Family History Fun: Messages of Love: 52 Ancestors

"Love" was the appropriate theme for Week 7 of the "52 Ancestors" challenge and I am proud to feature the story of my parents 61 years of marriage.

A Dance Floor Meeting

I know exactly how my parents first met - at the Winter Gardens Ballroom in Blackpool,ancashire. My father often recalled the occasion and wrote it down in his "Early Memories".

"One Saturday night I was in the Winter Gardens when I saw a young lady sitting on a settee. She got up and we said "Hello". I tried to find her again in the evening without success, even going to the exit door to watch people leave."

"Two weeks later I was at the Tower Ballroom and who should come along but two ladies - and you have guessed that was your Mum and Aunt. Mum stopped to say "Hello" and we started talking and had a good chat. I asked if she would come to the cinema the next night and offered to come for her and take her home. She agreed. I thought it was rather brave of her to come with me when we had only just met to talk together.

The date was 13th October 1936 and we married 18th April 1938."

My parents John and Kathleen on their wedding day 18th April 1938

My mother (Kathleen Danson) was born in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, a few miles from the north west seaside resort of Blackpool.

At the age of 14, she was apprenticed to be a tailoress and was still making her own clothes in her 80's. For her going into a fabric shop was like going into a jeweller'sMum and her sister, Edith, often went dancing in the Winter Gardens Ballroom and in Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

Dad was then what was known as a commercial traveller - a salesman, and covered the north west of England, primarily Lancashire, Cumberland and Westmorland away from home a week at a time.

Messages of Love.

Movingly, following their deaths, I found letters, still in their envelopes, that my parents had written to each other. The letter below from my mother was dated 26th April 1938, so very shortly after their marriage. It was a revelation to me, as my mother writes so eloquently about her feelings, yet had always struck me as quite reserved.

26/4/38

My Dear John,

What a long time it seems since you left here Monday morning. I have missed you dear, the days seems so long * and empty being all on my own. but I think of you every minute of the day. Peggy came up to see me last night and Edith is coming for tonight and tomorrow...... [Mum's sisters]

I hope you enjoyed the sandwiches dear, though I meant to put in an apple, but forgot. I have got the wireless on while I am writing, I am so glad we got one, dear, as it keeps me company.............
...

Till Friday, dear. God bless you and keep you, Your every loving wife, Kath XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

* I think my mother had been working at the firm, Frosts in South Shore, Blackpool, making clothes, but this was the time when women were expected to give up their job on marriage - and look after their man!

Wartime

My father joined the RAF and served in the Codes and Cipher Branch of the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall, London. He witnessed the Battle of Britain over London earlier in the autumn of 1941. I love the design of this telegram and the message, with the frank on the reverse showing it was sent on December 31st 1941.

There were also letters spanning the years 1944-45. Dad by this time was in France and Germany, attached to the US forces under General Bradley.

The letter below was written in September 1944

after the Allied troops had entered Paris.

A another letter from 1944 ends:

In Peacetime

We were now a family of four, leading a typical 1950's lifestyle, with my mother running a dressmaking business from the spare bedroom/boxroom in our house, and Dad continuing to rise up the promotional ladder at work.

Following retirement Mum and Dad continued to lead busy lives, involved in their local community and enjoying their first holidays abroad together.