Today We Celebrate Memories of Nan.





On this day, 12th July 1914, Grace Elizabeth was born in Nuneaton at No.1 The Bull Ring above the butcher's shop. This was the start of a good life full of love and joy punctuated by two awful wars but completed with the love of children and grandchildren.

On a person's birthday the usual wish is "Happy Birthday" and so I thought of days in which she would be very happy.
These old photographs highlight some days that must have been very happy for Nan.
The first show Nan and Pomp [Grace and Les] on holiday in Blackpool in 1936. They were blissfully happy and planning to get married. War clouds loomed on the horizon but they were lost in being young and happy and like all ordinary people not really aware of the horrors to come.
The second photograph is her marriage June 7th. 1937 - happiness does not need explaining here.
The third photograph is Grace and Tina holding on with great joy to Les [Tina's Dad]. Think of that happiness. Her man had gone to war as an ordinary gunner, just a man who loved her and wanted a home and children. He came home in 1945 a battle hardened Major in the Royal Artillery but still her man and Tina's Dad. She was very happy.[By the way, Tina is wearing clogs from Holland.]
In the last picture we move on to 1964 and Nan has become Nan i.e. a Grandma, and here she is with Pomp, Tina, and little Gerard in Clevedon. The smile speaks volumes.
There are many memories - I was lucky, I lost my Mum as a boy but had a second one who loved me too - so celebrate today.

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