What was your relationship like with your grandparents?

Many happy memories of both sets of grand-parents.
Maternal grand-parents were both lovely and I spend many happy days there during school holidays and at week-ends.
Loved 'school holiday Mondays' when I would help with the weekly wash. All done outside during the summer!! Fire lit in wooden shed to heat water in a boiler!! Elf and safety would have a field day now!!
Paternal grand-parents lived in a bungalow with land attached and kept pigs and chickens. Many happy weeks spent there in school holidays along with my two cousins.
We would help make the 'mash' for feeding times and collect eggs too. We would go along the lane collecting brambles in season and Nanna would make bramble and apple pie. She also made waffles for us with one of the old irons.
So many happy memories

I used to go and stay with my grandparents for a week every year. There were no toys in their house, but I remember my gran allowing a stray cat into the house for me to pet! I loved watching the grandfather clock being wound. I liked my gran's cooking and the way she held a whole loaf under her arm to slice it. We visited all the relatives during the week and had lots of fancy afternoon teas. The front parlour was the good room and it was filled with interesting things like parasols. I loved the bedroom as it had pink curtains so the light seemed pink to me. I also loved the bathroom because it had a wooden toilet seat which was painted green!

My gd on my mums side of the family died when I was about 8 I do remember his garden and the chickens I could feed when I went there, but sadly not much of a relationship with him because he died quite young. My gm however was not very nice she expected us to sit on the sofa and be quiet you know the old saying children should be seen and not heard.My dads mum died before I was born and my gd didn’t have much to say he would just strum his banjo when we were there. I have a great relationship with my gd and my ma and pa did with all my siblings gc,

I only knew my maternal Gran, my other Gran died in her early fifties years before we were born and both Grandfathers died when I was still a baby. Gran came to live with us for two years after Mum was very ill following the birth of my baby brother, she taught me how to cook, do the washing, ironing and knitting as we were often at her house once she went back home. She died when I was 17 and I was - to be honest - much more upset than I was when my Mum passed away decades later, I was far closer to my Gran than to my Mum. Gran didn't play games with us but she was strict and would find something to do if you looked or sounded bored - scrubbing the step, polishing the door brass, making mud scraping boards for my Uncles' work boots (from milk bottle crowns) - always something needed tending too.

Nanny is my role model, loved it with her, she looked after me and my cousin in her Chelsea flat when she got back from early morning cleaning, to allow our mothers to go off to their office jobs, she let us look for ages in Woolworths without rubbishing the toys we admired. She had loads of girlfriends that came round. If she had not got much in we had 'sops' for lunch. She had worked all her life, in Cotton mills, posh hotels, restaurants, liked to go to the pub of an evening, if you called unexpected you had to call through the letterbox, in case she had a gentleman round. Even when married Uncle Georgie her son called by for lunch but told us super stories of being in Malaya. She tried to dissuade my Mum from getting me trained as a Shorthand typist, said she would be better working with people or animals, she was exactly right when I trained as a psychiatric nurse it was if I had come home. The hours spent with her make up and 'jewels', what joy of life that Lancashire lass gave, she had time for you, dyed red hair almost to the end, silky peachy pink knickers closed at the knee, always a smart hat with a pin.

I remember my Paternal Grandma as a little old Victorian lady, she died when I was 5, Paternal Grandpa was a tall, Victorian man who I loved very much, he went to live with my Aunt (his oldest Step-D) until he died when I was 11.

My Maternal GPs lived in the same Village as my Ps, they lived at the Station House, Granddad was a Signalman & I often walked down the Sidings to be with him in the Signal Box, that's where I got my love of Railways & Steam Trains.

My Granny was a lovely lady, sadly she died when I was only 8. Both of my Maternal GPs loved gardening, something which was passed to my DM & myself. A short while after Granny died Granddad came to live with us. he could turn his hand to making many things & still loved gardening right up to his death when I was 16.

I now live near my DD & 2 DGS following the death of my DH (my DD's Step-F). I love seeing my DGS, my DGS1 stil has vague memories of Gramps (he was almost 3 when Gramps died), when DD was pregnant with DGS2 , DGS1 announced that he would play "Peek-a-Boo" with his little brother just like Gramps did with him

I had a very poor relationship with my mother and I always think of my maternal grandmother as my saviour. Mum would pack me off the minute any school holidays started to stay with Granny and Grandad, and I adored it. Gran absolutely lavished affection on me, with lots of kisses and cuddles, none of which I got at home. Even grandfather, a man of few words, called me his 'little woman' - a warm endearment from him. I was allowed to help out with their smallholding - pigs, hens and dogs, plus (joy of joys) join them in their fish and chip shop where the entire village made a great fuss of me. They barely made enough money to get by and worked non-stop, but they had absolute hearts of gold.

