches from my face

 

I sympathise with you @shiney as I was in college in Alabama at the time and the Headmistress rushed into the classroom with hand on heart and dramatically announced the assassination and the college was closed. Like in your situation, there were lots of gasps and tears but as I had only been in America (on this occasion) since August, it meant nothing to me either.

 

My father was born in 1908 so he would be 67 years old when this picture was taken when he retired before going onto a part time job. The caption in the company newsletter was

Alf with the ever smiling eyes!



I never ever heard him raise his voice he was always a very calm and loving man.

 

What a presence he still commands in that wonderful photo of him GA. Looks a great Dad,
lucky you,
Jenny

 

The best!

 

Oh, what a handsome man ... xx

I am going to be cheeky here and put up a link my t'other half made years ago for my sister's grandchildren, and it was this link this got our family together ...

http://winteringham-jones.planetaclix.pt/

 

Thank you Victoria - he was indeed, I was very proud that he was my father and you too must have been very proud of your parents achievements and that link says it all!