Grandmothers

My maternal GPs brought me up even though they were in their 70s when I was born and it must have been hard work for them. They were wonderful people who always had the time to play with me and teach me the things my Mum was always too busy to do. Sadly I don't think I ever met my father's mother.

I was very lucky and had 4 grandparents and one great grandmother when I was born. I knew both my grandmothers very well, we all lived in the same town. I lived with one for a while, and only lost her when I was 48.

They both taught me a lot about things, life, love, gardening, style, work and perseverance, honesty. My eldest granddaughter met my grandmother a few times. 5 generations.

My great grandmother lived in awful conditions, I feel sad that she didn’t get to have or see how we live now. She had no bath, no inside toilet, freezing house, awful damp. No NHS, every boy baby she had passed away or was born still born.
Washing done in the back yard in a tub with a hand wrangle, I helped once aged about 10. She passed away exhausted.

But both my grandmothers worked and were glorious ladies. I even gave the eulogy at my grandmothers funeral.

I was fortunate to have my paternal grandparents until I was in my 30's. They lived on the next street and as my dad's youngest sister is the same age as me I spent lots of time at their house. 'Camping' in the backyard baking, learning to sew and knit. They were amazing, loving people... all the kids used to call my grandad 'Grandad Billy' Both my daughters have vague memories of them although they were only 4 and 6 when they died (within 6 months of each other) My maternal grandmother died when I was 24 and newly engaged.... a real character with a wicked sense of humour, (I never knew my mat grandfather as he died when my mum was only 11) I remember going on holiday with her when I was young and went to her house for lunch every day whilst at secondary school. My daughters are fortunate to still have my parents alive and in good health, both in their 80's they will regularly have one or two of my grandchildren stay overnight (I have 6, ranging in age from 15 down to 7). My ex mil is also still with us although at 92 has lived in a nursing home for the last 5 years.

We never knew who my mum's dad was, and gmum's mistake was why she hated my mum and us kids. I try not to remember her.
My dad's parents made up for it though. They were exemplary grandparents. My gdad was in France for WWI. He was wounded and came back with only half of his sac, so when they had my dad they were surprised and ecstatic. They had us kids two weeks every summer and every holiday was with them. We learned to fish and garden. My gmum taught me to sew at 4, so I made my doll clothes then quilted when I was older. I knew them both so well, and we were cuddled frequently. I had them both until I was 20. I was truly blessed.

I think grandparents and grandchildren having a loving relationship is a glorious "add on". It is not essential for a child's well-being, but it is explosively wonderful if it is there. It's pretty good for grandparents too.

This photograph was taken on the day of my baptism in May 1946, my grandmother was 70 three years younger than I am now. She was my paternal grandmother and she lived until I was twenty one, a very interesting and well travelled lady who told me interesting stories of her time in New Zealand. Her DH died in 1948 but I can remember him.
My maternal grandfather died when I was ten and I can't ever remember him speaking to me although we used to visit them once in a while. My maternal grandmother lived to see me married at 21 and died the month before I gave birth to her first GGD. I helped nurse her at my mother's in her final days but can't recall her having any conversation with me.
I am a much more hands on grandma and hope that my GDs will have more memories than I have.

I loved my granny more than my mum and was heartbroken when she died aged 92 when I was 22. I could talk to her, not my mother.. pleased to say I have her bureau and g.father clock. Worried as DD and DS don’t want them as they hold no memories for them. I didn’t know other g.parents died before i was born.

Until I was three my parents and I lived with my maternal grandparents. My father changed jobs so we moved away but visited them fairly often and they visited us and eventually moved to be near us. That grandmother died when I was in my late teens.

My paternal grandmother died before I was born, I have lots of pictures of her and would love to have known her. Her widower re-married and his second wife was always known as Grandma and she was lovely. She died shortly after the other grandmother.

A number of years ago I got back in touch with a paternal relative who had known my 'birth' grandma and I was able to find out more about her.

PamelaJ1 - wow, she was a beauty!

My father was orphaned by the age of ten so no grandparents there to know. My maternal grandmother died when I was four and I only have the vaguest memory of her.

My maternal grandfather then came to live with us. Suffice to say, after that I swore I would never have my own parents live with me! I, in fact, got on alright with my GF but he was awful to my mother and the whole house had to be run round his wants. We had no aunts & uncles or cousins.

My mum is still in her own home at 91 and she has thirteen GGC.

I never knew either of my grandfathers, both were long dead before I arrived on the scene.
But both Grandmas lived with us when I was growing up. My dad's mum had crippling rheumatoid arthritis and instead of us emigrating to Australia as planned, to follow my dad's 2 brothers, we stayed here and she moved in when I was quite tiny. I loved her and have happy memories of her cuddling me and telling me stories, and always seeming jolly, despite the terrible pain she must've been in. She died when I was 9, I really missed her.
But when I was about 4 or 5, my mum's mother also moved in as well, despite being quite fit and able. She was a very different sort, bitter (with some good reasons), curmudgeonly and could sulk for England. We didn't get on at all, and as I grew up she became more and more spiteful towards me. So my memories of her, sadly, are miserable and resentful. I vividly remember a few family holidays that she came on, and ruined for all of us by going into a sulk! She lived on long after I left home, and honestly I don't know how my parents, Dad in particular, put up with her.
I used to envy friends who would go and stay with their grandparents somewhere, while mine were on the spot!
It's certainly given me a determination NEVER to suggest living with my daughter, however infirm I might become!!!!!

My maternal grandfather died in WW1, I know little about him and have no photos. My grandmother lost a brother, brother-in-law and had a baby son who died at 9 months, during that period, so I think, she coped by wiping out the past and starting again as the sole support for her 2 daughters. elderly mother and sickly sister.

