How often did you see your grandparents?

I forgot to mention my Maternal Grandmother's Mother, my Great Grandmother, who lived until she was 97, having been widowed during WW1. She lived around the corner from us, dressed in black every day, and had steel grey hair which I used to love brushing with a silver backed hairbrush. She had very high cheekbones, dark grey eyes and sallow skin, and as a child I always thought she looked like an Indian Squaw! She was a Geordie, and loved reading mystery stories, which she called 'Whodunnits', which with her Geordie accent sounded like "Woodnuts". Our entire family call them "woodnuts" to this day!

Never saw any of my GPs. Dad's parents - his Mum had died before I was born, he fell out with his father (said father had borrowed and not attempted to repay - Mum and Dad could not get a mortage as had no deposit). Mum's parents - never wanted her (8th of 8 children) and M&D could not afford the bus & train Liverpool to Wrexham to visit had they wanted to. Made their own happy lives without family.

I only ever met one grandparent (maternal) a few times in my life. She lived in LOndon and we were in Hampshire. When she did visit she was only ever interested in my brothers and barely knew me and my sisters existed.

Two of my grandparents died in the year I was born and another had a stroke , and though he lived until I was 17, he never recognised me ( or anyone else really). My maternal grandmother lived within walking distance but never called. We sometimes called to see her but she never sent birthday cards or Christmas presents to me or my siblings. She had other grandchildren for whom she paid school fees and holidays . I don’t know why this was and only recently, as a grandmother myself , realised how hurtful this must have my lovely mum.

I saw them as much as possible when growing up, all lived locally , I could and often did run there after school for a cuddle and milk and biscuit.All gone now sadly and much missed.

My Mum's parents had both died before I was born (her Mum when she was only 4) as had my Dad's Mum, so there was just Grandpa and his second wife who we called 'Aunty'. I don't think they had any real interest in me - I was youngest in a long line of grandchildren an they were quite elderly when I arrived. We used to visit them about once a month, usually for tea at a weekend and they had a child sized armchair which I was allowed to sit in and there was one of those screens with decoupage pictures all over it for me to look at! I don't remember any toys being provided for my entertainment, there was a small china cat which sat by the fireplace and they promised I should have it after they died - I didn't get it!

Mums mum loved walking and when she lived with us for a while, she took me walking regularly. I remember once when we walked from Bosley towards Macclesfield and got lost, mum and nan stopped at a farm to get our bearings. The farmer gave me warm milk straight from the cow. Wouldn’t happen now I guess but I am still here. The farmer got a lorry driver to take us home. No mobiles or Google then but I’m a big fan of today’s technology.

My dad's father died long before I was born and his mum died when I was only three so my only memory of her is vague and only based on what I was told. My mum's mother died when she was a teenager but her dad remarried and they lived to a ripe old age. They lived about 7 miles away but as they ran a corner shop and off licence we got most of our groceries from them each week. When I was at primary school mum picked us up from school every Friday and we caught the bus to their home behind and above the shop. We had tea there, then Grandpa drove us home along with the box of groceries for the week. Once I started secondary school that changed and mum phoned her order for the week on a Thursday evening then Grandpa delivered it the next evening so I still saw him weekly but didn't see my Nana very often. I missed the weekly visits and the fact that we saw him for a shorter time, as I adored my Grandpa. I still wear the cross he bought for my 21st birthday - I chose it myself and he gave me the money for it - and it has enormous sentimental value. The chain has been replaced a few times as I wear it most of the time. My DD remenbers him a bit as she was about 4 when he died, though my DS was too young, but both remember visiting their great Nana in her care home whenever we visited family in the North.
We didn't often stay over with my grandparents but I vaguely remember my mum and us kids looking after the shop when they went on holiday one summer and staying in their home.

The other thing I remember was that, as we didn't have a family car, Grandpa drove us to our family holiday every year and came to collect us at the end of our fortnight holiday. We always went to the same holiday camp near Scarborough so I remember the 100 mile drive with Grandpa every year. As we got older my dad would hire a car for the holidays, but he hated driving so once there the car sat in the car park for the 2 weeks except for maybe one trip out!

Grandpa was also a driving instructor while Nana ran the shop. He taught me to drive when I was 17 and eventually my old banger, bought when I was a student, was our first family car. Dad never owned a car and mum didn't learn to drive as she suffered from epilepsy so Grandpa driving us around was really important.

I never met either set of grandparents. Since my parents immigrated to the US after the war (I was born in the DP camps in Germany), we were the only family to land in the US. Two grandfathers were killed in the 2 wars… grandmothers and other family members that stayed behind were deported to Siberia.

It’s been a good life!

I feel very fortunate to have had a decent upbringing with or without grandparents. We were surrounded by many supportive local American families in our new home.

I had one set of grandparents (paternal) they lived 100 miles away. We saw them once a year back in the day 1950s.

Gundy

I never met either set of grandparents. Since my parents immigrated to the US after the war (I was born in the DP camps in Germany), we were the only family to land in the US. Two grandfathers were killed in the 2 wars… grandmothers and other family members that stayed behind were deported to Siberia.

It’s been a good life!

I feel very fortunate to have had a decent upbringing with or without grandparents. We were surrounded by many supportive local American families in our new home.

That must have been very hard for your parents Gundy, all credit to them for managing to give you a good childhood in such difficult circumstances.

I sadly didn’t have any grandparents. I can remember being quite envious of my friends who did.

My dad's parents died before I was born. We lived quite close to my mum's parents and saw them often. I remember my nan being lovely and gentle like my mum but grandpa was not a very happy man. I believe that he had been injured in WW1 and left for dead in the trenches. He was saved because his brother-in-law rescued him and I suppose that explains his unhappiness? I just know that I kept my distance from him. I remember that they had a dog and nan used to bake crusts of bread in the oven for part of the dog's dinner....I can still recall that this smelt really nice!

Both my grandfather's died before I was born. My mum's mum appeared on our doorstep when I was about 5. She was wearing an old battered straw hat and a grey scruffy cost carrying a small suitcase. I remember her crying at the door and she came in the house. My parents decided she would live with us as she wasn't coping on her own. The dining room was made into her bedroom. It was an overcrowded household with 3 kids, multiple pets ,general chaos. But she was accepted and loved. Very deaf but enjoyed going to the cinema in afternoons to see murder films. Often I went with her and she would share a bag of soft mints.
When we went away for our weeks holiday our gp somehow managed to put her in a respite care home for the week,all free ! How different times are now !
My paternal grandmother lived about 200 miles away and we would visit once a year for the day. She was scary. Expected children to be seen not heard. She had a collection of dolls and musical boxes from all over the world . We were told never to touch them but of course they were irresistible to a little girl who had few toys at home . I remember her slapping me hard on the leg for touching them. My mum hated her and think I only met her a few times before she died when I was 8 years old.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

We have a family photo, my mum, her daughter-in-law, her grandaughter, and great granddaughter (not my girls) She died far to young

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

I didn't meet all my grandparents; only my grand mother on my father's side once or twice when I was very young and my great grandmother on my mother's side, both grand father's had already popped their clogs unfortunately. I wish that i'd met all of them and managed to have some kind of relationship. It's different these days however I think, families are generally much closer to one another.

One grandfather died a few months before I was born and the other a few months after I was born. Maternal grandma lived nearby and we saw her a lot. Paternal grandma lived a two-hour drive away. We would go there and back a few times a year. My dad would go see her on his own more often. Sometimes she would come stay with us, but after a few days, my dad would take her back because she got on my mom's nerves.