Family History

Yesterday Nellie and I helped my Mum collate some family history for her Church group.  As part of the 400th year celebration of the King James Bible the congregation at her church had been invited to take in their bibles to display and if possible to add details of who they belonged to and when they were given or received.

Mum got out the old family bible and found some photos of her Gramam (that's what she called her) and Grandad whom the bible belonged to.  She also got out her bible she received when she was 12 and her Dad's soldiers bible and some small prayer books that he had with him whilst on active service.  Oh my goodness I loved it but I could not stop crying.  I cried when I saw Gramam's photo and my mum said she used to wear the dress in one of the photos to play dress up.  I cried when I saw photos of my Grandad in his uniform.  I never met him as he died when my mum was 18.  I cried when I looked in his bible and read what he had written in it...... 'said cheerio to Lil (my nan) at 4.50'.  He also listed all the places he had been to whilst in the Army and Merchant Navy. The I cried when I saw my Nan Lily's photo.  Oh I was a bit too tearful but I still enjoyed looking at all the history.  Nellie used her whizzy computer skills and scanned in the photos. Here they are:-

Minnie Hobson my Great Gramam

John Laurence Hobson (Jack) my Great Grandad - I can remember my Grandad Jack he was typical yorkshire man, flat cap on but with a suit.  I used to sit on his knee and he told me stories and he used to delight in showing me his finger (he lost half of it in an accident).  I was younger than 4 and can  clearly remember visiting his home and looking at the trinkets on his dressing table.

My Grandad Nicholas Revill who didn't want to be known as Big Nick so for some reason was always called Dick!

He is picture here with his Mum - Grandma Gresham - I can remember her also but all I remember is seeing her in bed in the front room at my Mum's Auntie Minnie's house.  (popular name in those days apparently).

My Nan Lily who taught me to sew and made me and my sisters clothes and toys. I particularly remember a red woollen trouser suit (late 60's) it was so itchy I can practically feel it on my skin now and can remember catching the bus to Sheffield dressed in it .The bus  was one of the ones with the open back with windy stairs at the back with the driver in a little glass cab at the front there was a conductor too with a little ticket machine.

My nan died on the  6 May 1992 exactly 40 years to the day after her husband.

My lovely mum - Lily and Dick's daughter

My Mum when she was about 12. 

Me (far left) with my sister's - why did I think I was fat?  I think we must have been to see someone get married at our local church - can't for the like of me remember who it might of been.  Think it was probably late 80's.

We also included a photo of our children, 7 in total, but I didn't want to post it here without asking my sisters first. 

3 Girls for me, 1 boy for Little Sister J and 3 boys for Big Sister G quite a bunch and all growing up

My dad was obviously before his time as he always used to refer to us as Daughter No 1, Daughter No 2 etc.  Blog speak before blogs were invented.  LSJ referred to herself as The Golden Princess - I have told you that before but thought I would tell you again.  She is 7 years younger than me and 9 younger than my oldest sister so she really was the 'baby'.

Mum was really pleased with how Nellie had done her small family tree and it looked good set out with the bibles.  Lots of people had taken their bibles with their stories and it was really interesting.  There was a service as well but I couldn't stay as I really was emotional and was on the verge of tears all afternoon.  I think it was looking at all the old photos and thinking of my Dad.