FabSwingers.com forum: Grandparents

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

I never got to meet either of my Grandads, they died before I was born. Chalk and Cheese by the sound of it.

One a Communist, alcoholic and gambling addict who helped design heavy ordinance (concerning).

The other who I hear was a wonderful man and did much the same job as me in the Armed Forces, whom I look quite a lot like.

Let's hear about your grandparents.. love them, hate them.. or dont know them.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

My paternal grandparents raised me , took me in at a year old ! Always called my nan mum she’s still alive at 88

My granddad I called grandad as I still saw my dad , he was the funniest naughty talented lovely man ever who sadly died 21 years ago and I still miss him loads x

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By *abs..Woman
over a year ago

One set of grandparents had passed away before I was born. The other set I only met two or three times because we always lived abroad but they were wonderful people. When my Grandmother died they found a letter from me which I had written when I was about nine and apparently she slept with it under her pillow ever night.

Wow feel a bit

and teary now.

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By *oodnitegirlWoman
over a year ago

Yorkshire

I feel a bit bad about favouring my maternal grandad (he was awesome in every way) and he was very paternal which my own dad is not.

My dad had a really bad relationship with his own parents so we would only see the other grandad at family events etc and you know what. I was scared of him. He would try cuddle me and I’d be petrified as although I knew he was my grandad he was also a stranger.

I always ask myself if I could only magic one back for an hour which would it be and the ‘nostalgic’ side of me thinks A but the adult in me is quite gutted that grandad B never got the opportunity for any of that so I think I’d have him back and try get to know him

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

The grandad I knew was a regimented, routine-oriented and inflexible man. He was lovely so long as things were his way. He also had the biggest earlobes I've ever seen.

The other grandad dies when my dad was 4 years old. He fell when climbing a waterfall on Ben Nevis. He was on a camping trip with my dad and Nan and didn't have any climbing equipment.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I only got to meet one of my grandparents, my maternal grandad. He was full of life, a strong athlete to the end of his days at the age of 78, he was swimming lengths of a lake a few weeks before he died. He used to eat the weirdest concoctions like sweet corn on his porridge, but more than anything else he had a massive heart. He often took in people who were struggling and would help them get back on their feet. He always said things as they were, wouldn't sugarcoat anything. Miss him so much. He died when I was 18. I have built my own relationships with old neighbours because I love old people and I have missed out having grandparents xxx

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By *a LunaWoman
over a year ago

Welsh Lass

Only knew my mum’s parents and they practically raised me when my mum went out to work. My real father was violent towards me and my mum and eventually a restraining order was put in place so he couldn’t come within a few miles of us.

My grampy was in the Scots guards during the War and got shot. My nan got a “killed in action” telegram only for my grampy to rock up at her door a few months later. They then went on to manage a farm. The Scots Guards would be an important part of his later life and i’d accompany my Grampy to various Barracks around the Country for various rememberance days/parades. My Grampy was originally from Yorkshire.

My nan worked in a Hospital as a cleaner for years, but before that she worked in service in London (where she’d met my gramp).

Loved them both to bits. My grampy died first in 2005 and my nan died in 2011.

Miss them both.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"The grandad I knew was a regimented, routine-oriented and inflexible man. He was lovely so long as things were his way. He also had the biggest earlobes I've ever seen.

The other grandad dies when my dad was 4 years old. He fell when climbing a waterfall on Ben Nevis. He was on a camping trip with my dad and Nan and didn't have any climbing equipment. "

That's tragic, I am sorry to hear that xxx

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By *irthandgirthMan
over a year ago

Camberley occasionally doncaster

I have only lost one grandparent. Though lost is the wrong word, but you get the gist.

My maternal grandfather was a wonderful dotty, twinkly eyed old man. In his youth he had been a champion ballroom dancer. Even in his later years, in and out of the hospital with a variety of ailments, he would dance and twirl the nurses around the ward.

Oh god, this is the first time in years I have thought of him.. off for a nostalgic blubber.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

My grandfather was a dentist.

