Our own grans

I was fortunate to have both my grand-mothers until I was in my forties. In fact my daughter had three great- grand mothers when she was born. My grand- children are lucky enough to have all four grand-parents and a great- grand mother. My maternal grand mother was always very smart and stylish and told us lovely stories. She also helped out financially, though looking back, I don't know how she did it.

My granny always wore a hat when she went out, even to the local shops. Secured with a hatpin!

I saw pictures of my grandma as a young girl like these but my memories are of a small, rotund lady who always wore a floral pinny in the house. Not a half way apron but one of those wrap around ones that covered all the clothes. When she went out she always wore a sensible coat that buttoned up and good solid shoes. In fact think Ena Sharples without the hairnet

The photo's are fabulous aren't they I have a very old picture of my nanna in something similar but the dress is covered by a full length pinefore as she worked as a maid in a big house in Liverpool.Have you noticed that even though they all wore corsets they still had lovely trim figures,oh and the hats !! how I love hats.

All my grandparents died before I was born - I used to envy girls at school who talked about visiting their nan.

Weren't they stylish Joan? I don't fancy all the corsetting and layers they used to wear, but some of these clothes are lovely .

I would have loved to be able to style my hair they way my grandmothers and greatgrandmothers did - pinned up in the daytime, and brushed and plaited overnight. Beautiful long tresses that they would brush 100 times before bedtime