My parents on their wedding day, 80 years ago. September 9th, 1942
As we age, memories are often in solitude. Those that share them are gone, or as the eldest of six, I carry some of the better memories of my parents alone as all their siblings and friends have passed on and my siblings knew different parents once we moved to the city and five more children entered the picture. My mother died in her fifties, having been sick for five years with her youngest only just turned fourteen.
I first knew my parents as a young couple and I was the only child for well over three years. I do have an astonishing memory, both in detail, location and events. And I often recall whole conversations. They were avid cyclists and my dad had built a special seat for me on the crossbar of his bike. And I remember the picnics and excursions so very well and going fast down hills with dad making fierce noises. Their joy was to make me laugh and I delighted in their antics.
They also were part of a choral society and often held rehearsals in our flat we had in a small town in East Cork. I would hear them at night singing wonderful songs of old as they both had fine voices.
They were both avid readers and instilled in me a life long love of books.
The years were post war(called The Emergency in neutral Ireland) and rationing of just about everything was the norm.
Relatives would drop in regularly, my mother’s parents and three of her sisters and two of my father’s sisters who lived in the town and they loved to show me off in the various homes they would drop in on. That was done then. No calling ahead, everyone just dropped in in that phone-less era. And everyone always had treats for visitors, hard as they were to come by in the post war years.
Dad was very well known as he was the town clerk then and we couldn’t walk down the street without someone greeting him and arranging to go to various football and hurling matches on the weekend.
I continue to be astonished at the complex music they would sing together, sometimes just for me, sometimes when a crowd was in and music was the accompaniment to the evening’s socialization.
And I can recall the lyrics and melodies of their repertoire so easily and hear their voices as if it was yesterday and not 75 years ago.
Here's one they would sing together:
My father was a great fan of Richard Tauber who sings it here.
I was present at my parent's wedding - unusual for the times and in a small community too. I am the youngest in the family (my mother's second marriage after being widowed after she came to Australia). Music was not a big part of our life, and isn't in mine either. Books on the other hand...
ReplyDeleteHow lucky you are to have those precious memories.
They bring me great pleasure EC, as family life got much more challenging when we moved to the Big City. How unusual to be present at your parents' wedding in that era!
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Lovely picture! I have a similar one of my parents on their wedding day in 1948, nine months almost to the minute before I was born! Simpler times where people actually interacted with each other, face to face, rather than through texts and virtual blah blah. I know it's called progress but how much have we lost to get to here?
ReplyDeleteFor sure Molly, it's really very sad especially everyone and their "party pieces" in the various houses then. Sometimes songs, sometimes poems, sometimes stories or tune on the penny whistle and there would be a bit of dancing. It seems so long ago now.
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Oy, again! That was me, Molly @ mollybawnchronicles.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI think Blogger and Wordpress don't talk to each other Molly :D
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What great memories to have. In a way you had a privileged childhood with so much open love. Yes, especially Sundays, households had to be prepared for visitors to just drop in.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't so great when we moved to the city Andrew but that's another story as we say in Ireland. But for a time I was privileged to see the happy young couple they were.
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What a fine raconteur you are! My parents were married in June of 1942, and I was the only child for two and a half years. Your childhood sounds like mine save we had a telephone. Since our relatives and neighbors did not, the effect was the same. We always made a place at the table and expanded the menu. I loved being privy to all those conversations. I also learned a valuable life tool. I was sent upstairs for more diapers for my brother. By the first landing I forgot what was asked for. I was too ashamed to return and ask again, so I mentally recreated the entire scenario until I arrived at my mother asking for---diapers.
ReplyDeleteYou have a good memory too Joanne and I love how you trailed through the scenario. Seeing our parents as young people was a gift. Later years in my family home was fraught with anger but for a time.......
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My sister also was an only for almost four years, then I came along. I have no idea what her memories might be and my own are not the same, since we each see things in different ways, even while living the same family lives. My brother's memories are different again.
ReplyDeleteAs they say River, there can be 10 children in a family and all have different memories. I am so glad I saw my parents way back then as a joyful young couple just having fun and singing so much.
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I have the same memories. People always dropping in, it never happens now, although I still get the urge to tidy up "just in case"! Everyone had their party pieces, lots of music and dancing. I am the eldest child as well, so was quite spoiled. All the others in the photo are long gone.
ReplyDeleteOld age gives us time to reflect Jackie and I am so grateful I can do that as it's truly a privilege. And I could listen to those party pieces forever. And my mother and father duetting.
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You have a much better memory of your childhood and your parents than I have. My memory is dreadful. I'm amazed that you can recall whole conversations. It looks like you had a great relationship with your parents. Marvellous that they gave you such a lasting love of books.
ReplyDeleteIt deetiolated once we moved to the city Nick and I believe I have shared what an angry man my dad became. Totally different from the young man I knew, that's why I wrote about it. My memory is quite astonishing. I hope I don't lose it.
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It sounds like you had a wonderful childhood and it's a bonus that you are able to remember so many details. I have been unable to open the video but I am familiar with Richard Tauber and I too am impressed with his fine voice.
ReplyDeleteYes, a powerful voice David and he died so very many years ago. I believe my father modelled his own voice on him. A lovely tenor too. If you push the "watch on you tube" in the centre of the image, it will play,
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As you probably know, my younger days till my 16th year was in a dysfunctional family and I have very few cherished memories of my parents together. I am glad that you had a much better time then.
ReplyDeleteA kind of reversal here Ramana as later years with my father were not happy. Far from it.
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I had forgotten about Richard Tauber. This was one of my father’s favorites too. I used to play it on the piano for him - he didn’t have a good singing voice but he’d softly sing along. He was a sentimental Limerick man. Gosh, it was a long time ago. Good heavens!
ReplyDeleteSorry, I’ve screwed up here. Re comment above: I’m not anonymous, I’m RoisinNY, known to WWW.
DeleteRemarkable memory you have there. I can only recall few and dispersed glipmses of before I turned 6. Thise are precious memories ... it seems we had much more spare time back then, which I do not really inderstand.
ReplyDeleteThe video won't play for copyright reasons for me.
Annie here, blogspot does not accept my URL as valid. I’m told my Dad had a wonderful singing voice before he went to war, but he sang no more after he returned. Mum also had a wonderful singing voice, she sang along to her recordings of musicals on Saturday afternoons. Dad’s family were all very musical, but it did not pass to the next generation.
ReplyDeleteWonderful memories and so detailed you have. The recall I have of my family (my only sibling ten years older) during my earliest years is only of a variety of specific events, most pleasant, some just actions of my own. Most are visual, a still photograph or a video of action.
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