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By *ittle_brat_evie!!Woman
over a year ago

evesham

I had a bossy nanny (mum's mum)

Curly wurly nanny (dad's mum)

Nanny chicken soup (mum's nan)

For some reason we didn't have nicknames for the granddad's. One died when I was quite young but I do remember him. He let us eat our afters before our befores!

The other was a bit if a philanderer. He married 4 times (the last was a secret marriage that we only found out about when my mum was researching the family tree.

All gave sadly passed now.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"One set of grandparents had passed away before I was born. The other set I only met two or three times because we always lived abroad but they were wonderful people. When my Grandmother died they found a letter from me which I had written when I was about nine and apparently she slept with it under her pillow ever night.

Wow feel a bit

and teary now. "

Sorry.. good tears I hope. Whereabouts abroad Babs?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Both mine are dead one was a grumpy old git

Other was my hero the only idol i ever had after 25 years iv still not got over his death

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

On my Dad’s side, both died shortly after I was born. There are few stories about them so I don’t really know much, although I did find out about a month ago (and bearing in mind I’m 57) that my Nan was Irish!

On my Mums side, Nan was an orphan, a lovely lady who accepted me for who I was, not something my parents seemed to do much. She died on my 16th birthday. As for G’dad, he died when I was 3. He was a slightly built Guy who I am the image of. I have one picture of me and him digging his flower beds which I love. In WW2 he was a Batman to a Major in the Army. He served in Burma, was captured by the Japanese and helped build the railway that inspired the Bridge Over The River Kwai Movie.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"I had a bossy nanny (mum's mum)

Curly wurly nanny (dad's mum)

Nanny chicken soup (mum's nan)

For some reason we didn't have nicknames for the granddad's. One died when I was quite young but I do remember him. He let us eat our afters before our befores!

The other was a bit if a philanderer. He married 4 times (the last was a secret marriage that we only found out about when my mum was researching the family tree.

All gave sadly passed now. "

We had nanny lunchbox and nanny tea bags

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"The grandad I knew was a regimented, routine-oriented and inflexible man. He was lovely so long as things were his way. He also had the biggest earlobes I've ever seen.

The other grandad dies when my dad was 4 years old. He fell when climbing a waterfall on Ben Nevis. He was on a camping trip with my dad and Nan and didn't have any climbing equipment.

That's tragic, I am sorry to hear that xxx "

It is very sad. He was only 25.

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By *abs..Woman
over a year ago

Wow feel a bit

and teary now.

Sorry.. good tears I hope. Whereabouts abroad Babs?"

Several countries. I remember them fondly and would have liked more of a relationship with them.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"On my Dad’s side, both died shortly after I was born. There are few stories about them so I don’t really know much, although I did find out about a month ago (and bearing in mind I’m 57) that my Nan was Irish!

Wow the stories you could have been told!! Xxx

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

My paternal grandmother died when I was little so I didn’t really know her and I didn’t like my step grandad so we didn’t see him often. My maternal grandparents were wonderful, I have so many good memories of them, we only lived 2 minutes away and I spent many happy hours with them, hunting with the dogs and my grandad and gardening. And cooking with my nanna. Both sadly gone now but never forgotten x

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By *inn2000Woman
over a year ago

belfast

"I had a bossy nanny (mum's mum)

Curly wurly nanny (dad's mum)

Nanny chicken soup (mum's nan)

For some reason we didn't have nicknames for the granddad's. One died when I was quite young but I do remember him. He let us eat our afters before our befores!

The other was a bit if a philanderer. He married 4 times (the last was a secret marriage that we only found out about when my mum was researching the family tree.

All gave sadly passed now. "

We had a funny granny and a poor granny

but didnt have nicknames for the grandads either.

Mum's mum was very ladylike and almost naive despite having 10 children and losing 5 of them as infants. Until she got old and was in hospital after a stroke and then got really raunchy and swore like a trooper. Mum would be mortified but we thought it was hysterical

Dad's mum was the rock of the family and had 13 children all of whom survived. Great sense of humour and very protective of her children and grandchildren, she would always have our backs then rip the flesh off our hides when we got home

Granda's were a bit distant but lovely and I think its more a reflection of that strong matriarchal Irish thing.

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By *nabelle21Woman
over a year ago

B38

I have such good memories of mom's parents, both gone now.

