Do you remember aunties and uncles giving out pocket money

annodomini

I was sometimes awarded 6d for playing a piano piece (badly) to an uncle who was,himself, an accomplished musician. I hope my cousins, who were very musical, received better remuneration. Uncles and aunts were always generous at Christmas and birthdays, rather than supplementing pocket money here and there. Our parents gave us pocket money on a scale of 2d for each year of our lives. So when I was 8, I got 1/4d a week, so didn't need extra handouts.

I only got a penny for each year, so a shilling when I was 12 (in 1952). I was quite happy with that. I had everything I wanted - well, apart from a pony.

You comment about 6d for playing the piano reminded me of my mother, who used to get 6d for learning the accompaniments to the songs my grandfather sang. He was a good amateur tenor in the days when musical evenings were popular.

Every single family gathering, especially if the adults were the worse for wear, I came away clanking with two shilling and half-crown pieces!

We had a bachelor uncle who returned to Ireland to retire from Australia, and when he came to visit regularly he would have two shilling pieces or half crowns at the ready and would give one each to my brother and me, especially if it was a birthday, then it was a half crown.
This would have been late fifties as he passed away in 1960.
He was quite well-off and we were always delighted to have him come to visit. He would want to see my Dad, being his brother and usually I would be asked to take him out to where my Dad would be working on the farm.
This is a lovely memory of happy days, I'm wondering where the years have gone since then!

I had an Uncle who had a jar full of change. When we visited he would give us a money scramble by throwing coins onto the lawn. My brother always picked up more than me but he had to share.
I never had money from any other uncles and aunts but we really looked forward to the money scrambles.

I was sometimes awarded 6d for playing a piano piece (badly) to an uncle who was,himself, an accomplished musician. I hope my cousins, who were very musical, received better remuneration. Uncles and aunts were always generous at Christmas and birthdays, rather than supplementing pocket money here and there. Our parents gave us pocket money on a scale of 2d for each year of our lives. So when I was 8, I got 1/4d a week, so didn't need extra handouts.

MissChateline wow, that is such an amazing story. That poor woman. And so sad how it impacted your family. Oddly enough, one side of our family ended up in Blackpool! So I had many a trip there to visit my cousins. I had an Aunty there who was very old when I was a child so I guess she would have been around in the days of your Aunty’s murder.

I don't remember being given any 'pocket money' as such by any of my aunts, though I always received something from them on my birthdays.
One set of grandparents sometimes gave a bag sweets when we saw them, which would have been maybe once a month. The other set of grandparents also gave me sweets when I was little, and when I was older this turned into money to buy them myself - I still have fond memories of my grandad accompanying my to the shop to buy sweets when I was about ten or eleven

It didn’t happen very often ( relatives stumping up cash) but I was always hopeful. When it did happen it was usually sixpence.Not bad....bought six toffee arrows.

My Dad had 5 sisters, so lots of cousins, and we all got together at my Dad's parents' house for Saturday tea.
One of my aunts worked at the finance/benfits office in Newcastle and encouaged us youngsters to save. She kept a book where she wrote all our donations, some of it presents from family members.
The rest of the time was spent on singing, with Dad at the piano. Nothing like that now, we're spread too far apart.

I’ve pm’d you Miss Ch

I’ve been reading about the murderer on Murderpedia. There’s certainly been some research done on that.

mokryna

Googled MissCh as soon as I read your post. Very sad case for both parties, very are in those days.

Thank you. It must have been dreadful for my grandmother (her sister) who had to attend Manchester crown court every day. However I have since learned from a QC judge I used to work alongside that this case was taught at law school and it changed the views on the insanity plea. I don’t know if this is true but he assured me that the case was famous. It’s quite good fun to have a bit of notoriety in ones family history. Maybe having such a small family it becomes all the more important.

Googled MissCh as soon as I read your post. Very sad case for both parties, very are in those days.

Two shillings from one uncle, not that I saw him often.
Half a crown from my one great-uncle with the promise of a pony when he came up on The Pools!

I was one of quite a mob of cousins and always got 5 bob postal orders from aunties and uncles for my birthday, and when we visited, my parents would take sweets for the cousins and we would get a half crown from their parents when we left. When my children were teenagers, they were delighted to be slipped the odd fiver and tenner by their grandad, but sadly don't have all the aunties and uncles and cousins that I did.

Definitely. The rule was that anything under half a crown (2/6-12 1/2p - I could keep to spend. Half a crown or more went straight in my money box (to be deposited in a bank account in my name). I thought this most unfair!

I remember being very spoilt by one Aunt. She used to look after me occassionally in the school holidays and she had two sons (my cousins) but always wanted a daughter, so she would honestly, absolutely spoil me. I'd get taken out, she'd cook what I wanted for lunch even it seemed quite extravagant (seafood vol u vents anyone? ) and she'd take me shopping/to the cinema etc. I was talking to my Mum about this recently and it had completely passed her by!

I remember the half-crowns and florins pressed into our hands by visitors. Funny no one would think of doing that these days.

I put the money in my post office savings book and had about 25 pounds which I withdrew for a trip to Florence when I was at college learning Italian. My parents matched it with a further 25 which just about covered spending money. I've forgotten how I financed the actual travel.

Our Uncle Charlie used to visit us most Sunday evenings. My sister and I were still young and at school, He never used to say, but he used to leave us a two shilling bit each on the sideboard at the back of the room.
Each time after he'd gone we would shoot over to have a look if he'd left us something. He always did bless him, right until we started going to work.

Every Saturday our Grandad would give us sixpence and say “ don’t tell your Nan” whilst on the same day Nan would do the same with the same admonition. Did we tell - of course not, did they know what the other was doing- I suspect so !

I had no aunts or uncles and only one GP, who lived with us so no pennies from heaven for me! I do give cash to my great-nieces & nephews when we see them, which due to distance isn’t often. They always seem thrilled to have a bit of money to spend.

I’m an aunt who gives money gifts quite often to my niece and nephew. My sister is 14 years younger than me and had her children in her late 30’s so they near in age to my grandchildren. But my grandchildren live in the US and due to a toxic divorce, I rarely have contact so I’ve enjoyed being close to my sisters children.

I love being generous and giving them decent amounts of money on special occasions, they never expect it and are always delighted when I treat them.

Oh yes, half a crown given quite often, and a half crown placed in a new baby’s hand

I know a GP who waits until the GC get back from holiday and replenishes (somewhat) the hit the holiday money has taken. Smiles all round.

When I was expecting my second daughter I had to be in hospital and hubby worked away so No1 daughter went to stay with granny. Every day granny put the money on the window sill for when the ice cream van came in the afternoon. Daughter still remembers the excitement of listening for the tune of the ice cream man and granny with great affection almost 45 years on- happy memories.