Friday, November 23

Happy Birthday Beloved Brother.

Today is my BB's 61st Birthday. This time last year, I was over in New Zealand, celebrating his 60th birthday, with family & friends.
I took this photo whilst we were visiting an Aunt.This is a more recent photo, taken in May this year, of my BB, my Uncle G, & a Beloved Cousin, who is the son or our Beloved Aunt, sister of our father, & Uncle G. The occasion was the 90th Birthday of our Uncle.
We think he has a secret portrait hidden away, because how else could we explain his youthful face? And wicked sense of humour, & ready wit, & wonderful memory. In his youg days he had auburn hair, which my mother always wished I had inherited. His own children didn't inherit the hair colouring either.
He is our Father's eldest brother. Here he is with our Beloved Aunt, who is 85. She has the most wonderful sense of humour too, & her memory is very clear, & accurate. She married our mother's brother, so we always felt a special bond with her & our Uncle.

This photograph was taken at our Uncle's 90th 'Birthday Bash', as he called it, in May 2007.

*************************
These next photos are from family long gone. Family we came from. Family from my mother's side.
This was the home of our Great Grandparents in Yorkshire.
They grew espaliered fruit trees on the brick walls of the house. I suppose it helped the fruit to ripen, & kept the trees alive in the harsh climate of their winters, but I am not sure about this.
This was taken in the field alongside the house. It always makes me smile to see the family & animals spread out & displayed.


These next two photos are of our Great Great Grandparents farm. I think this is the one that our Great Grandfather was disinherited from, because he got the servant girl, our Great Great Grandmother, pregnant, & duly married her, against his family's wishes.

This stiff & formal pose makes me smile too. I do believe our Great Grandfather is the little boy standing upright, & his mother is seated, with his father behind him. I also love the little dog, sitting so straight at his mistress' feet. I think the 2 other women were aunts of the boys, but I am unsure whose sister's they were**.
That is a little of "Where we came from". One of these days, I will do a detailed account, perhaps.
Bob Dylan, Thunder on the Mountain. For you, my Beloved Brother.

** I have just realised this information can't be right, as the old lady seated is obviously the Grandmother, & it is her photograph in the Mizpah locket, which I previously blogged about. One of the young women must the boys' mother, but I am not sure which one it was. Perhaps my brother has a better memory than I have. He has the originals of these photos.




18 comments:

Stomper Girl said...

happy birthday to your beloved brother from me too!!

Aunty Evil said...

I love old photos!

Happy birthday to your BB!

Tanya said...

So nice to see pictures of your family. Have I ever seen a picture of you or do you always have the camera so we've never had a glimpse?

Thimbleanna said...

It looks like you have a wonderful family Meggie. It's so fun to see the old pictures. Happy Birthday to BB!

Mary said...

happy birthday to your brother...

I love old photos too - it doesn't matter if I don't know who the people are I just love the memories they represent..

Anonymous said...

Meggie : Many thanks for your love and good thoughts for my birthday .I wish you had been here with us again this year too, it would have been wonderful .
Our cousin tells me that the old girl in the last photo was indeed our great Grandfathers Mother and that the two younger women were his sisters .The man was married to the sister on the right , who was mother to the boys . ( A cricketer there too I see !! )According to our cousin the farm house was called Sowerby Park North Farm House . He says the photo dates from around 1897 ? Perhaps so , I would have thought a bit older , but he should know -- Good memories , Thank You

Anonymous said...

Meant to say Thank You to All those who wished me a Happy Birthday too . It has been a good day . -- Thanks! B.B.

Jeanette said...

Hi Meggie, Happy bithday to BB.
love the old vintage phot's there very well preserved

Joyce said...

Happy Birthday to Henri. Family history can be so interesting and such a puzzle too.

molly said...

Happy Birthday to your BB Meggie! Love your old photos...I have a collection too. Isn't it a pity they didn't blog back in those days? Maybe then we'd have a better idea of who's who in our old pics.......

Ian Lidster said...

Thank you for the family visit. Enjoyed it very much.

Mike said...

Great photos Meggie. I have a trunk full of old family photos that I inherited from my grandmother. I need to get them scanned into my computer soon.

Thanks for the inspiration.

ancient one said...

Happy Birthday Meggie's Beloved Brother! May you have many, many, more!!

Meggie, I loved the old photos. And the one of the family with all the animals made me smile too. Such Wealth on display!!

In the old picture we had of my grandmother's family, she told us that she borrowed the jewelry she wore that day to have her picture made. LOL

Anytime you want to share more of your pictures and family history, I will certainly be around. These are the kind of things that I REALLY love!!

Lucy said...

Lovely one Meggie, and BB looks gorgeous!
The photos are great; the one of the people and animals spread out over the grass hasa very strange, dreamlike quality, and I'm sure that dog is a cut-out...

Anonymous said...

Hi Meggie,
Your BB is gorgeous! Quite like my own DH to look at including the beard.
Your old photos are very interesting. I love old photos and always try to transport myself back to the time they were taken and imagine what life must have been like then.
Cheers, Jenny

meggie said...

Hi All,
As BB said, thankyou so much for all the lovely wishes for his birthday. He is very special, & has a ready wit, & wonderful memory for dirty ditties- a trait shared by the 90 yr old Uncle!
Please, everyone, collect & collate all of your old photos, as they can be so easily lost!
I had thought my brother had the photos, but he doesn't so it seems, so I am glad I have copies! Even if I have confused the names.

Ali Honey said...

What a lovely brother you have ...hope he has many many more birthdays.

Lovely old photos.I wonder what the spare chair was for? Just love the one out in the field showing all their best bits what a hoot!

Unknown said...

Meggie do you have any idea at all whereabouts the house was?