Grandad was the kind that told you wonderful stories and had time real time for us. Nan, now she was a character she used to have a blonde beehive hair, blood red long nails always drew her eyebrows on and wore a bit of lippy. She loved a drink and was often pissed when my grandad got home from a long day's work. They had a sparky relationship always arguing but for us were always caring and loving and there for us.

Nan still tottered round to the pub with a walking stick up until she died.

Dads parents were Roman Catholic from Scotland and never really got to know them that well. They went to mass twice a week and were good people but didn't really feel the love.

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By *VineMan
over a year ago

The right place

[Removed by poster at 22/03/19 08:55:03]

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By *ibblingnewtWoman
over a year ago

by the sea

My granny was a gypsy my grandfather was a bin man loads of good storytelling going on

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Wow feel a bit

and teary now.

Sorry.. good tears I hope. Whereabouts abroad Babs?

Several countries. I remember them fondly and would have liked more of a relationship with them. "

Same with my Nans and rest of family.. but I loved being abroad too

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

My grandma I was three when she died so I don’t really remember her, I remember my grandad though, his house was a total mess but I remember his fires he had etc, according to my mum he used to bury money in the garden, when he died god knows how much the new occupants found!!

My nanny and grandad from my dads side, I miss so much, I know I should miss my other grandad but he wasn’t the same as these two, going round my nanny’s at the weekend to her cakes, warm and her mince dinners, in their toilet they had the old toilet roll doll holder.

My grandad had a massive stroke when I was 11, he was never the same again, he was like a two year old but he struggled on for another few years and got cancer everywhere.

He died in the May of 1994 and by June my nanny joined him, just six weeks apart. Even after all this time it still makes me sad.

Danish x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I knew all my grandparents, they had all died by the time I was 20 mainly in my last few years as a teenager.

They all smoked and died because of smoking related illnesses. So why the hell I smoked for 27 years baffles me.

I was closer to my maternal grandparents than paternal but that was mainly because of the relative amount of time I spent with them and that my grandad played football with me every Saturday at the local rec to their house in Anfield, then we’d go in the bar for a coca-cola and a pint of mild. E drank the mild

He could have been a pro-footballer but the wages were too little to support a young family so he worked in an Ice Cream Factory instead. He got run over by an ice cream van and walked away. He was as strong as an ox.

I look very like him and would be proud if I’m half as good a grandad as him should I be fortunate enough to become one.

Writing that has caused me to well up- Thanks Genghis

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By *andybeachWoman
over a year ago

In the middle

My maternal grandad was a Geordie who came here to work in the pit, he was a very quiet man and hardly spoke to us when we were young, my gran on the other hand was from Welsh gypsey stock and loved sparkly clothes and was very outgoing, she wore high heels well into her 70’s

My paternal grandad was also a miner who would sing to my gran on nights out and gave us 10p a week pocket money and 50p on our birthday

my gran died quiet young, my dad was only in his early 20’s so I sort of have vague memory of her but not much, however my great aunts took her place and it was like having four grandma’s instead

I had a great childhood with them and probably miss them more than my actual grandparents if I’m honest

now i’m blubbering too

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Both my grandparents have passed, loved them then, love them now and always will

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

On my step dad's side, his dad died years and years and years ago, sometime in the 70s I think so I obviously never knew him. His mum's still alive and kicking in her own flat, I think she's 90 this year. She lives in Skegness so we used to go down and visit her a lot, I stayed at hers for two weeks every summer for quite a few years, especially as a teen. She's the person who taught me to swim when I was 14.

On my mum's side, my grandpa died when I was 16, my grandma when I was 20. Very quiet and quite private and stubborn (both traits that have been passed on!) people but lovely, they had five children, ten grand children and about fifteen great grandchildren now I think. My grandpa was very much into his garden and his wine making. He also made me in particular (I'm the youngest grandchild by about eight years and ten years older than the first of the next generation) lots of things by hand. He made me a proper slopping wooden desk, stool and pencil box when I was five or six, and when I was seven or eight he made me a proper dolls house with all the furniture in. The latter's stored safely in my parents' attic for now.

