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Childhood heirlooms

(40 Posts)
Foxglove77 Mon 03-Apr-23 19:33:26

My favourite childhood gift was an old rocking horse my father bought for me. He bought it in the 1960s in kit form and being an antique restorer put it together and it stood proudly in my bedroom for years albeit without a stand. After a house fire the horse was put into storage, and suffered damage to his legs. Fast forward 40 odd years and after my father died my horse was rediscovered in his workshop in a very sorry state. I decided to find a restorer and he is now finished in all his glory. A real heirloom and good for another 100 years.

Elless Thu 06-Apr-23 09:22:08

Does anybody know anything about these books? My DH brought them back after visiting his mother who lives in Barrow in Furness, I’ve searched and searched but can’t find anything about them - they are all titled ‘Home Words’.

biglouis Wed 05-Apr-23 22:44:04

My favorite heirloom has very little financial value but great sentimental value for me. Its a piece of green slag glass which my grandmother used to hold open her kitchen door. As a child the play of lights within used to fascinate me. I often asked her for it and she always answered the same way - I could have it when she died.

She left me the slag glass - along with the entire contents of her house and jewellery. There were some very valuable antiques there and it started me off on the road to antique dealing. But I will always value the green glass most highly and its what I would grab if there was a fire and I had to run.

PaperMonster Wed 05-Apr-23 21:05:54

How very beautiful!

I have my old dolls’ house in my bedroom!

watermeadow Wed 05-Apr-23 20:20:40

As we moved around from country to country few of my toys survived but I still have my teddy. He is now 75. When toys were hard to get hold of in the UK just after the War my brothers had Hornby trains, Dinky cars, Meccano and Bayko. I had a doll’s pram, cot and high chair and lots of beloved dolls.
Our father made forts, dolls’ houses, hobby horses, dolls’ cradles.
How impoverished are today’s children who have iPads but have given up toys and imaginative play by age 5.

GrannySomerset Wed 05-Apr-23 18:15:47

I have a lovely child’s carved pine rocking chair, given to me by a neighbour when I was four and certainly well over a hundred years old now. GD1 has asked for it some time in the distant future when she has a home of her own so I hope it will continue to be loved. I spent hours reading in it till I outgrew it.

Granmarderby10 Wed 05-Apr-23 16:39:28

I have a Merry Thought white poodle nightdress case that my older sister gave me 60 years ago. We had a real poodle as well.
Also a Kewpie Doll

Silverlady333 Wed 05-Apr-23 16:17:37

The pediatric OPD of a hospital where I used to work had a rocking horse. The sister of the departments had it lovingly restored. Sadly the little patients didn't appreciate him and pulled out his mane and tail. So he was put back into the storage room. So sad.
Also people used to make and donate hand knitted toys to the department but they could not be used as they had no CE labels to ensure they were safe sad

Romola Tue 04-Apr-23 20:14:09

This is my childhood champion. He's over a,foot tall and made of a heavy metal.
I had to go into hospital with appendicitis when I was four (in 1948) and my father brought him in "to look after you in hospital". I completely trusted in him and all these years later he stands on the mantelpiece watching over me.
(Actually he needs a good clean.)

Ladyinspain Tue 04-Apr-23 16:44:34

I have a doll given to me by my godfather when I was 6 months old, so. its about 73 years old, Iv e a few more teddies etc, but I don't think my children are at all interested in them-- they'll probably go to the charity shop when Im gone

sunglow12 Tue 04-Apr-23 16:34:15

I still have my teddies from childhood carefully looked after by me all my life anx a few other things from my lovely Nana and Grandad . One sheepskins bear with turning head but lost his growl is 70 like me !

JudyBloom Tue 04-Apr-23 16:12:44

Foxglove77 What a beautiful heirloom rocking horse, an absolute treasure. I have a collector's Georgian style dolls' house and contents which I am still working on, for my granddaughters to enjoy.

jocork Tue 04-Apr-23 15:09:49

When my grandson was born I decided to make him a fabric alphabet book. Needless to say it took much longer to make than I anticipated and although I intended it as a 1st birthday present he eventually received it the following Easter. I hope it will become a family heirloom. I made a label for the back showing when it was made and who by.

My 2nd grandchild is due this month and I need to come up with a suitable idea for an heirloom gift for him or her! I need to be a bit more realistic about the timescale this time too!

Bijou Tue 04-Apr-23 14:58:44

I have the bisque headed life size baby doll given to me ninety three years ago together with the teddy bear my seventy four son was given when he was one sitting on an arm chair in my sitting room.
My great grand daughter plays with the wooden model kitchen cabinet , ironing board and cooker my husband made in 1948 when toys were scarce. They have been passed down the generations.

NannaFirework Tue 04-Apr-23 14:19:59

How wonderful 😍

Hobbs1 Tue 04-Apr-23 13:27:20

My teddy, known as Bear, was bought by my maternal grandparents for my first birthday, he happily sat on my bed for many years, until I got married in 1976, then he was safely stored in the loft.
He will be 66 this September.

Growing0ldDisgracefully Tue 04-Apr-23 13:00:23

We had a lovely little set of wicker furniture, table, chair and settee which came from my grandparents, the right size for dolls ' tea parties. I have no idea how old they were, and a small dolls bed, which were loved and played with. My sister has restored them and they are now being enjoyed by her granddaughter. Likewise a couple of teddies she has restored (she ought to be on the Repair Shop!).
I still have the dolls house made by my Dad when we were small and regularly 'play' with it still!

crazyH Tue 04-Apr-23 12:59:42

DeeDee - how cute 🥰

lizzypopbottle Tue 04-Apr-23 12:58:29

Here is Monty the monkey. The outfit he's wearing was knitted secretly by my mother for a doll I was getting for Christmas. The doll is long gone but Monty lives on in a drawer in a Kallax unit in my bedroom. I toy with the idea of the Repair Shop but I would hate being on TV.

grandtanteJE65 Tue 04-Apr-23 12:55:31

My teddies and the best beloved of my dolls are still alive and kicking, as it DH's monkey.

They have a many roomed house in an old kitchen dresser up here in my study,

DeeDe Tue 04-Apr-23 12:39:00

I have two little chairs I had as a child both from around late 1940s and a teddy I remember choosing mid 1950s in a shop window
I picked the mummy size out of Daddy,Mummy or the Baby bear, she’s still in quite good condition.

Foxglove77 Tue 04-Apr-23 09:09:59

Thank you for your lovely comments. Grandma70s, yes I am calling him Storm. Kate1949 he was restored by a talented lady called Jan Rusling. Deedaa and AskAlice lovely memories of your special rocking horses xx

Kate1949 Mon 03-Apr-23 22:45:54

He is beautiful Foxglove. Did you take him to The Repair Shop? grin

Grandma70s Mon 03-Apr-23 22:10:04

He is just beautiful. Does he have a name? I never had a rocking horse, but a local shoe shop had a very handsome one, and I always had a go on it when I was taken to buy new shoes.

Shinamae Mon 03-Apr-23 21:10:39

Just beautiful foxglove…🤗

Grannybags Mon 03-Apr-23 21:08:25

Wow I am jealous! I always wanted a rocking horse. I was in a house that had one, with my Mum I think, when I was little but was too shy to have a go on it.

He looks beautiful now Foxglove