Grannies and nostalgia

I suppose it is the time of year for remembering.  Thoughts turn to times past, big family get-togethers and happy childhood Christmas fun.  I've been thinking about these women often over the last few days.

My Mother and her mother, my lovely Granny - obviously on a sunny day out.

My Mother and her mother in law, my other Granny.

Happy memories and sad memories - treasured forever.  Do you get all nostalgic at this time of year?

Love, Liz

A Prize Possession

It is not often that our family has something really interesting to pass down through the generations, but this pocket watch is one of those few items which I'm sure will continue to be treasured.

It was a school prize awarded to Hubby's grandfather in 1914.  Cartsburn Public School in Greenock was bombed during WW2 and no longer exists.  Funnily enough my own parents went to this school too - none of them won any prizes!

I would imagine he would have been about 14 years old when he won this - the Macknight Crawfurd Prize.  The Macknight Crawfurds were local landowners and benefactors.

Session 1913-1914 - just before WW1 - wonder how many of his classmates survived the war?  How poignant.

We got the watch cleaned and it now works.  We recently passed it on to our son - hopefully it will then pass to his son.  Our son is going to get a chain for it and it will look great when he wears his waistcoat with his kilt at special occasions.

A real prize possession for our family.

Love, Liz

Vintage Wooden Pencil Case

I wonder if any of you had one of these wooden pencil cases.  They are probably still available, but this one dates from when my brother and I were at school in the early 60s.  You can see that it has been well used!

 

The lid slid out and then the top part swivelled to reveal the lower part.

 

There was a separate space for  a sharpener.  They didn't really hold a lot of pencils and were heavy to carry around in your school bag. 

 

This reads E and J - my brother and I used to fight over this a lot and eventually we decided that we would share it.  Wonder why I ended up with it?  Wonder if he wants it back?

 

Love, Liz

 

If you dislike rats, then don't read The Greenockian's latest blog post!

 

 

Beautiful Gift

I've got some beautiful vintage china to show you today and for once its not from a charity shop.

This lovely set once belonged to hubby's grandmother.  It was passed onto my sister in law who, knowing how much I loved this sort of thing, decided to give me half.  Wasn't that very kind of her!  I will pass it onto one of my sons ... one day.

 

I wonder if it may be a coffee set rather than a tea set - the cups are straight sided and so delicate.

 

There's a beautiful little flower inside the cup.

 

It is marked "Burns Bros".  Anyone know anything about them?

Love, Liz

Did Your Granny Wear A Pinny?

Did your Granny wear a pinny?

 

Mine did, but only when she was cooking or doing housework.  I don't have a photograph of her wearing one - that would never do!

 

I purchased this lovely apron recently from Laura at Just the Biscuit.  She has them in different colours.  Love the vintage look of them.

 

I love the fabrics in this one and the way it is edged in binding.  Just brings back memories of my Gran.

 

So - what kind of apron did your Granny wear?  Wrap round like this one, bib front or just a little apron that tied at the waist?

Love, Liz

Granny's Jewellery Box

I met my uncle for coffee recently and he handed me this -

 

Its my Granny's old jewellery box.  It always sat on her dressing table in the bedroom and I would be allowed to play with it when I was a little girl.  She always promised me that she would give it to me on my 16th birthday.  Then she said it would be my 21st birthday present, then a wedding present, then she used to joke that she would leave it to me in her will.  It was one of those daft family jokes. 



My Granny

She died in 1997 in her nineties and of course by then I had totally forgotten about the jewellery box. 

 

Just having it brings back so many happy memories.  I think its made of painted lacquer.  The music still plays, but the little ballerina has broken off, she used twirl round and be reflected in the mirrors in the lid of the box.  Perhaps I could replace her.

 

Granny never had much jewellery, just a few strings of beads and some brooches.  But that jewellery box seemed full of treasure to me as a young girl.

 

I'm so happy to have it.  Wonder who I'll leave it to??????

 

Love, Liz

Very Precious

I'm going to take you back a few years now and show you something very, very precious to me.

This is my first son's shawl given to him by his Grandmother.

My Mother got a friend to knit it for me - it was a traditional thing here in Greenock, and there were a few women who were well known for their shawl knitting.  Once you knew a baby was expected the question would be "Who's knitting your shawl?"

It really is quite a delicate, specialised skill - look at the lovely delicate cable round the edge.  I think this was knit in 2 ply wool.  Traditionally it would be worn and admired at the baby's christening.  I'll pass it on ........ one day.

Here he is with the shawl, about 2 and a half months old - such a happy baby!

 Love, Liz

Fair Isle Memories

Apart from photographs, I don't have too many things that belonged to my Dad.  But I do have this -

Its a beautiful Fair Isle knitted tank top, probably from the 40s.  I think that my Aunt knit it for him.  Not sure why I ended up with it, but I'm really glad I did. 

