Grandmothers

We lived with my Dad's mother when I was young - she was bedridden with arthritis and so I only knew her as a very frail lady who I'd go to talk to every day after school. She used to read to / with me, and we'd listen to the football on the radio. I adored her . She died when I was 9 but she has lived in my heart for the last 60 years.

Mum's mother was in Canada , I never met her until I was about 17 and Mum went and got her, to live with us. She and Mum didn't get along at all and the atmosphere was always tense ! She'd "escape" outside and smoke Soubranie cigarettes in the little courtyard outside the kitchen. A funny little lady but I never really got to know her - I went to do my nurses training and she died during that time.

So I knew them both, but for a short time . I hope my own grandchildren have more time ( and better quality time) with me .

I have fond and scary memories of my faternal Grandmother she was the owner of a lodging house and had brought up 6 sons and two daughters after my Grandpa had died when my father was 8yrs old.
She was a formidable lady nearly 6ft tall and to outsiders very abrupt but to us her family she was our soft and squashy Grandma who would scoop us up and give cuddles when ever she could.
I remember going to her house every Sunday and being sent down her garden to cut the fresh mint for the Sunday roast it became my job every week,she stood no nonsense from her lodgers and wouldn't think twice about giving a man notice if she found him uncouth with his personal hygene,I loved her so much and miss her to this day.

I am so lucky to have lots of very happy memories of my maternal and paternal Grandparents, along with 2 Great Grandmas.

My maternal Grandma died just before my 19th birthday and I was devastated as I had spent every other weekend with her for most of my life and had lived with her for the last 6 months of her life.

My Paternal Grandma was fortunate that she met all of our Children. Apart from the youngest AC they can all remember her fondly as she was hilarious when she stayed with my Father at his Pub, she was just so dotty and kind

I used to spend lots of weekends with her and my Grandpa. He worked in Carnaby Street and I can remember going to work with him very early on Saturday mornings and being allowed to “mooch” round Galts toy shop and Liberty’s when only a child!!

My Granny was a second mother to me. I used to lie in bed sometimes AND TRY TO DECIDE WHO i LOVED THE MOST, gRANNY OR mUMMY. oDD CHILD. (NO DAD)

SORRY FOR THE BAD TYOING. NO SHOUTING INVOLVED. OBVIOUSLY.

Shite! And again.

Aww, I never knew any grandparents as they were all dead before I was born.
I do have recollections of a couple of great aunts in 1948 who my dad used to take me to visit, but I remember being scared to death of them and also the foreboding dark interior of the house.

A very tall aunt Sally wearing a long black dress and a white frilly apron and little aunt Matty with her squinty eyes looking like a basket of whelks, who'd answer the door in her fussy way.

Long lace curtains and velvet night curtains, a huge aspidistra on a table in the window and antimacassars on the chairs. An enormous grandfather clock in the hall. Everything was overbearing being the young child that I was at the time. The smell of moth-balls was quite heady as I remember too.

Out used to come the tin of petticoat tails shortbread biscuits which I never ate because I was so frightened but do remember clinging to dad's sister aunt Jess who smelled of face powder and seemed more human.

I gather they'd have been my dad's aunts maybe his mum's sisters. I suppose, looking back, I should have been privileged to have known these relatives and their austere ways against what we have now. At least I've had the experience of times past.

I knew my grandparents on my Mothers side very well and they were an integral and much loved part of our lives.

My daughters consider themselves lucky to have known them long enough to have memories of them and then they had all 4 of their grandparents until in their 30s .

We keep all their memories alive by retelling tales of time gone by and all our grandchildren love to ask about what Grampy did when he was a naughty boy etc lol

My grandmothers were a major part of my life. I think of them both very often. They were very different but both added so much to who I am.
My Gran in particular was just wonderful to me. I don't know how I could have got through my childhood without her. I loved her very much.

I knew all my grandparents very well. My maternal grandmother suffered from dementia, but my grandad cared for her at home with help from my mother and aunts. She died when I was sixteen. My grandad came to live with us for the last three years of his life. He lived to be 90.
My paternal grandfather died when he was 77. My granny when she was 83. I loved them all dearly. I have been very lucky to have known them all for so long.

I never knew either of my grandads. My paternal grandfather left my nan and my dad and his brother and was never spoken about. I have since discovered that he died 6 months before I was born. I have also discovered that he had another son, a half brother to my dad that he never knew about. My maternal grandfather died when he was 46 and my mum just 18.
My paternal grandmother lived near us when I was growing up but her and my mum never really got on. She thought my mum wasn't good enough for my dad !!! I used to visit when she lived in sheltered accommodation towards the end of her life.
My maternal grandmother lived in Canterbury and we would visit fairly often when I was a child. She suffered dreadfully with Rheumatoid Arthritis and was very reliant on my mum's sister, who lived with her.
I can't say I had a close relationship with either of them, not in the same way my granddaughters have with me.

