Thursday 23 July 2009

Mothers


Today is my mother's birthday. Alice Maud was born on July 23rd 1893 in the fens of Lincolnshire. She was one of eight children - five girls and three boys and they all made it to adulthood in spite of being quite poor; that was a pretty good record for those days.

She went into service at around fourteen years of age, working as a kitchen maid in a house in Lincoln, which was where she met my father, John Henry. Father used to speak of their courting days when he walked seven miles to see her on her afternoon off - and then seven miles back home at night - they made them fit in those days. They had almost sixty years of happy marriage together before both dying in 1972 - within a few months of each other.

The photograph, taken in 1913, is of my father, mother and sister. I came along twenty two years later! It is still my favourite picture of my mother, who looks so elegant and so serious.

I wish we wore hats like that now! Do you have a favourite photograph of a parent? I love these old photographs, posed in a studio and looking so po-faced.

32 comments:

mrsnesbitt said...

Hmmmmm will have to have a rummage! Ooooooooooo Matron! You can't beat a good old rummage! lol! I think there is a favourite one of mum on my blog somewhere.It is my favourite cos she has pride in her eyes.xxx

Gigi Ann said...

What a lovely photograph of you parents and sister. I love hats also, when I was a teen-ager and into my 20s something we wore hats, I loved them.

I have a favorite photograph of my father, I just posted it on "Ann's Photo Blog" a few days ago. It was a school picture that the photographer I am featuring took somewhere between 1909-1911. My father was born in 1901. I was the youngest of eight children and he died when I was 4 years old, so it was a thrill when I ran across that picture in my collection.

Reader Wil said...

It's a nice photo indeed! If you want to see my old pictures, go back to my post of 15 December 2008. It's an entry for that's My World, and it was about my life. Thanks far your comment. Everything is okay and the damage can be repaired, I hope.

Arija said...

A lovely picture of your mother indeed - she was not only stately, but quite a dish as well.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

What a wonderful photograph of your parents. Your mother's hat is sooo gorgeous, and yes I too wish we still wore hats such as this. I am currently reading a book that I am enjoying very much, and the years are similar to the ones of your mother. It's called The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. One of those books that are just really good tales, you know? You might want to look into it!

I have some lovely photographs of my parents and feel quite fortunate to do so.

ArtPropelled said...

What an attractive looking couple. I have a lovely photo of my mum which is framed and sitting in front of me as I type this comment.

Tess Kincaid said...

Just like Lizzy marrying one of the under butlers in "The Remains of the Day"! So romantic. Lovely photo of your handsome parents.

Hildred said...

Your Mum looks so elegant, and very sweet along with it. And your Dad a really handsome fellow....

I have a box of old family photos which I retrieved from a cousin, who was about to throw them out, - sometime I must post a few of the most treasured ones.

I was always a hat lady too, - now I rely on fancy straw ones that you can wear casually in the summer.

Cat said...

Your parents were so handsome. I can see why your father would walk those 14 miles to spend time wish with such a beautiful woman. He had to be head over heels for her!

Heather said...

What a lovely family group - your mother was a beautiful woman and I can see a strong resemblance to you from your photos. That hat is gorgeous - today's fashions are so inelegant. It's wonderful that your parents had such a long and happy marriage but sad for you to lose them so close together.

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

What a beautiful photograph and how odd to think that what looks like a piece of history is not really that long ago.

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Your mother is beautiful - and your father is attractive too. I have a photo of my parents that is not posed and very playful. She is sitting on his shoulders and his arms are up in the air so that he can hold her hands. They seem to be laughing wildly at this silly, somewhat childish escapade. I know it would have been my mother who talked my father into this. I would never have thought of this today, but for your lovely post and invitation to think back.

HelenMWalters said...

I love old photos like that. What a different life she must have led.

Kim Palmer said...

Oh Pat, your mother looks so beautiful here. I too love her hat,makes me long for a little of the Victorian elegance in this day and age. People just don't dress with any elegance anymore, at least not unless their rich and famous and many of them still leave much to be desired as well, LOL! I will find a piccy myself and post in a few days, just have to dig it out.

Anonymous said...

A beautiful couple. And a real tribute to their years together.

Pick a Peck of Pixels is my photo blog with a difference -- I am hoping you are the difference. For this blog to be famous and me written about in the Wall Street Journal like I was in the seventies, will require more than a couple of dozen hits a day. If 10,000 visitors leave comments then it is instantly famous and your comments are part of history. Lets Make History.

gleaner said...

