More
Old Timers Reminisce
Bobby
(on old photographs)
I'm pleased to say I recognize the picture from a long time ago
-
1951/52 in
fact. I took this pic with a school-made cardboard box 'pinhole camera'
copied
from a Lea Bank design.
If you're not familiar with the
procedure, it involved simply
constructing a cardboard-box 21/2" x 2"(approx), and placing a piece
of light-sensitive photo paper inside in a dark-room, putting a
pin-hole
opposite the paper, placing finger over until you had placed the
'camera' in
position at your chosen scene (in this case the West side of Height's
Farm
approximately 15 yds off)..... lift finger off for 2 seconds...
replace, and
back to the dark-room..... in 'developer', then 'fixer' and
'hey-presto'... one
piece of History.
(This
picture is in the Nodial Gallery)
The picture you sent appears to be Auntie
Alice as I recollect her to
look
like.... but I can't vouch for the dog's ID as she had so many over the
years. You
may have been told by Vera or your Dad that she used to take 'stray'
dogs home
on a regular basis. Her mother regularly used to give her an earful for
doing
this, but Alices' reply was unrepentant....
"I couldn’t
leave the poor animal to starve
could I
Mother?"
....(no contest) seeing as Alice was
providing the food,
her Mother just had to contend with them round the house all day.
Incidentally
did you know that there was an ongoing arrangement with the local
caretaker, whatever,
at the church at the end of Wesley Grove where they lived, to provide
burial
space in the graveyard just over the wall by the houses. At a guess
there could
be anything up to a dozen dogs buried there. That's dedication isn’t
it!.
The last dog, (sorry.. 'stray') I heard
of Alice taking into her care was
a long-haired Great Dane style hound that she found 'abandoned' on the
platform
of Shrewsbury Railway Station, which accompanied her home much to It's
delight
and probably Its’ owner, who would immediately become so much richer in
pocket.
My memory recalls visits to Grandma
Perkins abode in Wesley Grove, where
one would be met by a crescendo of noise of awakened residential dogs
that did
not take kindly to us, and would take great delight in showing us the
colour of
their teeth and their deep bass growls when Alice and her Mother were
out of
sight.
The recompense we visitors had was
hearing said dogs reprimanded for
'bolting' their food in the kitchen, usually brought on by trying to
swallow
all the bones left in the fish-heads and 'lights' that Alice used to
boil for
them.
Auntie
Alice herself was a placid person who would help in any way she
could, jovial in her position (spinster), and maintained a subtle
status with
her Mother who could be 'trying' at times. Pacification was achieved
most times
by the production of a bottle of 'Stout' each on a regular basis after
tea to
sooth the atmosphere.
(There are 2 pictures of Auntie
Alice in the Nodial Gallery)
Linda Ann
Married to George.
(on the McLoughlins and the Truckles
- mainly)
Catherine McLoughlin was George's Grandmother. George does not remember
too much. He knew the Nolans had Taxis and my sister in law Sheila
used to go dancing with Dolly. Sheila by the way is married to my elder
brother Walter.
I am sure John and Martha lived in Longmoor Lane Aintree at one time.
Not sure if one of the boys was named Jeffrey.
All the information about Eliza Truckle born to Mary Ann is true. I
have her birth certificate and have the family on the census records.
The line goes back to Robert in 1700's. Sorry I can not help with
William's army records. I have not actually searched for them but
another member of the McLeod family has and she just can not find his
discharge papers, although Joan has found various other army documents
which give a good idea of where he was stationed etc.
As for the marriage lines they do not indicate William needed
permission. I do not think they did in that early period. His father
was William and deceased at the time. Eliza states father Thomas a
working gardener. But Thomas Who is not known as she was illegitimate.
Mary did not marry a Thomas but she may have married another person the
same time as her daughter got married.
Judging by what you have told me I think you must be the daughter of
the Tommy Nolan who had a farm near Bacup or was that your brother. I
know my father in law George went up with a few of the family one time
and the story he told us when he came back was hilarious.
I am also connected with the Truckles from my side of the family. My
mothers parents were from the Isle of Man and one of her great
grandfathers brothers went to Australia. His wife died after her third
child and He went to an orphanage and took out a sixteen year old named
Eliza Truckle who he married. They went on to have several more
children.
Eliza was born about 1851 and her parents went to Australia shortly
after. Sadly her mother died and she was placed in the home. Her father
seemed to have disappeared but his death followed a few years later.
Her father James was from Stratford Subcastle in Wiltshire and
descended from a Thomas Truckle who was the grandson of the Robert I
mentioned from Amesbury who is also our Elizabeth's ancestor.