General Chat

As there have been many ‘memories’ threads recently – how about this:-

What memories do you think your ancestors would have if they could tell you?

I’m sure mine would involve living in a small house with 16 children in the middle of nowhere. Working all day in the fields, struggling to feed everyone and probably thinking they would chuck it all up and go to Oz. Maybe even consider stealing a handkerchief to get there.

I was lucky Beverley.. my gt grandfather was interviewed by a newspaper in 1920s and gave some experiences of working on the Thames, many on that side of family so their memories would probably be of the river and where they lived. His father was recorded ( old cylinder ) singing folk songs, which i now have a copy of...that is very strange to hear someone who died in 1917.

My grandmother left hand-written recipes from when she was in service aged 16, she would have memories of WW1 ( " always be trouble in the Balkans ").

My Irish ancestors would have memories of famine, and leaving Ireland and struggling with 6 children in a tiny house in grubby streets...luckily again , a cousin had written up some experiences of his father as a child so I have more than most probably of my ancestors memories in one form or another.

Oh Rose - how interesting. What a pity I have nothing like that. I don't even have a photo of my grandfather without anyone before him. He died before I was born and my father (also dead now) never spoke of his family so I have nothing apart from the research I have done.

Sure one of mine would love tell tails of when King Henry 8th used to visit them how they would love to go out riding together, and the year they tried to charge him 10 shillings tax for a horse, but they soon backed down when I told them it’s the Kings horse, what he rides when he visits.

I wonder what my my gg grandad thought of his brother - trying to derail a train the same year my g g grandad applied to be a Metropolitan Policeman!!
Must have been a bit of tension between my gg uncle and his stepfather - he was thrown out of the house (before the attempted derailment), and thought that claiming to be extremely drunk in the neighbouring village at the time of the crime an adequate alibi - except that he also said he saw the perpetratorsof the crime running away from the track!! Plonker!!

My paternal grandmother would have the memories of the 5 children she lost - three in 11 months. My grandfather was 1 of triplets. Great gran lost 1 triplet at 3 months then another at 6 months and then a 15 y.o. son. This after losing 2 babies early on in her marriage. A photo of her shows a sad, tired and prematurely aged woman who passed away aged 56.

Sue xx