It seems a long time since I wrote about my family but during this last week I've been to the baptism of a cousin's grandchild and the funeral of another cousin's wife so my family has been in my thoughts quite a bit lately.
I've written very little about my Father's family and I know far less about them than I do about my Mother's people. Oh I know names, dates of birth, spouses and all that, but that's not what knowing people is about. I know so little of what they dreamed, what they were proud of, how they saw life. I have no aunts or uncles left from that family so I shall never really know.
Father was the eldest of eight , born just over a year after his parents married. Three more siblings appeared within four years and then Grandma took a little more time over having the other four! My grandfather was an electrician on the local steelworks which would have brought in a steady wage rather than a large one, but I think Grandma must have been a good manager as the family seems to have been secure and happy. This is the only photograph that I have of all eight children with their parents.
I was one of twenty grandchildren in that side of my family! Only thirteen of us still remain. I must talk to the other twelve about their hopes and dreams. I've started to organise a family picnic for next year. Watch this space!
yes, definitely talk to your cousins -- they might have information different from yours -- feelings, memories. My eldest cousin and I are always talking about our childhoods and she remembers things differently than I do, probably because she is older, but she has been able to tell me things about my babyhood that I, of course, wouldn't remember. Maybe I suggest that if you have conversations about these things, take a tape recorder with you so that you don't have to rely on memory.
ReplyDeleteI love the photo. I simply adore old photos. I have a pretty large collection as some how I ended up with all of my maternal grandparent's photos, all of my father in law's photos, and most of my mom's photos.
ReplyDeleteSomething we have in common :) My dad is one of eight siblings as well. I am one of twenty one cousins on my dad's side. (five of them are my dad's kids)