Grandmothers

Next door lady served as a kind of grandma and let us help in her garden, taught knitting and some basic cooking skills. Her husband built us a really great tree swing. Children want time and attention more than toys.

My maternal grandma died when I was 12. She had really long, straight hair in a bun, but used to let it down for me to comb. We visited once a week, and our weekly treat from her was a Mars bar cut up between us, there were 5 of us!
My other grandma died when I was 22, I lived with her from the age of 13 until I married, aged 20. She was a bit of a tartar, but with a heart of gold, a St.John`s nurse, which she was very proud of.
I never knew either of my grandfathers, sadly.

My maternal grandmother died giving birth to my mother,
maternal grandfather died when my mother was seven.

My paternal grandmother died the year before I was born,

I adored my paternal grandfather, he died when I was 22.

My mums parents and dads parents lived practically next door to each other, but I never saw them together, and my dads parents never set foot in our house as far as I can remember, my mother never set foot in theirs, my dad always took us alone. They always seemed old to me, grandmother was a bit distant, but I loved my grandad, they both died when I was in junior school

My mother’s parents, we saw every day, my gran was more like a mum to us, she collected me from school, and I spent a lot of time at her house, they even came on holiday with us, I always loved my gran more than my mum, they both lived till I was in my thirties, my two older children remember them well.

My mum is in her nineties, and while she and I have been estranged for years, my oldest daughter has quite a close relationship with her

Loved both sets grandparents.
Although they lived hundreds of miles away, I happily spent many school holidays with them as my parents both worked.

Both Grandmothers as children lived through hard times including the First World War.
As adults they had to deal with the Hungry Thirties and of course the Second World War.

In one year maternal gran lost a young child, her parents and then her sister in the Clydebank Blitz.
My paternal gran had to keep a three generation family together after their homes were bombed.

I am in awe of both women. and can not comprehend how they coped through such difficult times.
They were the backbone of the family.

Through them I know and understand the importance of the grandmother/ grandchild relationship.

My maternal grandmothet died in 1997 and I still miss her.

I only remember my mother’s mother - or it may have been her stepmother, I never found out. We didn’t have a relationship of any kind really. I was taken occasionally to visit her by my mother and she had a wonderful brass fender and fire irons in her parlour, which I was given a cloth and encouraged to “polish” while she and my mother drank tea in the kitchen! If I polished them well enough she would give me a threepenny bit. I never went to see her on my own though she lived within walking distance of our house. My father hated her for reasons I never discovered. She died and it occurred to me later that I never even knew her Christian name. The only thing I ever remember her saying to me is “It’s about time your mother threw away your trousers and made you wear dresses!”
My own children barely remember their own grandparents as we were out of the country such a lot when they were small. I have always been determined that my only grandchild should have a proper relationship with us (whether he likes it or not?!).

Like your style greyduster your grandchild will enjoy your company.

I knew my grandparents on both sides, and saw them fairly frequently, although we lived quite a long way away. My father’s mother died when he was eight, and his father married soon after, we think to make a home for the children together, since they had been sent to live with different relatives. She was a rather short- tempered woman, a Catholic of the very superstitious kind, and we children never really warmed to her, nor her to us. However, my mother’s parents were lovely. I also knew my father’s paternal grandparents, two very upright, Victorian figures, who owned a farm, and my mother’s maternal grandmother, who was a hoot. She was a Cockney, with a repertoire of music Hall songs, a liking for “a drop of gin,” and taught us how to do “knees up Mother Brown” and “the Lambeth walk.” She died when she was 98. My own mother is 91 and has nine great- grandchildren. She looks after two of them after school one day a week, and in the holidays too.

I knew both grannies quite well. English granny (maternal) had been in Scotland for most of her married life, but still spoke with her native Leicestershire accent. She lived just round the corner from us, and we could reach her by going out of our back gate, into a field and straight into her garden where we often played, climbed trees and hid in the old air raid shelter. Poor granny tried in vain to teach me to sew, as she was a very good needlewoman herself. Neat hemming stitches are still beyond me. Her house was a home from home for me. I'd often drop in on my way home from school.
Scottish granny (paternal) lived in Fife. My grandpa died when I was 7. I was always a little bit afraid of her as she was quite strict and I was always inclined to be a bit rebellious. We spent a fortnight there ever summer. Her large garden was a paradise for us. She had every kind of soft fruit as well as apple and pear trees. I sometimes took refuge in a big old pear tree. She always had new ropes on the swing for us and fresh sand in the sandpit. There was a summer house where we could go and read and a croquet lawn where we had endless competitions. She played cards with us except on Sundays when she took us to church, always wearing her brown felt hat and a fox fur. She taught me to turn the heel of a sock - a skill I almost immediately forgot.
The two grannies were very different, but when Fife granny came to visit us, they got on like a house on fire,

Mine were lovely. Paternal GM lived with us when my mother left. I was 7 years old. She knitted and cooked basic, but nutritious meals.
My other GM was also lovely ( horrified at mother ) I went there for all the summer holidays. She knitted as well, not such a good cook but very loving.

My paternal grandfather died before I was born and my paternal grandmother when I was 14. I used to go and see her with my dad but she was never affectionate to me and I don’t think she really liked children she already had a lot of grandchildren by the time me and my brother were born ( dad was one of 9 ) and I think by that time she’d lost interest!

