Thursday 28 February 2008

Auntie Edie

 

I collect bookmarks. (“No accounting for tastes!” think my readers). With the exception of a couple I have never bought any and only a few have been given to me as presents and yet I seem to have acquired dozens and dozens. Sometimes they just turn up in old books that have been in the family a while. This one appeared when I picked up Mum’s old Bible.


The Bible was given to her upon her christening by her Auntie Edie. The state of Mum’s Bible comes from her having used it her whole life. It was still in use when visiting St David’s Church, Childwall, each Sunday in her nineties.


Auntie Edie with her children Claude, Gladys, Flora, and Muriel c. 1904
The Christening was on August 8th 1909 and it was upon that day that my grandfather fell out with Auntie Edie and never spoke to her again. As one of the Godparents, Nana’s sister, Edie, was holding the baby and was the one asked by the vicar what name was being given to this child. Instead of the agreed “Flora Irene” she handed the baby to the vicar saying “Flora Edith Irene” . Thus was my Mum christened and my Grandfather never forgave Auntie Edie.

2 comments:

  1. Hello,
    This wonderful memory of your Aunt Edie came up when I was Googling images of Jack Hammond of Rhodesia, a relative of mine.
    Why does the image on the Google page open up this page on your blog?
    The names of your Aunt Edie's children closely resemble the names of my father's Hammond cousins, one of whom, Jack, was close to Ian Smith in Rhodesia in the 60s.
    I am curious, and delighted by your blog.
    Eric Clifton Langley
    Courtenay, Vancouver Island

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello again,
    I neglected to include my email address in my previous comment - it is elangley@shaw.ca.
    Thank You.

    ReplyDelete