Friday, October 14, 2005

Generations

Friday again, another gloomy morning and quite chilly.

I have been delving into my photo box again and thought I would share a few treasures with you today.  I apologise for the poor quality of the first picture.  This particular print has actually been done by a professional photo restorer and he made a good job in the circumstances.  The original picture is so dark that you can scarcely make out there are people on it.  He could have done more to improve it and taken out more of the damage but it would have proved far too costly.  I am happy to have what I do.  The photograph is of my wonderful Grandmother with four of her siblings.  The picture was taken in Scotland in 1890.

My Grandmother is the little girl on the far left. In the middle is sister Margaret with brother Hermon standing in front of her. On the right is Jessie holding baby Lilias.

My Grandmother was devoted to Jessie who was the eldest and it must have been a terrible blow when Jessie was taken ill and died within a week at the age of sixteen.

They had a hard life in a fishing village where many of the women were widowed when their husbands drowned at sea. But their father was a clerk to a shipbuilding firm so came to no harm. There were two more children born into the family, Andrew and Helen Jane. However, things were tough and they were poor.  Three years after Jessie died, their mother, also named Mary, passed away and the family left Scotland to settle in the East End of London.  My Grandmother was just thirteen at the time. Jessie having died, Margaret was sent out to work leaving my Nan to care for Lilias, Andrew and Helen.  She was bitterly unhappy and ran away on more than one occasion. This journal is not the place to delve deeper into things but I have my own views about why the girls were so miserable and could not wait to get away.

Margaret eventually return to Scotland as did Hermon and I have not been able to trace them or their families.  Lilias became a seamstress and married an omnibus driver, she became an alcoholic. I remember visiting her many times at the basement flat in Kensington. I was fascinated because all you could see out of the window was feet walking past. It seemed wonderful then but I would not like to live in a place like that now.  I like to see trees and greenery. Lilias and her husband, Arthur, had four daughters.

Andrew married and had one son whom he called Hermon after his brother and his father.  Little Hermon died aged five from tuberculosis and his father, having contracted it from him, died of it himself just two years later at the age of 40. Helen Jane was epilpetic and had some brain damage. When the family came to London her father eventually placed her in an institution and she remained in one or another until her death when in her seventies.  Obviously she never married.

My Grandmother left the family home for good at around the age of seventeen. It is believed that she worked in a shop. She met my Grandfather due to the fact that they were both living in the same boarding house. He gave her the love and security that had been so missing in her life. They arranged their marriage but she became pregnant in the meantime.  Her father did not attend the wedding. He died three years later in very mysterious circumstances. Debates raged in the family for years as to whether his death was accidental or deliberate. I might share the story with you some time.

Grandmother had five children. Ethel and Robert were twins. Robert died aged two weeks.  Then came William. Quite a few years later Iris Mary was born but again she only lived for two weeks. Much later came Alan.

Ethel was my mother:-

She would have been in her late twenties when this picture was taken.  She had very large and very expressive  green eyes. It is a shame she was not smiling when this portrait was taken because her face came alive.  She had a wicked sense of humour.   Ethel , always known as Sally, married Noel - always known as Boy

They had fifty-one years together before her death.They had three children.  Two boys, Geoffrey and Keith and then some years later - yours truly!

You all know whom I married and we had Rebecca

Becky was ten days old when this photograph was taken. Now Becky is married to Dean and they have two wonderful boys. You have all read about and seen pictures of them.  Looking at this photo of me with baby Becky I  can now see how very like her  little Daniel is.

So the wheel of life rolls on, one generation follows another, the chain remains unbroken.

I hope you have enjoyed sharing these family photographs.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

A lovely family entry today Jeannette ,I can see the likeness of you with your Mum.They did have hard lives didn't they. Our Dad was one of ten and Mum one of five. I wish I had listened to tales of old more.Daniel does look like Becky as a baby.Your Dad was a handsome chap........... Jeanx

Anonymous said...

You always tell such a nice story along with all your pictures.  Your family history is like some novels I've read.  I love the pictures of your mother.  She seems a very happy person with your father on her arm.  I'm waiting to hear about the grandpa - sounds a little scary.  'On Ya' - ma

Anonymous said...

Beautifully related.  I was choked.
RDW

Anonymous said...

Love the family history and photo's. And would like to hear more stories about them...pretty please.

Anonymous said...

I love the way you reflect on your family. You can feel such love. It's amazing!
Peace and love,
Charley

Anonymous said...

I love looking at old photos, they're really atmospheric. Thanks for sharing yours. Jeannette.

Anonymous said...

