Centenary 2

One hundred years ago, the day after my Mum was born in South Wales, my Dad was born 170 miles away in London.  This is him, the eldest of the three children born to my grandmother, with his sisters Ivy (standing) and Sylvia.  Nanny, as we always knew her, came from Youghal near Cork in Ireland, she emigrated to London with her sister to take up nursing jobs.  She met my Londoner grandfather (Dadda) in the hospital where she was nursing and he was a hospital administrator.  I'm not sure what year this photo was taken, perhaps it was just before he left home to train as a pilot in the RAF.  In the early years of the 2nd World War, he was evacuated from London, and was billeted with families in Swindon.  On some weekends, he would cycle home to see his parents, a distance of about 80 miles.

After the war, he spent a short time working in a hospital as an administrator like his father.  And there he met my Mum who had moved to London to train as a nurse, and was living with her aunt who was a matron in the hospital.  Dad was an aviator, he loved to fly, and working in the hospital was never going to fulfil has ambition and passion.  So he soon returned to the RAF to fly a variety of military aircraft.  Mum joined him when they were married and my sister and I were born into a life in the forces, frequently moving from one airbase to another.

Mum and Dad's marriage broke down after 27 years, and he left home for a new life.  This began a difficult period in my relationship with him.  It was a traumatic time for Mum, and I moved home from university accommodation in Cardiff to help and support her.  I didn't see much of Dad until Mum died in 2000, when he returned to the family, and I was able to renew my relationship with him.  I had to learn how to forgive, and to come to understand the circumstances that led him to do what he did.  

We were good friends for the last fifteen years of his long life, for me it was a gift that he lived so long, so that I had that extra time with him to give me now so many fond memories to look back on.  He was a good and decent man, led astray in his middle years, who readily forgave me too for the time when I wanted nothing to do with him.   I understand now how difficult that must have been for him to endure as a father who had always done everything to ensure that my sister and I were provided and cared for.

I love you and miss you Dad. Rest in Peace.

Thank you to everyone who commented and left hearts and stars for my Mum's centenary blip.  I'm amazed that when I've been missing from here for 6 months, and I finally post a new blip, you all post the most lovely and welcoming comments.  I will catch up soon.  In the meantime, the plasterers are working hard in the 200 year old part of the house - it's been gutted, rewired, and replumbed.  And there is still a lot for us to do keeping ahead of the work, and keeping the site clean and orderly.