I also have a thing for photos, and old photos in particular.
I love getting my hands on old family photos.
It does something to me, that I can't really describe.
Seeing the faces of ancestors is shocking, in a good way.
I'm stunned and amazed to see the faces of people who are a little piece of me.
The family resemblances stand out immediately.
And the realization that if it wasn't for that one person, two or three or four generations back, I wouldn't be here at all.
When we were at Mum's a few days ago, she came out with some new old photos that I had never seen.
One was my Grandma's parent's wedding.
I'd heard about my great-grandparents. Grandma had gone through the family tree with me years ago.
So I know all the names, but putting faces to those names is a whole other story.
Mum also had photos of herself at around three years old. I'd seen one baby photo of my Mum but none as a child around the age of my own little girl.
I was so excited to see a little bit of my own two children and my sister's children in my mother's tiny face.
Through old photos I feel a real connection with past generations of my family.
I love the nostalgia they bring.
The sense of placing together pieces of the puzzle that make you.
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| My great great grandparents in the centre, my great grandfather is 2nd in the back row. |
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| My great grandparents with my Nan (standing) and her sister. |
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| Nan |
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| My grandparents wedding, Nan and my grandfather who died before I was born. |
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| My other grandparents wedding, Grandma and Grandfather. |
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| My Dad, how cute is he? |
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| Mum in primary school |
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| Dad in primary school |
My uncle has them at the moment. He scanned them and turned them into a beautiful slide show for her funeral.
I had a thought as I was driving home from my Grandma's funeral...
I wish I had a book of my Grandma's life.
I know there are plenty of books written about the lives of important and special people.
But what about the ordinary people?
I would love a book of my Grandma's life, complete with pictures and historic details.
I guess the question is, would she want her life to be 'published'?
Would she want everyone reading about her personal life?
Perhaps it's selfish for me to wish for something like that.
Perhaps I just want something to hold onto, so I don't have to let her go.
I'm with you. I love old photos too, and I really wish I had a book about my grandparent's life.
ReplyDeleteI am fortunate to have a book and an information pamphlet on my great, great, great grandfather though, because he was a pretty important guy at the time in WA. His old home is a museum, and I took Hubby there the first year we started dating. It's nice to walk thru knowing my family once lived there.
I find history fascinating.
You know...you could always put something together. There are places that will publish books for you. Gather as much info as possible, photos etc and VOILA! You'll have yourself a book. ;) xxx
PS Hope you're feeling a bit better since your grandmother's funeral. xx
Oh Thea. Posts like these are why I LOVE your blog. You, and your amazing sense of family and your strength of ties to family is enchanting.
ReplyDeleteThese photos are gold.
You inspire me to get scanning myself.
Thea, like Jodie says, you can easily get a book about your Grandma's life made. Digitally. It would be a wonderful project and an incredible legacy. I shall email you some links....
(If someone was ever to make one about me after I had passed away, I would look on and be thrilled!)
Hope you are OK. xx
Beautiful photos. I made a photo book earlier this year for my dad. He loved it. I think making one would be such a lovely idea and not selfish at all.
ReplyDeleteThey are beautiful photos. I often look back at old photos of my grandparents and great grandparents. Lately I've been thinking about all the photos we take these days, and blogs, and emails, and Facebook and Twitter, and whether all of these things will mean in generations to come you'll really know everything about your ancestors based on all that kind of stuff. Imagine reading blogs written by your grandmother! x
ReplyDeleteIt always blows me away that they had such great photos back then.
ReplyDeleteYour's are lovely, fabulous looking mum and dad btw. xx
My remaining grandmother put together a book of her life for myself and all my cousins. It's fascinating reading (she escaped from Hungary during WWII with three young children)and I'm so sorry that I don't have a matching story from my Latvian grandmother, who has now passed away.
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