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By *ryst In IsoldeWoman
over a year ago

your imagination

I only ever really knew one. I have vague memories of my paternal grandparents who died within a short space of each other when I was young. My maternal grandfather died when my mum was in her teens, so I never met him. My Gran though was a force to be reckoned with until Alzheimers ravaged her mind. She raised 8 kids on her own and later on took on raising 2 more after one of my uncle's wife left them. She's gone now too, but far from forgotten having left a legacy of 8 children, 36 grandchildren, 51 great grandchildren (so far), and 7 great great grandchildren (so far)

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By *adbury girlWoman
over a year ago

Lanarkshire

My paternal grandfather passed before I was born. My paternal Gran when I was 14, she was the matriarch if the family and it was her way or no way. She used to stay with my aunt on Sunday nights and in school holidays I would stay too, she would pull me close in the bed and say ‘coorie in’ she would have one cigarette a year on xmas day and loved her bingo! She had 13 children, 3 passed in childhood and 3 of her sons in their 40’s.

My maternal grandpa passed when I was 5, he was very loving to me but apparently wasn’t a good husband to my gran. My maternal gran was very shy and strict. Always threatening us with a belt although never using it. She was very strong andcoped with a lot in life. Worked in my uncles shop till she was 80! Was given 24 hrs to live after a stroke aged 80 then survived till after her 90th. One thing that really surprised me as she was a strict Catholic was that she was pregnant before she got married and I didn’t find this out till she died.

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By *elma and ShaggyCouple
over a year ago

Bedworth

My paternal grandmother died 3 years before I was born. My paternal grandfather died when I was about 8 I think. To be honest, I don’t really remember much about him.

My maternal grandmother was a wonderful lady and I miss her a lot! The first time I got d*unk she was responsible. I was about 13, she plied me with alcohol, didn’t take much, and then I felt awful and was sick all over. All in the safe environment of her home. It deterred me from ever going to the park with my friends and getting smashed on cheap cider! I would often go and stay with my grandparents during school holidays and we’d have loads of fun going out and about. She was always the life and soul of any event, my 21st birthday party she was the first up dancing and didn’t stop all night, she was 84!

My maternal grandfather was a grumpy old bugger who adored his wife! He had no legs, only one eye and was almost blind through macular degeneration. Yet, every single morning of their married life, when his health allowed, he would take her a cup of tea in bed. He had a little silver tray which he balanced on his leg stumps. Sometimes the tea wasn’t drinkable but my grandma never let him see her throw it away. They were married almost 60 years when my grandma passed away

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By *adbury girlWoman
over a year ago

Lanarkshire

"My paternal grandmother died 3 years before I was born. My paternal grandfather died when I was about 8 I think. To be honest, I don’t really remember much about him.

What fabulous grandparents you had with such a great love for each other, that’s a proper love story. Xx

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Didn't get the chance to read all these earlier. Some very moving memories xxx

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By *icketysplitsWoman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound

I wrote about my maternal grandmother on the name necklace thread a few weeks ago. It affected me more than I expected.

My paternal grandmother was a selfish, racist who thought nothing of putting me down and calling me a racist name.

I didn't really know my paternal grandfather as I didn't see him after I was 5 and then he died when I was 8. My mother adored him even though he was cruel to her, I found out from my aunts. Photos of him show a stern face which stopped me asking about him and his life.

I didn't know my paternal grandfather was my grandfather for ages. He was just the old man I used to visit. He and my father were estranged, almost until his death. He travelled, wrote (and was published) and collected coins and stamps. The strangeness of the relationship meant we weren't especially close but he was kind and engaging, would send me postcards from his travels and buy me a small touristy gift. I inherited his dresser and wardrobe and have been using them since I was twelve.

By some strange coincidence both grandfathers were known by the same name, even though it was not their first name but their middle names. They had the same birthday, but a few years apart. They died at the same age, several years apart, and of the same thing.

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By *uzukiNo1Woman
over a year ago

Rhyl

I don't know any of mine....brought up in care, but I'm a grandparent and I think it's the best job in the world....amazing feeling of intense love for my 3...

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"I wrote about my maternal grandmother on the name necklace thread a few weeks ago. It affected me more than I expected.

