Allotments 4 All

Ray's dad and mum, that is.
We've been clearing the house since Mum died and came across dad's medals, his service history books, his Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry cap badge, another from Jellalabad and a small pin  I have been told he would give to his girlfriend to show she was dating a serviceman. He never spoke about the war as he was imprisoned in a japanese p.o.w. camp and never fully recovered. It's amazing the things you find.
We also found diaries which Mum kept since she was 16, original birth and death certificates from her mum and dad plus her wedding dress made of parachute silk, a bit yellowy now but still intact. Think I may have to get in touch with Liverpool museum , so much history  :)

How wonderful to find such treasures, I envy you, all those things that have been cherished for decades, it is lovely of you to share the memories with us. I find family things like this so important. The museum should be thrilled.

The diaries especially, and from 16, it would be better than finding diamonds,so very special.

Thank you  for making me smile.

XX Jeannine

Tears mingled with laughter & much pride I should imagine. Thank you for sharing.

I'm fascinated, I've known them for 40 years and I didn't know whole chunks of their lives, nice to open the history book  :)

That's really special!

Yes I agree it is very special, It is strange how we can know people for years and not really know them....if you know what I mean.

The diary must have been amazing to read, you are very lucky to have found such lovely treasures from both of them.

More happy memories for you  :)

' happy and sad memories, and all family history, what treasure's.
  June.

Treasure those diaries Manics.

My Dad wrote diaries going back to when he was a young man.  They were not personal but had events in such as his Army postings, my brother and I being born and our day trips to the seaside. 

He recorded in detail our annual holidays to Camber Sands for the first few years of my life then our trips to the Isle of Wight, Cornwall and North Wales when we had a more reliable car.  He always recorded the weather too and if there was nothing much happening on a particular day, he sometimes wrote what he had eaten for dinner.

I wanted to use the diaries when writing a family history for my grandchildren.  Unfortunately, five years after my Dad had passed on, my Mum developed Alzheimer's and she burnt them all.  I was so upset. 

There have been times when the diaries would have answered questions.  For example, when we were in Richmond near Catterick last year I wondered where it was that my Mum and brother had stayed when they visited my Dad at Catterick in the early 1940's before I was born.  I would also like to know where my Mum stayed in Wiltshire prior to my birth in Melksham.  So many questions which could have been so easily answered if the diaries were still here.   

What a shame about the diaries, I am the only one in my family that has bothered about family history, and when I tell some family members certain things that have happened in the family, they say well I never knew that . so it is important to pass these things on I think.
  June.

We found a huge suitcase today, it's got dad's stripes and things from his uniform in, a couple of scrap books from 1936 to 1940 and LOVE letters between them. Can't bear to read them at the moment but I will, eventually. They never used to show much affection but they were married for 65 years so there must've been something  ;D

Oh my goodness, I think you are incredibly fortunate to have so much stuff..

When the time is right  I think you will feel very close to them as you continue reading.

Good Luck and I hope you have a big box of Kleenex. I have tried to put myself in your place a couple of times and I feel all warm and fuzzy when I do. I so envy you.

XX Jeannine

OH Manics what a wonderful gift they have left you,more precious than ...anything.
Please keep posting and share ,if you will.
We were fortunate my OH s aunt gave us all the family photos before she passed away,sadly many are neither dated or have names but seeing the family noses,eyes etc is lovely.
:)

Reading one of the diaries from the war time, her mum used to billet servicemen. We have an autograph book with many, many signatures of young men who were going to active duty. I wonder how many of them got home, they were from all over the place and gave their home addresses. there's just so much to read and take in. The house is nearly empty, end of an era  :-\

Manica putbtrheir names on the War Graves Commision site and it will; telt you if they din.t make itXX