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What a nice thread to start, Lixy!
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Yes Lixy, it's brought back a few memories!!
Hmm.... well, my mum's mum died giving birth to my uncle when my mum was 4..... so she was brought up by her sisters (4 of 'em!) and my Grampy! Didn't really know him very well, cos all my relatives live near Bristol, in SW England..... I DO know he joined the (Royal) Marines in WW1 {1916} at the age of 15!! Hard to believe I know, but I saw all his papers when I was a wee boy; didn't understand what it was all about then of course. NOW I do..... he managed it cos he was A1 and was big for his age - not to many birth certificates in those days!!! He won several medals, including the Military Medal, was wounded four times and fought in some of the biggest battles in that war. I'm proud to know he was my kin, with a record like that!
My dad's parents I knew a bit better..... papa was a BIG guy, 6'1½" tall, and built like a brick (errmmm) outhouse!! Weighed over 17 stone (240 pounds) and STILL wasn't considered big enough (height or weight) to be a City of London Policeman!! He became a "Universal Miller" (Irish probably knows what that is) - it's someone who can machine metal parts in all three "dimensions" at once; VERY specialised trade, and well paid too! Thing was, he wasn't allowed to "join up" in WW2, which he resented til the day he died. A very gentle, loving man - he died in 1979 from bowel Cancer... a HORRIBLE way to go!
My nana was tiny 4'9" or 10"..... it was always comical to me to see them together! She was a teacher of infants for many years, also took Sunday School lessons and was a devoutly Christian lady all her life. She passed in 1992, having suffered with Alzheimers for 11-12 years..... started noticing the symptoms very soon after my papa died; I went to her funeral/cremation... the Church held 500 people, and there were another 100+ outside... a well-loved lady indeed. I still miss both of them hugely, even though I only saw them 2 or 3 times a year.
This is getting WAY too long now..... and a bit hard, to be truthful, so I'll away now....... thanx for bringing back some memories though Lixy!!
DM