Your Grandparents

Blacksword wrote: he had worked as a draughtsman for an engineering company.!

Drafting is a major part of my vocation.  My dad had the drafting kit.  He went in to chemical engineering.  But getting my hands on it led me to it.

All mine are long gone now, sadly..

My Irish grandfather (on my mothers side) died in 1981. He grew up in an around Dublin, and used to work in a factory dying rolls of fabric. He also used to repair radios as a sideline. My Irish grandmother was a nurse and also worked part time in a convent, as some kind of domestic assistent for the nuns.

My grandmother and grandfather on my dads side both died in the 1970's, and I can't really remember much about them. In his younger years, he had worked as a draughtsman for an engineering company. My father followed in his footsteps, in this regard. They lived in a town called Slough, in the south east of England, not far from London. On a side note, just recently I found an old diary, which my dad had kept in 1941, aged 14. Very short entries, but interesting to read about Nazi V1 rockets going overhead!

My paternal grandfather was a singer with a moderate success (opera and easy listening). He is still surrounded by a veil of mystery. He was also a WWII veteran, pilot, old car collector and what not. He was married four times, my grandma was his third wife - a tailor making costumes in the opera house.

I never met my maternal grandfather - he died when my mother was a little girl. I don't know much about him; I know he was a musician and a womanizer (or so they told me).

My grandma is still alive and well, even able to hike nearby mountains with mum and me. Grandma was quite pretty when young and used to be a photo model.


It's a pity I don't have a scanner here; there are some really interesting photos in my family albums.

All gone.......they have travelled this journey before us, so much respect for ancestors regardless of individual flaws, brave souls

Only my paternal grandfather has died, and he did before I got to know him.

Edited by Andy Webb - August 07 2012 at 22:24

I'm waiting for a punchline

Why so, Pat?

Always liked this one.  My great grandmother, with her siblings, mid 1880s.  She's standing, second from left.  She died in 1938 but my Dad talked about her.  Old German gal, still spoke some German.  Strict as hell, but he remembers getting ice cream when they went to her house, she had a soft spot too. 

One of my grandpas....he was a great guy....A tough old Irishman, worked as a lumberjack and railroad man.  Liked a good bar scrap and was amazing with his fists I'm told, used to drop guys twice as big as him.  Never went to the doctor, never ate health food, smoked like a fiend, and lived to a ripe old 96. 

Wow guys, thanks for sharing.  The pets thread inspired me to start this one up.  When is comes to your grans it's often memories. I have a vague memory of a great grand one on my dad's side.

Don't know any of mine at all except for two. I heard my grandpa on my mother's side was a real freaking harda$%, kind of like my stepfather. Then paralysis got him, but he was still capable of inspiring horror in his daughters, especially my mom. Then, one night, when the news came out that he passed on, my mother was crying ... for some reason.

Edited by Dayvenkirq - August 07 2012 at 19:12