Sunday 20 February 2011

Precious Scraps

For once, not of the fabric variety!  Though just to keep the fabric-o-philes happy, I will include a couple of gratuitous shots of some I have in my stash...



All from 'Sal's Snippets
Mr U-t-B and I, freed of our Saturday duties as taxi-driver for dancing lessons, shopping and sleepovers, (actually,  our daughter is not really that demanding!) headed south yesterday, to my parents' house.  There was a tree stump that needed hacking out of the ground, and Mr U-t-B had offered his services as tree surgeon.

We were treated to an excellent lunch, then, whilst the men toiled in the garden, my Mum and I looked through all kinds of bits and pieces that she had been sorting through recently.  

There were some photos from the late 1800 and early 1900s, from my Dad's family but mostly it was paperwork that my dear Granny (on my Mum's side) had brought with her from Argentina when she came to live with my parents in her eighties.  Some of it related to my Grandfather's war service in India, some to my great-grandfather's emigration to Argentina and some of it to the design and building of petrol stations in Argentina 
(somewhat surprised Granny kept those...)

So this morning I have been scanning the more relevant and interesting bits into the computer for safe-keeping.

First, a photo of my great-grandmother...


...my great-grandfather...


...and my Grandad and his brothers.



 A family group which includes my Grandad.  I'm looking forward to going through the family tree in an attempt at identifying everyone.


Then the identity card for my other Grandad, from when he emigrated from Ireland to Argentina.


From further back, there's the reference another great-grandfather took with him from Oxford when he emigrated.

Not all Victorians had beautiful copperplate writing!

There's a newspaper photo of my Mum.  She tells me the dress was Liberty lawn.


And the letter my granny wrote on hearing that the war was over...


I love these little glimpses into the lives of my forebears!

Meanwhile, more generosity!  Can you spot what has been added to the desk?


Spot the difference



Well apart from the books I mentioned yesterday and a couple of items of felty frivolity, I'm sure you noticed the lovely 'Veritas' oli lamp - my Mum's thank you to Mr U-t-B for his chain-saw wielding!  Lovely!


Miss U-t-B is now safely arrived in Austria and has had a good day on the not-too-snowy-but-rather-icy-in-fact slopes.  Thank heavens for mobile phones!

I'm 'sloping off' myself, for a few days skiing with my very own husband.  May or may not be able to look at and post blogs from there, so this may be my last post till next weekend!

9 comments:

  1. Hello Alix, thank you for visiting my blog! It's lovely to find yours, and I really enjoyed seeing these wonderful old family photos. It's great that you know the stories behind them too, so you can preserve them and hand them on. Have a lovely week. Helen x

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  2. What lovely photos & letters, I adore things like that. Have a great time on the piste!!! xxx

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  3. Oh yes,I do remember those fabrics!!
    I wonder how you will use them..or maybe you are happy to keep them in your stash and stroke them lovingly, now and again!!
    I am fascinated by family history and I absolutely love your photos!
    ;-)

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  4. What a great day for you Alix, and what a beautiful girl Miss U-t-B is.
    Have, oops I was going to say a "great break", best not, you know what I mean.....
    T x

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  5. Hi Alix
    Thank you for reading my blog. I love to catch up on yours - such a busy life you seem to lead! I was very interested to see the documents of your forebears - especially to notice the surname! According to my husband ALL O'Connors are descended from the last kings of all Ireland - so that probably makes you related too! Enjoy your skiing.
    Fiona O'Connor

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  6. What lovely old photos and letters - great that your family still has them. Have a good holiday!

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  7. Such interesting family treasures to have, lucky you. Enjoy your holiday.

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  8. Wow, those photos are marvellous as are all those other treasures. Ooh sking - enjoy!

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  9. I love those family photos...lucky you:)

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