Weaver I love this photo and story. Since I was little I would always look at photos, particularly old portrait photos, stare into their faces and ask lots of questions. Your mother is very beautiful and has quite distinct features, from your blog photos I see a strong resemblance with you.
Thank you for this post, it's very special.

Titus said...

Exquisite photograph, can you imagine the effort that dressing involved in those days? And everyone's right, the hat is to die for. It is your mother's eyes that I am drawn to, so direct and challenging.
Must see what I can hoick out next time I'm down at Mum's. I do have one of my parents on honeymoon, but not sure how well it will scan. I'll give it a try as these pictures are so evocative, and act as remembrance of times, and people, past.

Elizabeth said...

Happy Birthday to your mother.
Yes, what an elegant couple.
Strange how it is both historical and very personal too.
Old photos are so fascinating.

Unknown said...

Beautiful photograph. It is also nice to see the hand coloured photographs of an age long gone and sadly missed.

Totalfeckineejit said...

I was coming to your blog to say something about my dad and by coincidence you have posted about your parents.They are a fine couple, that is a most splendid hat and your mother is very pretty behind that serious expression,you do look like her ,weaver.I was away at my dad's grave a couple of days ago and I usually leave a memento behind as I don't get there more than once every year or two.This time I had nothing, then I remembered how you had gathered wild flowers in a bunch and tied to a gate for the farmer, so I picked a few dandelions ,cow parsley and a few bits and bobs I don't know the name of and tied them with a long piece of grass and left them on his grave.Thanks for the idea Weaver!

Jenn Jilks said...

My condolences, Weaver. I understand...

Beautiful post.

Penny said...

Lovely hat, beautiful couple, I too can see the resemblance. On my mothers 97th Birthday in October I will post a photo of her.

Vagabonde said...

What a lovely hat and a pretty picture as well. I have some old photos in my post about my mother’s birthday – you can look at them here http://avagabonde.blogspot.com/2009/05/mothers-birthday-lanniversaire-de-maman.html I collect vintage postcards and also vintage photographs. It is much better if the photos are from one’s family though, your photograph is very beautiful.

Pondside said...

Your mother is the picture of Victorian elegance, but with a serenity in her demeanor that belies the hard life that a woman of her time had. She was born one year after my grandmother, who died at the young age of 57 and never got to see any of her grandchildren.
Beautiful post.

Cloudia said...

Such a noble family!! Easy to see why this is a favorite photo, Weaver.

Thank you for sharing your treasure with us, your friends.

aloha-

Comfort Spiral

Midlife Roadtripper said...

The families in the photos are usually so stoic and serious. There is a hint of joy your father and your mother. Not the scowl reminicient of many I've seen. They look happy!

Crafty Green Poet said...

what a lovely photo

Unknown said...

Hello Weaver,

It is indeed a lovely photograph. You know how much I like those studio ones from my own recent posts. And the hat is Fab! Rather Eliza Doolittle-ish, in the nicest possible way.

Jinksy said...

Wonderful photo, and the headgear deserves an Oscar all its own. As it happens, my Mum was born 25 July 1911, so we may well have had similar inspiration from the Mum's corner. Mine was a 5ft 2in, Titian haired goer- neither of which traits she passed to me, come to think of it!

BT said...

Can you imagine any man walking 14 miles to see a girlfriend today? No, me neither. What a romantic your Dad was. The photo is lovely, your mum looks stern but very attractive and your Dad handsome. I have lots of old family photos. I must get them scanned some time. My mother worked for a time in a photographer's shop and my father took lots of photos and used to develop them at home.

steven said...

hi weaver, i was visiting my mum yesterday (who also visits your blog by the way) and i said, you've got to see her post today, it's about her mum and dad. a lovely insight into your heritage. it was so very different then - a fourteen mile round trip walk!! for love - well yes i'd do that!!!! steven

Anonymous said...

Weaver,A beautiful photo! Yes your mother is elegant. The only photos of my parents, which our family have, are a few before they got married and their wedding photos. None of them together after that. Both died young. Dad died at 40 (1968) and mum was 42 (1976) when she died. We had the biggest rummage, extended family beyond the six siblings included, but couldn't find any of them together beyond the wedding photos.