I always say you have lovely eyes now we can see why,lovely entry today Jeannette,the picture of you and baby Becky, you havent changed ,ten days old only just come home then ,      Jan xx

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing your family memories and photos.
I enjoy your jottings very much and try to read daily.
You are so inspiring.----chris

Anonymous said...

Absolutely wonderful photographs - fascinating! You've done such a marvellous job with your family archives - they'll be a source of great interest to your descendents for many generations to come. And so many intriguing legends woven into the family history - you must write them all down for future generations, but mark them as "anecdotal", so they don't get confused with all the proven genealogy you've researched. Wonderful stuff!

David.

Anonymous said...

I loved this entry Jeannette.I think Becky is the image of your mother and that Daniel is the image of Becky when she was a baby!!Love the old photo of Grandmother and the others,what a nice name Hermon is too.The one of your Mum and Dad is lovely,they look so happy there all dressed up.And you look gorgeous on the one in front of the telly holding Becky.Thank you for sharing these lovely photos

Anonymous said...

Beautiful Fall graphic and the most lovely family photos you have ever shown...thank you for sharing...
Hugs,
Joyce

Anonymous said...

WOW...First off My alerts are kaput which is why I missed this wonderful entry. Secondly..Your Mum was a knockout! What a stunning woman. That photo of you with Becky is lovely, every inch a proud mummy photo.. Thank you for sharing these pictures with us...

Su
xx

Anonymous said...

great entry. Loved the photos and thank you for sharing your family

Anonymous said...

Didn't get your alert, what a great entry. Will look forward to hearing the tale sometime

Anonymous said...

Sorry I missed your journal yesterday. I didn't get an alert on it. I have sent you another email hoping you get it today. Love the history of your family. The pictures were great. Loved them all. I believe you could improve on the first picture by taking into your photo editing program and cloning out some of the spots. Have a good day Jeannette. Helen

Anonymous said...

Well, I knew that comment alerts were off, but now it seems that journal alerts are off too, I didn't get one for this entry :o(
I love old photo's, and family historys, so this is a gem of an entry, one that I would have been sorry to have missed.  Get your act together AOL!!
Sara   x

Anonymous said...

what great photos. I was struck by how the style of dress changed over the years....look at what the kids had to wear in 1890, imagine kids of today having to wear all that.  Thanks for sharing your family photos with us.

Amanda

Anonymous said...

Hi only a short comment just to say eveything from start to finish just Brill!! and thank you for sharing a part of your life A Pleasure to read
                   Regards Garry "Yorkshire"

Anonymous said...

I didn't get an alert either :o(  They are lovely pics...You know although people frown on women being pregnant or having children before marriage now, it seems to have been quite common in yours and mine grandmothers time...My theory is it was because all the men were going off to fight in the war...Am probs wrong though......Caff xx

Anonymous said...

I'm finally catching up on my ALerts.  I love your old pictures Jeannette.  I have boxes of old photo's from both my dad's side of the family and my mom's side.  Some of them however, have nothing on the back to indicate who they are.  That is very frustrating.  I even have an old tin photo of my great, great grandparents.  I have it framed and hanging with other photo's in my hallway.

Anonymous said...

How NEAT to be able to go back that far, really know your roots... I know my Dad's side of the family has TRIED to keep up records, but there'd been a fire at the foster home where my great grandfather lived or something like that & then the line that my Aunt picks up to continue back my Mom says is based on rumor, kind of (girl pregnant in same small town about same time as someone born kind of thing) so I just stay clear!

Thanks for sharing this, it was very interesting.

~ Karyn

Anonymous said...

You really must have spent so much time looking back into your past well done.Loved the old pictures have a few like that myself. Bye Joan.

Anonymous said...

I love your pictures and history.  It is good that you know the stories that go with the people.  Some of them had pretty difficult lives, didn't they....

~Tina

Anonymous said...

Jeannette what wonderful memories old photographs can hold......I loved seeing them all....Ally

Anonymous said...

I`m sorry I missed this yesterday, like you said there was no alert for this entry.  I must admit there is a strong family resemblance between your Grandmother, your mother and you Jeannette.  Yes, I do see the likeness between Becky and little Daniel.  I always find family likenesses very interesting.  Another really good entry. :-)

Sandra xxxxx

Anonymous said...

The stories of our ancestors seem always to have accounts of family tragedy.   Thank you for sharing the story of yours.       mark

Anonymous said...

Yes I did so much enjoy your pictures and words.  Thank you.

Anonymous said...

I almost missed these wonderful family photos!!!
Linda :)

Anonymous said...

thanks for sharing these priceless photo's.  I love them!

Derek