General Chat

Maternal Gramps was born in 1884 and I remember him coming for tea every Sunday, and going to his house when mam had to go shopping ,she went to the town where dad worked, and he brought her home.
Gramps used to sit and play with me ,and we'd do drawings together , he died when I was 5 , but I remember it well.

My paternal nan was born in 1891and she passed away when I was 13,she lived with us, in what was her house .
She had 2 houses next door to each other and was the postmistress of the village.. She and her family lived in the big house, and she owned 2 cottages next. door, when mum and dad got married they moved into one of the cottages , then the neighbours moved out dad had the 2 cottages knocked into one, nan fell out with my aunt in the 'big house' and came to live with us, in a granny flat. Strange how families do or don't get on !!.

Sadly I never knew my maternal nan or my paternal grandfather, who I'm told were the loveliest of them all by my Aunt who is 92 and she knew them all, and everyone says we are so alike. Peeps think I'm her dau not her neice..and we think alike too.

I was born in 1937. When I was 12 (in 1949) I went on a Scout Camp and one activity we had to do was find the oldest person in the village near the camp. I managed to find him, his name was Mr Robert Watson and he was 98, (born in 1851). I was interested in history and talked to him for some time: he could remember a soldier coming home to the village from the Crimean War (1856); he could remember people reading the newspaper reports of the American Civil War (1861 - 1865) and he could remember Queen Victoria's Silver (1862), Golden (1887) and Diamond (1897) Jubilees.

I can also remember my Great Grandmother who was born in 1865. She died at the age of 83 in 1948 when I was 11. She could not read or write and I used to read the newspaper to her. She could remember her grandparents talk about when Britain was at war with France and the soldiers coming home after the Battle of Waterloo in 1818.

I now have a grandchild, Ben, who is aged 8. If he lives to an age of 80, he will be alive in 2084. This means that I have talked with two people who have lived 233 years apart: 1851 - 2084. I find that amazing.

I remember being with my grandma born 1881. She used to sing 'what a friend we have in Jesus' ,also told me about seeing Queen Victoria when she came to Sheffield and how surprised she was that she was so little.

Also said that when young she had to look after the younger siblings. One day she took them to the park but her mother made her take her knitting and told her she wasn't allowed to play. Her mother duly marked how far the knitting was by putting a coloured thread on the row. My grandma moved the thread to a lower row so that it looked as if she had done more knitting than she had, that way she managed to have a bit of playtime.-jl

My great granny was born in 1870 (she was the youngest of 10), she died in 1956, when I was 6.

I remember going to see her not long before she died, she was sitting up in bed (a great big brass bedhead), she was wearing a white nightgown with lace all over the bodice.

My brother was 4. He wasn't keen on kissing great-granny, so he nipped (pinched?) her instead. Mum was mortified, g granny laughed <3

I have some dishes belonging to great-granny. They are in a glass-front cupboard - too precious to use! They're probably not valuable, but they are precious to me.

I also have a photograph taken of me sitting with my great grandparents. I was around two years old and still recall standing at their scullery sink and having my hands washed in carbolic soap (red) before being allowed to eat my tea.
I also inherited her silver teapot and gold fob watch which was passed down through the female side of the family....happy memories


Joyce P

For Flying doctor~~

The willow pattern rhyme as my mother tells It, there are several versions.

Two little birdies flying high
this little ship passing by
a weeping willow hanging o'er
a bridge with three men, if not four.
a Chinese castle there it stands
Surrounded by it's pleasant land
a tree with many apples on,
This crooked gate ends my song.

Lolly
:-)

all of my grandparents died before i was born

lorraine

met maternal grandmother born 1897 and paternal grandparents both born 1870

My parents were both born in the 19th century, dad in 1899 and mum in 1900. And dont tell me she was b in the 20th century. And then there were their parents, and all my gt uncles and aunts, apart from 2 or 3 who died young.

My greatgrandmother was born 1846, died 1941 - she lived at home cared for by her youngest daughter, and we went to Sunday tea once a month. It took my researches for my tree to find out her name! she was just great-granny
My fatyher was born 1900, all four grandparents were born 1870s and lived to their eighties

That's fascinating Jill :-)

Paternal grandfather was born in 1871 and died in 1961 when I was 8. We used to visit now and then, and he gave us half a crown.
Paternal granny was younger, born 1886 and died in 1967, I used to spend the school holidays with her. Her 2 surviving younger sisters, one was born 1900 died 1985, the other born 1897 and died 1991.
Mum was their cousin, and although their mutual grandparents died before she was born, they all used to talk about them. They were born in 1829 and 1836, she survived longest until 1912.

My g/grandmother died when I was 6 in 1959. She was born around 1872.
Another g/gran died in the February of the year I was born and she was born in the 1860's.

My grandfather (the son of the lady who died in 1959) was born in 1897 and I was 13 when he died, I still miss him now.....

Slightly off topic, but I remember driving across Death Valley in the USA which was travelled across in 1849 by the Californian golddiggers and thinking that my dad who at the time was 91, had had lots to do with his grandad who was born in 1849 and died in 1941. This to the Americans was history but to us in was relatively recent, I had talked to someone who had talked to someone who was alive when America was still being explored.

Jill

I remember my great grandmother well. She was born in 1861 and died in 1953.She used to let me clean the sweetened milk tin out,and sent me to the off licence for her nightly jug of beer. She also told me the story of the design on the willow patern service she had ( it was in ryme) does anyone know this as I have forgotten most of it. :-) <3 her very much

I have a photo of my Aunt, who was my Grandads Aunt. She was born in 1892. In the photo taken in the late 1960s are also her Daughter, my Grandads cousin, and my Sister, my Cousin and I. We must have been aged 4,5 and 6 at the time. I remember her very well and she died when I was in my early 20s

Lovely stories & photo's, thanks for posting them :-)

Its really interesting just how many of us have met someone born in the 1800's

Maternal grandfather born 1876.

Lived to see and hold my 1st child.

Died at the age of 94.



Why didn't I ask him more about his family??? :-)

3 grandparents - 1877, 1890, 1892,
1 Step-grandparent - 1877
1 Grt Aunt - 1876

All of them died before there was an interest in FH. Such a shame.

In answer to the question in the OP. it's difficult to say. Although as a whole we are living longer, there is a swing for couples to start a family later in life. It sort of rules each other out.

My dad ...

Also my my gran and grandad..

can remember them well ..