My parents moved from Lancashire to Sussex before they married, moving into separate lodgings I might add. Father’s parents welcomed us on our two yearly visits and I remember enjoying grandpa’s stories but grandma was a distant, and I now know, unwell lady. Mother’s father died when she was a child and the only grandparent who made any impact on us was her mother. I was fascinated by the fact that both my parents hated going to see her and there were arguments. Granny was very deaf and had a hearing aid with a big box attached to her waist to power it (I presumed) and would say something provocative and then snap the off switch and sit there singing to herself. My parents had done their best to lose their Lancashire accents and their backgrounds too and we kids delighted in Granny’s constant use of the word ‘lavvy’. Any directions to anywhere seemed to include all the lavvies and pubs en route and my parents would wince as we giggled. I realised after she had died that mother had a difficult childhood helping to raise two younger brothers. which she blamed on her mother. Granny resented mother fleeing her side and blamed my father, which I can understand with one of my DDs on the other side of the world?

My grandmother was very Victorian and expressed that "children were seen and not heard" in her day. Mum visited her twice a week (we lived just round the corner) and we (sister and I) joined them on the way home from school. We sat there quietly while the grown ups talked and we weren't expected to join in. I read her copy of Woman or Woman's Own while my sister just sat there looking bored. We shopped for her on Saturday morning.
Mum didn't really get on with her but they tolerated each other (she got on better with her dad but he died of pneumonia in his mid-sixties).
We rarely visited our other grandma (Dad's mother) as she lived two bus journeys away. She was much nicer and actually included us in conversation.

Add these memories to your life story they are priceless

I was a shy little girl and can remember being shy in both sets of grandparent's houses. I did like to explore though. One set lived in a tiny thatched cottage with a spiral staircase and uneven floors and a huge garden with thick rows of lilies by the front gate. My Granny wore dresses made of a material I like to touch. The others lived further away and we saw them once a year on average. My Grandpa had a very dry sense of humour and offered us lemonade and a teaspoon of sherry. I can remember watching the 1966 world cup there. My Grandma was a very capable cook and had a walk-in larder. I can still see her standing in the doorway with the meat tin looking for flour to make the gravy.

We lived with my nan in her council house. She looked after me while my parents worked but she died when I was 8 so, sadly, can't really remember her much but I'm sure I was well loved. Then the council kicked us out of our lovely 3 bed house where my mom had lived all her life as they didn't hand on the tenancy in those days (1950s) to daughters, especially one who was well into her forties and unlikely to have more children. We transferred to a two bed maisonette for several years which my parents hated as it had no garden for growing veg and flowers, communal washing lines/bins etc. and my family were very private people.

I know my mom loved and missed her mom so much as she visited her grave weekly until she died herself and asked if she could have my wedding bouquet to take to her grave so I suspect I was close to my nan as a child. My maternal grandfather had run off and left my nan pregnant and both paternal grandparents died before I was born so never knew them.

I try to be a good nanny (friend, playmate, storyteller, disciplinarian!) to my granddaughters and see them quite often ( 6, 1 and one on the way) as I do the school run at least once a week, have tea there and help with bedtime, babysit and they come to stay with me several times a year when their dad works away. One daughter lives 15 miles away and the other pregnant one is in the same town. I hope my grandchildren will remember me with affection as I am very hands on with them and look after their pets too.

I loved my maternal grandfather very much. He lived until his late 90's and still holds an important place in my heart. His wife was unwell most of the time I knew her - she'd had a stroke - and died in her early 60's when I was about 7. My paternal grandfather was lovely but died when I was 8. My paternal grandma was a quiet and reserved lady who was not especially comfortable with children but, on reflection, she was quite kind to me in her own way.

I'm so glad my grandparents were still alive for me to know them, even if only for a short time, and that I have some fond memories of them. There is only my Mum now and a couple of cousins who live a long way away.

I, too, have read every post. They remind me how important Grandparents are to the family scene. Also, how life has changed and how children have lost some freedoms. The way we were let out the door to play and needn't come back till we were hungry just does not happen now.
We loved our Nan - my Mum's Mum. She was tiny, indomitable, and great fun. Widowed in her early 40s she lived in as a housekeeper to the daughter of a very wealthy family. We were all welcome to visit and allowed the run of the lovely garden. When she retired she lived with her sister. She was disabled with painful hips but lived so cheerfully. I remember the rollicking laughter and fun around her. Her epitaph on her grave is "Her valiant spirit lives".
Sadly my paternal grandmother was not a happy woman. My dad was an only child and my grandma lived with us after she was widowed. I don't remember my Grandpa as a happy soul either. My Grandma and my Mum didn't get on at all, which made family life difficult. My Dad was like a piece of chewing gum between them. Grandma was a great cook, and an elegant dresser. She was kind to us children when we were little but there wasn't much warmth.

I didn't know my paternal Gm, she died when I was a baby. My maternal Gm was a wonderful nanna. I didn't have a very happy childhood, my mam was not a good mother, so i loved going to nannas house. It was a place where I felt safe and loved. I remember how she took all of the grandchildren who lived in London to live up here during the war. The home was always full to overflowing with children, but I know that I was special to her. I loved sleeping there even though we had to sleep top to toe in the beds, because the beds were clean and warm. At home there were no sheets or pillow cases, just dirty old army blankets. My mother only thought about herself, and most of the money she got as housekeeping went on clothes for herself, she was always in debt and would sleep with anyone. My nanna and granddad provided all the love and care my brother and i got. I was devastated when she died quite suddenly when i was 11.