I only knew one Grandma - sadly she didn't want to know us, no birthday cards, treats, Christmas surprises, not even a "how are you".

Love and miss my paternal nan to this day.
Apparently she couldn’t have any other children after my dad and always wanted a girl.
I don’t remember any spoiling ( gifts money or presents) but I do remember a gentle kindness, and feeling safe with her.
We lived with her on and off until I was around 5.
She died young by today’s standards when I was 10y.
I’ve never really got over it but I don’t suppose one ever does.

I didn’t get much of a chance to form a relationship with my maternal nan. Mum and her didn’t get along.
I made the effort to see her when I was old enough 12/13y
And I can remember catching the bus over to her house every 2 weeks.
But unfortunately by then it was a fractured relationship and she didn’t quite know why I bothered, she used to intimate that I was after her belongings (she lived in a council house and owned nothing!!). I ignored this and hoped she’d see sense if I visited enough, but I don’t think she ever did.
Sad as I think I was looking for the same type of relationship as I had with my other gran.

My parents were not young when I was born, and the only grandparent alive was my maternal grandma who died when I was 3. No recollection of her at all except photos of a little witch like figure. As a granny to five myself, ranging from 11 years to 17 years, I’m pleased to be a youngish granny who can wear jeans, go to aquacise classes and help out with them when needed.

My parents were not young either so one set of grandparents were dead. The others never acknowledged me because I was adopted and illegitimate. It didn't impact on me a great deal at the time.

My mums mum died when she was 8. We think she was given the wrong blood. She was O negative.
Here is a photo of my dads mum, myself and little sister.
My granny was lovely, a really nice woman. I also have a photo of her with me and my first born.
She was 56 in this photo but I think she looked much older.

I wish I had known them for longer. Actually I only knew one and she died when I was 10.
I felt safe with her and she let me do things mum did not approve of. She was my dad's mum.
She had women's magazines and old comfy slippers. She taught me how to light a fire for the oven, how to bake scones and how to iron on the table - she had never used an ironing board.
We children had our chores to do, sweep the floor, collect the eggs. I don't remember being overworked. She lived right at the seashore so most of our time with her was spent on the beach and in the sea. She never came with us. We were told not to get out of our depth and that was that!
She also kept a trunk full of "treasures" including photos of herself and her sisters when they were young. I wish I knew what happened to those.

Lovely picture Pamela

I never met any of mine and know very little about them.

I have great memories of all four grandparents, especially my mother's mother and father as we lived with them in the War, while I was small, and later I spent every weekend with them. I miss Gran still.

My grandson met my late husband until Grandad died when he was two. He remembers a few things about visiting him. DGS's other Grandmother had Alzheimer's disease and died last year but he has almost no recollection of her, lovely lady that she was. Her husband had died many years earlier so never met him.

I feel a great responsibility because I am my grandson's only grandparent. The relationship with my own GPs was so important that I feel that it is something DGS should have, too. I know Gransnetters all value the connection with our grandchildren. I don't think it depends on whether we had a lot to do with our own GPs. It seems to be part of finding our place in the world?

Only my maternal grandmother lived long enough for me to know her. She lived close to us so I had a lot to do with her. She was a little forbidding. My own parents, sadly no longer alive, knew their grandchildren well but were not nearly as hands on or involved or cuddly as I am, now that I am the granny. I don’t remember them ever changing a nappy or doing a school pick up, which has become my life.

I never knew my paternal GF he died when dad was in his teens. I knew nan until I was 13. We weren't close as she didn't approve of mum, who had been married before.
The maternal GF I knew was mum's step dad, her father was dead. GF was in the merchant navy so didn't know him well. I did know and love mum's mum. She died when I was 22, not long after I married. My wedding photos are the last pics I have of her.
My children only ever knew my mum, she looked after them when I worked and they have very fond memories of her.
GSx2 knew 2 great grandmothers my mum and their fathers nan and their dad's grandfather. one GG is still alive. They still have all four GPs.

My dad's mom was very stuffy and proper and not much interested in little girls. Her home had no games or toys or treats for children. It was overheated and smelly. I hated being there.
My grandkids beg to sleep over and we are so close to them, closer than we were to our own kids as we're retired and have lots of time and love to spare.

My DC still have 2 GP so they are lucky. Though in their 90s now, these 2 have been terrific grandparents to their 6 GC and now 10 GGC
They maintain a genuine interest in everything the youngsters do, particularly academic achievements it must be said, or indeed musical ability. Not sure how they feel about DGD and her footballing skills or the wee ones' highland dancing! but we like that so as long as someone is there to champion you and intervene if you are quarreling with your parents, it doesn't matter who.
They keep up with the news and TV. They even e-mail. (less now because their eyesight is failing) but they still make plans for trips and visits. She still cooks a bit and he appreciates her.