Some I have personally known, my grandmothers and Great Uncles (like Frank 108yo and still going) and as a young family my wife with our 1st child, we loved to visit his sister my Great Aunty Alice on Sundays.

Especially my Grandfathers.

Mum mums dad perished in 1944 when his ship was sunk by Uboats. Again a timeline that I measure my life against. Mum was the oldest of 3 children and was 9.

My fathers father Stanley survived WW2 however dies at 65 when I was 11. Although we lived 600miles apart and I didn’t really spent much time with him, His death still makes me teary as I have always felt ‘ripped off’ not having a granddad.

I was always concerned “would I still be alive when Jennis, then each subseqent child turned 9?”

So many ancestors have sacrificed SO MUCH to allow me and my generation to enjoy such incredible freedoms and lifestyles.

My mum had 3 books growing up. My dad left home at 12 or 13 to work on a farm. 

We lived in what today would be classed as poverty when I was a teenager, however mums job was to be an “at home mum” and raise us.

I only really have very happy memories growing up.

Between the two of them, I think they raised 4 great human beings.

Who am I??? I am the product of the gaints that went before me and allowed me to stand on their shoulders.

How grateful I am to research and study out the lives of my forefathers and know of them.

Photos

Mum & dad had there 60th wedding anniversary in April 2020 and mum passed over in May.

Dads mum & dad with mum and her first 3. Number 4 came in 1968.

Mums mum & dad on his last visit home. Was gone just weeks later.

Grandad Bates

Great Uncle Frank and some of his children at 107yo

Us 4 scallywags in the late 1970’s.

So blessed and so grateful.