The family lived in south London and her house was destroyed in the blitz and she came and lived with us for the first 4 years of my life. I adored her. I was so deeply content and happy when I was with her. I had marvellous loving parents, but we were chalk and cheese, and my grandmother was on my wave length. (to mix metaphors).

After she returned to her rebuilt home I didn't see a lot of her because my father, a professional soldier, returned from war service and for the next 20 years we were always on the move all round the world, but whenever we visited I was so full of pent up emotion I could not cope with the front door opening and actually seeing her and would screw my eyes tight shut and lag behind the others in going in. I twice stayed with her for a week and was just so happy. She died when I was 14 and I was heart broken.

My paternal grandparents lived a few streets away. My father was one of a big family and my grandmother did not like my mother who was pretty and vivacious and liked to wear pretty clothes and make-up. Before their marriage she was always trying to set my father up with someone else. Her dislike transferrred to me because I was too like her, not pretty and vivacious but I liked nice clothes and brilliant colours, and that did not make for approval. My younger sister and I spent school holidays with her and other family members who shared the big family home, in our mid/late teens when we were at boarding school doing O and A levels and my father was posted overseas. She criticised me to my mother's family in front of my younger, quieter sister, who sprang to my defence and she made several very unkind remarks to me that I remember still.

My grandfather was also a professional soldier. He had enlisted in the ranks from a very poor background and risen up, been commissioned as an officer and reached the rank of major. With being recalled from retirement during WW2, served in the army for 50 years. He was also a devout catholic and much involved in charitable and church work. He received an OBE and a papal award for his charitable work. He was very remote, but he had no experience of family. He was born illegitimate and his mother died when he was 10, he had no living grandparents or siblings and was brought up by an uncle. he left Ireland at 18 and never went back.

I think he was a loving grandfather, but didn't know how to do it. But he loved Murray mints and always had a jar in the breakfast room cupboard (this was during sweet rationing) and always as we were leaving he would make an appearance with his sweety jar and let us all have one, and very occasionally 2, which was a real and special treat.

Oh, gosh, didi not realise how long the above was, I should have made it shorter.

Only knew my mothers mother who lived with us until she died when I was 18.We loved her she was a joy,full of fun and great stories aboout her childhood in Ireland ,brilliant ghost stories when we'd all be squealing with delight and mum would race upstairs to find all four of us girls in grannies bed when we were supposed to e asleep.She was a suffragette and she taught us about the fight for womens suffrage .She was and is my inspiration .My other granny died when Dad was 12 .he was orphaned and his sisters and brother split up and sent to different childrens homes .My GC have two full sets of GP and two GG's

I was a bit scared of my Dad's mum - little gran. I only ever saw her in one of those old pinnies that go over your head and cover you back and front. Don't think she had ever worn a bra, because her cat used to sit on top of her boobs rather than on her lap. Her husband, my beloved grandad, was just lovely. He would take me and my sister for long walks over the fields and taught me (a townie from the West Midlands) so much. He also worked part-time in a bakery and used to take me there to put dough into the machine that made the rolls. He was an ex-miner, and once took me down the coal mine. I've never forgotten the experience. Mum's mum was a Cockney, and I loved her dearly. She was ebullient, and fun - but I couldn't get along with jellied eels, which was her idea of a treat!

I love that picture Harrigan that could be my Grandma and the little girl on the right me - right down to the curls, ribbon, dress and little white socks.
I used to go and stay with my Grandma and Grandad in the holidays as I had lots of friends there. My aunt and uncle lived there too so it was fun. They were my dad's parents. He never really got on with them as they ran a sweet shop and he was brought up by his granny. I used to go and visit my Grandma's dad who lived into his nineties.

I didn't see much of Mum's mum as they were the London lot and my Mum just wanted to get away from them.

I only remember one grandparent, who lived with us for the last few years of her life.
None of them lived beyond the age I am now. When I was young, people were old at fifty.

Only remember my maternal grandmother. We used to call her "blind nana". She was blind.

All my grandparents died before I was born so I had no notion at all of the role of a grandparent when I had my children and although they loved my children we did not live in the same city and I don't think they knew my children very well and they never looked after them. I am though very very grateful that I now have a very close and loving relationship with my grandchildren.

I only knew my maternal grandma and she hated me and I hated her. I’m quite jealous of all the stories on here about all the wonderful grandparents. Mine only liked boys so she was fine with my two elder brothers but I was the baby and she was jealous and resented me. She came to live with us when I was probably just in my teens and made everyone’s life a misery - my poor mum who wasn’t well all her life and grandma would be banging with her stick all night to keep everyone awake. Mum eventually had to let her go in a home as we were all exhausted and she went and died within about three weeks, thereby making sure my mum had more guilt. Horrible woman! Imagine how this feels, hating your own flesh and blood!

I knew both my grandmothers, two women who were completely different but both very strong. My dad's mum was from an Irish family, told fortunes with tea leaves and cards, bet on the horses and had 101+ superstitions. By the time I was born the family had talked her out of rushing around the table collecting all the cutlery and disppearing into the cuboard under the stairs when it thundered. She still went in the cupboard though. She was very loving and thought I was special because she only had boys.
My Mum's mum was very independent, she always worked because my grandfather was ill. She was kind but a bit stricter. She had a huge garden and grew loads of soft fruit. She had a collection of Goss china which we were allowed to play with. Because she only had girls she favoured my brother when we were younger but when I grew up and married she always told me to look after myself because you can't rely on men to do it. She died when she was 90.

Glammy, yes she was and one of my sisters is just like her.

I’m loving the photos. All those hair bows! My hair was so fine there was enough hair grips in there to build a Blackpool tower!