I had a lovely relationship with my mums patents my Nana was my 2nd mum I am an only child and my mum was 1 of 5 so there was loads going on all the time. My mum and dad both worked shifts so I went to Nan's house after school loads of stories and I still miss my Nana and grandad after more than 30 Years my mum was a brill Nana 2my 2 as well early she died almost 2 years ago I try tone a good Nana Tony grandson taking my memories from my childhood my dads mum was great but she had so many grandchildren you couldn't get close my grandad died before I was born. I think if you have a good relationship with your grandparents it helps in everyday with your grandchildren

I grew up on tripe - my maternal grandmother, who had been widowed twice, kept a tripe shop during the war. When my father was posted abroad we went to live with her, behind the shop. She was a great comfort as my mother was very difficult. I used to share her bed and remember the enormous pink corsets she wore. And remember her sharpening the very long knife she used in the shop to cut up the tripe. There were long queues
every morning of women in those headscarves they wore at that time. If the tripe and the cow heels were late coming they would get very aggressive by granny could cope with them.

After the war she went to Australia and married again for the third time. I still have all the letters she wrote back. She was a great example of what Churchill says - in latest film - of bu.......ing on! I often think of her when things get rough.

Am I missing something but who exactly was' the rudest grandchild '

Bluebell and twiceasnice, sounds like we are all trying to be as well remembered as our own wonderful grand parents. Quite the richest relationships I have are with my DGC (9 in all)

One granny lived round the corner; the other was the other side of Scotland. Granny-round-the-corner was, simply, always there. I suppose we just took it for granted that we could drop in on the way home from school. We could go round to read to comic strips in the Sunday Post which my Dad din't buy. She had an extended back garden which we commandeered as a play area as we could access it from the back of our house. She tried to teach me needlecraft but, sadly, failed. She wasn't a cuddly granny, but she was always there. She had curly silver hair which she loved to have us comb for her. I wish she had known my sons. Granny-in-Fife came on a sort of royal progress annually and had a great friendship with her local counterpart. I found her a bit intimidating as she was quite strict. But she helped me with my school knitting - turned the heels of the socks I had to knit. She always supplied book tokens. In summer, we went to stay with her for a fortnight in her house with a large and productive garden. We picked (and ate) raspberries, gooseberries and all kinds of currants. She made jam and the scones to eat it with. She took a packet of mints to church to keep us quiet. She inspired respect but not much affection, and my relationship with her was sometimes 'prickly' when I didn't agree with her old-fashioned views.

My paternal granny died before I was born, likewise my maternal grandfather. I have very few memories of my paternal grandfather who died when I was about 8. My maternal granny was the one I do remember although she was over 70 when I was born and very deaf, I saw her regularly when she visited my mum but again it was seen and not heard most of the time, it was mum she came to see.

The only grandmother I ever knew was my mother's step mother and she was horrible. Always showed preference to her 'real' grandchildren (by my mother's father) and my grandad wasn't much better. He allowed my mother to be dragged up by this horrible woman when she could have had a lovely life with her late mother's family. The sad thing is that my mother did all she could for them and got no thanks, I suppose she was looking for a sign of love. Got that off my chest!

My maternal Grandmother died when I was three, I dont remember her, my maternal Grandfather was strict but kind too, he helped me with piano lessons.
My Fathers side of the family were also strict, we went to visit them on Sundays for tea, I used to play with one Aunt there with all the shoes they had in the house we played shop for ages.Sometimes I would pick up their phone ( a luxury after the war) then the operator would ring and say " would you please take that child away from the phone" I had a happy childhood and was taught respect.

Paddyann... you sure were not related?! I only had one grandmother.. my mum’s mum and she lived with us after my granddad died. I was two when she moved in and it meant three of us kids in one bedroom me and two brothers! My eldest sis had to bunk with gran.then luckily elder sis married just as I hit puberty and I ‘moved’ in to nans bedroom.
!! Honestly people moan today if they haven’t a bedroom each. Never heard off in my council estate!! My gran was ok...she’d play quiet games with us ( board games) but no rough and tumble stuff. She’d read stories she taught me to read if cereal packets and sauce bottles...I remember that... there was no money for books so she’d take us and sign us up with library. We ran errands for her ( mostly sweets and hairnets)!!! She’d pack up a bag of sandwiches on school holiday mornings while parents at work and send us off with a warning not to come back till tea-time.She was a rock for us and never raised her voice let alone her hands ...and many times she would’ve been justified in clouting us. We loved her. Never met my fathers parents as he ran away from home at 14 and never had anything to do with them although he kept in touch with his six sisters!! Oh and nan taught us to play poker as well , top notch nan!!

My father's mother grew up in London and I remember her telling us about 'penny bazaars', shops when she grew up, where nothing cost more than a penny. Also, she was there for Queen Victoria's funeral and remembered it well. What a link with history! To be told in person about the crowds and the procession by someone who actually saw the occasion.