Some more old photos from the album. These are of my maternal grandparents, taken around the turn of the century...1900s.
My grandfather, Poppi as we called him, was an identical twin. Numbers 11 and 12 in the family...or was it 13 and 14? You lose track among such big numbers!
I love the clothes and the stares. I imagine their mother hastily tidying their hair, brushing their fringes to the side, adjusting the bows.
They were harum scarum young men. Imagine how hard to make them stay still. I love the skewiff belt buckles.
My Poppi is on the right below. Belted jackets were all the rage obviously. And bows.
I love the props and various chairs.
He grew to be an electrician. Working on the boats in Sydney Harbour during the War. He was a tease and a raconteur and had a heart of gold.
And here is the girl he was to marry. My grandma whom we called Mardi (on the right)
I love the interestingly shaped chair and the beautifully embroidered dress.
Note the carefully turned socks with elastic underneath. I remember doing that before socks had elastane.
She was a savvy business woman who ran a succesful sandwich shop at the law courts in Sydney for many years.
She made beautiful clothes herself, and used to trim hats professionally.
She lived many years on her own and used to support my parents' mission work by taking in any passing mission worker who needed a place for the night. We used to invade her house for months on end when we had leave every three years. We remember it fondly. And I can still remember how her house smelled...a distictive but pleasant mix of summer grass, musty old house and furniture polish.
I hope you enjoyed meeting my ancestors!
What stands out to you?
Love,
Jazzy Jack