My paternal grandmother was a selfish, racist who thought nothing of putting me down and calling me a racist name.

Wow.. that's a whole lot of emotion x I like the sound of your paternal grandfather.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"I don't know any of mine....brought up in care, but I'm a grandparent and I think it's the best job in the world....amazing feeling of intense love for my 3...

That must have been a hard experience. No wonder you show so much love for your grandchildren x

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By *uzukiNo1Woman
over a year ago

Rhyl

"I don't know any of mine....brought up in care, but I'm a grandparent and I think it's the best job in the world....amazing feeling of intense love for my 3...

That must have been a hard experience. No wonder you show so much love for your grandchildren x"

You know tbh I think it was for the best....made me what I am today and yes 100 % makes me adore them...x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

This properly got me today.. great stories. I miss my grandparents.. just have one 97 year old nanna left that I adore.

My Manc grandad was a grumpy grafter that had a face like a bulldog and the driest humour I've ever known but he was a legend. My favourite story is that he wrote to Manchester United when they won the cup when my dad was small.. they lived on a huge council estate and he was always doing stuff to inspire the community. He asked if he could show the children the cup and Utd agreed. He had no car then so went to collect it on the bus.. there was a line all the way down the street of young kids wanting to see and have their photo taken with the cup and my grandad sat there all day seeing kids in and out.. then took it back the next day on the bus..

My other grandparents were refugees fleeing the Baltic states in ww2.. they met in a camp in Germany and managed to get over here with literally nothing and no English at all. They lived in an attic in oxford with several other families for 4 years.. my mum was born there and her cot was a drawer. They learnt the language and grafted their backsides off and never spoke of what they'd seen or the family they lost that stayed behind.

Safe to say I'm very proud of where I've come from and think my grandparents were just incredible. I miss them a lot.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"I don't know any of mine....brought up in care, but I'm a grandparent and I think it's the best job in the world....amazing feeling of intense love for my 3...

That must have been a hard experience. No wonder you show so much love for your grandchildren x

You know tbh I think it was for the best....made me what I am today and yes 100 % makes me adore them...x"

Buckets of respect and admiration for you for feeling that way

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By *uzukiNo1Woman
over a year ago

Rhyl

"I don't know any of mine....brought up in care, but I'm a grandparent and I think it's the best job in the world....amazing feeling of intense love for my 3...

That must have been a hard experience. No wonder you show so much love for your grandchildren x

You know tbh I think it was for the best....made me what I am today and yes 100 % makes me adore them...x

Buckets of respect and admiration for you for feeling that way

Thanku xx

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"This properly got me today.. great stories. I miss my grandparents.. just have one 97 year old nanna left that I adore.

Safe to say I'm very proud of where I've come from and think my grandparents were just incredible. I miss them a lot. "

omg your refugee grandparents

Wow! What a story.

I've not commented on everything, because it is emotional.. it does upset, but it's nice to share as well.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"This properly got me today.. great stories. I miss my grandparents.. just have one 97 year old nanna left that I adore.

Safe to say I'm very proud of where I've come from and think my grandparents were just incredible. I miss them a lot.

omg your refugee grandparents

Wow! What a story.

I've not commented on everything, because it is emotional.. it does upset, but it's nice to share as well."

Yeah totally. It's good to sit down and remember. Different world back then.. can't compute how that generation lived x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Never knew my Paternal Granparents. My Granpa came over with his family from Co Cork, to work on the railways. A prestigious Cork family, still lots of us Currys reside there.

Nanna died at 49 years old of lung cancer, I was born a year later on the day she died. Grandad died of a heart attack, at 60.

My maternal Granparents were sheep farmers, resided in North Wales, moved to North Shropshire in 1960 because of Taid being offered a gamekeeper/farm head with a house, my Mum not speaking a word of English when they relocated. He was amazing, kind, funny and loved me.

Nain was terrifying, my childhood consisted of lots of Welsh swearing, me being traumatised by Taid trying to get me into trouble with Nain! Argh! And cheese toasties, always loved cheese toasties at Nains.

He was 80 when he died of emphysema. Nain died at 76 of a ruptured aorta.

Would do anything to have a Nanna back

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