I am clearly no Val Erde, but today I made a start on retouching the images scanned yesterday.
Our Uncle Roy holds the shepherd’s crook in this scene from a parade during about 1927. I began with this picture because Becky has spent so long trying to establish the location. It was a safe bet that is somewhere in the North of England, given that our maternal grandfather was from Yorkshire, and grandmother from Lancashire. In vain did Becky, and later, Jackie try to identify the shop or to read the writing on the window. Trams ran on lines over cobbles in many towns in Yorkshire at that time. Shepherds’ crooks were widely used in May Day parades during the 1920s.
This portrait of Mum on the beach at Conwy in about 1926 deserved to come next. In my post, “Genes Will Out”, I had featured the likeness between my sister, Jacqueline, and her son, my nephew, James. I had been unaware of where this strain began – if not before. The deckchairs in the background would not be unfamiliar on any beach today, although the sand bucket would most likely now be made of plastic.
The third of today’s improvements was made on this photograph of Mum and Roy, who still lives in Leicester. Our uncle looks ready to take on the world. Shoes and socks are less likely to be seen on the seashore today.
When Elizabeth brought Mum over this afternoon, our mother demonstrated that she could have saved us all the research. She informed us that the location of the parade was Manchester, the occasion, Whit Monday, and Roy’s companion, Joan Heald. Grandpa, being a prison engineer, was based at Strangeways at the time. Joan was the daughter of a neighbouring officer’s family.
This led us to https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-annual-whit-monday-procession-1927-online
After a brief explanation of the event, which continues today, this one minute silent film shows the likely procession Mum remembers.
Monday is the day for non-Catholics; Catholics parade on the Friday.
With a little further research, Becky and I were able to find the film which Mum could watch on my laptop.
My mother and sister had enjoyed a late lunch at Holmsley Old Station Tea Rooms. This did not deter them from scoffing cream teas.
Mum unwittingly cracked the joke of the day when, watching me haul myself out of my chair, she said “I wish I could get up like that”. Howls of laughter ensued.
Becky and Ian are still with us. Mum and Elizabeth left shortly before we ordered a takeaway meal from Forest Tandoori. My choice was prawn jalfrezi with special fried rice. I drank Uco Valley Malbec 2018. Should they be interested the others may speak for themselves.