My maternal grandparents lived very near us and we saw them most days. They were very different and hugged and kissed us, played with us and gave us a lot of time. I adored my grandfather who sat me on his lap and read to me when I was small. When I moved in front of the words he would say “ let the dog see the rabbit” a dialect way of saying move out of the way. He died when I was 26 but my grandmother lived for many years afterwards Grandfather died of bowel cancer Nanna of old age! I have lovely memories of them

we lived with my maternal nan until i was 7, she looked after me as both mum and dad worked, she took me everywhere and quite often with a friend in tow. even when we moved i stayed there every weekend and school hols. she lived long enough to see her first great grandson. my maternal grandfather died when i was 6 months old. both paternal grandparents i used to see once a year when we went on holiday to the north east where my dad was from, my grandma died when i was 4 and granddad when i was 10, i just about remember him. My mum died when i was 18 so was not around when my children were born but my dad was for all three until the youngest was 9 and they all have good memories of him. their paternal granddad died when the oldest 2 were very young so have no memory of him at all. their paternal nan died recently so they all have loads of memories, they are all grown up and 2 have their own famillies. i only see my daughters children, i have them at least one day a week, and so hope they will have many happy memories of me

My maternal GM died when I was very young and I only have a couple of memories of her. My paternal GM died when I was a teenager but because she didn't live with us I didn't see her very much so no memories really. Because of this I am trying to create nice memories for my gch in the hope that they'll have stronger memories. They are 3 and 7 and we do lots of things on the 3 or 4 times a year I see them. I love looking after them and showing them new things.

I am one of 13 cousins, one of the oldest. About 6 of us were sitting in Kew Gardens recently recounting memories of our grandmother, we had some lovely tales to tell and we all loved her. Indeed she was a good role model as we are all very good grandmothers ourselves. I realised that she lives on in our memories and has had a big influence on all of us. Ho wonderful is that?

My father was only 4 and his sisters 6 and 2 years old when their mother died, in her early thirties. His father remarried and emigrated from Scotland to Canada. He, too, died long before I was born.

My maternal grandparents lived in York ( we lived in Chester) so at least some part of every school holiday was spent with them.

I adored them both. Grandpa died when I was 7 but I still remember so much about him. Nana lived until she was 90, I was 23, so we had a lot of precious time together. I still miss her and quote her pearls of wisdom.

My paternal grandmother brought me up. On and off until I was 9 then permanently from then on. I didn’t see much of my maternal gran. My brother and I used to refer to them as my nan ( who I lived with) and his nan, because he saw her more.

Gonegirl, you accidentally clicked the Caps Lock button. This is the effect, reverses upper and lower case letters. Just click again to return to normal.

I only ever knew my paternal grandmother. She was the gentlest, kindest person you could hope to meet. I always felt honoured that my parents had given me her first name, and now I have a granddaughter with that name too. I was so touched that I cried when my DD and SiL told me. She goes by a shortened version, but that is fine - she still has the connection with her heritage without being burdened with it.

I have many happy memories of both grandmothers who taught me so much, but one grandad died when I was 4 and the other 12 (and I wasn't allowed to go to the funeral, probably because I was oldest grandchild, and it was easier to say 'No grandchildren') so far fewer memories there.
Both my children's grandads died within 6 months of each other when one child was very little and before the other was born. Sadly neither grandmother was particularly interested in grandchildren, nothing like my grandmas.
My little granddaughter has a step-grandad who is so good with her, and 2 adoring grandmas.

My maternal Nanny loved in next road & I could walk out of our garden across driveway into hers. Really useful if Mum was in a bad mood. As an only child I got spoilt rotten by my GPS. She lived to see me married & held on until she had held my first son. I loved her very Much. My other gran lived near the sea so that was useful for holidays too. I did not know her so well but she was sweet, & loving too.
I must say my Grandad who lived behind us was my favourite person in the world until he sadly died when I was 7.I adored him & he was never too busy for me. I was a bit scared of seaside grandad, - he was very stern.
I hope I am as good a Grandma as mine were.

My much loved maternal grandma died only 3 years ago aged 99 . She was quite simply the best grandma I could have ever wished for . Up until her death we were a 5 generation family, sadly now down to 4 .

My paternal grandmother and maternal grandfather died before I was born. Both grandparents remarried. They lived a long way from us and we saw them once a year, or less. When they visited I was always told "children should be seen and not heard". I don't recall either of them playing with me or taking any notice of me (or my brother). Both grandparents died when I was a young adult. Since seeing my children grow up with a maternal grandfather and paternal grandmother being close to them, I've come to realise what I missed out on. Luckily I am close to my grandchildren.

My grandmother was a Welsh lady who ended up living in Liverpool. When I was eleven she came to live us in Ireland. She was a strong willed woman, who went on to treat my mum (then in her fifties) like a little girl. She would have mum running errands and was soon the boss of the house. This is sad because she was much nicer when she lived in her own home in Liverpool. The positives were that she was a beautiful knitter and always had a big bag of sweets to share.

I can remember all grandparents although one was a step. My mother's dad was a farmer and worked so hard. He was up at 5 to milk cows and my grandmother was a formidable cook who never served day old bread, pie or cakes to guests. They used to write to me at university and I loved their letters.

I can only remember my maternal grandmother. She lived with us for about fifteen years and it was not a happy arrangement. She didn't like my father and she thought that her wishes should be most important in the household as she was 'an old lady'. In fact she was considerably younger than I am now. She never wanted to help out with us children, never minded us for my parents, but expected us all to do errands and jobs for her. She had been an only child adored by her own parents and also by my grandfather.