My grandparents

In homage to the Mono Monday theme 'Our Ancestors' here are the wedding photographs from both sets of my grandparents.

The top photograph is my maternal grandparents Peter Richardson and Elsie Munday married in 1950. Elsie was just 19 and wore a red suit bucking tradition and in keeping with her strong willed nature.

My mum arrived just shy of nine months later and was nicknamed a 'moon child' (conceived on Honeymoon) which my mum says meant very much loved and wanted.

The bottom photograph is my paternal grandparents Bertram Lancelot Oliver Williams and Antonia (Ann) Noreen Lavinia Gillett married on 25 September 1940. Ann was granted three days' leave from her Army post in Greenock (Scotland) to marry her RAF Engineer fiancé.

A few months afterwards Bert was posted on tour to North Africa where he remained for the last four years of the war. Can you imagine being separated from your new husband or wife for the first four years? Antonia was an independent and determined woman and I may have inherited some of her character traits for better or worse!

My maternal grandmother Elsie is now 84 years old and my only surviving grandparent. Rapidly progressing dementia, arthritis and diabetes have put her in poor health recently but she is currently still living at home and will NOT be told what to do! We shared a real belly laugh last Monday when I visited her. I forget the reason, but I remember the look of joy on her face.

I feel so lucky to have known all four of my grandparents and both great grandfathers. I will write about great grandad Bob and great grandad Charlie another day...

Thank you to Mrs Linda for the clever theme. I thoroughly enjoyed reading other Blippers Ancestor tales today.