Beautiful pattern and so neat and tidy on the inside.

This is a photograph of my Dad and me - cute or what ... no, don't answer that!

This is my brother and I with Dad.  I remember that dress - it was royal blue and white.  My brother's shorts were brown and so was his cute little bowtie.  This is us in our Sunday best.

I remember in the 70s in Greenock (and perhaps elsewhere), there was a fad for fair isle cardigans - the ones which are plain, but have a patterned yoke.  Everybody who could knit made their own and older ladies who made them were in great demand.  They were worn stylishly (well, for the time) with jeans and a white shirt.  Lucky for me, my Granny knew a lady who knit them and I had a couple.  Unfortunately, they had to be hand washed or they shrunk!  Guess what happened to mine - being a young woman about town (ha!), and not having the patience to hand wash - yup, they didn't last long!

Ah, memories!

Love, Liz

Fair Isle is an island in the far north of Scotland, halfway between Orkney and Shetland.  Good website here.

Scottish Sentiments

Right now - somewhere in the world - people are celebrating the New Year!

So, from me to all my lovely bloggy friends, here's a Scottish wish for you!

My Granny always had one of these little calendars every year.  She hung it beside the fireplace and it was Granda's job to tear of the months as they went by. 

She absolutely adored these calendars, especially if they had "wee Scotties" on them.  So every time I see these, I think of her.

Love, Liz

Migrating Ornaments!

Ok - so, you know when you get the boxes of Christmas decorations down from the loft - do any of you find things, bits and bobs that -

a.        aren't anything to do with Christmas

b.        you don't remember putting away with the Christmas tat stuff

c.         you've been looking for for ages

Well, that's just happened to me!  I found an old Black Magic chocolates tin and a vase that belonged to my Gran!  How on earth did they migrate to the deccy box?

Love this tin.  An old lady gave it to me ages ago.  Don't know when it was issued, but if anyone knows, I would love to find out.

Then there's this vase.  Faded - probably wouldn't even pick it up in a charity shop - but it belonged to my Gran.  I can remember it filled with flowers on her sideboard.  Then my Mum had it for a while - on the kitchen window sill filled with flowers.  Then I get it and it ends up with the Christmas stuff! 

Going to find a permanent home for it - on my dresser, I think!

Love, Liz

Shipwrecked

The recent loss of some of the crew and the sinking of the ship Swanland in the Irish Sea during bad weather shows that even with modern technology, mother nature can be an extremely powerful force.

During the days of sail, the power of nature claimed many lives at sea.  As a port, Greenock and her inhabitants relied on trade and shipping.  Many local people lost their lives in shipping disasters all over the world.  My own great-grandfather was one of them.

 

My Gran

 My Grandmother's father, Alex, was born in 1862 in Argyll.  The family moved to Greenock in about 1864 and like many local boys, Alex went to sea as soon as he could.  Luckily, my great-grandmother had kept many "Certificate of Discharge" notices from some of his voyages and passed them on to someone in the family.  I photocopied them many years ago (sorry for the poor quality) and gave them back to my Gran, but I have no idea what happened to them.  They are a valuable source of information.

The earliest dates from a voyage which he took in 1881, as a sailmaker on the ship "Baron Aberdare" from Greenock to San Francisco.  He signed on in March 1881 and returned in February 1882.  He married my great-grandmother Kate, in 1884 and despite his long absences from home, they had (at least) eight children!



The only photograph I have of Kate.

He travelled far - Sydney, Calcutta, Java, Singapore - and seems to have stayed with the same ship for years at a time, transporting cargo all over the world.

However, his final voyage took place in 1908 on the ship Amazon, a four masted vessel carrying a cargo of coal bound for Chile.  There were a few other Greenock men in the crew.  On 1 September, there was a terrible storm and the ship became stranded near Port Talbot and such were the winds that the Amazon began to break up.  Some local people bravely tried to save as many of the crew as they could by wading out and trying to reach those struggling to shore.  A rescue boat was sent out, and some of the crew were saved.  But twenty men, including the Captain died. 

Wikimedia

I would love to visit the area sometime - I believe that the remains of the wreckage are still visible on Margam Sands.  My Gran was just a young girl when her father died, so she barely knew him and I only found out the details of his death after she, too, had died. 

It must have been a difficult life for my great-grandmother and all the other women in the same position.  Long absences with no regular means of keeping in touch and the financial uncertainty.  Then as a widow with a large family to provide for - tough times.  Kate died in 1932 - the family remembered her as a tough, but loving woman.

Lets take a little time to remember the families waiting and hoping right now.

Love, Liz